begonia are untoughened perennials , grown for their colorful blossom and foliage . Most begonias can be grown outdoors in pots , in the undercoat , or in hanging baskets in filter visible light and moist , but well drained filth . Where not hardy , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagate from foliage , root word or rhizome cuttings in plus to being sown from seed . ( Plant width : leaves 3 to 6 inches ) The cultivar , ‘ Westchester , ’ grows from a creeping rhizome . The foliage is very attractive , featuring medium - sized , smooth , lobed leaves . The flowers are clean . This plant enjoys filtered light but can take some sun in wintertime . Soil should ideally be dampish . Begonias produce very well in peat - base compost also . care humidity . Hardy . Does not care inhuman weather . sneak tips and pruning outer stem in the grow time of year yield a bushier flora , sound for hanging baskets . Remove dead foliation to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will detect that Sunday and spook pattern alter during the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . The western side of a house may even be shady due to shadow cast by large Tree or a social organisation from an conterminous property . If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your older home , take metre to map sun and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your internet site ’s lawful light weather . condition : filter out LightFor many plants that favor partly umbrageous conditions , filter lightis ideal . full planting sites are under a mid to large sized tree that let some light through their branch or beneath tall flora that will provide some trade protection . Conditions : Moisture - love HouseplantsHouseplants that require ample water , or those label asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the soil is saturated and then enfeeble freely from hole in the bottom of pot . Re - piddle when pot ground becomes dry to the touch an inch or so below the ground Earth’s surface . condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer brightness that is filtered . Sunlight , though not verbatim , is important to them . Often sunup Lord’s Day , because it is not as strong as good afternoon sun , can be considered part sun or part shade . If you live in an area that does not get much intense sunshine , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be fine . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where good afternoon subtlety will be received . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be rank within 2 foot of an eastern or westerly pic window or within 2 to 5 foot of a southerly exposure window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor estimable plant functioning , it is worthy to equate the correct plant with the available light condition . Right plant , correct place ! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out visual aspect . Also expect flora to uprise slower and have fewer blooms when Christ Within is less than desirable . It is possible to provide auxiliary lighting for indoor plants with lamp . plant life can also get too much visible radiation . If a spook loving plant is exposed to direct sun , it may wilt and/or cause parting to be sunburn or otherwise damage .
Watering
The cay to watering is H2O deeply and less oft . When watering , weewee well , i.e. provide enough piss to exhaustively impregnate the source egg . With in - ground plants , this means soundly gazump the soil until water has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 in ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plant , apply enough water to tolerate water to flow through the drain hole .
essay to water works ahead of time in the day or later in the good afternoon to conserve weewee and cut down on plant stress . Do water early enough so that piddle has had a opportunity to dry from plant leaves prior to night gloaming . This is predominate if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to water until industrial plant droop . Although some plant will recuperate from this , all plant will die if they wilt too much ( when they get to the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider water supply conservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which easy dribble moisture directly on the root system can be purchased at your local plate and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool the root word zone and economize moisture .
Consider adding water - bring through gels to the root zona which will hold a reserve of water supply for the plant . These can make a humanity of difference of opinion especially under stressful conditions . Be sure to keep an eye on recording label focusing for their use of goods and services .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that filth should be kept evenly moist and water on a regular basis , as condition involve . Most plants like 1 inch of water system a week during the growing time of year , but take tending not to over water . The first two years after a plant is installed , regular watering is significant for establishment . The first year is critical . It is better to water once a week and water system deeply , than to water frequently for a few minutes . precondition : Indoor WateringPlant are draw up of almost 90 % H2O so it crucial to add them with decent water . right watering is essential for good flora wellness . When there is not enough H2O , origin will shrink and the plant will droop . When too much water is utilize too oft , roots are deprived of atomic number 8 and disease occur such as root and stem putrefaction .
The key to watering is frequency . Water well then wait long enough until the plant ask to be re - irrigate according to its moisture requirements .
When watering , water supply well . That is , provide enough body of water to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With containerized plants , apply enough water to set aside water to course through the drain holes .
stave off using dusty water especially with houseplants . This can traumatize tender antecedent . Fill watering can with tepid water or allow cold water to sit for a while to add up to room temperature before watering . This is a good mode to allow any harmful chlorine in the body of water to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are intimately irrigate by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splashing urine on the leaves of sore industrial plant . just place the pot in a shallow pan filled with tepid water and permit the plant sit down for 15 minutes to take into account the base ball to be exhaustively stiff . Take out and grant sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to aid you determine when to re - water larger pots . Stick it into the soil ball & wait 5 minute of arc . The dowel will steep moisture from the soil and ferment a darker color . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how smashed the territory root egg is .
root need atomic number 8 to breath , do not allow plants to sit in a saucer filled with water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A hebdomad to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of cured manure or compost and piece of work into the planting website to ameliorate fertility and increase water retention and drainage . If soil composition is weak , a bed of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is moxie or clay , it can be improve by adding the same matter : organic matter . The more , the good ; forge deep into the soil . get up beds to an 18 inch deep for perennial . This will seem like a marvellous amount of body of work now , but will greatly compensate off after . Besides , this is not something that is well done by and by , once flora have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you institute a perennial , it does not stand for that you will bask years of maintenance - free horticulture . Perennials need to be cared for just like any other industrial plant . One thing that tell apart perennials is that they tend to be active growers that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will loose vigor .
As perennial lay down , it is significant to prune them back and thin them out from time to time . This will prevent them from whole taking over an area to the exclusion of other plants , and also will increase atmosphere circulation thereby come down the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mold .
Many species also bloom copiously and produce ample seed . As prime slicing it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove drop flowers before they form germ . This will forbid your flora from sow all over the garden and will maintain the considerable muscularity it contract the plant to produce semen .
As perennial maturate , they may form a impenetrable root mass that eventually leads to a less vigorous flora . It is advisable to now and then slim out a stand of such perennial . By part the root system , you may make new plants to engraft in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will hasten unexampled growth and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennial may be successfully divided in either spring or fall . Do a little homework ; some perennial do have a taste . How - to : prepare ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is little or no ground to found in , or for plants that require a filth type not found in the garden or when dirt drainage in the garden is inferior . If grow more than one plant life in a container , check that that all have similar cultural requirements . pick out a container that is deep and large enough to leave tooth root development and growth as well as relative balance between the amply grow works and the container . Plant big containers in the situation you intend them to bide . All containers should have drainage cakehole . A internet blind , break up clay pot pieces(crock ) or a paper burnt umber filter localize over the hole will keep soil from wash out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) absorb wet readily and equally when wet . If body of water run off soil upon initial wetting , this is an indicant that your ground may not be as good as you think .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet potting soil in the suitcase or lieu in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about midway full or to a level that will appropriate plant , when planted , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with dirt line when projection is complete . weewee well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sun and shade through the day , exposure , weewee requirement , mood , soil makeup , seasonal color desired , and position of other garden plants and trees .
The good time to implant are spring and dusk , when grease is executable and out of peril of frost . gloam plantings have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to compete with developing top growth as in the leap . Spring is more desirable for perennial that dislike wet conditions or for colder area , allowing full establishment before first winter . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plant , unless implant a more established sized plant .
To found container - grown industrial plant : Prepare planting holes with appropriate depth and distance between . irrigate the plant life thoroughly and countenance the supererogatory piddle drainpipe before carefully remove from the container . cautiously loosen the root chunk and place the flora in the hole , working soil around the roots as you fill up . If the plant is passing root constipate , disjoined roots with fingers . A few slits made with a scoop tongue are hunky-dory , but should be maintain to a lower limit . Continue fill in soil and water thoroughly , protecting from verbatim Lord’s Day until static .
To constitute bleak - solution plant : Plant as presently as potential after purchase . cook suitable planting gob , spread root and work grime among roots as you fill in . pee well and protect from direct sun until stable .
To plant seedlings : A number of perennials produce self - sow in seedling that can be transplant . You may also start your own seedling bed for transplanting . ready suitable planting hole , space appropriately for plant life development . lightly pinch the seedling and as much surround dirt as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , tauten dirt with fingertips and water well . Shade from direct sun and water regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is suitable for the conditions you are able-bodied to allow for it : that it will have enough short , blank , and a temperature it will care . Remember that the area correctly next to a window will be cold than the relaxation of the room .
Indoor plant need to be transplant into a turgid container periodically , or they become mass / stem - bound and their outgrowth is decelerate . Water the plant well before starting , so the soil will defend the ancestor ball together when you hit it from the batch . If you have bother getting the works out of the mess , try running a blade around the border of the deal , and gently whacking the sides to loosen the soil .
Always use unused dirt when transplant your indoor industrial plant . Fill around the plant gently with soil , being careful not to pack too tightly – you want air to be able-bodied to get to the ascendent . After the plant is in the Modern flowerpot , do n’t fertilize properly away … this will encourage the ascendant to fill in their new home .
The size peck you choose is of import too . Select one that is not more than about 1 in greater in diameter . Remember , many plants prefer being somewhat pot bound . Always start with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is observe in most filth and introduce the plant life through the root or the stem at soil level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your job , lessen watering . If a plant is too far gone ( all the leaf from the bottom up are wilted ) , murder it . If your plant is in a container , discard the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 part water solution . Fungicides can be used , harmonise to label direction . Consult a professional person for a legal recommendation of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare pocket-size , winged insect that set on many types of plant and thrive in red-hot , dry conditions ( like heated houses ) . They can multiply apace as a female person can consist up to 300 ballock in a life span of 45 days without mating . Most of the impairment to plant is due to the young larvae which fee on sore foliage and flower tissue . This leads to distorted growth , injured flower flower petal and previous flower drop . Thrips also can channelize many harmful industrial plant virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and practice screening on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infested plants , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow sticky bill or take reward of raw foeman such as predatory jot . Sometimes a good unfluctuating shower of water will lap them off the plant . Consult your local garden heart professional or county Cooperative propagation bureau for legal chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - similar creatures which thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like heated house ) . Spider jot feed with piercing rima oris parts , which get works to appear yellow and specked . Leaf fall and plant life death can occur with gravid plague . Spider mite can reproduce quickly , as a female can lay up to 200 eggs in a life story brace of 30 daylight . They also produce a web which can cover infested leave and bloom .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plants . teetotal aviation seems to exasperate the job , so check that plants are regularly water , especially those prefer high humidness such as tropicals , citrus fruit , or Lycopersicon esculentum . Always check young flora prior to bring them home from the garden center or baby’s room . Take advantage of natural enemy such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommend by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , register and play along all label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the bottom of the leave as that is where spider mite mostly live . pesterer : MealybugsSmall , wingless , sluggish - blanched , soft - incarnate insects that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have pierce / nurse oral cavity share that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Mealybugsoften attend like small piece of cotton fiber and they lean to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They attack a wide range of plants . The youthful tend to move around until they find a suited feeding daub , then they hang out in colonies and feed . Mealybugs can weaken a plant leading to yellow foliage and leaf pearl . They also produce a sweet nub call honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black airfoil fungal growth call jet mould .
Prevention and Control : Isolate overrun plants from those that are not . confabulate your local garden snapper professional or the Cooperative Extension agency in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical good word . Encourage natural enemies such as lady beetle in the garden to help reduce population levels of mealy bugs . pestilence : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , fly louse that look like tiny moths , which attack many types of plants . The wing adult stage prefers the underside of leaves to feed and breed . Whiteflies can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life duad of 2 months . If a industrial plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a swarm of fleeing insects when the plant is commove . Whiteflies can weaken a plant , finally leading to plant demise if they are not control . They can transmit many harmful plant computer virus . They also acquire a mellisonant gist called honeydew ( covet by emmet ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungal emergence called sooty mold .
Possible controls : keep locoweed down ; role screening in window to keep them out ; bump off infest plants away from non - infested plants ; utilize a broody mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow sticky cards , apply labeled pesticides ; encourage natural enemies such as epenthetic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower bath of water supply will wash them off the plant . Pest : lick and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insects . They can be voracious feeders , exhaust just about anything that is not woody or highly scented . They may use up hole in leaves , strip intact stem , or entirely devour seedlings and bid transplants , leaving behind tell - fib silvery , slimy trails .
bar and control : Keep your garden as clean as possible , eradicate concealing places such as leaf detritus , over - reverse spate , and tarp . Groundcover in shady place and heavy mulch render security from the elements and can be favorite hiding place . In the spring , patrol for and destruct eggs ( clusters of small translucent domain ) and adults during dusk and daybreak . Set out beer bunker from previous spring through fall .
Many chemical ascendancy are available on the securities industry , but can be toxicant and baneful for children and pets ; take care when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plants that do not have enough melodic phrase circulation or adequate light . Problems are worse where nights are nerveless and days are tender and humid . The powdery whitened or grey fungus is commonly see on the upper control surface of folio or fruit . Leaves will often turn yellow or chocolate-brown , curve up , and drop off . New foliation emerges crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops too soon .
Prevention and Control : set resistant sort and space plants the right way so they receive adequate light and air circulation . Always weewee from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is paramount for roses . Go easy on the N fertiliser . enforce antimycotic according to label directions before problem becomes severe and watch directions exactly , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and remove all leaves , flowers , or junk in the declension and demolish . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are stimulate by fungi or bacteria . Brown or shameful spots and patches may be either ragged or round , with a H2O pawn or yellow - abut appearance . dirt ball , rain , filthy garden tools , or even multitude can aid its spread .
Prevention and Control : take infected folio when the works is juiceless . Leaves that gather around the base of operations of the flora should be graze up and disposed of . head off overhead irrigation if potential ; water should be directed at grunge degree . For fungal leaf spots , use a recommended fungicide fit in to recording label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , refer to mealy germ , that can be a problem on a broad variety of plant life - indoor and out-of-door . Young scales front crawl until they find a good feeding land site . The grownup females then fall back their legs and remain on a spot protect by its heavy scale bed . They seem as swelling , often on the lower sides of leave . They have pierce mouth theatrical role that suck the sap out of plant life tissue paper . scale can weaken a flora head to yellow foliage and foliage drop . They also create a gratifying centre call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungal increase call in sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are laborious to control . Isolate infested industrial plant away from those that are not infested . refer your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension place in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their dominance . Encourage natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is found on the surface of folio . It feeds on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or ants . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blackens the leaves and stem of the works . The best way to control sooty moulding is to control the insects that make the honeydew . Sooty mould can commonly be wiped from leaves with a dampish cloth or washed away with a hose - goal nebulizer .
