How to care for a begonia outdoors? Outdoors, rex begonias like part- to deep shade, ordinary potting soil, and water when the top inch or so of the soil is dry. Give them a balanced liquid fertilizer once a month, or add granular timed-release fertilizer to the potting soil at planting time. Avoid misting the leaves; alkaline water just desiccates them.
How do you care for potted begonias outside? In zones 8a and cooler, begonias are annual plants. If you live in a cooler zone, plant them out once nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50ºF and enjoy your plants until the first fall frost hits. If you happen to live in a zone 8b to 11, your begonias should be able to last outside all year round.
How long do begonias last outside? Often grown in containers indoors, begonias also can be grown outdoors during the frost-free months. If you live in a region that doesn’t experience freezing winter temperatures or frosts, keep the begonia tubers in the ground year-round. Select a planting site for your begonias in partial shade.
Do begonias do well outside? They do best in situations with shade or morning sun/afternoon shade. Most varieties have flowers that hang down a little, making tuberous begonias ideal for hanging baskets and window boxes rather than garden beds and borders. No matter where you grow them, make sure they have good drainage to prevent rot.
How to care for a begonia outdoors? – Related Questions
How to plant tubers begonia?
Set tubers 1 inch apart, hollow side up, in shallow pots filled with moistened potting soil in a 70-degree room. Cover each tuber with about an inch of potting soil. Water thoroughly only once to stimulate growth, but do not let the soil dry out completely. Again, a humid environment is best.
How to grow rose begonia?
Begonias love bright shade, and will tolerate full shade although flowering will slow. In their native habitat these are understory plants, catching the bright filtered sun and frequent moisture from the trees above. Well drained soil, pH 5.5 to 5.8, rich in organic matter is preferred.
How do you propagate a begonia?
Summer is the ideal time to take leaf cuttings from your houseplants and begonias propagate well from leaf cuttings. A young plant will erupt from tissue along the leaf veins and then root into the compost. Then you simply separate each new plant from the mother leaf and pot it on.
Are tuberous begonias poisonous to cats?
However, gardeners should be aware that despite its alluring appearance, the begonia can be surprisingly toxic if eaten. Cats and other small mammals are especially vulnerable to the effects due to the relatively small amount of begonia that will need to be eaten in order to cause damage and discomfort.
How to take cuttings from begonia plants?
A begonia cutting in water. A begonia cutting in water. But making baby begonias can be even easier if you root your cuttings in a glass of clean, fresh water. … As with the leaf cuttings, give them high humidity and keep them in a warm, well-lit spot out of direct sunlight until roots begin to form.
How to protect begonias from frost?
The American Begonia Society considers 55 degrees Fahrenheit the lower end of begonias’ comfort zone, though some hybrids may be more cold-tolerant. In any case, when your forecast calls for temperatures in the 40s, it’s time to give your begonias some protection.
How to care for a begonia houseplant?
Keep soil evenly moist, allowing it to dry only slightly between waterings. Reduce water in winter (stop watering tuberous begonias in fall). Always avoid wet or waterlogged soil. When plant is in full growth, fertilize with balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength at alternate waterings.
What kind of fertilizer can i use on begonias?
Logee’s Plants recommends feeding wax and tuberous begonias with balanced 15-15-15 fertilizer or a blooming formula such as 7-9-5, depending on whether the plant is grown for its foliage or flowers. Apply the fertilizer as a liquid solution composed of 1/4 teaspoon of fertilizer in 1 gallon of water.
Where do you plant begonias?
Ideal for containers, hanging baskets and window boxes, these easy-care plants grow best in the shade or partial shade, though some varieties may tolerate some sun. Begonias can also be planted in flower beds and borders. Their blooms are a welcome sign of summer–and they continue flowering until frost in the fall.
Are wax begonias toxic to cats?
However, gardeners should be aware that despite its alluring appearance, the begonia can be surprisingly toxic if eaten. Cats and other small mammals are especially vulnerable to the effects due to the relatively small amount of begonia that will need to be eaten in order to cause damage and discomfort.
How to care for indoor begonia plants?
Keep soil evenly moist, allowing it to dry only slightly between waterings. Reduce water in winter (stop watering tuberous begonias in fall). Always avoid wet or waterlogged soil. When plant is in full growth, fertilize with balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength at alternate waterings.
How to take seeds from begonias?
Cut the seed pods from behind the female flower heads when the pods swell and begin to dry, a short time after the flowers expire. Let the seed pods dry as much as possible on the plant, but remove them before they split open and disperse seeds on the ground.
When to plant out bedding begonias?
Bedding plants are often on sale early in the year from March onwards, and the temptation is to plant them out. Because bedding plants are tender, (which means they are not frost hardy,) do not plant out until the risk of frost has passed.
How to have big begonia flowers?
Select a location receiving more direct morning or evening sunlight than mid day sun. Early morning / late day sunlight is much cooler with less intense rays. By keeping begonias out of the mid-day direct sun, the plants have less stress, and will produce more blooms.
Can i keep tuberous begonias indoors over winter?
Tuberous begonias should be dug up and stored indoors during winter until the return of warmer weather in spring. Begonias can be dug up in fall once foliage has faded or just after the first light frost. … You should also be overwintering a begonia grown outdoors in containers.
Why do begonia leaves turn white?
Powdery mildew is a fungal infection. Begonias with powdery mildew are infected by Odium begoniae. … A begonia with powdery mildew will have white, powdery or thread-like growths on the top surface of leaves. The fungus may additionally cover stems or flowers.
How to start begonias from cuttings?
Simply cut a rhizome into pieces about 1” to 1 ½” long, and press them gently into moistened potting soil, or a moistened mix of perlite and vermiculite. As with the leaf cuttings, give them high humidity and keep them in a warm, well-lit spot out of direct sunlight until roots begin to form.
How to start rex begonias?
Even the fancy rex begonias and tuberous begonias will grow in water, and only a single leaf is necessary to start a whole new plant. It may take a couple of months for roots to form, and it’s wise to perform weekly water changes to prevent bacteria that can lead to rot.
How to save seeds from begonias?
Cut the seed pods from behind the female flower heads when the pods swell and begin to dry, a short time after the flowers expire. Let the seed pods dry as much as possible on the plant, but remove them before they split open and disperse seeds on the ground.
How to make begonia water?
To water propagate your Begonia, all you have to do is partially submerge the stem in water, leaving the leaves sticking out. Then, place the vase or glass containing the plant in a light and warm spot to provide the perfect growing conditions.
How to propagate tuber begonias?
Cut or pull the tuberous begonia tubers apart, making sure each tuber has a stem section or “eye” attached. Cut the stem section off as close to the tuber as possible without damaging the tuber. Coat the tubers with a plant fungicide, and allow the tubers to cure in a bright, warm area for about two or three days.