How to Care for a Begonia
Choose an indoor type of begonia., Plant indoor begonias in a good indoor potting soil., Place indoor begonias where they get bright light., Keep indoor begonias warm., Water begonias carefully., Fertilize your begonias., Groom the plants regularly.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose an indoor type of begonia.
This list of begonias that grow well indoors is extensive.
It is important to remember that some types of begonias are grown for their brilliantly colored flowers, while other begonias are enjoyed for their unique and beautiful foliage.
Most begonias bought at nurseries will be labeled as indoor plants or outdoor plants.
If you are still uncertain of whether or not your plant will work well indoors, ask an employee at your local nursery. -
Step 2: Plant indoor begonias in a good indoor potting soil.
When potting your begonias, you should keep three factors in mind: the type of soil, the size of pot, and the amount of soil you use.
When choosing your potting material, you want the soil to be relatively neutral or slightly acidic on the pH scale.
Your pot should roughly fit the size of your plant--you want to keep root growth in mind but do not want the pot to be overly large.
A pot that is too large can lead to using too much soil.
When a pot contains too much soil, it can lead to soggy soil that could potentially ‘drown’ your plant roots and kill your begonia. , Begonias like a lot of light so place them on windowsills that face east or west so that your plants get several hours of sunlight each day.
Avoid southern windows from February through September, as they let in too much light, unless you hang thin curtains that filter the light.
If you choose to use fluorescent lights, you should place it 6 to 12 inches above your plant.
You should keep the light on for roughly 12 hours a day, though some begonia growers leave their lights on for
14.
Keep in mind that you will need to water your plant more often when you use artificial light., You will want to make sure that the minimum night temperature is 55ºF (13ºC).
Begonias do not handle cold well and will suffer from lower temperatures. , Water your plants when the surface of the potting soil feels moist but not soggy wet.
You should water your plants more frequently when it is warm, the light is bright and the begonias are flowering heavily and putting out new growth.
Water your plant until water runs out of the drainage holes.
Let the potting soil dry out slightly between watering during lower light and cooler temperatures of late fall and winter.
If possible, use room temperature water that has been distilled.
Promptly empty drained water from trays and saucers.
Mist the foliage of Rex (foliage) type begonias twice a week or provide high humidity to avoid leaf drop.
Use warm water in a misting bottle. , You should fertilize your plants with a water-soluble fertilizer for blooming plants once a month from February through September.
You should fertilize your plants less frequently during the late fall and winter months because your plant will not be growing as steadily during this time.
Mix the fertilizer according to the label’s directions.
Wait three months before fertilizing if the potting mix you used contained fertilizer. , Your should remove dead flowers and leaves.
You should also trim off broken stems to promote plant growth.
Dust the leaves if it is needed.
Remove the small flowers of Rex type begonias as they start to bloom to concentrate the plants energy on foliage. -
Step 3: Place indoor begonias where they get bright light.
-
Step 4: Keep indoor begonias warm.
-
Step 5: Water begonias carefully.
-
Step 6: Fertilize your begonias.
-
Step 7: Groom the plants regularly.
Detailed Guide
This list of begonias that grow well indoors is extensive.
It is important to remember that some types of begonias are grown for their brilliantly colored flowers, while other begonias are enjoyed for their unique and beautiful foliage.
Most begonias bought at nurseries will be labeled as indoor plants or outdoor plants.
If you are still uncertain of whether or not your plant will work well indoors, ask an employee at your local nursery.
When potting your begonias, you should keep three factors in mind: the type of soil, the size of pot, and the amount of soil you use.
When choosing your potting material, you want the soil to be relatively neutral or slightly acidic on the pH scale.
Your pot should roughly fit the size of your plant--you want to keep root growth in mind but do not want the pot to be overly large.
A pot that is too large can lead to using too much soil.
When a pot contains too much soil, it can lead to soggy soil that could potentially ‘drown’ your plant roots and kill your begonia. , Begonias like a lot of light so place them on windowsills that face east or west so that your plants get several hours of sunlight each day.
Avoid southern windows from February through September, as they let in too much light, unless you hang thin curtains that filter the light.
If you choose to use fluorescent lights, you should place it 6 to 12 inches above your plant.
You should keep the light on for roughly 12 hours a day, though some begonia growers leave their lights on for
14.
Keep in mind that you will need to water your plant more often when you use artificial light., You will want to make sure that the minimum night temperature is 55ºF (13ºC).
Begonias do not handle cold well and will suffer from lower temperatures. , Water your plants when the surface of the potting soil feels moist but not soggy wet.
You should water your plants more frequently when it is warm, the light is bright and the begonias are flowering heavily and putting out new growth.
Water your plant until water runs out of the drainage holes.
Let the potting soil dry out slightly between watering during lower light and cooler temperatures of late fall and winter.
If possible, use room temperature water that has been distilled.
Promptly empty drained water from trays and saucers.
Mist the foliage of Rex (foliage) type begonias twice a week or provide high humidity to avoid leaf drop.
Use warm water in a misting bottle. , You should fertilize your plants with a water-soluble fertilizer for blooming plants once a month from February through September.
You should fertilize your plants less frequently during the late fall and winter months because your plant will not be growing as steadily during this time.
Mix the fertilizer according to the label’s directions.
Wait three months before fertilizing if the potting mix you used contained fertilizer. , Your should remove dead flowers and leaves.
You should also trim off broken stems to promote plant growth.
Dust the leaves if it is needed.
Remove the small flowers of Rex type begonias as they start to bloom to concentrate the plants energy on foliage.
About the Author
Gregory Hernandez
Gregory Hernandez specializes in lifestyle and practical guides and has been creating helpful content for over 11 years. Gregory is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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