Bolivian begonia: characteristics and rules of care

Begonia is a fairly popular plant among gardeners. This is due in part to the diversity of its varieties and species. It is possible to note the ampelous, flowering and decorative-deciduous, the representative of the first of these species is the Bolivian begonia. Her flowers have a peculiar appearance and are unlike any others. The characteristics of the plant and the rules for its cultivation are described below.

As already mentioned, this type of begonia belongs to ampelous. Shoots rush up, however, having reached about 30 centimeters in height, they fall down and form a kind of cascade in several tiers. Among the most famous varieties are Copacabana, Santa Cruz, Bossa Nova and Triumph F1.

• Variety "Copacabana" is a creeping begonia with bell-shaped flowers. The petals have a deep red hue. Among the advantages can be noted unpretentiousness to growing conditions.

• Santa Cruz Sunset is a sprawling begonia. Its shoots are about 40 centimeters long. The flowers visually resemble fuchsia and have an orange-red hue.

• Bossa Nova is a plant with shoots about half a meter long. Its flowers are also fuchsia-like and come in a variety of shades such as red, pink, orange, and white. The variety is known for its long flowering, beginning in spring and ending with the first frost.

• "Triumph" F1 spreads with powerful cascades. When the variety begins to bloom, the greenery is almost invisible due to the beautiful showy flowers. Looks great in suspended compositions, unpretentious in relation to the landing site, calmly tolerates partial shade.

This plant tolerates excessive moisture and low temperatures very poorly. For the active growth and development of Bolivian begonia, it takes about 14 hours of light and a comfortable temperature exceeding +13 degrees. In order for the flower to please the gardener, it is necessary to provide him with fertilizing with nitrogen content.

For Bolivian begonias, special potting soil, sold at outlets for gardeners, is excellent. It is necessary to pay attention to the type of soil, its amount, and also to choose a pot of the right size. The best option would be neutral or slightly acidic soil.

If you plan to plant begonia on the site, you need to find a place with sufficient illumination. Diffused light is perfect, with it the begonia will feel as comfortable as possible. The flower pot should not be placed on surfaces that can glow in the sun, such as concrete. Weak flower stalks can be damaged by strong winds, so a sheltered spot should be chosen whenever possible.

The main points when caring for a Bolivian begonia can be called watering, timely feeding, creating sufficient light, pruning and replanting if necessary. As for watering, there are no particular difficulties here.It is necessary to monitor the timeliness of the procedure, letting the soil dry out a little during the breaks. You should also provide good drainage, which will protect the root system from excess moisture and decay.

In the case when there is not enough space for the plant, its roots are intertwined, and the begonia itself no longer grows. To avoid this, a transplant will be required. It is better to spend it in the spring. Pruning is required to give the plant its shape. In the case of root begonia, the tops need to be shortened to become the size of a root ball.

The easiest way to propagate begonia is with stem cuttings. For this, a small piece of the stem is placed in moist soil. You can cover the container with a plastic bag, this will speed up the adaptation. The main thing is to observe the temperature regime in the region of 20 degrees and a little higher. If the necessary conditions are met, the sprout will appear in 1-2 months.

Growing begonias from seeds is a rather laborious business. Since the seeds are very small, the shoots appear small and brittle, moreover, they develop for a long time. However, if just such a decision was made, you need to proceed as follows.

• You need to sow the plant at the very beginning of the new season, usually this is done in January-February. Artificial lighting will be required, since the daylight hours in winter are very short. Begonias need 14 hours of light daily. Only in this case will the sprouts develop evenly. We recommend using a fluorescent lamp.
• When the first shoots appear, which occurs after 1-2 weeks, the plastic bag must be removed from the container in order to provide the plants with oxygen access. A pick occurs after 2-3 leaves appear on each sprout. We must not forget about timely, very accurate watering. Soluble fertilizers will also have a good effect on seedlings.
• When it gets warmer outside, the seedlings will need acclimatization. To do this, they are exposed to fresh air for several hours every day. If transplanting outside is not planned, the plant can be left indoors.

If the plant has spent the summer in the fresh air, even before the frost begins, it must have time to be moved indoors. Low temperatures are quite capable of killing begonia. To simplify acclimatization, the procedure should be done in early autumn, then the flower will more easily endure the change in environment and humidity level.

The plant must be carefully examined and, if pests are found on it, immediately carry out the appropriate processing. It is recommended to get rid of diseased plants in advanced cases. It is better to place a flower pot in a room facing east. Begonia loves diffused lighting, in the case when it was in the shade outside, too strong sun exposure can harm.

As for watering, after it you need to free the pan from excess liquid, since the flower does not like excess moisture. Light fertilizers will not interfere. The average optimum temperature is about 20 degrees, at night the thermometer should drop at least 12 degrees. This is especially true if the pot is placed on a window that tends to freeze.

In order for the plant to please the gardener, it is necessary to have an idea of ​​some of the intricacies when working with begonia. The flower does not tolerate excessive moisture.If it is in a pot, stagnant water can lead to decay, which will manifest itself in blackening of the greenery. In this case, initially, the affected areas should be removed, and the plant itself should be treated with a composition against the fungus - a fungicide. If possible, the topsoil should be carefully removed and replaced with a new, drier one.

Watery soil can lead to the development of fungal diseases, among which one of the most unpleasant is gray rot. It is easy to identify by finding a grayish bloom on the leaves of the plant, and slimy on the flowers themselves. In order to get rid of this misfortune, you need to spray the bush with a solution in which copper sulfate and laundry soap are diluted in proportions of 1: 10.

Excess moisture, as well as too dry air can cause the buds to fall off. In this case, the number of watering should be reduced, and the plant itself should be sprayed more often. This reason and overdrying of the soil usually lead to drying and yellowing of greenery. It is much easier to remedy the situation in this case, as long as the unfavorable factor is eliminated. Perhaps begonias lack nutrients, this issue is solved by the introduction of special dressings.

For information on how to grow Bolivian begonia, see the next video.