Table of Contents
Grab the stem, about 1/2 inch below the faded flower, with your thumb and index or middle finger. Pinch the stem to snap the flower off, recommends Galveston County Master Gardeners. Repeat the motion for the other spent flowers. Discard the spent flowers rather than letting them drop below the plant.
How do you prune begonia wax leaves?
Pruning. When your plant is growing, you will not need to prune it for the most part. Simply trim the leaves and the branches that grow in a curve or overgrow. In fact, in most cases, you will only need to pinch the stems to remove the dead and encourage growth.
Should you deadhead non stop begonias?
Begonia Nonstop doesn’t require deadheading, but removing the dead flowers and foliage around the plant will prevent rotting and disease.
Do you deadhead wax begonias?
Begonias don’t require a huge amount of care. You’ll want to deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers, and if you want compact plants, pinch them back regularly.
Can wax begonias be cut back?
Begonias can be cut back to within 3 inches of the soil to revitalize them, if necessary, but pinching and pruning is not the end of the story. Sterilize pruning tools with household disinfectant spray before and after use.
What do you do with begonias after flowering?
Store begonia tubers individually in paper bags or line them in a single layer atop newspaper. Place these in a cardboard box in a cool, dark, dry location. You should also be overwintering a begonia grown outdoors in containers. Pot-grown begonia plants can be stored in their containers as long as they remain dry.
How do you keep begonias blooming?
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.
How do you pinch wax begonias?
How to Pinch Out Begonias Grasp a stem of a begonia plant with your thumb and forefinger below the growing tip but just above a node where two lower leaves grow. Pinch the stem just above the leaf node with your fingernails on either side to sever the stem, leaving the leaves at the node intact.
Why are my begonia flowers turning brown?
Flowers turning brown – Begonia flowers turn brown as they start to die back, which is totally normal.
Why are my wax begonias dying?
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 do you make begonias bushier?
Pinch the stems back to the first or second healthy bud from the tip. You can repeat this process two or three times at about four week intervals to encourage maximum bushiness. Pinching forces the begonia to branch at the pinch point, resulting in more stems, leaves and flowers.
Do begonias come back every year?
There are no perennial begonias. There are forms that make great houseplants and will grow year-round indoors, but outdoors the plants are all unable to tolerate frost.
How often should begonias be watered?
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.
How often do begonias bloom?
Once begonias start flowering, they bloom continuously from summer to frost. There are several different types of begonias. Wax begonias and angel-wing begonias are usually grown as outdoor annuals or indoor houseplants. Both grow from a clump of roots and are winter hardy in growing zones 9-11.
Are wax begonias annuals or perennials?
The wax begonia group, categorized as Begonia x semperflorens or Semperflorens Cultorum Group, comprises varieties used primarily as bedding annuals, though they are technically warm-weather perennials.
How can you tell if begonia is tuberous?
Begonias with tuberous roots are a large group of complex hybrids involving many species and years of breeding and development. They can often be identified by their prominent flowers, which can be single, double, ruffled, scented or multicolored, and range in size from 1/2-inch diameter to the size of a dinner plate.
Can I save my begonias for next year?
The tubers can be saved over the winter and planted again the next spring for another year of showy color. Store tubers in a dry, dark, cool (above freezing) area. In the spring, start begonia plants by placing the tubers on damp peat moss in a warm environment.
Why are my begonia flowers falling off?
Why can the leaves and flowers of a begonia fall off? There are a few possible reasons for it: the plant was touched with water, the air in the room is too dry, or the plant is not moistened enough. Predators. Mostly indoor plants are being attacked by plant lice and red spiders.
How do you keep begonias blooming inside?
Culture: Flowering houseplant begonias should be located in a bright spot and receive some direct sunlight. Early morning sun in an east window works well. Many of the cane and shrub-types flower best with some direct sun. Several hours of winter sun are beneficial.
What is the best feed for begonias?
Feed tuberous begonias weekly with tomato feed in summer, especially pot-grown plants. Alternatively, add a slow-release fertiliser pellet to the compost when planting. Never feed tuberous begonias into September as plants should be encouraged to slow down for the year.
Where are the seeds on a wax begonia?
Look for seedpods once begonia flowers shrivel and dry. The seedpods are located behind the female flower; female flowers have a swollen ovary at the base of the flower and do not contain yellow stamens.
Can you use Miracle Grow on begonias?
Once a week apply half strength (1/2 T Miracle Grow or other soluble plant food per gallon) fertilizer solution in place of regular watering, being sure to give the basket enough so that liquid seeps from the bottom of the pot. Tuberous begonias are not heavy feeders, so don’t overdo it.
