The Humble Begonia

From the Website of
The American Begonia Society

You know the cute little flowers that your grandmother put in her garden as an annual?  That is the Humble Begonia.  But it really is not as humble as you would think.  This little Begonia is part of a genus that has 1500 species and is the sixth-largest angiosperm genus. Not that you really wanted to know that but I thought it highlight the importance of this little "disposable" plant.  It is from the subtropics much like the Gardenias that we spoke about last time.  It is commonly called a Wax Begonia though its proper name is a Semperfloren.

Why Talk About An Annual In Houseplants?

Because it is it did not start out as a garden annual.  The Semperfloren is a shrub which is one of four divisions of Begonias. In areas where there is no danger of frost the Wax Begonia will continue to grow year round.  Many will also do very well indoors as a ever-blooming houseplant.   These little plants and other Begonia's like the Angel Wing Begonia have been staples in the English Conservatories and Greenhouses for years.  In fact there has been a National Begonia Society in the UK since 1945.  The Angel Wing Begonia is the closest in looks but it usually is collected for its beautiful foliage.  If you look at my Board on Pinterest I have shown two different examples of the beautiful Angel Wing.  Below you will see a Begonia that has the waxy look of a Semperfloren but the leaf shape more angel like.  I do believe that this is a Wax Begonia because of the size of the flowers.

So How Do You Take Care Of Your Begonia?

Taken at Rockledge Gardens, Rockledge, Florida

The best time to buy a Begonia is the Spring for obvious reason.  You can let them summer outside but I would not put them in bright sun or in the ground.  The reason for this is because when you bring them inside it will take longer for your plant to acclimate itself to its new home.  If you have a greenhouse window your Begonia will be very happy there.  Southern windows make nice homes, as well as a Western or Eastern. Since you can buy Semperfloren in six packs go ahead and try different locations throughout your home.  If your plant is getting too much sun, It will have burn marks on its leaves and if there is not enough sun, then it will get tall and lanky with leaves being sparse.

Flower of a Rhizomatous  Begonia
which we will talk about another time

Now for watering. 

Like many of the plants we have spoken about in this blog, the Begonia does not like wet feet.  In other words, too much water is a bad thing.  The best way to water is to place it on top of a saucer like you did your Gardenia. Water from above and let the excess fill the sauce below.  Make sure that the pot stays above the waterline.  A larger saucer will create a micro climate for humidity that most Begonias like.  Do not over water.

One last thing. 

 Begonias like to be a little pot bound.  If you place them in too large of a container they may die. If your plant is staying wet too long and looking peaked, then this might be the problem. Repot into a container that is the same size as the root ball after you have removed all the wet soil.  Use a good soil-less potting mixture for the best results. 

Well that is all for today.  Next time I will tell you about the Rhizomatous Begonia which is grown more for its beautiful leaves rather than its flowers.  The flowers are small and almost inconsequential as you can see if you again go to my Board on Pinterest .  I have added one more link for you to use as I have found it very useful Brad's Begonia World . Until next time I hope that this blog give you a home greener than before.

Please email me at houseplantsos@gmail.com or add your comments below.  If you need special help you can contact me through Fiverr where we can set up a consultation through Skype or a phone conversation.   

k.k.jones

The Gardenias Are In Bloom

  

You will see them popping up in garden centers and florists everywhere, making them a perfect gift for Mom on her special day.  If you received a bush for Mother's Day or are planning to purchase one for yourself there are a couple of things you should know.

Blossoms and a beautiful new bud

The Gardenia is a genus consisting of 142 species ranging in size from 2 to 49 feet.  The one you probably own is a Gardenia jasminoides which is commonly cultivated for a houseplant because they will only grow to 18 inches indoors.  This genus originates in tropical and subtropical regions of the world making it not hardy as an outside plant in the north.  Some people (including my sweet mother) love the flower so much that they plant larger bushes in pots for their patio.  If you want to try this, remember that you will have to find a home for them during the winter.  I did recently come across an advertisement for a new Frost Proof Gardenia that says that it is hardy even in the Midwest.  I am not endorsing it but I have included a link to Fast-Growing-Trees.com for anyone who wants to check it out.

Now back to your Gardenia

When you got your beautiful new bush it was probably covered with blossoms and lots of promising buds.  Now only a week later the buds have started to fall off.  Do not panic.  It is not unusual for a plant to go through a trauma when it is moved to a new home.  I will not lie to you.  Gardenias are not the easiest plant to keep in the house.  The reason for this is that being a tropical native it likes lots of humidity.  The trick is to give your plant enough humidity and still be able to live in your house.  The most labor intensive way of doing this is to mist the whole plant at least two times a day.  I don't know about you but I do not have the time for that.  And the flowers will not last as long if they get wet.
Instead set up a micro climate.  This can be done in two ways.  One you can get a table top greenhouse like the one shown on Gardenista. These tend to be small so be sure of their dimensions before you purchase.  The easiest option is to find a leak proof saucer that is larger than the circumference of your plant.  Fill it with stones so that your plant will sit above the water you will be adding to the saucer.  As the water evaporates the plant will be encased with the humidity.   This should take care of the humidity problem.

What else you should know

Gardenias like a lot of sun. The aphid that we spoke of last time find them very tasty. Spider mites should not be a problem only if you pay attention to the humidity.  Your Gardenia likes an acidic soil so you can share your morning coffee with it if you don't use cream.  In fact, your plant would love it if you give it some coffee grounds now and then.  

The Gardenia Bud

Well, I think that should give you enough information for today.  I would love to see your Gardenia.  Please send me a photo at houseplantsos@gmail.com.  Also, if you have a plant problem you need help with you can email me or post it right here.  Thanks for joining me today.

Sincerely,
k.k.jones

Cleaning, Debugging and Fungus

Plants like this Draceana need to have the
whole leaf removed back to the trunk.

Summer is around the corner and when you start the deep cleaning of Spring you should not forget your plants.  Outside you are pruning dead branches and clean beds.  Inside you should be doing the same.  Plants need to be washed down, trimmed, re potted and checked over for infestation or disease. 

Start With Washing 

Most plants can be washed down with mild soapy water using dish detergent or Ivory Snow Laundry Detergent. Be sure to wash both the top and especially the bottom of each leaf.  The dust on the top effects the plants ability to use the sunlight and the bottom is where the plant breaths. Also, the bottom of the leaves are where bugs will usually lay their eggs.  Remove any dead leaves. Plants that have no leaf stems such as the Draceana marginata or the Draceana fragrans (corn plant pictured in a previous blog) should have the complete leaf removed back to the main trunk. This step is important because the crevices make great hiding places for bugs. Furry plants like African Violets can be turned upside-down and and gently swished in a bath of soapy water.  Before doing this, be sure to brush off any heavy dirt with a soft clean paintbrush and water to keep planting medium intact.  Light airy medium may have to be covered.  (You are only placing the upper plant in the water, no the whole pot.)  Place wet plant in an area that has a gentle breeze to help dry the leaves.  Do not put in the sun because the trapped water on the leaves will act as a magnifying glass and burn them.



What to Look For

This is the horror we sometimes find on our houseplants. There are two 

infestations here.  One is the Aphid  and the other is white fly.  This is

a beautiful Bougainvillea that has  been attacked.  Both of these bugs 

love tender new growth so the first thing to do is to cut off the new 

growth.  Be sure too dispose of all infested cuttings into a bag before

any of the bugs escape to new branches.

 

Long winters with dry heat are notorious causes of disease and infestation so as you are washing look for some of these tell tale signs.  Small black or grey spots may be the beginning of scale.  White cotton looking spots are mealy bugs.  Small hard to see webs very near the stem joints are spider mite webs.  Little green bugs that cover new growth and blossom buds are usually aphids.  I have included an image link for you to check out to see some pictures of common houseplant bugs .  From there you can link into different areas to learn more about what you may be encountering

Combating Infestation

Scale found on a Bromeliad.  This is very

hard to deal with as the scale will hide in 

all the little crevasses. This will take 

great diligence to eradicate it. It is 

probably best to find a clean pup (small 

growth on the side) that is not yet

affected and throw out the rest.  

The plants that are most affected by the infestation should be quarantined from the others and watched more closely.  Chemicals in the home should not be your first choice of action and many of these can bugs can be eliminated with a simple soap and water bath when caught early.   If you have scale, you may need to use your nail or a soft nylon brush to remove the outer shell encasing the bug.  Strong sprays of water will help knock the aphids off the infested plant.  (Be sure to do this over the sink or outside so that the aphids will not land on another plant.)  Spider mites hate moist conditions so after washing be sure to mist you plant every day.  Though simple soap and water will take care of most problems it should be noted that it is not a once and done situation.  You will need to take special care to watch for continued problems.  There are mild insecticides available at you local garden center for quicker results or if you have an infestation you cannot handle.  Please be sure to read the label on how to use and and take the precautions seriously before you use them. If you have found an infestation of one kind of bug you should look for more.  It just makes sense that if conditions are right for one bug it may be just right for another. 

This is scale on a Jade Plant.  The

fleshy leaves make it much harder to

spot.  The best treatment is a

systemic pesticide.

Disease

I don't have a lot to say about disease.  Many times it is caused by one of three things.  First and foremost is air flow.  Just like you, if plant does not get fresh air it will become more susceptible to virus and fungus.  This could be easily rectified by make sure you do not create the second problem which is over crowding.  Plants that are too close together will not get the circulation they need and also, become more prone to coming down with the same disease as their neighbors.  Lastly, fungus can be caused by poor watering practices.  Crown rot is very common in houseplants and this is caused by water sitting in the crown of the plant for too long. (The crown is the top of the plant were leaves emerge such as the African Violet.)  To help combat this, people are told to water plants that are prone to crown rot from the bottom and it works quite well.  Another way to combat disease from watering is to be sure that you water during the day so the plant has time to dry its leaves before nightfall.  Here again is the need for good circulation and no overcrowding.  You can see that these three causes of disease are all intertwined.  Break one rule and the whole system breaks.  If you do find yourself with fungus, a simple home remedy that I learned from my orchid people is cinnamon.  Cinnamon has fungicide properties but be sure that you do not use too much and smother your plant.  Safe fungicides are also available at your neighborhood garden center for your convenience.

That is all for today,  Hope this posting was helpful.  If you have any questions, be sure to add a comments or email me at houseplantsos@gmail.com . Sign up for my mailing list and you can easily receive each new posting.

k.k.jones