Queen of Begonia houseplants - home care

An unpretentious flower, which came to our homes and gardens from the distant tropics, attracted the attention of millions of flower growers. Care for begonia at home is not complicated and is available to everyone. The original form of leaves, various types of inflorescences, tall and down-to-earth version - all this is majestic begonia. With her beauty she charmed no generation of men and women.

About 1000 species and ornamental varieties, as well as 2000 hybrids, are known today.

Pleasant acquaintance with the queen of the tropics

Among the huge number of species and classifications of begonias, one can note the main ones:

• deciduous varieties;
• blooming species;
• deciduous;
• is evergreen;
• tall;
• creeping begonias on the ground;
• with tuberous roots;
• with strong rhizomes;
• perennial varieties;
• annual species;
• outdoor options;
• room begonias.

Each plant has beautiful unusual leaves. Large and small, green and red, glossy and velvet, monophonic and with patterns. Most of them resemble maple leaves or palm trees, which makes the flower original.

Equally attractive forms of hardwood. Some are large, like burdocks or the ears of an African elephant. Others are round, resembling glossy plates. There are varieties whose leaves are cut along the edges, which creates the appearance of asymmetry.

The main vein of a leaf divides it in half into two different parts. Therefore, they always have a fancy shape. On the stem the leaves sit in the form of a mosaic. This allows them not to shade each other from the main light source.

The upper part of the sheet plate is most often green. Depending on a grade, gradation of shades is allowed. The back of the sheet is colored red, purple or brown.

Kingly look tender hairs on the stem and leaves of the plant. They are painted in scarlet or green, white or bronze color. Due to this, begonia has a delicate and velvety look that you want to touch.

The originality of the leaves give intricate patterns, a variety of spots or strokes. Sometimes, it seems that the leaves are the flowers of the ornamental begonia.

To prevent the leaves from losing their pristine beauty, they should not be sprayed. At hit on them of water droplets, there are spots. Subsequently, the sheet dies.

In fact, when a plant is blooming, you understand that the leaves are just a prelude to luxurious decoration. Inflorescences of begonias delight the eye with such colors:

• are scarlet and deep red;
• white and dairy;
• pink and pale lilac;
• dazzling yellow and orange.

In addition, these cute bouquets exude a pleasant aroma. When the plant blooms, miniature boxes appear on the stems, inside which there are seeds. Mature "capacity" cracking, and they fly apart. Thanks to this, the earth is filled with new flowers.

As practice shows, begonia has spread throughout the earth and has caught on well in middle latitudes. Since her main residence is residential space, it is important to properly care for her.

Simple rules for the care of begonia

The houses where tropical beauties find their refuge remind of a haven of pleasure. They constantly delight the eyes of households with lush greenery or charm of flowers. Without proper attention to the plant, this is impossible to achieve. Adhering to the simple rules of care for begonia at home, you can create a paradise.

Guest from the tropics does not require special attention, but the basic principles must be followed.

Sufficient light

Since the homeland of the queen of indoor plants is the tropics, she constantly needs lighting. If it is not enough, the plant will lose its decorativeness. At the same time it is important that he was a scattered character. Bright rays of light often provoke burns on the leaves. To create comfortable light conditions, it is recommended to put begonia on the shaded parts of the house.

To create a beautiful crown, the pot can be periodically exposed to the light.

Optimum humidity of air

When the question arises: how to care for begonia, the humidity adjustment in the room is not the last. This plant needs high humidity, but not by spraying.

To solve the problem, you can make this design. Place the plant pot on a small stand. Then it is placed on a wide pallet, which is lined with expanded clay at the edges( moss can also be used).After that, it needs to be moistened regularly so that evaporation occurs. As a result, begonia gets its dose of moisture.

Competent watering

In order to provide competent care for begonia, weather and watering should be considered. Although initially it grew in the tropics, where there is a lot of rain, you should not over-fill it.

In order to avoid overflow, drainage is poured at the bottom of the tank into which the begonia is planted. In this way, excess fluid can flow freely. It is important to ensure that the water does not stagnate in the pan.

Watering begonia is better than pure settled liquid. The operation is recommended to repeat as the top layer of soil dries.

It is wise to stick to this begonia irrigation scheme:

1. In the summer months, you should water the plant abundantly twice a week.
2. When there is a strong heat outside, moisten the soil every day.
3. In autumn( starting in October) - as the top of the soil dries.
4. In winter, the plant does not need abundant moisture. Only on demand.
5. With the beginning of spring, the volume of watering should be gradually increased to stimulate plant growth.

It is desirable to act in accordance with the needs of begonias, given its type and flowering period.

Regular top dressing

In order for the flowers of begonia to always be juicy, it is necessary to feed them regularly. For this there are special fertilizers.

As soon as begonia begins to bloom, it requires additional feeding. Therefore, once every 14 days the soil is filled with useful minerals.

If nitrogen is part of the chemical fertilizer, it is used for deciduous begonias.

Creating lush bushes

An exotic guest from the tropics almost always looks impeccable. However, in some cases, it loses its decorative effect. To correct this flaw, the plant is advised to cut. At a height of about 5 cm from the edge of the vase, cuts are made. Due to this, the lateral buds come to life and begin to actively develop.

Cut the branches preferably with a sharp knife, so as not to damage the inflorescences of begonias.

Gentle care for colors

Most often you can enjoy the blooming begonia in the summer, on bright sunny days. Only some varieties bloom all year round. Therefore, caring gardeners, in this period, try to gently take care of the flowers. To the plant is not depleted, some of the buds are torn off. As a result, the plant is less sick. Having examined the flowers of the begonia in the photo, one can imagine what kind of pleasure this plant takes care of.

Applying these simple rules of caring for begonia, you unwittingly get a lot of positive emotions. But, what will help to grow such a queen of the tropics at home? Reasonable advice flower growers.

Growing begonias at home

Before planting a begonia at home, you must select the appropriate capacity. The best option is ceramic pots. They should be a little more than 4 cm behind the root system of the plant. If the tank is too spacious, then the plant may suffer from excess moisture. As a result, the flowering period is disturbed.

Soil can be bought in finished form or prepared by yourself. Take a bit of leafy land, add sand, peat and humus. Plant the plant mixture.

In order to cultivate and care for begonias at home, bring decent results, it is important to plant it correctly for a start.

Drainage is placed at the bottom of the prepared container. The next layer( 3 cm) - charcoal, which serves as a means of protection from rot. Then place a plant with a small amount of soil. The resulting voids are filled with prepared soil. After that begonia plentifully watered.

Plant the plant preferably in the middle of March. Just at this time enough light appears for young begonias.

Tuberous varieties of the queen of the tropics are first germinated in trays, without digging into the soil. They are placed in well-lit rooms at a temperature not lower than 16 degrees and high humidity. When the plant is rooted, it is planted in a permanent place in early spring.

It is also important to know how to properly transplant indoor begonia. As it grows and takes root, it becomes necessary to move it to another pot. To do this, first, the soil is poured abundantly with water so that the plant can be freely removed from there. It is better to transplant it the next day, so that the soil was not wet, but slightly moist.