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Overwatering and underwatering are the most common causes of a begonia wilting. Begonias wilt quickly once their soil dries out, but maintaining excessively wet soil can also result in dramatic wilting due to root rot. Temperature stress, transplant shock, pests, and disease can also cause drooping.
How often do begonias need to be watered?
Water Needs A good rule of thumb is to water every two to four days. When it’s hot and dry you’ll need to water more often than when the air cools down and the soil holds more moisture. Begonia plants in full sun will also require more water than plants in shady locations.
Why is my begonia leaning over?
When the plants do not receive enough sunlight to manufacture food and produce blooms, they adapt by stretching towards the sun. The stems elongate in a process called etiolation in an attempt to reach light. The internodes, the areas between leaf nodes, become further apart and the stems become weak and spindly.
What happens when you overwater begonias?
Avoid overwatering, which will cause the foliage to turn yellow and eventually drop. Ensuring good soil drainage will go a long way towards alleviating this issue. Even in zones where begonias are hardy in the ground, the plants will go dormant for a period of time in winter.
Do begonias like shade or sun?
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.
What do Overwatered begonias look like?
Look for the following symptoms and conditions that make it more likely that overwatering is the cause of your begonia drooping; Yellowing leaves, particularly affecting the lower leaves first. Brown leaf tips despite good humidity and soil moisture. Leaves dropping from the plant, often with soggy, limp petioles.
What’s wrong with my begonia?
Begonia plants can collapse and die from advanced stem rot diseases. Rhizoctonia fungus causes fine webbing and sunken, brown, dry areas of stem rot at the soil surface. Botrytis stem rot symptoms include a soft, brown rot in begonia stems, with gray, fuzzy Botrytis spores in the rotting stem tissue.
How do you save a dying begonias?
Save a diseased begonia by isolating it from the rest of your healthy plants. Remove any affected foliage using a sterile knife or scissors. Remove the plant from the soil to check the roots for rot and remove any rotten roots. Rinse the remaining healthy roots and spray them with fungicide before repotting the plant.
How do you fix transplant shock?
Keep roots moist – Keep the soil well-watered, but make sure that the plant has good drainage and is not in standing water. Wait patiently – Sometimes a plant just needs a few days to recover from transplant shock. Give it some time and care for it as you normally would and it may come back on its own.
How do you keep begonias alive?
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.
Should I water begonias everyday?
Like other indoor plants, begonias enter a dormancy period in the colder months. During this time, you’ll want to water only once every three to four weeks to avoid similar situations with the plant drowning in water. Once growth begins in the spring, you can resume the regular watering schedule.
Can I put begonias in full sun?
Most begonias grow best in part shade (4 to 6 hours of direct morning sun a day), or filtered sun (as through trees). Most will tolerate full shade (no direct or filtered sun), but won’t be as dense and usually have fewer flowers. A few grow in full sun. They prefer moist, but not soggy, soils.
What month do begonias flower?
Begonias grow in moist, shady gardens where they have well-drained soil, wind protection and filtered or indirect sunlight. A typical blooming season starts in June and ends with the first frost. They are so easy to grow that a broken stem or leaf stalk stuck in soil often roots as a new plant.
What pairs well with begonias?
8 Great Companions to Plant with Your Begonias 1 – Impatiens. Impatiens might be a good choice when you’re looking for something else that can add color to your yard. 2 – Torenia. 3 – Caladium. 4 – Coleus. 5 – Boston Fern. 6 – Black Mondo Grass. 7 – Silver Nickel Vine. 8 – Fiber Optic Grass.
Is my begonia dead?
If you suspect your plant is dead but you aren’t sure, the fastest way to tell if it is dead is to check the stems. The stems of the plant should be pliable and firm and will have a green cast on the inside if they are still alive. If the stem is mushy or brittle, check the roots for the same conditions.
