Begonia is one of the most popular indoor plants over the years. They love her for her unpretentiousness in care and a long flowering period. In this article, we will tell you all about ampelo begonias, planting and leaving at home which are quite easy and pleasant processes. Knowing all the intricacies of growing this plant, you can definitely get a lush flowering bush with incredibly beautiful flowers.
Description
Begonia is a perennial flowering plant that grows well both in open ground and at home. In Europe, this plant appeared in the eighteenth century, and, it was grown as a deciduous. Only after many years, the flowering varieties of begonias, which are still grown, came into fashion. As shown in the photo of the ampelian begonia, its flowers are cascaded on long shoots with bright leaves. Their color is quite diverse, but the main colors are red, pink and white. There are two varieties of this plant: male and female. Especially beautiful are considered to be men's. Each flower blooms for 10 days, the entire flowering period lasts at least 4 months.
Site selection and lighting organization
For ampelous begonia, it is important to create the most comfortable growing conditions, and it will delight you with its stunning flowering for a long time.
Begonia is a very photophilous plant, however, direct sunlight can burn delicate leaves and flower petals. Therefore, it is important to give preference to a well-lit place with diffused and soft light. The best time period for a plant to be in the light is from sunrise to 11 a.m. and from 15 hours to sunset. At the same time, the optimum temperature is maintained in the range from + 20 ° to + 25 ° .
Soil requirements
For the growth of begonias, it is preferable to choose a neutral soil, it is permissible to use slightly acidic. The substrate can be prepared independently or purchased ready-made.
For self-preparation of the soil mixture will require four parts of turf land, four parts of leafy land and part of sand. Whatever soil you use, the most important preparation step is its disinfection. This procedure will protect the plant from the development of diseases and mold. There are four methods of soil treatment:
- freezing - the soil is kept at sub-zero temperatures until it is completely frozen;
- warming up - the soil is poured with boiling water;
- disinfection with manganese solution;
- steaming - a container with soil for a long time kept in a water bath.
Tuber growing
The care and planting of ampelous begonias from tubers begins, first of all, with the selection and preparation of planting material.
Tubers should not be too large - 3-4 centimeters in diameter is enough. They must be clean, free from traces of damage and mold. The more tuberous the tuber, the better. Tubercles are the future buds, which provide the plant with growth. A good quality tuber has at least 7 such tubercles-buds. For germination, the planting material is wrapped with a damp cloth and placed in a well-lit place. The tuber is ready for planting at the moment when its roots sprout.
A pot for planting begonias ampelous should have a large diameter and medium depth. A drainage layer is necessarily poured to the bottom of the tank, after which the prepared soil is poured. The tubers are planted with the convex part down, so that it is not completely submerged in the ground. They fall asleep only after the appearance of three or four leaves.
Seeding scheme
Begonia seeds are very small - in one gram contains at least 50 thousand pieces. It is best to give preference to granular seeds that have a nutritious membrane, and also have higher germination rates. If using such granules, purchase peat tablets.
First, they prepare the substrate for planting: the tablets are well soaked in water. After they are completely soaked, one seed granule is inserted into each tablet. After this, the plantings are wetted with water from the spray gun and covered with a film. Watering is carried out only through a pallet, without removing the film, while maintaining the greenhouse effect.
If you plan to use regular seeds, then prepare seedling boxes in advance. A layer of drainage is poured onto the bottom of the tank, after which soil is introduced. Seeds are sown on the soil surface, without deepening, after which the container is covered with glass or film. When maintaining the temperature not less than + 25 ° , the first seedlings will appear within a couple of weeks after sowing.
Seedling Care
The main care for young sprouts is constant watering, maintaining the temperature and providing lighting. Seedlings are watered exclusively from below, that is, exposing containers with seedlings in a pan with water. Watering plants from above is strictly prohibited, as it leads to their death. It is very important to prevent the soil from drying out.
At the begonia seedling stage, quite a lot of sunlight is required, but it must be diffused. In winter, seedlings require additional lighting from artificial sources. In addition, before transplanting seedlings into the open ground, it is necessary to harden it. This procedure is carried out by removing the film from the box, first for 10-15 minutes, then 30 and so on, gradually increasing the time interval.
Two months after sowing the seeds, pickling is carried out. Sprouts are planted in separate containers with the same composition of the soil mixture and the presence of drainage. Transplanted sprouts are placed in a well-lit place, periodically turning the container to better cover the plants with the sun. The use of any growth stimulators at this stage is not necessary, since the stems of the plant grow well on their own. Two to three weeks after the dive, you can make a little fertilizer. After this feeding is done twice a month. Only five months after a dive, seedlings can be transferred to open ground.
That is, when shoots appear in early January, landing in open ground should be carried out no earlier than May. In this case, flowering will begin in late June and will continue until the end of autumn.
Propagation by cuttings
This method of growing ampelous begonias is quite simple and fast. Usually, the preparation of planting material is carried out in the spring, when the plant has already left its dormant state. Cuttings are cut from 8 to 10 centimeters long, after which they are cleaned and dried. The prepared stalk is placed in a glass of warm water and left until the first roots appear. They take the stalk out of the water at the moment when the cut begins to rot slightly. The rotten part is cut off, and the stalk is again immersed in clean water. Ready for transplantation should have two centimeter roots. To improve the survival and rooting of the cuttings in the soil, watering with a little warm water helps.
To obtain a more lush plant, several cuttings are planted in one pot at once, each of which is pinched over time after 4 internodes. This procedure will enhance branching.
Ampoule begonia: care for young and adult plants
This plant requires a special watering regime. You should not water the tubel begonia tubers directly - the flower pot is placed in a tray with water, or the water is introduced around the circumference of the pot without touching the plant itself. It is also important to comply with the measure when watering - do not allow the soil to dry out, but excessive humidity threatens the development of diseases. In winter, watering is reduced several times.
To organize stable growth and lush flowering at home, ampelo begonias require regular top dressing. To increase the density of greens, nitrogenous fertilizers are introduced, for example, urea solution. Later, during the formation of buds, phosphorus and potassium preparations are introduced into the soil. There are good complex preparations, such as "Kemira Lux", having a balanced composition of trace elements.
Since begonia is considered a long flowering plant, the removal of wilted flowers is one of the required procedures. By removing faded flowers, you not only improve the appearance of the plant, but also make room for new flowers.
Disease
The occurrence of various diseases most often occurs when non-compliance with the basic rules of care. Ampelic begonia at home can suffer from powdery mildew and gray rot.
Complete removal of infected leaves and treatment of the plant with a fungicidal preparation will help cope with powdery mildew. Well proven remedy "Topaz".
Gray rot can occur due to a long stay of the plant in the open air, for example, on the veranda or unglazed balcony. The disease manifests itself in the form of whitish spots on the stems and leaves, which gradually turn into rot or mucus.
Begonia Pests
If the air in the room where ampel begonia is grown is too dry, then the risk of infection of the plant with a spider mite increases sharply. You can recognize its appearance by yellow spots on the leaves and a thin cobweb on the stems. At the slightest sign of this pest, treat the plant with the Bi-58 insecticide.
Sometimes begonia is attacked by aphids. In addition to spots of various shades that appear on the leaves of begonias, aphid is destructive to the plant because of the ability to tolerate ring spotting on itself. Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely get rid of this harmful insect, so the infected plant must be destroyed. Be sure to carry out a routine inspection of the plants closest to the begonia for infection by aphids or ring spotting. If signs of the disease are found, destroy the plants.