Know the details on how to grow and care for begonias in pots, indoors and outside in winter and summer.
Begonias grow 1 to 2 feet tall and equally wide and can be grown in containers, and hanging baskets and garden as well. Begonia produces beautiful single or double flowers in shades of white, pink. purple, yellow and red.
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Types of Begonias
Begonias can be broadly grouped as following:
Begonia semperflorens, Bedding begonias or Wax begoniaa
These begonias are small perennial plants having shiny bronze or green coloured waxy shining leaves and come with white, pink or red flowers. These are sun hardy plants.
Begonia coccinea, Cane begonias or Angel Wing Begonias
The shape of their leaves looks like angle wings which may be spotted.
They grow strong canes, from 30cm up to 2m high. During The cane begonias produce flowers of white, pink and red color from Spring to Summer. They can be grown in shade or morning sun.
Begonia rex-cultorium, Rex begonias
These are rhizomatous begonias having green, black, silver, red, pink, purple or metallic foliage with combinations of swirls, spots and stripes. They can be in bright shade and moist soils, even indoors in bright indirect light.
Begonia x tuber hybrida, Tuberous begonias
Tuberous begonias produce large single and double flowers of white, red, pink, orange and yellow color in summer and autumn. These begonias grow up to 50 cm high and prefer bright shade and require staking due to the weight of the flowers.
Begonia x hiemalis, Elatior begonias
These begonias produce heart shaped leaves and single or double flowers of yellow, pink, peach and red colors. They are small plants and can be grown as indoor plants in bright light.
How To Care For Begonias
Position
Keep the plant in bright indirect shade away from direct sunlight. You can also keep your begonias indoors in fluorescent lamp lighting. There are two leaf varieties of begonias, the red leaf and green leaf variety. The red leaf begonias can tolerate sunlight.
And here, there are two leaf varieties of begonias, the red leaf and green leaf variety and the red-leaved begonias handle sunlight very well. You can also keep them indoors with a fluorescent lamp lighting.
Soil Requirement of begonias
Begonias prefer free-draining slightly acidic soil. Mix some potting mix for acidic plants like azaleas or compost or rotten leaves in soil to make it acidic. You can also add some peat moss or cocopeat and river sand to make it free-draining.
Watering Begonias
Taking care for potted begonias is very important. Begonias like humidity, so it important to keep them moist, but water only when the top soil becomes dry. Prolonged over watering may kill the plant, as begonias store plenty of moisture in their succulent stems, leaves, tubers or rhizomes.
Fertilizer for Begonias
Add some cow manure or compost in the soil in spring, summer and autumn when the begonias are actively growing. Do not water over foliage to reduce fungal problems
Pests and Diseases on Begonias
Begonias are often trouble free but there may be problems from Aphids, Caterpillars, Snails, Powdery mildew and Rot. Periodic spray of neem oil and fungicide may control them. Over watering or watering on the foliage may result in rotting and/or fungal disease. Water only when top soil gets dry.