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Begonia Elatioor is probably the most common and favorite type of begonia, which is often confused with the tuberous. In fact, this is a hybrid species, resulting from the crossing of the Socotrans and tuberous begonias.
The result, it should be noted, turned out amazing: elegant, bright flowers against the backdrop of glossy green leaves look amazingly impressive. Often, this plant is presented as a gift instead of a bouquet of flowers for the holidays - a non-trivial, wonderful way to please the heroes of the occasion. Below are the photos of Elatior's begonias, which, of course, can only partly convey all the amazing beauty of this flower's grace.
Behavioral care for Elatioor at home
Begonia Elatior requires rather painstaking care, it is gentle, very susceptible to deterioration of conditions of detention, and it does not tolerate stressful situations.
It prefers loose, light soils that allow air and water to pass through easily; take care of quality drainage during planting in order to avoid stagnant moisture. The root system of this plant is very fragile - the roots are thin and fragile, easily damaged during transplantation, therefore, it is best not to separate the old soil from the root clod, but to transfer the plant from the old pot to a new one by adding fresh soil mixture.
Watering should be very moderate, in the summer-spring period it should be done only after the soil in the pot is almost completely dry, and in the autumn-winter period not only the watering rate but also the volume should be reduced. In the summer, the flower responds well to spraying on the sheet mass, but keep in mind that it should be done only in evening time.
When organizing the care of Elatio begonia at home, it should be borne in mind that this flower belongs to very thermophilic plants that do not tolerate frost, low temperatures and cold drafts. The most acceptable temperature regime will be 21 - 25 ° C.
As for the light mode, there is something to break your head. And all because for the abundant flowering of this begonia, a bright but diffused light is necessary, while at the same time it is necessary to avoid direct exposure to sunlight, which can cause traumatic burns on the leaf plates even in the evening.
Too much illumination can lead to shredding of flowers, and if the hybrid gives double and double flowers, reducing the number of petals in them.
In order to provoke a friendly flowering and the formation of new buds, do not forget to remove faded flowers.
Feeding also needs to be done very carefully. For this purpose, suitable only mineral fertilizers, organic can have an undesirable effect on the condition of the stems and cuttings - the abundance of organic nitrogen can make the stems and petioles brittle, transparent, watery, prone to mechanical damage, as well as rot. In this case, the buds and flowers will not look so impressive, and the flowering itself can become scarce.
The reproduction of begonia Elatio can be done in several ways:
- Seeds;
- Cuttings.
Seeds can be sown all year round, but still the most successful period for this is the beginning of spring.
Reproduction cuttings are better to take mature, they are more resistant to the effects of fungal and bacterial microorganisms, to speed up the process of root formation, the cuttings are placed not in water or soil, but in vermiculite, perlite or sphagnum, which has some antibacterial properties.
Reproduction by cuttings is carried out in the spring-summer period. It is also a great way to upgrade a plant. When growing a young plant from a cutting, one should resort to pinching to form a more lush and beautiful shrub.
As for pests and diseases, powdery mildew should be noted separately, which very often affects this type of begonias, especially at high humidity.
If you notice the first signs of the presence of this disease, do not pull and immediately begin treatment with special fungicidal agents.
Excess moisture in the soil can lead to root rot. And not faded off flowers in time - to gray rot. For the prevention of fungal and bacterial diseases, phytosporin solutions can be used for irrigation.
How to care for the begonia Elatior in the rest period?
When growing this indoor flower, the most important question is how to care for the Elatio begonia in winter.
Firstly, it is necessary to organize the temperature regime correctly, that is, to maintain it within 18–20 ° C, without lowering it less than 18 ° C, otherwise the plant will simply die.
Secondly, the irrigation regime should be very scarce, the frequency of irrigation should be tripled compared to the active growth period. It is very important to remember that spraying the leaves during the rest period is not recommended.
After hibernation, the begonia bush may lose its visual attractiveness, in order to return the plant's former attractiveness and decorative value to the plant, you need to prune in the spring, leaving the cuttings 7 to 8 cm long.
Also, it will not be superfluous to use growth stimulants and immune modulators, such as Epin, Zircon, in early March. Using them alternately( spraying "Epinine" and watering with a solution of "Zircon"), you can avoid a lot of problems with the Begonia Elatior.
So, if you plan to replenish your collection of indoor plants with this begonia, get ready for meticulous care and vigilant control over all environmental factors, but all these efforts will not be in vain - Eliator begonia is very responsive and in return gives you a hat of chic, bright, elegant colors.
