Begonia Watering : Typically acclimated as houseplants and in black summer beds, begonias accept close and subtropical origins.
Some are developed for their asymmetrical, blooming and different foliage, and others to add blush to adumbral garden areas with their ablaze blooms. Although about on the abate side, begonia plants backpack a big bite of blush and interest.
Begonia Basic
Zones
Most varieties 9-11, but frequently developed as an anniversary or houseplant.
Height/Spread
Varieties differ, from 6- to 12-inch houseplants to bristling plants 5 anxiety alpine or more.
Exposure
Sun to shade, depending on variety.
Bloom Time
Varies, with the best accepted types, wax and tuberous begonias, blooming from aboriginal summer until frost. Blossom times may additionally alter if developed central and some types blossom all year.
Color and characteristics of accepted types:
Wax begonias accept delicious stems; shiny, rounded, blooming or brownish leaves and abound in a mounded habit. They blossom with 1-1/2-inch audible or bifold flowers in shades of red, pink, or white.
Learn added about growing wax begonias
Tuberous begonias appear in two forms, either cocked or trailing, and accept blooming or bittersweet leaves. Their single, bifold or annoyed flowers blossom in shades of pink, yellow, orange, red, or white.
Learn added about growing tuberous begonias
Angel accession begonias accept adorable year-round foliage with speckles or streaks on aphotic blooming leaves. The abject of the leaves is usually abysmal red.
Are begonias poisonous?
Begonias are baneful to pets, with the tubers actuality the best poisonous part. They are not baneful to humans, although may account allergic reactions. See added Accepted Poisonous Plants for Dogs and Cats.
Begonia Types
Wax Begonias
The best accepted are Begonia semperflorens varieties, additionally alleged wax, annual, or bedding begonias.
These shade-loving plants accompany mounds of blush aback buried beneath copse or tucked in planters, blind baskets, or window boxes. Wax begonias are about developed as annuals, extensive 6 to 12 inches alpine and wide. Learn added about wax begonias.
Tuberous Begonias
Another accepted type, tuberous begonias accept amazing ablaze flowers, and are decidedly chichi in blind baskets or containers.
They additionally accept a beyond advance addiction than wax begonias, growing 12 to 18 inches alpine as houseplants and up to 3 anxiety or added in alfresco containers.
Cane Begonias
With an cocked advance addiction and anecdotal stems, pikestaff types accept admirable foliage and blossom in a advanced arrangement of colors.
Angel accession begonias, called for their wing-shaped leaves, additionally accord to this group. They are accepted and adapted as houseplants, but can additionally be developed outside.
Their admeasurement varies with growing conditions, from 6- to 12-inch houseplants to bristling plants up to 5 feet.
Rhizomatous Begonias
The better class, rhizomatous begonias are acclaimed by almost blubbery stems, or rhizomes, that abound angular abreast the clay apparent and sprout new roots and leaves.
They additionally accept some of the best absorbing leaves and stems and are about developed as houseplants. Sizes alter from aloof a few inches to ample plants up to 3 anxiety alpine and wide.
Rex Begonias
A subgroup of rhizomatous, Rex begonias (Begonia rex), are broadly available, awash by florists and garden centers year-round, and about ability 12 to 18 inches alpine and wide.
Their audible foliage makes them a accepted houseplant, but they can be finicky. They’re admirable in summer annual beds or containers, abnormally aback accumulated with ferns and added semi-shade companions.
PLANTING
When to Plant
Transplant afterwards all blackmail of frost has passed, as they are acutely frost breakable and alike temperatures beneath 50 degrees can account damage.
Where to Plant
Select a breadth that gets fractional adumbration or filtered sunlight; with morning sun and afternoon adumbration actuality the best, abnormally breadth it is awfully hot.
For sunnier locations, try a dark-leaved arrangement or one that specifies bigger sun tolerance, like Surefire Rose. Bulb in a breadth area they will accept acceptable air apportionment to anticipate arenaceous mildew.
How to Plant
Plant wax Begonia watering transplants 6 to 8 inches afar and others according to their complete size. Tubers can be started central by agreement the tubers, alveolate ancillary up, 1 inch afar in a bank tray with clammy potting mix.
Place the tray in a aphotic allowance and water aloof abundant to accumulate the potting mix moist, but not soggy.
Tubers should sprout in about 4 weeks and be confused to an breadth with ablaze ablaze already the sprouts are about an inch tall. Alone bulb outdoors aback there is no best a blackmail of frost.
BEGONIA CARE
Tuberous begonias will artlessly die aback anniversary year. Alpha abbreviating water in backward summer to aboriginal abatement and trim aback foliage aback it starts to yellow.
Dig up the tubers at the aboriginal blackmail of frost. Apple-pie any actual clay from the tubers and dry them on bi-weekly in a brilliant breadth for about a week.
To anticipate arenaceous mildew, agilely dust them with sulfur crumb and abundance alone in cardboard accoutrements or captivated in newspaper.
Rhizomatous and wax types don’t die aback and are usually bankrupt or agilely pruned anniversary year to accumulate them advantageous and animate full, but bunched growth.
In warmer climates, this is best done in spring. In acknowledgment climates, you can do this in abatement as a clean-up afore bringing them central for the winter. In accession to acid them back, analysis for signs of pests or ache afore affective them indoors.
Slowly acclimatize them to their new central breadth by aboriginal agreement in a ablaze window and gradually abbreviating the bulk of light. This will to advice anticipate stress, which causes the leaves to drop.
Already warmer temperatures return, about-face the action and move them aback outside. See beneath for advice on growing as houseplants.
Begonia Pruning, How To Clip Begonias
How to Clip Begonias
When acid aback rhizomatous or wax types, accomplish a clean, angled cut aloof aloft a blade or annual node, angling the cut abroad from the bulge as shown.
To animate fuller growth, adolescent plants (under 3 years) can be cut aback to one or two nodes aloft the soil. Plants that are earlier should alone be pruned lightly.
For pikestaff begonias, compression the acme aback plants are about 6 inches alpine to animate bushier growth. Cut any canes that are abundant taller than the draft of the bulb aback to the soil.
Abolish old, brown, bare, or asleep canes to the soil. Adolescent plants can be cut aback by about 1/2 with clean, angled cuts aloof aloft a node, angling the cut abroad from the bulge as shown.
Rex begonias crave little pruning. Compression aback adolescent plants to animate fuller growth, and abolish any gangling or bald stems as needed, with angled cuts as shown.
For all types, cut off spent Begonia watering flowers about 1/2-inch beneath the annual to accumulate plants apple-pie and healthy, as able-bodied as advance added blooms.
Soil
All begonias like analogously moist, well-draining clay with some added amoebic matter.
Amendments and Fertilizer
For accepted growing purposes, administer a counterbalanced water-soluble fertilizer already a ages in the growing season.
For plants developed carefully for their foliage, like angel wings, use a fertilizer that is college in nitrogen.
Begonia Watering
Begonia Watering : Regular watering is important for advantageous plants. The clay should abide clammy at all times, but not too wet, as this can account basis rot. water at the abject of the bulb to accumulate the foliage dry and anticipate blade atom and fungal diseases.
Winter care
Begonias can be brought central for overwintering. Put them in a window with ablaze filtered ablaze and access the humidity.
Diseases and Pests
Susceptible to arenaceous mildew, mealybugs, spider mites, thrips, and whitefly. Stem rot and basis rot can be acquired by overwatering and clammy soil.
Growing Begonias as Housplants
Although there can be some challenges, growing will do absolutely able-bodied indoors.
Water and Humidity
Probably the quickest way to annihilate a Begonia watering is too abundant water. Let them dry out hardly amid waterings. If they are kept cool, you may apprehension they can abide a best time after water.
Give them a addition of clamminess by ambience the pots in a bedrock tray (a low tray or saucer abounding with dust and water, with the pot sitting on top of the dust and not anon in the water).
Location
East-, west-, or south-facing windows are best. If any afire occurs aback developed in a south-facing window, move the bulb further from the window.
As an alternative, they abound able-bodied beneath abound lights. Place breadth dry air from boiler vents won’t draft anon on them.
Potting
Potted begonias adopt to be hardly root-bound rather than accustomed too abundant room. Alone repot aback necessary, and finer in bounce afore plants are confused alfresco and alpha actively growing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Begonia watering is a crucial aspect of their care and can greatly impact their growth and overall health.
By understanding the unique watering needs of your begonias and implementing proper watering techniques, you can ensure that your plants thrive and bring beauty to your home or garden.
Whether you opt for traditional watering methods or innovative techniques such as self-watering planters, the key is to be attentive to your begonias’ moisture levels and to provide them with the appropriate amount of water and drainage.
With a little patience and a lot of care, your begonias can flourish and reward you with their stunning blooms for years to come.