Keep soil evenly moist, allowing it to dry only slightly between waterings. Stop watering tuberous begonias in the fall. It’s always a good idea to avoid wet or waterlogged soil. At the beginning of the growing season, when the plant is in full growth, give it half strength of balanced liquid fertilization. Plant in well-drained soil with good drainage.
Avoid over-fertilizing or overwatering, as this can damage the roots and cause root rot. Do not water more than once a week, or the soil may become too dry and the plant will not be able to take up enough water to support its growth.
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How long will a begonia live indoors?
Even with good care, most only live for 2 to 3 years. Angel wings of cane begonias are not active if the temperature gets too cold. Cane leaves can be used to make tea. They can also be eaten raw or cooked.
Will begonias do well inside?
They are placed near a window that gets a bright light. They grow well indoors under grow lights. If you want to grow begonia indoors, you will need a grow light that is at least 10 watts per square foot (W/m2) or more. If you are growing indoors in a small space, it may be best to use a fluorescent light instead of an incandescent one.
Fluorescent lights are much more efficient at converting light energy into heat than the other types of lights, so they are a good choice for use in small spaces. However, if you have a lot of space to work with, an LED light is a better choice. LED lights produce much less heat and require less energy to run.
You can find them at most home improvement stores for about $10 to $20 each, depending on the wattage of the light and the size of your grow space. LEDs are also much cheaper than CFLs, which are the most common type of light bulbs used in grow rooms. CFL bulbs are not as efficient as LEDs, but they last much longer and are less likely to burn out.
Can I bring my begonias inside for the winter?
Some begonias can simply be brought indoors prior to the onset of cold weather for continual growth, such as with wax begonias. Rather than digging them out of the ground, these begonias should be brought indoors for the winter. . However, if your home is too hot, it may not be worth the effort.
Is a begonia an indoor or outdoor plant?
Begonias are popular as annual bedding plants outdoors. Europe, and the United States are home to about 1500 different begonia species. Beeswax is used as a natural insect repellent. It is also used to make candles and candleswicks. The wax is extracted from the flowers and leaves of the Begonia genus, which is a group of flowering plants that includes the common bee balm (Apis mellifera) and honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae).
The honey bee is the world’s most important pollinator and is responsible for pollinating more than 90 percent of all fruits and vegetables grown in the U.S. and Canada. Honey bees are also important for the pollination of many other plants and animals, such as birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects and even humans.
Can I leave my begonias in pots over winter?
Keep an eye on the weather and in fall, before the first frosts are forecast, dig up your begonia semperflorens plants and plant them up in containers to overwinter inside in a cool room, or keep them in pots in the garden.
In the spring, when the leaves begin to turn yellow, remove the plants from the containers and let them go to seed. The seeds will germinate within a few weeks and will be ready to plant in spring.
