Make sure you pack the soil tightly around the cutting. As a result, you might find that the same crosses have different names in different garden centers. Finally, pinch back stray leaves on a regular basis to keep your begonia lush. The soil for your Begonia should always be moist. Then you can use the mix to spray down your plant. have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality. So, they water the plant more and more. Brush fungicide onto each cut surface of the roots to prevent disease. "I've been losing all my beautiful leaves off most of my favorite plants! Consider using a systemic fungicide. Fertilize your begonia no more than once a month during the growing season for best results. You should only allow the top inch or so of the soil to dry out before you water. Let the surface of the soil get dry to the touch before watering. Then, to keep the cuts in contact with the mix, start pushing T-pins through the leaf into the soil. Clip just above growth nodes to give the plant something to work with as it grows new leaves. Tiny White Bugs In Soil The Truth Revealed! Rex begonias grow at a medium speed, but they like a pot with room to grow, so you won't need to worry about repotting too often. Like most Begonia species, such as Begonia maculata, the Begonia rex is easy to care for. On occasion, Ive pruned the top of a begonia, removed the leggy portion of the stem, and then immersed the remaining top in water to establish root. But the air in the plants environment cant be dry. Stick to the plan above, and your bundle of twigs will be restored to its verdant glory in no time. If the begonia will be transplanted to an outdoors location, prepare the soil about 7 to 10 to days before planting by adding aged manure or compost and mix into the soil. Rex Begonias are not difficult to divide and propagate, which comes in handy as individual plants usually don't have a very long lifespan. But if you place a piece of paper under your plant and shake it, you should see them fall. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. The resulting hybrids are often known in the trade only by fancy trade names used to market the plants. 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Rhizomatous types grow from fleshy, caterpillar-like structures inclined to spread over the pot lips or even stand upward. Pin into place with wire. Most of the time, the roots should be easy to divide by hand. It's best to divide the tubers in the early spring, after the buds have begun to swell. The Begonia is a stunning houseplant with colored leaves that grows from a rhizome. Continue reading to learn how to turn this unfortunate circumstance into a win for your indoor garden. Mist the soil as needed, so the cuttings stay moist, but don't keep them so wet that water stands on them. Rex begonias are rhizomatous plants that grow from a, When the rhizome begins to butt up against the sides of the pot, however, it's time to. Sometimes called painted-leaf begonias or fancy-leaf begonias, these plants are known for their variegated leaves. Place this in a warm area of your home, but out of the path of direct sunlight. Rex begonias are semi-tropical perennial plants native to Asia, usually grown as house plants. Use a garden fork to dig a healthy wax begonia plant. Youll also need to make sure theres plenty of air circulation. If you must use soils in your growing medium for any reason, make sure there is plenty of organic material scattered throughout to allow for proper drainage. After you've placed your Begonia Rex seedlings into holes in the soil, cover them with soil and water them generously. . Some Begonias go dormant for the winter and others have no dormant period and continue to grow and flower for the entire winter. Keep a Rex Begonia plants soil moist. Provide 50% or more humidity and fertilize every three weeks using a liquid fertilizer diluted to 1/2 strength. long stem cutting from a healthy Begonia Rex. Silver Limbo is a compact, small-leafed variety that offers beautiful metallic-silver foliage that has purple-red backsides. Begonia seeds are tiny and you might mistake them for dust or pollen. Jun 1, 2021 - Rex begonias make excellent house plants, and are easy to divide so you can gift them to friends. Simply keeping your new dense delight well-watered and well-lit will result in thicker, more luscious growth. By dividing/propagating plants you can continue to enjoy them throughout the years. As with other begonias, the rex and other foliage begonias prefer the same humid, gentle environment in which understory ferns thrive. How to split begonias? Finally, pinch back stray leaves on a regular basis to keep your begonia lush. Take a long stem cutting from a mature rex begonia plant with single foliage. Humidifiers allow you to adjust the humidity as needed. You can also propagate rex begonia from water. After youve resolved the initial problem, prune your plant from the top-down, removing the leggy parts. When the water evaporates, it creates moisture in the air. Make sure the sun or artificial light isnt shining right on the plant. Rex Begonia Crispy Leaves Just as Begonia's do not do well if overwatered, it is also important to ensure that your plant does not dry out and die of thirst. Place your plant or bury the rhizome in a shallow container filled with rich, aerated plant mix. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Check weekly. Rex begonias do produce delicate flowers but are usually grown for their spectacularly colored and intriguingly textured leaves. We earn from qualifying purchases. Turn the begonia leaf back over and press it into the seed-starting mix. Press seeds onto the surface of the medium and cover them lightly with milled sphagnum. Make sure the soil is always moist. Place the cutting at a 45-degree angle in a fresh pot of peat moss and perlite. Begonia. Avoid putting a pin through a main leaf vein, or that vein may not root. Examine your growing environment and choose a location for your newly trimmed begonia that receives more light than its previous location. All you have to do [], Begonia Venosa Care - Guide To Plant Success | Plantophiles, [] you are interested in Begonia, other Begonia to have a look at are Begonia Rex, Begonia Darthvaderiana, Begonia [], Begonia Cucullata Care: Here's What You Need to Know | Plantophiles, [] can also gradually move your Begonia into lower light as time goes on, but keep in mind you will have to adapt it to bright light in the [], Begonia Bipinnatifida Care: Here's What's Important | Plantophiles, [] this Begonia is also very prone to powdery mildew and other fungal and bacterial diseases. Letting the cut sides dry overnight before replanting as well as the use of fungicide helps prevent this. Other varieties may not require as much vigorous pruning, but even the most delicate begonia will benefit from having its overgrown stalks and stems trimmed back. Cover your container with its dome or plastic wrap. Place each leaf cutting on the surface of a tray of moist seed raising mix. Rex begonias grow from a rhizome, which is a root system that sprouts buds and roots to grow into the plant. Step 4: Pin the rex begonia leaf into seed-starting mix Turn the begonia leaf back over and press it into the seed-starting mix. A temperature between 65-75F (18-24C) is ideal. To get rid of an infestation naturally, you should try neem oil. This is an easy method, and it doesnt cost much. All of that summer zeal will end up in the leaves, giving you a display of growth to be proud of. With a sharp spade, cut a piece off. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. This plant can come in various colors depending on how its bred. Expect one or two plants per cut. Snip off flowers and older leaves first to give the division more energy for root growth. Rex begonias need thorough watering but should not be overwatered. Rex begonias are a special group, because we grow them for their beautiful leaves. Keep in mind youll want to use distilled water for this plant. The water shouldnt flow over the pebbles. It is also available online, visit our website at spokaneplantfarm.com.For over fifty years, our plants have been locally grown in Spokane Valley, WA. This article was last updated on 12/27/21 Prefers partial shade and organically rich, moist but well-drained soils. Nothing should go to waste. Brush off the excess soil and inspect the rhizome to find the buds. The first thing you do is to dig up your Rex Begonia plant. The salt from the fertilizer can build up in the soil, causing serious fertilizer burn. Water when the top 1" of soil becomes almost dry about once a week. Besides a pest infestation, there may be other reasons why the leaves are wilting, including the following: Rex begonias are one of the easiest houseplants to care for and happy in many conditions. It can harm or even kill your plant. You can care for the leaf-cutting as you do the original Begonia rex. Step 2 - Cut with a sharp knife. Place your plant in the shade if grown outdoors. This means it wont absorb the fertilizer. You dont want it to take off again, so keep an eye on it. The vibrant colored leaves of a Begonia Rex start to fade and look bleached when it is getting too much direct sun. When shopping for a new pot, choose one that is only an inch (2.5cm) or so wider across the top. Let me show you the secret to propagating rex begonias from leaf cuttings. While this may appear barbaric, it will prompt your blushing beauty to produce not one, but two new sprouts from the trimmed tip. But most come with leaves in a pretty pink with blackened edges. Its usually an easy process if you know what steps to take. This Begonia creates both gorgeous leaves and flowers. How to propagate Begonia Rex from stem cuttings Take 4-6 in. Or pink with silver edges. Fertilize your begonias. Ive cut each vein about an inch from the central vein in the photo above. The original leaf probably will have torn apart and may have even disintegrated. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. Tap water contains salt and other chemicals that can harm your plant. a Few Hardy Begonias @ Stick the leaf petioles or wedges into the soil, and slip the tray into a plastic bag. While begonias are prone to becoming leggy, there is a relatively simple fix that can result in even more begonias!