How to care for the royal begonia at home

Many ornamental deciduous plants are very popular content in the home, even in comparison with beautiful flowering. The royal begonia has a special position among this culture, which implies its name. Her brightness, elegance, many faces in colors and forms give her the right to sit on the throne among the numerous flower kingdom.

Description and photo

In Europe, begonia "Rex" appeared in the second half of the XIX century as a guest from the hot southeast Asian tropics and was instantly taken for breeding by growers and breeders. To this day, they managed to bring dozens of new species, among which is the royal begonia group. Professional classification identifies this variety as a rhizome variety. Creeping root system, thick and fleshy, turning into a fleecy stem,from which large filigree leaves with long pubescent petioles and forming a closed bush 30-45 centimeters in height.

There are versions of this variety and lower, inferior in size to the older brothers in half.

A distinctive feature of the royal plant is the spectacular foliage of a contrasting zonal color, shaped like an asymmetrical heart. It has a velvet sheet plate, a little pimply. The back part of it has convex reddish streaks.

In the course of breeding and breeding hybrids, varieties appeared with splashes, spiraling leaves with bright red color and contrasting lines.

Popular varieties

Among a large number of subspecies of royal begonias, varieties with bright coloring, easy to maintain and maintain, have become very popular.

• The variety Mini Merry Christmas has the most variegated foliage.Closed shrub, 30 centimeters in height, with asymmetrical leaves with brown, raspberry and green zones, bordered with burgundy and pearlescent.

• Escargot begonia is distinguished by foliage spun in the shape of a shell. Because of this, it is also called the "royal snail". The middle of the sheet is permeated with a silver spiral.

• Dollar Down is characterized by miniature and scarlet foliage coloring with almost black outlines.

• The Dark Mambo begonia is attractive in dark olive foliage, reddish underneath, with a bright star in the middle.

• Variety Grifon has motley foliage with long petioles, unusual pomp and large size - up to 45 centimeters. Differs in endurance and unpretentiousness.

Growing conditions

Although begonia "Rex" and does not require special privileges, but to ensure the proper care of the royal species at home, it is necessary to fulfill certain requirements.

Humidity and temperature

Humidity is very important for this room culture, especially in hot weather. With large succulent leaves, the royal begonia evaporates much more fluid than it compensates for the rhizome.

To increase the humidity, you can use an air humidifier, an atomizer with a fine spray, as well as install pots with plants in summer over the pans, on the bottom of which you should put wet pebbles, a rag and periodically add fluid there.

Begonia loves warmth. If the humidity is optimal, it feels good even at 30 degrees. But it strongly reacts to cooling and stops growth already at 10-13 degrees. Winter time - a period of calm, the resumption of growth occurs with the arrival of spring.

Lighting in the room

The flower prefers a lot of diffused light. This is due to the origin of the plant from the places where it was constantly sheltered to the crowns of trees. The sun does not like the direct hit of the sun; the leaves dry up and lose their brightness.

At home, it is recommended to place a flower on a shelf, cabinet or table, distant from the source of direct sunlight, or darken the room with a curtain of tulle.

Begonia substrate

Special root system needs a certain soil. Creeping roots, called the rhizome, are located above the substrate, weak branches are separated from them, which require light, breathable soil for breathing, moisture and nutrition. A mixture with weak acid peat, which adores the royal flower, will be suitable. The composition of the mixture: half is occupied by peat and one-sixth capacity of humus, sheet or sod land, baking powder (vermiculite, perlite).

Planting and breeding plants

For breeding royal begonias use roots, cuttings and seeds.

Division of roots

For reproduction, you should remove the begonia from the occupied container directly with the roots and ground, so as not to damage anything. Next is the removal of old stems, stalks and large foliage. Extra soil is removed and the rhizome is carefully stratified into smaller parts.

The presence of shoots or buds in each of them is obligatory. Wood ash is used to process the cuts. Divided roots are placed in a special soil, which can be purchased at a flower shop.

Abundantly watering seedlings, they are placed in places with good illumination and room temperature.

Cuttings (leaves)

This is the most common method to propagate begonias. It is used because of several advantages:

• ease of execution;
• getting quick results;
• preservation of all varietal traits.

For reproduction by this method, you only need pruning cuttings of at least 10 centimeters in length, and it does not matter from the upper or middle part of the trunk. On the handle should be two or three buds.

Then cut off all the foliage, except for one or two upper leaflets. If they are too large, it is worth cutting them a bit.

Next is rooting cuttings. Can be used for rooting either water or soil. The difference is that when using the soil, it is necessary to sprinkle wood ash on the cutting sites and dry it.

For rooting, cuttings are placed in water at room temperature. Suitable only soft water, the use of hard or cold will destroy the future plant. The room should have a temperature of 19-21 degrees Celsius and good illumination without direct sunlight on the plant.

The use of transparent containers is recommended for continuous monitoring of the state of the cuts.

When rotting is found in the cuttings, new sections are made and fresh water is poured. Transplantation into suitable soil occurs when the two-centimeter roots grow.

For rooting cuttings in the soil, it is recommended to buy a special soil mixture in a specialized store. As an alternative, you can use a mixture of peat and sand in proportions of 1 to 3. For successful germination, it is necessary to ensure the air temperature in the region of 23-25 ​​degrees Celsius.

The capacity for this procedure is chosen small, so that not only the root system develops, but also flowering occurs. We recommend treating the lower section with the help of root-growth stimulating drugs. The shoot is placed in moist soil to the leaves.Then the container is covered with a transparent cap, in the role of which may be a glass jar or a plastic bottle, you must not allow the plant to touch it.

The correct microclimate should manifest itself in the form of condensate on the surface of the cap. Daily airing will lead to additional hardening of the flower. After the germination of new leaves the plant is no longer covered.

From seed

Propagating begonia with seeds is not an easy task. This is justified only by preserving the varietal qualities of the flower. Seeds are purchased in specialized stores. The grains are very tiny, so they are covered with soluble material. The best time for sowing is the first two months of the calendar year in order to get an already strong flower by the autumn cooling.

If planted with the arrival of spring, we will get late flowering, and since April, they do not advise planting, because the root system will not have enough time to develop, the tubers will be too small, which can lead to the death of the plant.

For planting seeds suitable transparent plastic box. The bottom is covered with a half-centimeter drainage layer and a drain is made. It is recommended to mix the sand with the soil in the same proportions. Also suitable is a homogeneous substrate, in which leaf soil, peat and sand are related as 2: 1: 1.

The soil for some time before sowing is slightly moistened. Grains spread on the surface and press down a little, but do not fall asleep with soil. The lid is made of clear glass or film, maintaining the required level of humidity. Sprouts will die even with a slight drying of the soil. The temperature of the room should be 20-25 degrees Celsius. Use a spray or drip irrigation to prevent small seeds from being washed off.

Shoots will appear in one to two weeks depending on the properties of the acquired seeds. After that, the permutation of the container with the seedlings on the window sill, where a bit cooler, is carried out. A large number of bright scattered rays of the sun will allow stretching and strengthening of begonia sprouts.

If the weather is cloudy, be sure to use artificial light.To do this, you can build an external frame of conventional light bulbs. Place a thin object under one edge of the lid so that the drops of the condensed liquid flow to the side, not fall out on the shoots and not destroy them.

Air tank once a day for half an hour. Three weeks later, small shoots should sprout real leaves. They should be carefully seated every couple of centimeters and placed in small plastic containers. The soil used is the same as when sowing.

Keeping the shape of the roots, sprouts are planted in moist pits and watered a little. This procedure is repeated several times with a further increase in disembarkation, each time increasing the distance by several centimeters.

Recommend twice a month to make special fertilizers to stimulate root growth. After three months from the moment of disembarkation, the begonia can be transplanted into pots or to permanent places in the garden.

Care for royal begonia

The homeland of the royal begonia is hot tropics, and it is necessary to know the peculiarities of its places of origin in order to properly care for it at home.

Watering

Begonia prefers not wet, but wet soil. It should not be dry, but excess liquid will only do harm. Watering is recommended to make when drying the third part of the substrate, spraying the surface.

In winter, the plant is watered less or uses a filling tray, where the roots themselves regulate water absorption.

Top dressing

If you do not make nutrients, then you should not count on the attractiveness of begonias, as well as to call this care complete. With the advent of spring, and therefore the beginning of growth, the flower needs a complex top dressing consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. In the summer, in order to stimulate the growth of rhizome, such feeding is alternated with phosphate fertilizers.

Pruning

Pruning begonias - a mandatory procedure for growing a flower. When the house of this plant appears, it is necessary to start nipping and pruning. The meaning of these procedures is as follows:

• bloom improvement;
• maintaining the right ratios between the size of the plant in the soil and on the surface;
• rejuvenating effect and more aesthetic look.

The growth of begonias is very rapid with a rapid stretching, therefore, in the absence of scrap, the foliage decreases, flowering stops, and the lush attractiveness disappears.

The first time the plant is cut at a height of seven to eight centimeters. In this case, you can form a crown in the desired form, whether it be a bush, a pyramid or a ball. After pruning, watering is reduced until active growth begins. When side shoots are exceeded, 10 centimeters are cut and their tops are cut off. This will positively affect the awakening of the lateral buds.

When forming a bush of a young flower, it is necessary only to control the condition of the begonias, to eliminate the curves or dried processes.

If an unattractive plant is overlooked and formed, it can be corrected by pinching the lower shoots and the tops. If the attractiveness of the plant has not returned, then it is better to re-root it.

For cutting use only sharp knife, as scissors can cause injury to begonias.In order to avoid purulent processes and accelerate healing, sections are treated with wood ash or crushed coal.

Transfer

Transplant for royal begonias is not terrible. If necessary, rejuvenation of the plant is to cut off the lower foliage and cut off the share of rhizome. Rhizome deepened by 3-4 centimeters.

It is necessary to replant each time in a slightly larger capacity, although most varieties of the Rex begonia are distinguished by their short stature and the largest size of the container for them does not exceed 10 centimeters in diameter.

Diseases and pests

Begonia is affected:

• powdery mildew (manifested as white bloom over the entire surface. The countering method is treatment with aqueous solutions of the Topaz-type fungicide, for complete disposal they recommend repeating the treatment after one or two weeks);
• gray rot (infects leaves and stems. In order for the plant not to die, it is necessary to spray one percent solution of Bordeaux mixture or 0.2% Fundazole);
• ring blotch (manifestations in the form of yellow-green spots and necrotic areas on the affected foliage, the main concentration is on the rhizome, therefore, the diseased plant must be removed for the safety of other flowers. The virus is transferred by thrips and aphids, and their elimination will also protect the neighbors from damage);
• bacterial spotting (at first watery bubbles appear, eventually turning brown and infecting leaves and flowers. Eliminate affected begonia and prevent healthy plants by treatment with a half-percent solution of copper oxychloride twice a month);
• with a soft pellet shield (a green mass of begonia is affected, which is manifested in dark sugary secretions and the appearance of mushroom raids. The flower loses its healthy appearance, the foliage bends, is treated with garlic tincture or infusion of pyrethrum with the calculation of 100 g per 10 l of liquid every two weeks);
• the greenhouse whitefly (a parasite laying its eggs on the bottom of the foliage, the flower loses its color. It is destroyed with the help of a soap solution in the ratio of 4 g per 1 liter of liquid);
• gall nematode (a microscopic worm that parasitizes near the roots of a flower,noticeable in growths and air cavities, developing offspring, the root system begins to rot, begonia stops in development and dies. Struggling to remove the affected roots and treatment with a heterophos solution, as a preventive measure, the soil is disinfected with a one percent formalin solution or treated with steam).

Spider mites and aphids also harm royal plants. To prevent damage by these parasites, old foliage and flowers are removed. If there is evidence of initial lesion, the foliage is rubbed with a mild soap solution. With more damage, they are treated with insecticides (“Nearon”, “Fitoverma”, sulfur, “Decis” and others) or onion infusion (20 g of onions defend in one liter of water for a week and spray the begonia after 6-8 days before getting rid of parasites).

Begonia is an incredibly beautiful exquisite plant, the cultivation of which will rank you as a real elite flower grower and will give you a lot of benefits and positive emotions.