Table of Contents
How do you care for potted begonias?
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.
Is begonia indoor or outdoor plant?
Begonias are popular as annual bedding plants outdoors and as houseplants indoors. There are about 1500 different begonia species native to tropical regions worldwide, including Central and South America, Asia, and Africa.
Do begonias like sun or shade?
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 often should you water a begonia?
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.
Can begonias live indoors?
Generally, fibrous and rhizomatous begonias make excellent houseplants while tuberous begonias can be grown as houseplants but have a harder time surviving due to the need for higher humidity and light than the other two kinds. Begonias grown indoors are especially susceptible to root rot and overwatering.
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.
Do begonias do well in pots?
Begonias prefer growing in light, rich soil with a good concentration of humus, similar to the makeup of potting soil. So it’s no surprise the plants tend to thrive in containers. Begonias planted in a pot should be spaced 4-6″ apart and with the tubers buried hollow-side up.
Are begonias easy to care for?
While you can grow tuberous begonias indoors, they are harder to take care of due to their light and humidity needs. Like most houseplants, begonias prefer bright, indirect light and plenty of humidity.
How long do potted begonias last?
No begonia has a long life span. Most live only 2 to 3 years even with good care. The tubers of tuberous begonias often last 4 to 5 years with good care. Tuberous begonias need a winter rest and don’t make good winter houseplants.
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.
Do begonias like grow lights?
Fluorescent Light As a low-light plant, begonias require less intensive artificial light than many other types of plants — which grow with an artificial light as close as 3 inches from the top leaves.
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.
Should I mist begonias?
While rex begonias and many other houseplants prefer high relative humidities, misting is ineffective unless you’re prepared to mist the plants several times a day. Also, rex begonias are not fond of water on their foliage.
Do begonias like to be misted?
Begonias also require high humidity to thrive, a challenge when growing them indoors. You also should not spray begonias with water, especially rex begonias. Misting does create humidity, but begonias are prone to powdery mildew, so it’s better to keep the leaves dry.
Is begonia an outdoor plant?
Unlike most flowering plants, which require at least a half day of full sun, begonias actually prefer growing in the shade. 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.
When should I bring my begonias inside?
Timing Is Important: Bring your begonias inside before the first frost, or they may be lost for good. Also, to reduce temperature and humidity shock, take advantage of that wonderful early fall season (when neither the heat nor air conditioning is running nonstop) to get your plants acclimated to the indoors.
Is begonia a succulent?
Begonias are typical understory succulent plants in humid, tropical forests and cloud forests and rarely xerophytic. Most species are evergreen with fibrous roots. Some are tuberous with deciduous foliage. Most species can be readily propagated by stem cuttings.
