Begonia: care and can it be kept indoors?

Begonia is a beautiful plant often found not only in parks and squares, but also on windowsills. Caring for it at home is very interesting, although it can be quite challenging for its owner. Belonging to the Begoniaceae family, it boasts over 900 species and 2,000 hybrids. The first mentions of the plant can be traced back to the notes of Michel Begon, who collected plants in the Antilles. However, it wasn't until two centuries later that the flower began to be used for ornamental purposes.

Types and varieties of begonias

After Michel Bégon's discovery of Begonia, relatives were found in Brazil and Indonesia, as well as a tuberous subspecies in South America. Modern cultivars are descended from these. Today, there are a huge number of hybrids and cultivars.

They are divided into groups:

1. Ornamental flowering.
2. Ornamental foliage.

Tuberous begonias are considered the most popular, as they are easy to care for and boast a rich palette of colors. The plant thrives in subtropical and tropical climates. It prefers shady, moist areas, which are common in these latitudes. However, there are also species that thrive on steep seashores, mountains, and arid slopes.

Begonias vary not only in shape but also in size and color. Some species are low-growing herbaceous plants, while others grow to the size of medium-sized shrubs. Leaves can have incredible colors, unusual in nature, and be spotted or displaying intricate patterns, which is considered quite normal for this plant.

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Popular types of begonia:

• Ornamental foliage. This flower has no stem—its leaves grow directly from the rhizome. Thanks to the varied coloring of its "crown," this species fits beautifully into any interior. Popular representatives of this family include "Regal Begonia" and "Cleopatra Begonia."
• Bushy. The stems of this plant resemble bamboo. It grows up to 2 meters tall and blooms year-round. Coral Begonia and Fuchsia Begonia are often found in homes.

• Tuberous. Begonia gets its name from its tuberous root. The plant's stems can reach up to 80 cm. The flowers are double and single, resembling roses or carnations, and range from 3 to 20 cm in diameter. The heart-shaped leaves can be matte, glossy, flat, or corrugated. The plant's foliage ranges in color from light green to dark. Tuberous begonias bloom from May to October.
• Everblooming. This type of begonia is often seen in urban flowerbeds. Indoors, everblooming begonias bloom year-round. The leaves are glossy, green or brown. The flowers are small, red, pink, or white.

• Royal. A decorative foliage begonia. It features large leaves up to 30 cm long, in various shades of green, brown, and red. The leaf blades can be heart-shaped or spiral-shaped.
• Ampelous. A subspecies of tuberous begonia. Planted for vertical gardening. The shoots range from 25 to 50 cm in length. The plant is literally covered with flowers in crimson, orange, yellow, and white.
• Elatior. A tuberous begonia hybrid designed for indoor cultivation. The slender stems, tinged with red, require support. Flowers appear in fall and winter. The foliage is glossy and rounded. The flowers are 5 cm in diameter and come in white, yellow, and red.

Many people grow begonias at home, and their photos showcase the plant's beauty. However, some people still often wonder if they can be kept indoors and how to properly care for them.

Begonia care at home

Begonias can bloom all year round, which is why caring for them at home after purchase should be special.

Lighting

It's crucial to ensure the room has sufficient light, as flowering plants require it greatly. However, it's best to protect it from direct sunlight to prevent foliage burn.

Air temperature and humidity

The optimal temperature for this "domesticated" tropical plant is 21-23°C in summer and 15-18°C in winter. This flower prefers humid air, but avoid misting it with a spray bottle. This can cause brown spots to appear on the foliage.

Watering and fertilizing

During dry summer months, begonias require more frequent watering. However, you should still avoid allowing water to stagnate in the tray. It's best to use settled water when the top 1 cm of soil in the pot has dried out.

In winter, watering should be reduced. Particular attention should be paid to species that propagate by tubers. Since they "go dormant" during the cold season, they should be placed in peat and completely protected from moisture.

Fertilizing should begin at the time of flowering to support the plants and provide them with essential micronutrients. This should be done once every two weeks. Nitrogen fertilizers are suitable for deciduous varieties, as they promote leaf development and inhibit flowering.

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Features of transplantation

Begonias aren't picky about soil. A suitable soil mix can be purchased at a flower shop or made at home. To do this, fill the pot halfway with leaf mold, then add peat moss mixed with black soil in equal parts. It's best to add a little sand to the bottom of the container to retain precious moisture.

Repotting a plant is only necessary if the roots no longer fit in the old pot. Spring is the best time to do this. Carefully remove the plant from its container, clean the roots of any remaining soil by dipping them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and trim off any rotted areas with scissors.

After this, the flower is ready to be moved to a new location. A newly transplanted plant requires abundant and frequent watering. After a month, the begonia will have fully adapted to its new location.

What kind of pot do you need for begonias?

After purchasing a begonia, to ensure proper care at home, you need to choose a suitable pot for repotting. To do this, follow these guidelines:

• For planting begonia cuttings, low pots with a diameter of 5-6 centimeters are suitable.
• About six months after planting, as the root system grows, the pot should be replaced with a larger diameter (8-10 cm).

• After a year, the now-mature begonia should be repotted into a container one-third larger than the previous one. The pot should not be too tall.
• A mandatory requirement in each case is the presence of drainage holes.
• The material the pot is made of does not really matter.
• Begonias should never be planted directly into a large pot. The young plant's root system may begin to rot.

How to choose a begonia for planting in a pot

The popular begonia variety 'Elatior,' whose photos grace numerous interior design magazines, requires careful care at home. But choosing the right plant is equally important to ensure it doesn't cause too much trouble in the future.

First of all, when you buy a tuber at the store, pay attention to its appearance. It should be at least 4 cm in diameter. Begonia tubers should be firm, not overdried, and free of damage or mold.

The bottom of the tuber should be convex, and the top should be concave or flat. You may notice bumps and ridges on the top—these are growth buds. When buying tubers in January or February, choosing them is difficult, as they are still dormant. In late February or March, white or reddish buds will be visible on healthy tubers.

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How to plant begonias

Planting evergreen begonias indoors is a challenging task. However, despite this, dedicated owners can handle the task beautifully.

Even a beginner can transplant a begonia if he or she follows these recommendations:

1. Begonia tuber is usually planted at the end of February or in March.
2. Before planting, it's advisable to soak the seedlings in Epin or another growth stimulant for a couple of hours. You can also treat them with a fungicide or soak them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate to prevent rot.
3. A small depression is made in the soil, into which the tuber is placed with the growth points facing up.
4. Don't cover the top with soil until the sprouts reach 4-5 cm in size. Thin, delicate roots appear on the lower, convex side of the tuber.

How to care for a potted begonia at home after purchase

Caring for the Elathion begonia at home should follow all the recommendations below. This will ensure stable growth, delighting its owners with healthy foliage and beautiful blooms.

Further care

After planting, carefully water the substrate around the tuber, being careful not to wet the tuber itself. If the soil has settled significantly after watering, add a little more soil so that the tuber itself appears to be pressed into the substrate.

With regular watering and temperatures above 22°C, the tubers germinate quickly. When the shoots reach 4-5 cm, add more potting soil to completely cover the tuber. Once the leaves develop, increase watering, but not excessively, and wait for flowers to appear.

Top dressing

Ornamental flowering begonias require fertilization during budding and throughout the flowering period. Fertilizer should be applied no more than twice a month.

Fertilizer should contain potassium and phosphorus, which are essential for flowering begonias. For ornamental foliage plants, use nitrogen-containing fertilizers or complex formulations.

Trimming

Pruning begonias is essential for growing a beautiful, healthy plant. Pruning is done not only to remove old, elongated leaves and stems, but also to properly shape the bush. But let's take this step by step.

1. Left to its own devices, this plant loses its decorative qualities: the stem stretches out, the shoots become thinner, the leaves become smaller, and flowering is minimal.
2. Pruning is necessary to create a lush crown and improve flowering. It also rejuvenates the plant and gives it a well-groomed appearance.

How to prune begonias correctly:

1. It's important to consider shaping the plant while it's still a young flower. When a young begonia reaches about 6-7 cm in height, trim its top with a sharp knife. This is done to stimulate the development of lateral shoots.
2. After this procedure, the amount of watering should be reduced until the plant begins to grow intensively.
3. As soon as the lateral shoots reach a length of 10 cm, their tops are trimmed.
4. This completes the formation of the young bush. You can periodically trim back elongated stems or remove dried shoots to maintain the desired crown shape.

When to prune begonias:

1. In decorative-leaved begonias, flower-bearing shoots should be cut off.
2. Dry, damaged leaves and shoots should be cut off to avoid flower disease.
3. The young plant is pruned to give it a decorative appearance.
4. Tuberous begonias need to be pruned for the winter.

As autumn approaches, reduce the amount of watering for indoor tuberous begonias. After the leaves have dried, trim the above-ground portion of the plant, leaving 1-2 cm. After this, the pot should be moved to its wintering location.

It should be a cool, dark place with a temperature no higher than 15°C. A basement or loggia is suitable, or, in an apartment, it can be placed under a bathtub. Water occasionally to prevent the soil from drying out completely.

The best time for pruning is October. This period is considered optimal. After all, in February and March, the flower will "awaken" again after winter hibernation. The six months the plant spends dormant are enough to rest, gain strength, and delight you with its unusually beautiful blooms in the summer.

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Transfer

Begonia tubers are planted beginning in March. The plant is watered the day before transplanting and repotted the following day. The plant is removed from the pot along with the root ball, then a small portion of the root system is removed from the soil. The root section is then placed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Any damaged roots are trimmed off with a sharp, clean knife.

The cut areas are treated with crushed activated charcoal. The flower is placed in a new pot with a sufficient layer of expanded clay and drainage holes. After repotting, the plant is watered. The top layer of soil will settle, so it is necessary to add more water.

For several days, do not water the begonia; humidity is maintained by placing the pot in a bowl of damp expanded clay. If necessary, you can prune the plant during these days. For the first seven days, keep the begonia in the shade, avoiding drafts.

How to care for it in winter

Begonia care at home in winter requires special attention. This applies to plants that do not shed their leaves. They should be kept at a temperature of 15–22°C and watered less frequently, but humidity should still be maintained by covering radiators with damp towels or using humidifiers (for large collections of large specimens).

Tuberous begonias begin preparing for dormancy in mid-autumn: their leaves gradually dry out and die. Watering should be stopped, and after the above-ground portions die back, the pots should be moved to a cool, dark place (10–15°C), where they will remain until the end of winter. If tuberous begonias do not enter dormancy on their own by November, watering should be greatly reduced, and the above-ground portions should be cut back after a while.

Diseases, pests

Begonia leaves and petioles are often susceptible to fungal diseases, most commonly powdery mildew. This is usually caused by excess moisture. Closely monitor the condition of the plant's core and lower leaves to spot the problem early.

These areas are where rot and powdery mildew appear. If you do detect this problem on your plant, you should remove the damaged leaves and then reduce watering. This will prevent the fungus from spreading throughout the plant.

The most common pests of begonias are red spider mites and aphids. To rid your plant of these, generously spray the leaves with an insecticide solution such as Fitoverm, Intavir, or Karbofos.

After this treatment, you should place the plant in a damp plastic bag to enhance the effect. However, if you carefully care for your begonia, you shouldn't have to worry about this problem.

Potential problems and their solutions at home

No matter how well you care for your begonia at home, planting the tubers correctly, pruning and watering it regularly, sometimes it gets sick. Let's look at the main problematic situations and what you can do to help your begonia.

Begonias are quite delicate flowers, so it's possible for the plant to fail to bloom. This problem can be overcome if you understand the reason why buds aren't appearing:

1. The room temperature is too low.
2. Draft.
3. It's very hot in the room.
4. The air is too dry.
5. Excess fertilizer.
6. The pot is too big.
7. The flower was recently replanted.

Sometimes, begonia buds begin to fall off immediately after they appear. This phenomenon can have a number of causes:

1. Not enough sun.
2. Watering is not done correctly.
3. There are not enough nutrients in the soil.

Yellowing and drying of plant leaves most likely indicates that the plant is not getting enough moisture. Pests attacking the plant's roots can also cause yellowing.

Reasons why plant leaves may curl:

1. The temperature in the room is too low or too high.
2. Excess moisture.
3. Lack of feeding.
4. Reddening of leaves

Begonia leaves turning red are caused by too much light. Chlorophyll gradually begins to disappear, causing the leaf to change color. One of the following steps will help solve the problem:

1. Move the pot with the plant to a less illuminated place.
2. Reduce the time the flower is exposed to the sun, for example by using a curtain.

Caring for begonias at home only seems difficult at first glance. In reality, there are only four basic steps, and if you follow them correctly, you'll be able to admire this flower for many years to come.