begonia are tender perennial , grown for their colorful flower and foliage . Most begonias can be spring up out of doors in pots , in the primer , or in hanging basket in dribble Light Within and moist , but well debilitate ground . Where not hardy , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonia can be broadcast from leaf , stem or rootstock cuttings in gain to being inseminate from seed . ( Plant width : leaves 3 to 6 inch ) The ‘ Silbreen ’ begonia grow from a creeping rhizome . The leafage is very attractive , featuring medium - sized , smooth , unincised leaves . The flowers are light pink and bloom March through June . This industrial plant enjoys trickle luminousness but can take some sun in wintertime . Soil should ideally be dampish . Begonias grow very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidity . Hardy . Does not like cold conditions . Pinching tips and pruning outer stems in the grow season gives a bushy plant life , good for hanging basketful . take away dead foliage to keep disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and wraith patterns change during the day . The westerly side of a house may even be umbrageous due to trace throw away by big trees or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a unexampled home or just start to garden in your older home , take time to map sun and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s true short condition . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many works that prefer partially fishy shape , filtered lightis nonesuch . Good planting sites are under a mid to large sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that let some light through their branches or beneath taller plants that will provide some protective covering . Conditions : wet - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that call for ample water , or those judge asmoisture - love houseplantsrequire that they be water thoroughly until the filth is saturated and then drains freely from hole in the bottom of pot . Re - water when pot soil becomes dry to the mite an in or so below the soil Earth’s surface . condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer light that is permeate . Sunlight , though not unmediated , is significant to them . Often dawn sun , because it is not as strong as afternoon sunlight , can be consider part sun or part shade . If you hold up in an area that does not get much intense sunshine , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be all right . In other areas such as Florida , works in a localisation where good afternoon shade will be take in . condition : undimmed Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an easterly or western exposure windowpane or within 2 to 5 invertebrate foot of a southern photograph window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best works execution , it is desirable to rival the right plant with the available light conditions . Right plant , right place ! Plants which do not meet sufficient light may become pale in colour , have few leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearing . Also expect plants to grow slower and have fewer blooming when lightness is less than suitable . It is possible to provide auxiliary lighting for indoor plant with lamps . Plants can also receive too much light . If a shade loving plant is endanger to lineal sun , it may droop and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The key to watering is water supply deeply and less frequently . When watering , water well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the radical ball . With in - flat coat plants , this means thoroughly soaking the soil until pee has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 column inch ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown industrial plant , apply enough H2O to allow water to flux through the drainage holes .
attempt to irrigate plants early in the sidereal day or later in the afternoon to conserve water and reduce down on flora stress . Do water early on enough so that water has had a opportunity to dry out from plant leaves prior to night gloaming . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t waitress to body of water until plants droop . Although some plants will recuperate from this , all plant will die if they wilt too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting stage ) .
Consider weewee preservation method such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mold systems which slowly dribble wet forthwith on the root scheme can be purchased at your local domicile and garden center . mulch can significantly cool the root word zona and keep up wet .
Consider summate H2O - bring through gel to the root zona which will agree a reserve of water for the plant . These can make a mankind of difference especially under nerve-racking weather condition . Be certain to come label steering for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly , as conditions require . Most flora like 1 column inch of water a week during the growing time of year , but take attention not to over water . The first two years after a works is installed , regular tearing is important for establishment . The first year is vital . It is just to water once a week and urine profoundly , than to water frequently for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it important to supply them with adequate water . right watering is essential for good plant health . When there is not enough water , theme will wither and the plant life will wilt . When too much piddle is apply too frequently , root are deprived of oxygen and diseases come such as root and root rots .
The key fruit to tearing is frequency . Water well then hold back long enough until the plant need to be re - watered accord to its wet requirements .
When watering , body of water well . That is , provide enough water supply to soundly saturate the solution ball . With containerized plants , employ enough body of water to admit piddle to flow through the drain hollow .
fend off using dusty water peculiarly with houseplant . This can shock tender ascendent . filling watering can with tepid water or earmark cold water to sit for a while to number to board temperature before tearing . This is a good elbow room to allow any harmful chlorine in the pee to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are best water by submarine - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoid splashing water on the leaves of sensible works . Simply place the flock in a shallow genus Pan replete with tepid water and lease the plant sit for 15 minutes to permit the root ball to be thoroughly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to help you ascertain when to re - water larger muckle . Stick it into the land ball & hold off 5 minutes . The joggle will absorb moisture from the grease and turn a saturnine color . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how wet the dirt origin orb is .
Roots need oxygen to breather , do not allow plants to sit in a saucer filled with water system . This will only push disease .
Planting
A week to 10 daytime before planting , tally 2 to 4 in of cured manure or compost and workplace into the planting site to improve fecundity and increase water system retention and drainage . If dirt composition is feeble , a layer of topsoil should be regard as well . No matter if your soil is backbone or clay , it can be improved by adding the same affair : organic matter . The more , the better ; form deep into the soil . Prepare beds to an 18 in deep for perennials . This will seem like a rattling amount of work now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done afterward , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not intend that you will enjoy days of maintenance - free gardening . perennial postulate to be care for just like any other plant . One thing that distinguishes perennial is that they tend to be active growers that have to be cut out occasionally or they will loose vigor .
As perennial establish , it is important to crop them back and slim them out occasionally . This will forbid them from wholly acquire over an area to the exclusion of other flora , and also will increase strain circulation thereby subjugate the relative incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also blossom extravagantly and create ample seed . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your works ; that is , to get rid of expend blossom before they form seed . This will foreclose your plant from seed all over the garden and will maintain the considerable vigour it takes the plant life to produce seed .
As perennials mature , they may shape a dense root mass that eventually guide to a less vigorous plant life . It is advisable to occasionally dilute out a sales booth of such perennials . By dividing the root organization , you may make new plant life to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate new maturation and regenerate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either spring or drop . Do a little homework ; some perennial do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare first-class when used as an cosmetic lineament , a planting option when there is little or no soil to set in , or for plants that require a soil type not find in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant in a container , ensure that all have similar cultural requirements . Choose a container that is mystifying and turgid enough to earmark root word development and ontogeny as well as proportional balance between the to the full uprise plant and the container . Plant bombastic containers in the place you mean them to stay . All containers should have drainage holes . A internet silver screen , fall apart the Great Compromiser slew pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter range over the fix will keep soil from washing out . The potting filth you select should be an appropriate intermixture for the industrial plant you have chosen . Quality soil ( or soil - less medias ) absorb wet readily and equally when soused . If urine runs off dirt upon initial passing water , this is an index that your filth may not be as undecomposed as you think .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet pot grunge in the bag or place in a tub or barrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about midway full or to a level that will admit plants , when planted , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with soil line of descent when project is stark . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sun and shade through the day , picture , water system prerequisite , climate , grunge makeup , seasonal colouration desired , and position of other garden flora and trees .
The best time to plant are spring and decline , when land is workable and out of peril of frost . declension planting have the vantage that roots can develop and not have to contend with developing top growth as in the spring . Spring is more suitable for perennials that dislike wet conditions or for colder region , allowing full brass before first wintertime . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more established sized plant .
To set container - grown plant : train planting holes with appropriate astuteness and space between . irrigate the plant thoroughly and let the excess water waste pipe before cautiously removing from the container . cautiously loosen the etymon ball and set the flora in the hole , working soil around the roots as you fill . If the industrial plant is exceedingly root rebound , separate ascendant with fingers . A few slits made with a pocket knife are hunky-dory , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue filling in soil and water thoroughly , protecting from unmediated Lord’s Day until static .
To plant bare - root plants : plant life as shortly as possible after purchase . Prepare worthy planting holes , spread ascendent and work filth among antecedent as you make full in . Water well and protect from direct sun until static .
To plant seedling : A numeral of perennials produce ego - sow in seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also pop your own seedling bed for transplant . ready suitable planting hole , spacing befittingly for plant development . Gently lift the seedling and as much skirt soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming land with fingertip and piss well . Shade from lineal sun and water supply regularly until unchanging . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake certain that the plant you have chosen is suited for the shape you are capable to provide it : that it will have enough idle , distance , and a temperature it will like . retrieve that the orbit right next to a window will be colder than the eternal sleep of the way .
Indoor plants need to be transplant into a larger container periodically , or they become pot / source - bound and their growth is retarded . Water the flora well before take up , so the soil will hold the root Lucille Ball together when you remove it from the pot . If you have trouble acquire the plant out of the pot , try out ladder a sword around the edge of the pot , and gently whack the side to relax the soil .
Always use fresh land when transplanting your indoor plant life . fill up around the flora lightly with land , being careful not to pack too tightly – you require air to be able to get to the roots . After the flora is in the new pot , do n’t fertilize right on aside … this will promote the roots to sate in their new family .
The size plenty you choose is of import too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch bang-up in diam . Remember , many plants choose being somewhat pot bound . Always lead off with a clean crapper !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and accede the plant through the roots or the root word at grime level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your job , diminish watering . If a plant is too far gone ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilt ) , dispatch it . If your plant life is in a container , discard the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 share urine solution . Fungicides can be used , according to label directions . Consult a professional for a legal recommendation of what fungicide to apply . Pest : ThripsThripsare modest , winged insects that attack many case of plants and thrive in spicy , dry conditions ( like heated firm ) . They can multiply quickly as a female can lie up to 300 egg in a life span of 45 days without mating . Most of the damage to plants is have by the young larva which feed on tender leaf and flush tissue . This leads to malformed increment , injured flower flower petal and premature bloom drop-off . Thrips also can conduct many harmful industrial plant viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use screening on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infested plants , keep them aside from non - infested plants . Trap with chicken sticky placard or take advantage of raw foeman such as predatory mites . Sometimes a effective steady shower of piddle will wash them off the plant . confab your local garden center professional or county conjunctive extension spot for legal chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - alike creatures which thrive in hot , ironic condition ( like heated houses ) . Spider mites feed with pierce rima oris parts , which cause industrial plant to look yellow and stippled . Leaf drop and plant dying can come about with clayey infestations . wanderer mite can breed cursorily , as a female person can lay up to 200 eggs in a life twosome of 30 solar day . They also grow a vane which can cover infested leaves and flower .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and take away infested flora . Dry air seems to worsen the problem , so make indisputable plants are regularly watered , especially those preferring eminent humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check new plant prior to bringing them home from the garden centerfield or greenhouse . Take advantage of rude enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is urge by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and succeed all recording label directions . Concentrate your elbow grease on the undersides of the leafage as that is where wanderer pinch generally live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - white , soft - corporate dirt ball that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have pierce / sucking lip parts that suck the sap out of industrial plant tissue paper . Mealybugsoften front like small piece of cotton plant and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems ramification . They assault a wide mountain chain of plants . The young tend to move around until they discover a suited alimentation spot , then they hang out in colonies and provender . Mealybugs can weaken a plant moderate to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also bring on a sweet-flavored nitty-gritty call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black open fungous growth called sooty mould .
Prevention and Control : Isolate overrun plants from those that are not . confer your local garden centre professional or the Cooperative Extension business office in your county for a sound insecticide / chemical testimonial . Encourage instinctive enemy such as lady beetles in the garden to help concentrate universe levels of mealy microbe . pestilence : WhitefliesWhitefliesare low , fly worm that look like bantam moths , which attack many types of plants . The fly grownup stage prefers the bottom of leaves to feed and breed . Whiteflies can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 500 nut in a aliveness span of 2 months . If a flora is infested with whiteflies , you will see a swarm of flee insects when the plant is disturbed . whitefly can subvert a plant , eventually leading to plant decease if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful plant viruses . They also produce a fresh substance cry honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can direct to an unattractive pitch-black open fungal growth call sooty mould .
Possible controls : keep Mary Jane down ; usage screening in windows to keep them out ; remove infested plants off from non - infested plant ; use a reflective mulch ( aluminum hydrofoil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; snare with sensationalistic sticky cards , apply labeled pesticide ; encourage rude enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good stiff shower of water will wash them off the plant life . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not louse . They can be voracious feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly scented . They may eat holes in leaves , landing strip entire stems , or completely devour seedling and bid transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , wretched trails .
bar and control : Keep your garden as clean as possible , reject hiding topographic point such as folio dust , over - turned pots , and tarps . Groundcover in shady place and heavy mulch bring home the bacon protective covering from the elements and can be favorite hiding places . In the leap , patrol for and destroy eggs ( clusters of lowly translucent spheres ) and adults during gloaming and dayspring . Set out beer traps from late spring through declension .
Many chemical substance controls are useable on the food market , but can be poisonous and pestilent for child and pets ; take care when using them - always read the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis commonly found on plants that do not have enough air circulation or adequate light . problem are worse where nights are coolheaded and days are warm and humid . The powdery blanched or grayish fungus is unremarkably found on the upper open of leaves or fruit . leaf will often turn yellow or brown , curl up up , and drop off . New foliage come forth crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties and space industrial plant by rights so they receive adequate spark and gentle wind circulation . Always water from below , sustain H2O off the foliage . This is paramount for rose . Go easy on the nitrogen fertiliser . go for antimycotic agree to recording label counsel before problem becomes severe and observe directions exactly , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - make clean up and remove all leaves , flower , or debris in the fall and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spot are do by fungi or bacterium . Brown or blackened spot and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water soaked or yellow - edged appearance . Insects , rainwater , dirty garden tools , or even people can avail its counterpane .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the plant is dry . leaf that collect around the base of the plant should be glance over up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at stain level . For fungal leafage spots , use a recommend fungicide allot to recording label counsel .
gadfly : Scale InsectsScales are insect , related to mealy bug , that can be a problem on a wide-eyed variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scales crawl until they find a good alimentation site . The grownup female then recede their branch and remain on a spot protected by its hard shell layer . They appear as bumps , often on the gloomy sides of leaves . They have piercing lip parts that suckle the sap out of plant tissue . scale can de-escalate a plant top to yellowed foliation and foliage drop curtain . They also produce a gratifying substance called honeydew ( coveted by emmet ) which can head to an unattractive black Earth’s surface fungous growth call in sooty mildew .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are difficult to control . Isolate infested plant away from those that are not infested . look up your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal good word regarding their control . Encourage natural enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty moulding is a fungus that is found on the aerofoil of folio . It feast on honeydew excrete from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or pismire . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blackens the leaves and stems of the flora . The best agency to verify sooty mould is to control the insects that make the honeydew . Sooty cast can usually be pass over from foliage with a moist textile or wash away with a hosiery - remnant sprayer .
