How to care for begonia at home

When you want to add coziness to your home atmosphere and liveliness and brightness to the interior, neither paintings, nor figurines, nor even designer furniture of the most daring colors will help - get a room flower, for example, begonia. Caring for begonia at home will not cause serious difficulties, and the room will immediately come to life.

Whatever kind of flower this choice is made for, it will conquer the hostess with a scattering of bright flowers or leaves, intricately painted by nature with intricate patterns and paints of various shades. In order for such beauty to live and blossom in the house, it is worth observing some rules regarding the care of this plant. It is also important that it is properly planted in a permanent pot.

Green beauty and her views

How to choose begonia for home? At the call of the heart and appearance, especially since there are many varieties of this plant. The genus includes a huge number of species - more than 1000. Depending on the type, the plant can be a small bush or stretch for 2-3 meters. Therefore, begonias can often be seen not only at home, but also in the garden composition, in the design of a flower bed or balcony. For growing in pots at home, they usually choose specimens of medium and small sizes, luxuriantly flowering or having an unusual bright color of the leaves.

Decorative leafy begonia

For home decoration, as a rule, one of two types of begonia is chosen:

• decorative foliage;
• decorative blooming.

From the name it becomes clear that decorative and deciduous species amaze with a variety of colors on leaves of an unusual shape. Vivid examples are Mason's begonia, Royal and Imperial begonias. Asymmetric, carved-shaped leaves of the Royal begonia combine colors of various shades. For such an unusual appearance in former times, the plant was called "Napoleon's Ear" because of the similarity with the shape and color of the ears of the soldiers of the retreating French army, which they froze in harsh Russian weather conditions.

Royal begonia

The leaves of Mason's begonia look more concise compared to the Royal or Imperial begonias. Its sheet plate is painted in bright green color, on top of which a black pattern is "applied". The unusual appearance of Mason's begonia leaves makes you fall in love not only with experienced gardeners, who certainly want to replenish their collection with this plant, but also people who have a sense of style and acquire one or another flower for aesthetic reasons. Begonia Mason will fit perfectly into the modern interior, which is often characterized by laconicism and restraint in detail.

Mason Begonia

Those who love the variegation of colors should pay attention to the decorative-flowering species of this plant, examples of which are ampelous and ever-flowering begonias. Evergreen begonia can be grown both in open ground and at home. In the open air, evergreen begonia is often used in the design of rocky slides due to the specificity of creeping growth.

Begonia ever flowering

Ampel begonia is characterized by hanging lush flowers, for which it received the name derived from the German word "ampel" - a vase for hanging flowers. For the reason that the plant is monoecious, the flowers on it are male and female: large, lush and miniature. Moreover, ampel begonia during flowering is covered with flowers of two different colors.

Ampel begonia

General requirements and care features

Despite the fact that begonia is considered an unpretentious indoor plant, which even the most beginner grower can grow, you need to know certain rules for caring for her. The basic rules, the observance of which will provide the flower with a decent content, are true for all types of this indoor plant grown at home.

Tuberous begonia

So, we will consider the main questions, the answers to which the person whose green beauty has settled in the house must know:

• illumination;
• location;
• watering;
• temperature;
• top dressing;
• humidity.

Tip: if it is difficult to remember the specific conditions of care, it is enough to fix the following in memory. This flower of any kind - be it ampelous or Mason's begonia, needs “average” conditions: not hot, but not cold, not excessively wet (speaking of soil), but not dry, light, but not bright, etc. .

Ornamental-deciduous and decorative-flowering species of begonias love the light. But this does not mean that they are able to withstand bright sunlight. Therefore, the plant must be hidden from the direct sun and, if necessary, shaded. Based on the level of recommended illumination, the place for the location of the pot with this flower should be chosen on the eastern windows. For deciduous species, for example, Mason's begonias, window sills of windows facing the southwest are also suitable, and for flowering - to the southeast.

How much to water and how to water a begonia depends on the time of year, but in general it obeys the rule of the “golden mean,” because this indoor flower does not like transfusion and overdrying. Once the soil has dried out 1 phalanx of the finger in depth, you need to water the plant. To do this, suitable water at room temperature is suitable. In winter, in plants that enter a dormant state (this is not typical for a home plant - evergreen begonia), the frequency of watering is significantly reduced.

Begonia Snail (Escargo)

The temperature recommended for normal life of this plant of the begonia family at home varies from 19 ° C to 23 ° C. This is the average normal room temperature, so no special efforts are needed to maintain it. “Blooming Beauty” loves fresh air, but some of its species do not tolerate drafts, so airing should be done carefully. You need to feed the plants with various fertilizers, depending on the type, season, stage of development, etc. However, they need to be bred in a slightly lower concentration than indicated in the instructions.

Begonia fertilizer

Begonia loves humid air and needs it vitally, it is especially important for it in the winter time - during the dormant period, when watering is reduced. But it’s important to remember that you can’t spray them. On the beautiful leaves of Mason's begonia and other deciduous plants, when sprayed, dark marks appear that adversely affect the health of the flower and its appearance. So that the humidity is at an optimal level (about 60%), you can use one of the options below:

• humidifier;
• spraying air from a spray bottle without contacting the leaves;
• setting saucers with water near a pot with begonia.

To control the temperature and humidity of the environment surrounding the plant, it is convenient to use a device that combines a thermometer and a hygrometer.

Adaptation of a flower shop to the house

If begonia was bought or presented as a gift, it must be moved over time from the store pot to a permanent one. Planting is not carried out immediately, but when the flower gets used to the microclimate of the room in which it is to “live”.

To get used to it faster, you need to choose a permanent place for begonia that meets the requirements described above, and not to rearrange the pot from place to place.

When the landing is planned, at hand should be:

• new flower pot;
• special soil;
• drainage (for example, expanded clay).

Landing is as follows:

1. Put drainage at the bottom of the new pot.
2. Spread the soil about 1.5 cm over the drainage.
3. Carefully remove the flower from the soft store pot: by hitting it or making an incision on the side.
4. Put the begonia in a new pot and cover it with soil.
5. After the begonia has been relocated, monitor its condition especially carefully: obscure it, observe watering rules and provide the necessary humidity level (60%).

People say that begonia brings happiness and joy to the house, attracts love. Whether it is true or not, everyone decides for himself. But the fact that the blooming beauty creates a wonderful mood and charges with a positive, pure truth, no doubt!

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