Evergreen begonia is one of the most beautiful and unpretentious plants that can be grown on the windowsill and in the open ground. High decorative allows you to widely use it in landscape design. You can learn about the methods of propagation of evergreen begonia, planting and care for it from this article.
Description
The family to which this plant belongs has about one thousand species. In nature, it can be found in forests and rock crevices throughout South America, as well as in the tropical regions of Africa and Asia. The everlasting perennial variety was first bred in Brazil in 1821. Just a few years later he was already in Europe, and more specifically in Germany.
The evergreen begonia, the photo of which is located below, is a small plant with a bare and smooth fleshy stalk, the average length of which is 40 cm. It consists of many knees ending in glossy shiny leaves that have a slightly curved shape. The color of the leaves can be different: brown-red, bright green, and also have a bronze hue.
This plant has small flowers, which can be either simple or double. They are collected in neat tassels, slightly hanging from the shoots. The color of the petals varies from white-pink to deep red, there are also two-tone and with a contrasting border on the edges. An interesting fact is that on the same plant there are simultaneously male and female flowers. The first has four, and the second has five petals.
Cuttings
This method of propagation of evergreen begonias is quite common. It is cut in the summer if it grows in the open ground, and in early spring, if at home on the windowsill. For this purpose, young leaves of the plant are selected and, using a sharp knife, carefully cut from the stem, and then placed in a container of water.
You can also place the cuttings in a pre-moistened substrate and cover with polyethylene on top. In this case, it is necessary to provide ventilation in the mini-greenhouse by making holes in the film. The substrate may be moss or a special mixture, which should include components such as expanded clay with perlite and sand. Subject to a sufficient amount of moisture, after 14 days the roots will appear on the cuttings. After another two weeks, begonia can be transplanted into separate pots.
Sowing seeds
This method of reproduction is simple, but it will take more time than grafting. Sowing begonias can be done for a month, starting in mid-December and ending in the second half of January. The seeds of the plant are very small - 1,000 pieces weigh no more than 0.02 grams. In specialized outlets you can purchase their granular form, which makes sowing more convenient.
The process should begin with the preparation of tanks and soil. For this, shallow boxes are suitable, which are filled with a special mixture consisting of sheet soil, humus and sand. You can also use a ready-made soil called Begonia. During planting, the seeds do not need to be sprinkled with earth, just distribute them evenly over the entire surface of a well-moistened soil. Experienced gardeners often sprinkle soil with a layer of calcined sand, while its thickness should not exceed 3 mm.
After that, the sown seeds are covered with a film or glass. For their early germination, the room temperature should be kept at + 20 ... 22 ⁰C. In this case, seedlings will begin to appear after 10, a maximum of 14 days. If condensation has appeared on the glass, it must be removed for a while and ventilate the seedlings. Do not forget that excessive humidity is harmful to begonias.
After emergence, the shelter is immediately removed. Now the optimal temperature for young plants should be + 17 ... 19 ⁰C. When at least three true leaves are formed, the time for a dive will come. Each plant is placed in small containers with a diameter of at least 5 cm or left in the box area equal to 5 cm². Two months later, the flowers can be transplanted into large pots.
Application and Landing
Evergreen begonia is often used for landscaping garden plots and urban flower beds. She prefers sunny, but slightly shaded places. However, it must be remembered that a lack of light can lead to stretching of the stems of the plant, which is why it can lose its decorative properties, and in particular the color of the flowers. One-year-old seedlings are planted in open ground only when the threat of frost has passed. Most often this is the end of May - the beginning of June.
Begonia grows well on loose, fertile soil enriched with humus. Planting flowers in soil with a high alkali content can lead to various diseases, for example, chlorosis. This plant has a superficial root system, which penetrates deep into the substrate by only 15-20 cm. Therefore, it is necessary to pre-treat the soil for planting begonias to this depth. Soil quality can be improved by adding peat, well-rotted manure or compost. Heavy soils can be adjusted with sand at a rate of 2.5 kg per 1 m².
Watering
This plant does not require any special care. Begonia is ever-flowering unpretentious, but despite this, it is necessary to know some subtleties that will allow you to fully enjoy its beauty throughout the summer and until the autumn frosts.
Watering plants should be systematic, especially during the hot and dry summers. In this case, the main thing is to maintain a balance between overdried and waterlogged soil. For watering, you need to use only settled soft water. The best time for this is early morning or evening, when the sun has already set below the horizon.
Fertilizer application
This event must be held every 14 days. But before that, you need to loosen the earth and remove all weeds. It is very important for flowering plants to obtain in sufficient quantities all the necessary substances and minerals. Top dressing begins immediately after the first buds appear. To do this, use either mineral complex fertilizers or organic infusions.
Growing at home
Evergreen begonias have long been very popular with those who like to grow flowers on their windowsills. It is due largely to the ease of care and the wonderful decorative qualities of this plant, which blooms almost year-round. In order for begonia to decorate your apartment, you need to create comfortable conditions for it: carry out periodic pruning, observe feeding and watering regimes, and also protect it from various pests and diseases.
For flowers, you need to highlight a windowsill well-lit by the sun's rays, however, their direct contact with the plant at noon is extremely undesirable. The evergreen begonia easily tolerates high temperatures, but their decrease to + 13-15 ⁰C can lead to the appearance of various diseases and even death.
The optimum humidity for the flower is 50%. Its lowered or overestimated level acts on the plant extremely unfavorably. In the first case, this leads to wilting of the plant, and in the second, to rotting of the root system. The optimal level of humidity can be created if you install a pot with begonia on a pallet in which moist pebbles are poured.
Watering, top dressing and pruning
Evergreen begonia is a water-loving plant, so on hot summer days you need to water it at least twice a week. In this case, water at room temperature should be settled. In the cold months, watering is relatively rare. As for top dressing, in spring and summer it is produced with full-fledged mineral fertilizers every two weeks. In autumn and winter, the need for such a procedure completely disappears.
In order for the plant to bloom profusely and for a long time, it is necessary to trim it in a timely manner. Such an event, among other things, allows you to rejuvenate indoor begonia, as well as to collect planting material, which will be needed for plant propagation. All overly extended shoots must be shortened. In addition, be sure to remove all damaged, dry and diseased leaves.
How to plant and transplant at home
Begonia prefers rather loose and nutritious soil, which can fully ensure its full development and good growth. In order to independently prepare the soil for planting a flower, take two parts of leafy soil and one each - peat chips and black soil. In this case, a prerequisite is the presence of a drainage layer located at the bottom of the pot with the plant.
During the planting of evergreen begonias, it is necessary to fill the container in layers. The lower layer of the substrate is coarse river sand. Top it is covered with a pre-prepared soil mixture. By the way, it can be purchased at any specialized outlet. The plant is transplanted only when necessary. For this procedure, a method involving transshipment of the root system along with an earthen lump is best suited.