Bush begonia: home care, planting rules, common diseases and pests, photo

Bush begonia is a decorative culture belonging to the genus Begoniaceae. Differs in a variety of shades and unpretentiousness in leaving. You can grow a flower in a pot and in the open ground.

Bush begonia combines the qualities of both leafy and tuberous begonias: beautiful flowers and beautiful leaves. Shrub begonias are the most diverse and easier to grow. Begonias are called bushy because of their shape - they grow like a bush and have many shoots that branch heavily. This type of begonia is represented by specimens with beautiful leaves of high decorativeness with small elegant flowers that bloom all year round. Among the begonias of this species, miniature plants of 5 cm and large-sized plants of 3.5 meters can be found.

Botanical Description and History

The story of the plant is simple: the governor of the island of Haiti, Monsieur Begona, simply adored rare plants. During the expedition organized to study the flora of the West Indies, Michel Begon, together with the famous botanist Charles Plumier, discovered rare cultures. They were beautiful and had no analogues in the world. The nerd Charles Plumier named their begonia after his patron saint.

Appearance and features

Reference! Bush begonia is one of the simplest in terms of growing plants. She got this name due to the fact that they grow in the form of a bush with numerous side shoots. One bush can release up to 5 stems. Because of this, the plant has a magnificent shape.

Shrub begonia is characterized by beautiful leaves of various shapes, sizes and colors. The flowers themselves are small and elegant. Flowering lasts all year, if you properly care for indoor culture. No wonder it was called "ever flowering". There are both annuals and perennials. At the same time, annuals are used for outdoor cultivation.

Begonia flowers are small, during flowering many buds open. A distinctive feature of the variety is a long erect stem, many lateral branches depart from it. The flowers are concentrated on the lateral branches in the form of brushes on high peduncles. They can be terry, semi-double and fringed. They look like roses in shape. The root of the plant is thick, fleshy, but not amenable to division.

Plant photo

Features of the appearance in the photo:

Landing rules

Landing activities include the following recommendations:

When planting, 1/3 of the pot is filled with drainage materials. And lay a layer of charcoal on top. Its thickness is 2-3 cm. This will prevent the development of rot.
Place begonia with an earthen lump in the container and fill the weight of the space with the soil mixture.
After planting, water the plant.
Conduct planting events in the spring, in mid-March, when the illumination necessary for the development of the flower and the duration of the daylight are established.
Sprout tuberous begonias before planting in crates without being buried in the substrate. The place should be bright, the temperature is 16-18 degrees, and the humidity is 60-70%.

You will find out more about planting and subsequent care for evergreen begonias in the open ground and at home here.

Lighting and location

For this culture, it is necessary to choose a well-lit place, without the direct influence of the sun. It is best to place begonia on eastern or western windows. When growing in open ground, select a site illuminated by diffused sunlight. Changes in the direction of light are not permissible for bushy begonias. So turning it is not recommended.

Soil requirements

The flower does not have any special requirements for soil. You can purchase the finished substrate in the store or prepare it yourself. To do this, use in equal proportions such components:

peat;
black earth;
sand.

Attention! With properly prepared soil, begonia will delight with bright growth and long flowering. The leaves will be juicy, healthy, and the trunk will be thick and strong.

Home Care

Watering and humidity

In the care of bush begonias, it is important to adhere to proper watering. The soil should be slightly moist, but not wet. In winter, hydration is reduced. Use only soft water for watering. It can be obtained by settling, freezing or filtering.

Begonias need moist air for normal development and growth. To increase humidity, use the method of spraying the space near the flower.

Humidity can be increased if you install a container of flowers in a pan with expanded clay and pour water on it. It is important that the water does not touch the bottom of the pot, otherwise the roots will rot.

Temperature

The optimum temperature for growing bush begonia is 20–25 degrees. In winter, the temperature should not drop below 15 degrees. Winter is a dormant period for a plant. At this time, growth stops and the number of flowers is reduced. For 2-3 weeks, there may be no flowers on the bush. For bush begonia temperature differences and drafts are not permissible. From this they drop buds.

Fertilizer

For fertilizing use complex fertilizers designed for flowering plants. Make them 2 times a month. It is best to use liquid formulations. In the phase of ovary formation, use phosphorus-potassium fertilizers:

Bud.
Ovary.
Pollen.

Important! The plant does not need nitrogen, since flowering begonias may not occur due to a glut of them.

Common Diseases and Pests

Of the pests, bush begonia can be affected by a spider mite and aphids. If white plaque, stickiness is found on the leaves, then these symptoms indicate infection. It is necessary to rinse the leaves with warm water with the addition of soap (20 grams of soap per 1 liter of water). After treatment with insecticides. If the plant is in open ground, then powder it with chopped tobacco.

Shrub begonia is often exposed to fungal diseases, including:

Gray rot. This disease appears as brown spots. High humidity can affect the development of the pathological process. To eliminate gray rot, it is necessary to normalize watering and observe the optimum level of humidity in the room.
The transmission of the disease is carried out by air and with water during irrigation. In case of severe damage to fungi, throw the plant away so that the rest do not become infected from it. If the first symptoms of gray rot are detected, begonia should be treated with a systemic fungicide (But, Infinito).
Powdery Mildew This disease manifests itself in the form of white spots on the leaves. Frequent spraying and flower maintenance at high temperature can affect its development. I use Fundazole for treatment.

The nuances of reproduction

Shrub begonia breeds in two ways:

Cuttings. It is carried out in the spring with the help of young shoots. Cut the blanks with a sharp knife and place in a glass with water. Cuttings quickly give roots. After that, they can be seated in small containers. Soil at the initial stage is used light. 30 days after rooting, transfer the plant to large pots filled with a nutritious soil mixture. Flowering of young plants begins 3-4 months after planting.
Planting seeds. Soaking planting material is carried out with artificial insemination. The seeds of the plant are small, so that when sown, they should not be covered with earth. A flat wide tank is used for sowing. Cover it with a layer of soil, scatter seeds on the surface and crush them lightly using glass. Cover the container with polyethylene and install in a warm place.
The first seedlings form in 2-3 weeks. As soon as 2-3 leaves appear, a pick is performed. The density of planting contributes to the rapid development of plants. Spike picking occurs 3 times. After the 3rd time, sprouts sprouts in separate containers. Now provide the plant with a temperature of 15-17 degrees. For planting, use the same soil composition as for transplanting adult plants.

You can read about the nuances of propagation of the evergreen begonia, which includes the bush variety, here.

Bush begonia is a plant characterized by bright and long flowering. In leaving it is not whimsical, but still needs to observe certain rules and conditions, even a novice can cope with it.