Home care for decorative leafy begonia

Diseases and pests

The most common diseases characteristic of Rex begonia are:

• • Gray rot. The characteristic features of this disease are brown leaves and stems. A method of treating gray rot consists in spraying the plant with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.
  • Powdery mildew, the presence of which can be determined by the formation of a white bloom on the leaves of the plant. To get rid of powdery mildew, you need to spray the begonia with a fungicide solution. Spraying frequency - 2 times a day with a break of 1-2 weeks.
  • Spider mite (aphid). Another common disease for the prevention of which, dead leaves and flowers should be removed in time.
  • Bacterial spotting. This disease is characterized by the appearance of water blisters on the leaves and their gradual withering away. In this case, it is recommended to get rid of the flower, and treat all other plants with a 0.5% solution of copper oxychloride. The procedure should be repeated every 2 weeks.
  • Ring spot, in which the root of the plant is affected, and yellow-green spots appear on the leaves. In this case, the plant will be helped by a solution of potassium permanganate, where the affected roots should be lowered. Other nearby plants should be removed away from the begonias.

• The false shield is soft, which manifests itself in the form of sugar secretions and fungal deposits on the entire green part of the plant. Garlic solution is used to fight the disease.
• Greenhouse whitefly. This parasite lays its eggs at the bottom of the leaf, causing it to turn pale. A soap solution will help get rid of the disease, which only need to treat the infected areas.

Care features

Home care for begonia is simple

It is important to properly water, fertilize, transplant the plant, monitor the humidity and air temperature in the room. You should also provide the flowerpot with proper lighting so that it grows and develops well.

Temperature regime

Deciduous begonias grow remarkably at air temperatures in the range of 15 - 25 degrees Celsius.

In winter, it is important to protect the plant from sudden changes in temperature. It is important to protect the flower from a cold draft.

In winter, the room temperature should not drop below 15 degrees. The royal begonia variety in winter needs a temperature of 21 - 25 degrees Celsius.

Lighting and humidification features

When growing decorative deciduous begonias, it must be remembered that the sun's rays burn them. Therefore, the plants are best kept in the southwest or south window.

In winter, when the heating is turned on, cover the radiators with wet towels. They will remove dry air. For humidification, containers of warm water or a humidifier are often used. In order to moisturize, it is recommended to spray the begonia with water from a spray bottle.

Fertilization features

In order for the leaves to grow better, sometimes it is recommended to use fertilizers with water, which include nitrogen. In spring and summer, plants need to be fertilized every ten days.

Watering features

In spring and summer, deciduous begonia needs abundant watering. To prevent the foliage from becoming covered with brown spots, make sure that no water gets on it when watering. It is best to pour water into a tray, from which the plant will take liquid for itself in the right amount.

It is recommended to water the begonia with soft, settled, warm water. If the water is too hard, special filters are used to soften it.

From October to March, ornamental deciduous plants should be watered less.On cloudy days, moistening the flowerpot is not at all desirable. It is recommended to irrigate begonia during this period with warm water with the addition of lime.

Soil preparation

In order for decorative deciduous begonia to develop well, it must be planted in the correct substrate. Mix in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1 deciduous soil, humus, peat and sand. The soil should have an acidity in the range of pH 5.8 - 6.5. Plant the plant in nutritious, loose soil with the addition of peat moss or peat.

Transplant rules

It is recommended to replant a young plant in the middle of spring every year. When transplanting, it is necessary to take a pot larger than the previous container. An adult begonia is transplanted as needed.

The procedure for transplanting decorative deciduous begonia is carried out as follows:

Cleaning the leaves

Decorative deciduous varieties of begonias have pubescent petioles and leaves with hard hairs. Therefore, it is necessary to remove dust and soil trapped in the process of transplanting with a soft brush. Smooth leaves should also be wiped with a damp cloth.

In order for the foliage to have a beautiful shine, you can polish it with a special agent with a dust-repelling effect.

Protection from diseases and pests

When growing decorative leaf begonia, the following situations may arise:

If you protect the flower from harmful insects and various diseases, its leaves will emit useful substances that eliminate harmful bacteria from the air. Therefore, it is recommended to grow begonia in any room of the apartment.

Breeding features

Vegetative method: the top of the rhizome is cut off by 5-7 centimeters. The sprout is transferred to the ground and a small greenhouse is created, covered with a plastic bag. Shoots appear after about 28-30 days. You can also divide the tubers into parts, each of which must have a kidney.

Leaf method: you must choose the strongest and healthiest leaf. Then cut it into squares no more than 2 centimeters. Place in a substrate of peat and sand (1: 1) and cover with foil. Leave alone for 2-3 weeks. As a result, roots will appear. After three weeks, it is necessary to turn on the half-hour ventilation "panic", increasing the time each time.

Stem method: take a stem with one, or preferably two, buds. A cut is made from below under the lower kidney, 50 mm under the upper one from above. Next, the stem is placed in the soil under a film or bottle. Roots appear in about 20-30 days

It is important to ventilate the structure once every three days.

Growing red-leaved begonia is a pleasure when the grower is armed with knowledge of the features and nature of this flower. In the article, we tried to consider the key points of caring for this beautiful plant.

Reproduction

Cuttings

May is the optimal time for propagation by cuttings.

1. Cut a 10 cm long stalk from the mother plant (it can be the middle or apical section) with 3-5 buds, treat the cut with charcoal, and hold the stalk in the root stimulant solution for a couple of hours (Heteroauxin, Kornevin). Remove excess buds and leaves so that they do not take away the strength from the sprout.
2. Plant the cutting in damp peat, place the pot in a lighted area and water moderately.

The stalk can also be rooted in a transparent vessel with water, settled and warm. Put it in a warm place (from +17 to + 21 degrees) and observe. As soon as the roots grow up to 1.5 cm, plant the cutting in the ground. But remember: plants grown in this way develop more slowly than those rooted in soil mixture.

Growing from seeds

When purchasing seeds for planting, make sure that the packaging was intact and that the expiration dates have not expired at the time of purchase.

1. Make small indentations in peat tablets, put seeds there (1 seed in 1 tablet), and the tablets into a container. Sprinkle them with warm water.
2. Place the container in a warm and well-lit place, cover with plastic wrap or clear glass to create a greenhouse effect, and wait for seedlings to emerge. Remove the film once a day to ventilate your seeds and wipe off condensation from the walls. Moisten the tablets (drip).
3. The first shoots should appear in a couple of weeks. It's time to apply top dressing: dissolve the mineral fertilizer in a dosage of 1 to 4.
4. When the third leaf appears, transplant the sprouts into small pots (or plastic cups): this will help form a full-fledged root system. Gradually accustom them to the temperature in the room, removing the film for longer and longer periods.
5. A hardened plant can be planted in a separate pot or taken out into the garden for a permanent habitat (on warm summer days). The new container is only 1-2 cm wider than the previous one, no more! Otherwise, begonia will throw all its strength into rooting in a large space, and they will no longer be enough for flowering.

Tubers

Tubers for planting can be bought either in a specialty store or dug up in the fall. For the procedure, you can take both whole begonia tubers and parts.

1. The tubers are placed in moist soil, the temperature is maintained at about +20 degrees, they are well watered and illuminated.
2. With the appearance of buds, the tubers are cut into pieces so that each one has a shoot, the places of the cuts are powdered with activated charcoal, dried (this does not allow the tuber to rot). After - they are planted in moist soil, half buried. Make sure that the leaves that appear do not come into contact with the ground, otherwise rot will appear on them.
3. The first 20 days are the most important. If you do everything right and your tubers have not dried up, transplant them into pots for your permanent residence.

Tuberous begonia

Tuberous begonia

Tuberous varieties are grown at home and in the open field. By the size of the buds, they are divided into subspecies: large-flowered (7–20 cm), medium-flowered (up to 7 cm), small-flowered (4–7 cm) and ampelous (2–4 cm). In structure, inflorescences are simple and double, in color - white, yellow, pink, red or mixed.

Shoots - fleshy, branching, 35-50 cm long. Leaves - asymmetrical, juicy, bright green. Root system - fleshy tubers with many small roots. For growing plants of this group, hanging pots and pots with a high leg are used. By the form of growth, tuberous begonias are divided into erect and ampelous (hanging).

Erect

The stems of plants of this species grow upward. Shoots are fleshy, dense, juicy. Their length is from 10 to 40 cm. Flowers with erect trunks can be grown both at home in containers and in flower beds.

Pikoti Harlequin

Pikoti Harlequin begonia

• Description: bush height - 25 cm, flowers - double, yellow with red edging. Their diameter is up to 12 cm. The foliage is green, oblong, with jagged edges and veins. Stems are dense, juicy, erect.
• Care: t - no higher than + 24˚C, watering - every two days in summer, as the soil dries up in winter, moistening by spraying the air next to the plant.
• Conditions: shade from direct sunlight.

Ampelnaya

Ampelnaya

Shoots of ampelous plants are hanging, up to 40, and sometimes up to 80 cm long. Such flowers are used to decorate loggias and arbors. It is recommended to plant them in hanging and tall pots with a leg.

Chanson

Chanson

• Description: buds - double or semi-double, 6-8 cm in diameter. Their color is yellow, red, copper or white. Stems are thin, hanging, 30–45 cm long. The leaf plates are carved, heart-shaped, green.
• Care: regular watering - 1 r. / 2 days. in summer, as the soil dries up in winter.
• Conditions: protection from direct sunlight.

Diseases and pests of begonia

Diseases to which begonia is susceptible:

powdery mildew

It manifests itself as a characteristic whitish bloom on all above-ground parts.To fight the infection, the diseased plant and its neighbors on the windowsill are treated with an aqueous solution of Topaz-type fungicide. To get rid of completely powdery mildew on begonias, re-processing after a week and a half.

Photo Credit: Scot Nelson

gray rot

Occurs on begonia leaves and stems. Without timely spraying of the affected parts with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture or 0.2% foundationol, the plant may die.

ring spot

It manifests itself as yellow-green spots and necrotic areas on the affected leaves. The disease is often concentrated in the tubers of the plant, so it is better to eliminate the diseased begonia, this will protect other plants. Thrips and aphids are carriers of the virus, so you need to destroy these pests so that other flowers do not get sick.

bacterial spot

Initially, it appears on the lower surface of the leaves with watery blisters, which gradually turn brown and affect the cuttings and inflorescences. The diseased plant is destroyed, and as a preventive measure, healthy begonias are treated with a 0.5% solution of copper oxychloride every 2 weeks.

false shield soft

It affects the green mass of begonias: you can determine the presence of a pest by dark sugary secretions and the appearance of sooty mushrooms. The affected plant loses its shape very quickly, and the begonia leaves are noticeably deformed. Sick begonia is treated with garlic tincture or pyrethrum infusion at the rate of 10 g per 1 liter of water every 14 days.

greenhouse whitefly

Lays eggs on the underside of begonia leaves, resulting in a noticeable discoloration of the plant. A solution of laundry soap (40 g of soap per 10 liters of water) will help to destroy the pest.

root-knot nematode

It is a microscopic worm that parasitizes in the root area of ​​begonia. Growths and air cavities are formed on the stem, in which the larvae develop. The roots begin to rot, the plant stops growing and may die. Affected begonia roots are removed, and the plant is watered with 0.05-0.2% heterophos solution. A preventive measure of control is the disinfection of the soil with a 1% formalin solution or steam treatment.

spider mites and aphids

Spider mites and aphids do great harm to begonias. The appearance of parasites can be prevented by removing fallen leaves and faded flowers. When the first alarm signals appear, you need to wipe the plant leaves with a mild soapy solution. If this does not help, they resort to treating begonias with insecticides (neoron, phytoverm, sulfur, decis and others). You can also use onion infusion: 15 g of onions are infused for 5-7 days in 1 liter of water, and then the plants are sprayed every 5-7 days until the pests disappear completely.

Double bouton de rose variety

Possible problems and diseases

Drying leaves

In winter, begonia is quite vulnerable to various diseases. The risk of such diseases increases significantly if flower care is carried out incorrectly.

One of the fairly common problems that are recorded in begonias in winter is severe dryness of the edges of the leaves. In this case, the damaged leaf may even curl into a tube.

Lead to the fact that begonia practically withers in a pot, as a rule, a decrease in humidity in the room and an uncomfortable temperature for the plant.

Experts in this situation, when begonia grows poorly, recommend moving the plant to another place.

If the decorative flower stood on the windowsill at the same time, then it should be removed to a less illuminated place.

Gray rot

Improper watering can cause fatal damage to begonias. Plants die at the same time due to the fact that the root system is significantly damaged.

If water has accumulated in the pan with the pot where the flower is located, then the moisture must be removed immediately. In this case, the frequency of watering should be reduced.

A change in the turgor of the leaves can be caused by the fact that the flower is quite close to the plate.

Such a problem occurs quite often in winter also because, in addition to household appliances, heating ones also work.

This, in turn, contributes to changes in humidity and temperature in the room, which leads to the fact that the begonia leaves begin to wilt. In this case, the flower looks drooping.

Experts recommend in such a situation to urgently move the ornamental plant from the kitchen to another room.

With the onset of unfavorable conditions, begonia can get sick.

One of the diseases of this decorative flower is rot that develops on the stems or roots.

The appearance of such manifestations on the plant is largely facilitated by the stagnation of moisture in the soil substrate. In such a situation, experts recommend that you definitely reduce the frequency of watering the plant, as well as measure the humidity in the room where it is located.

Heavy leaf fall is another problem that begonias lovers can face in winter.

It can be quite difficult to "force" a flower to have luscious green leaves all year round in some situations.

Experts note that if the leaves of this decorative flower began to fall off strongly, then in this case it is recommended to pay attention to where it is. Quite often, the appearance of this problem is facilitated by wind hypothermia of the leaves.

This is often the result of finding begonias on a blown windowsill.

Quite often, wind-induced hypothermia of the leaves contributes to the appearance of this problem. This is often the result of finding begonias on a blown windowsill.

If the leaves of an ornamental plant began to fall off strongly, it is recommended to remove it away from the window, and also to protect it from any drafts.

The appearance of yellow spots on the leaves of begonia and a change in its turgor is one of the possible diseases that can be detected in this plant.

Cucumber mosaic viruses can lead to such adverse symptoms. It is rather difficult to cure a plant affected by these microbes at home.

In this case, the diseased flower should be immediately moved to "quarantine", otherwise it can become a source of spread of infection to other plants.

Begonia, like many other indoor plants, can also be affected by powdery mildew. This disease is characterized by the fact that light spots with a specific bloom appear on the foliage of the flower.

If such symptoms appear, then this ornamental plant must be treated with fungicidal agents.

Caring for decorative leafy begonias at home

It is advisable to carry out all manipulations with the plant in early spring, when it is just beginning to start growing. The fact is that planting and transplanting slows down development for some time, because begonia is under stress from changed conditions.

It is important to consider this and bring a new plant from the store to your home or office. Shop begonia was grown in greenhouse conditions in compliance with all the rules, and at home it is forced to adapt in a new way.

The soil is slightly acidic or closer to neutral. It should be loose and fertile. Leafy earth and humus are taken, they are pre-disinfected. Sand is added to this mixture. It is also recommended to add perlite or vermiculite to improve the quality of the soil.

The container for deciduous begonias is taken wide, but not deep. Plastic pots work well, and it is easy to remove the plant from them when the need arises for a transplant. Holes must be made at the bottom of the pot - this provides additional air access to the roots and the outflow of excess water

For watering, the water is defended or boiled. Water only when the top layer of the earth is dry. Experts determine the need for watering by changing the weight of the pot.You can gradually pour water from the tray until the top layer darkens.

In summer, a frequent intake of moisture is required, in winter it is less frequent and always after the topsoil has dried to a depth of at least 1 cm.

Air humidity

Prefers moderate humidity. If the air is too dry, there is a high probability of the appearance of a spider mite, and with high humidity there is a risk of decay of roots and leaves. Spraying begonia is not recommended. To increase the humidity of the air, containers with water are placed next to the pot or the begonia is placed on a wide pallet, into which moistened expanded clay is poured.

Temperature

Prefers moderate temperatures from 18 to 25 degrees. It is undesirable to place the plant next to cold drafts and radiators. In the summer they put in a cool place.

Location

Begonia loves light, but it should be diffused. Bright sun will burn the leaves and make them pale or increase the amount of green pigment, reducing variegated spots. Lack of lighting will affect growth and reduce the variegation of foliage.

The begonias do not like a sharp change in location, however, in order for the foliage to grow evenly, the plant can be slowly turned relative to the light source.

After transplanting, feeding begins no earlier than a month later. Organic and mineral fertilizers are alternated, while using them once every two weeks. The stores sell special dressings with the inscription "Begonia", but it is permissible to use universal ones for decorative deciduous plants, as well as for azaleas.

Usually pruned in the spring before or at the same time as transplanting. Remove old and elongated stems, leaving a small stump. Cuttings and leaves are allowed for rooting.

How to properly care for begonia at home

Begonia is one of the most beautiful plants that adorns our squares, parks, gardens and apartments. The flower belongs to the huge Begoniev family. Today this genus has about 900 full-fledged and 2000 hybrid species. For the first time begonia was described back in 1690 by Michel Begon, and it was used for decorative purposes only 200 years ago.

From the history

The history of begonia began in the Antilles, where Michel Begon first described it. Subsequently, this flower was named after him. A few decades later, the ever-flowering begonia from Brazil was described, even later - the royal begonia from the Indian subcontinent and the tuberous subspecies from South America. It is from them that all modern varieties originated. After the widespread use of this flower for decorative purposes, begonia became incredibly popular: at first it was only a greenhouse flower, and then those that perfectly tolerate the surprises of the climate appeared.

Today, around the world, there are a huge number of hybrid forms and varieties of cultural begonias.

All types of begonias are divided into groups according to their decorative qualities:

• Decorative blooming;
• Woody deciduous.

The most popular species is tuberous begonia. It boasts incredibly vibrant colors and, most importantly, they are very easy to maintain.

Variety of forms and types of begonias

Begonia is diverse not only in shape, but also in size and color. It can be like a herb, the length of which is 3 cm, or it can be a rather large shrub. Begonias are stemless, sometimes with only one leaf. The leaves themselves have a color of any shade of green, the reverse side of the leaf is either monochromatic or covered with multi-colored spots and patterns. Begonia flowers have a wide range of colors, mostly warm colors.

Begonias are indoor plants that can bloom not only in summer but also in winter.Decorative flowering species are plants with large bright flowers, and decorative deciduous species have beautiful rich foliage, but their flowers are less attractive. The leaves themselves are covered with bright pubescence.

Lighting

It is very important for begonias that the light is bright. Blooming specimens are especially in need of it.

In summer, it is best to shade the begonia from direct light, otherwise sunburn may occur. Diffused light is suitable for decorative deciduous begonias; they are best placed on east or west windows.

Air humidity

Begonia, due to its origin, loves high humidity, but it is not recommended to spray it. This is due to the fact that, falling on the leaves, water provokes the appearance of brown spots. In order for the plant not to suffer from excessive dryness of the air, you need to put the plant on an inverted pallet, and then all this structure must be placed in an even larger pallet. Expanded clay should be poured around the circumference, which periodically needs to be moistened. By evaporating, the water will maintain the moisture balance necessary for begonia.

Watering

On hot summer days, begonias need to be watered very abundantly, but do not allow water to stagnate in the pan, and even more so in the pot. It should be watered with settled water when 1-1.5 cm of soil has already dried up after the previous watering. In winter, watering is reduced

Pay special attention to tuberous species: they hibernate for the winter, so they need to be placed in peat and completely exclude watering

Top dressing

You need to start feeding begonia once every 2 weeks from the moment of flowering. Fertilizers with nitrogen should only be used for deciduous varieties, as they inhibit flowering, but improve leaf growth.

Botanical description

Ampel begonias are one of the hybrid varieties of tuberous begonias. The homeland of this group of plants is the forests of the tropical and subtropical zones. The ampelous begonias differ in elongated, thin, prone to drooping shoots up to 40 cm long. Leaves are dark green, lanceolate, asymmetrical, with teeth along the edge. The tuber is flat-round, oblique, up to 6 cm in diameter.

Under favorable conditions, after 5-6 leaves, buds begin to form in the axils. The flowers are large, up to 10 cm. The color depends on the variety; pink, white, orange, red colors and their shades prevail.

For example, the Bertini variety has red-orange flowers, medium (5-9 cm) in size; bushes branch well and practically do not need pinching.

In the F1 Alcor hybrid, the flowers are distinguished by an elegant shape due to the elongated lower petals. White with hot pink prints and stripes.

Margarita F1 - another hybrid with a pale yellow color of the petals

Fans of white begonias should pay attention to the Chanson series: within its framework, not only snow-white, but also salmon, champagne colors and even two-color hybrids are presented

On one bush, begonias can have both double (male) and non-double (female) flowers. Ampelous begonia blooms, like other tuberous, mainly in summer.

Tuberous perennial with self-contained stems and asymmetric leaves. The height of the stem is 20-60 cm, and the length of the leaves is 10-20 cm. Begonia Pendula is remarkable for its long (30-40 cm, and in some varieties up to 1 m) hanging shoots. For this, it is also called drooping begonia. She has unisexual, monoecious flowers of bright colors with a diameter of about 5 cm. Some varieties have larger flowers.

If this happened to you, don't be discouraged! These flowers are female. Take care of your plant, watch out for watering, and soon wonderful double male flowers will bloom on your begonias. We grow at home

In this section, we will talk about how to grow hanging begonias on our own.

Moreover, only the first have the largest size and decorative value, and the women are small and rather modest.If the plant is going through an unfavorable period (for example, excess moisture, poor soil, too high a temperature), then it sheds male flowers

Therefore, the rapid death of buds, falling petals are a reason to pay attention to your pet and quickly take action

Ampel begonias can grow from tubers, propagate by cuttings, dividing a bush, or using seeds. Moreover, from a decorative point of view, non-tuberous representatives of the plant are very interesting. They retain the ability to bloom throughout the year. But the tuberous cousins ​​develop according to the classical scenario: in the spring they grow vigorously, in the summer they give flowers, after which they leave for winter rest.

When growing a tuberous ampelous begonia at home, it is important to take into account one important rule of care. Often, fresh sprouts can appear on the tuber even in winter.