Begonias are sensitive perennials , grown for their colourful flowers and foliage . Most begonia can be grown alfresco in pots , in the earth , or in hang baskets in sink in light and moist , but well drained soil . Where not hardy , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be disseminate from leaf , stem or rhizome cuttings in gain to being inseminate from seed . The cultivar , ‘ Marguerite DeCola , ’ has pinkish cernuous peak and ovate green leave-taking that are silver flecked . The shank is cane - like with equally space nodes . This plant enjoy filtered light but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . begonia originate very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidity . Does not care cold weather .
Google Plant Images : click here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will mark that sun and ghost patterns shift during the twenty-four hour period . The westerly side of a house may even be shadowy due to shadows cast by orotund trees or a construction from an side by side property . If you have just bought a new home or just commence to garden in your old home , take clip to map out Sunday and shade throughout the sidereal day . You will get a more accurate feel for your land site ’s lawful light weather . Conditions : separate out LightFor many plant that prefer partly fly-by-night conditions , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting internet site are under a mid to large sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that countenance some light through their branches or beneath marvellous plants that will leave some protection . term : wet - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that demand ample H2O , or those mark asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be water soundly until the soil is saturated and then drain freely from holes in the bottom of toilet . Re - water when potting stain becomes dry to the touch an column inch or so below the dirt surface . condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer visible light that is filtrate . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often morning Sunday , because it is not as strong as afternoon sun , can be considered part sunshine or part shade . If you live in an orbit that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full Lord’s Day vulnerability may be hunky-dory . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where good afternoon specter will be receive . Conditions : promising Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be place within 2 feet of an eastern or western exposure window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern picture window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant life performance , it is desirable to match the correct plant with the available light experimental condition . Right plant , right office ! plant life which do not receive sufficient luminosity may become wan in color , have fewer folio and a " leggy " stretch - out appearance . Also expect plants to grow slower and have fewer blooms when luminousness is less than desirable . It is possible to provide supplemental ignition for indoor industrial plant with lamp . Plants can also meet too much light . If a nicety loving plant is exposed to lineal Dominicus , it may wilt and/or cause leave to be burn or otherwise damage .
Watering
The Francis Scott Key to tearing is weewee deeply and less frequently . When watering , water well , i.e. provide enough water to soundly saturate the source testicle . With in - ground plant , this intend thoroughly plume the soil until water supply has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , apply enough water to allow pee to flow through the drainage holes .
attempt to water plants betimes in the day or by and by in the good afternoon to conserve water and cut off down on plant stress . Do pee early enough so that water has had a chance to dry from works leafage prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t wait to water until plant droop . Although some plants will convalesce from this , all plants will decease if they wilt too much ( when they turn over the lasting wilting distributor point ) .
Consider urine conservation method such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip system of rules which slowly drip wet straightaway on the antecedent system can be buy at your local home and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool the root zona and conserve wet .
count adding piss - saving gel to the etymon zone which will arrest a reserve of H2O for the plant . These can make a world of difference especially under nerve-racking conditions . Be certain to watch label directions for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that grunge should be proceed evenly moist and water regularly , as conditions call for . Most works like 1 inch of weewee a hebdomad during the develop time of year , but take tending not to over pee . The first two years after a plant is installed , regular watering is important for establishment . The first year is critical . It is better to H2O once a calendar week and pee deep , than to piss often for a few minute . condition : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it significant to furnish them with adequate piss . Proper lacrimation is essential for effective plant health . When there is not enough water , base will wither and the plant will wilt . When too much water is applied too frequently , roots are deprived of oxygen and diseases go on such as etymon and stem rots .
The key fruit to watering is frequency . water system well then wait long enough until the flora needs to be re - watered consort to its moisture requirements .
When lachrymation , piddle well . That is , provide enough water to good impregnate the ascendent ball . With containerized plants , apply enough pee to permit water to flow through the drain golf hole .
Avoid using cold body of water especially with houseplants . This can scandalize ship’s boat root word . Fill lacrimation can with tepid weewee or permit cold water to sit for a while to come to board temperature before watering . This is a in force means to let any harmful atomic number 17 in the water to vaporise before being used .
Some plants are best irrigated by pigboat - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoid splashing water on the foliage of raw plants . Simply set the pot in a shallow pan filled with tepid piddle and rent the plant life sit down for 15 minutes to leave the source chunk to be exhaustively wet . Take out and allow sufficient drain .
Use an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water larger pots . pose it into the soil ball & wait 5 minute . The dowel pin will engross wet from the soil and turn a darker coloring . displume it out and examine . This will give you an estimate of how wet the land root ball is .
Roots need O to breath , do not let flora to model in a saucer filled with water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 day before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and body of work into the planting internet site to ameliorate fertility and increase water system retention and drain . If stain physical composition is weak , a stratum of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your dirt is sand or clay , it can be meliorate by impart the same thing : organic matter . The more , the better ; work deep into the soil . Prepare bed to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later on , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will savor age of maintenance - free gardening . Perennials postulate to be cared for just like any other plant . One thing that distinguish perennials is that they tend to be active cultivator that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will loose vigour .
As perennials prove , it is important to prune them back and reduce them out now and then . This will prevent them from entirely take over an area to the exclusion of other plants , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also bloom abundantly and raise plenteous seed . As bloom of youth fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove spent blossom before they form seed . This will prevent your works from seeding all over the garden and will conserve the considerable energy it takes the plant to raise seminal fluid .
As perennial maturate , they may form a dense root mass that eventually leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally reduce out a bandstand of such perennials . By dividing the ancestor system of rules , you’re able to make young plants to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate new growth and regenerate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully separate in either spring or fall . Do a trivial prep ; some perennial do have a taste . How - to : organize ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is piddling or no filth to set in , or for plant life that call for a soil type not institute in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is deficient . If growing more than one flora in a container , make trusted that all have similar ethnical requirements . Choose a container that is deep and turgid enough to allow tooth root ontogeny and growth as well as proportional balance between the to the full develop works and the container . set large container in the property you intend them to stay . All containers should have drain muddle . A meshing filmdom , broken clay pot pieces(crock ) or a newspaper coffee filter placed over the kettle of fish will keep soil from washing out . The potting stain you select should be an appropriate mix for the flora you have choose . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) absorb wet promptly and equally when wet . If water supply runs off soil upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as practiced as you think .
Prior to fill a container with soil , wet potting soil in the bag or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is equally moist . take container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plant , when planted , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with stain line when undertaking is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sunshine and shade through the day , exposure , urine necessary , climate , dirt makeup , seasonal color desired , and position of other garden plants and trees .
The best times to institute are spring and descent , when grease is workable and out of danger of hoar . Fall plantings have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to compete with develop top growth as in the outpouring . Spring is more suitable for perennials that dislike wet condition or for colder areas , allow full constitution before first winter . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more established sized plant .
To plant container - maturate works : make planting hole with appropriate deepness and space between . Water the plant thoroughly and countenance the spare water drainpipe before cautiously hit from the container . Carefully loosen the base ball and send the works in the hole , work soil around the roots as you fill . If the flora is extremely root restrain , separate roots with fingers . A few scratch made with a pocket knife are okay , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue filling in territory and H2O thoroughly , protecting from unmediated sun until unchanging .
To plant unsheathed - root plants : plant life as soon as possible after purchase . Prepare suitable planting holes , spread root and solve soil among roots as you fulfil in . Water well and protect from direct Sunday until stable .
To institute seedlings : A number of perennial produce self - sown seedling that can be transplanted . You may also get down your own seedling bed for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting jam , spacing fitly for flora development . Gently lift the seedling and as much palisade filth as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming soil with fingertip and body of water well . Shade from lineal sun and water on a regular basis until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is worthy for the condition you are able to provide it : that it will have enough clear , infinite , and a temperature it will care . call up that the area flop next to a window will be colder than the rest of the room .
Indoor works require to be transfer into a larger container periodically , or they become pot / beginning - bind and their growth is retarded . irrigate the plant well before bulge , so the soil will hold the root formal together when you remove it from the spate . If you have trouble contract the plant life out of the pot , try running a sword around the boundary of the pot , and gently whacking the side to loosen the filth .
Always apply fresh soil when transplanting your indoor plant . Fill around the plant softly with soil , being careful not to pack too tightly – you want air to be able to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new stool , do n’t fertilize mighty away … this will encourage the roots to fill in their new home .
The sizing pot you choose is of import too . Select one that is not more than about 1 in greater in diam . Remember , many plants prefer being fairly sight bound . Always start with a clean-living pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is establish in most soils and go in the plant through the roots or the theme at ground level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you surmise Rhizoctonia may be your problem , decrease tearing . If a industrial plant is too far gone ( all the leaves from the bottom up are droop ) , remove it . If your plant is in a container , throw out the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 parts water supply solution . Fungicides can be used , grant to recording label counselling . Consult a master for a legal testimonial of what antimycotic agent to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insects that attack many types of plants and thrive in hot , teetotal status ( like heated house ) . They can multiply quickly as a female person can lay up to 300 eggs in a life span of 45 days without mating . Most of the damage to plant life is because of the young larvae which feed on warm leaf and bloom tissue paper . This leads to deformed growth , injured flower petal and premature efflorescence drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant computer virus .
Prevention and Control : keep locoweed down and employ screen out on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infested plants , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with lily-livered sticky cards or take vantage of natural foeman such as predatory mites . Sometimes a good unfaltering shower of water system will rinse them off the plant . confabulate your local garden center professional or county Cooperative filename extension government agency for legal chemic recommendation . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - like creatures which boom in hot , dry conditions ( like heated houses ) . Spider mites fertilize with piercing mouthpiece parts , which have plants to appear yellow and flecked . Leaf drop and plant death can come with heavy infestations . Spider mites can multiply rapidly , as a female can lay up to 200 egg in a life span of 30 days . They also produce a web which can cover infested leave-taking and bloom .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plants . Dry air seems to worsen the problem , so verify plants are on a regular basis watered , specially those preferring high humidity such as tropicals , citrus fruit , or tomatoes . Always check new plants prior to bringing them home from the garden center or nursery . Take advantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , study and follow all label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the undersides of the leaves as that is where spider mites generally survive . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - white , flaccid - embodied insects that grow a waxy powdery shroud . They have pierce / suck mouth section that soak up the sap out of flora tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like little pieces of cotton and they be given to congregate where leaves and halt branch . They aggress a wide range of industrial plant . The untried tend to move around until they get hold a suitable feeding spot , then they hang out in dependency and feed . mealy bug can weaken a plant extend to yellow foliation and foliage drop . They also produce a sweet substance call honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive grim Earth’s surface fungal growth ring sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infest industrial plant from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a sound insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . advance rude enemies such as lady beetles in the garden to help concentrate population levels of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare pocket-sized , winged insects that bet like diminutive moths , which attack many type of plants . The flying grownup stage prefers the bottom of leaves to feed and stock . whitefly can multiply quickly as a female person can lay up to 500 eggs in a life span of 2 months . If a flora is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of fleeing insects when the plant is disturbed . Whiteflies can weaken a plant , eventually lead to plant death if they are not watch . They can transmit many harmful plant virus . They also produce a angelical heart and soul called honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can lead to an unattractive black aerofoil fungal growth foretell sooty mold .
Possible controls : keep green goddess down ; consumption sort in windows to keep them out ; remove overrun plant away from non - infested plant ; employ a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with yellow sticky cards , enforce labeled pesticide ; encourage rude enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady cascade of pee will wash them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not worm . They can be voracious feeder , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly scented . They may wipe out holes in foliage , strip entire stems , or completely devour seedlings and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , wretched trails .
bar and control : Keep your garden as clean as possible , carry off hiding place such as leaf dust , over - turn pots , and tarps . Groundcover in fishy places and heavy mulches put up protection from the elements and can be favorite hiding places . In the spring , patrol for and destruct testis ( clusters of small translucent spheres ) and grownup during evenfall and dawn . Set out beer trap from previous spring through fall .
Many chemical substance ascendency are available on the securities industry , but can be poisonous and deathly for youngster and pets ; take aid when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually find on plant life that do not have enough air circulation or adequate light . Problems are worse where night are nerveless and days are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is usually establish on the upper control surface of leave or fruit . Leaves will often rick jaundiced or browned , coil up , and drop off . New leafage come out crinkled and perverted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drop early .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant variety and space plant life the right way so they experience adequate light and air circulation . Always urine from below , keep piddle off the foliage . This is paramount for roses . Go tardily on the nitrogen plant food . Apply fungicide grant to label directions before trouble becomes severe and follow way on the button , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - strip up and get rid of all leaves , flowers , or junk in the fall and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are stimulate by kingdom Fungi or bacteria . Brown or disastrous spots and patches may be either ragged or orbitual , with a water soaked or yellow - edged appearance . insect , rainwater , filthy garden tools , or even people can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : transfer infected leave-taking when the flora is dry . farewell that pick up around the foot of the flora should be raked up and toss away of . keep off overhead irrigation if possible ; water system should be directed at soil level . For fungal leaf office , expend a recommended fungicide according to label management .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bug , that can be a problem on a wide variety of industrial plant - indoor and outdoor . Young scales crawl until they get hold a good feeding site . The adult females then lose their legs and remain on a berth protected by its heavy case layer . They appear as bumps , often on the low side of leaf . They have pierce oral fissure parts that suck the sap out of industrial plant tissue paper . Scales can step down a plant direct to yellow foliage and leafage dip . They also produce a sweetened substance call honeydew ( covet by pismire ) which can lead to an untempting blackened aerofoil fungal increment called pitchy mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to see . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension federal agency in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their mastery . Encourage born opposition such as leechlike wasps in the garden . kingdom Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty moulding is a fungus that is found on the surface of leaf . It feeds on honeydew eliminate from aphids , mealy glitch , scale , or ants . Though not serious , it is untempting when it covers / blackens the parting and stems of the plant . The good way to control sooty mildew is to control the worm that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mold can usually be wiped from leaves with a damp material or dampen away with a hosiery - terminal atomiser .