To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. But you should always test a small area of your plant to be on the safe side. These plants can grow wide. They bloom in several colors, including pink, orange, and red. Leave them in place until they start to get in the way. Its not uncommon for a clipped cane to produce two new shoots, resulting in an overall thicker and bushier plant. Begonia tubers increase in size each year and after three years or so, the flower display will begin to deteriorate. Begonias for the garden have different cultivation needs so the notes below will help guide you to success. It is perfectly acceptable to lop off the entire top of your leggy begonia. How to Water Houseplants Plant a tuber section per pot. Begonias require less light than most house plants. Sow so the surface of the tuber is right at or right beneath soil level. How to Grow and Care for Begonia Rex - Florgeous It can be challenging to find just the right conditions for rex begonia to display its best leaf color. Allow the top layer of soil to become completely dry in between waterings. Do begonias winter inside? Rex begonias are herbaceous perennials in zones 10-12 so they are treated as annuals or houseplant specimens in Connecticut. I just call them all fancy-leaf begonias, but they divide into several structural groups: Fibrous-rooted ones have cane-like stems and often wing-like leaves. Turn the begonia leaf back over and press it into the seed-starting mix. Her published articles have appeared in various print and online publications. Mixing plants in a small indoor pot is not recommended in general, but when it is literally parts of the same plant, you can avoid the pitfalls of over-planting your pot. Tiny White Bugs In Soil The Truth Revealed! Slice down several inches deepat least 6 inches for most plants and more for extremely large, well-rooted plants. After youve resolved the initial problem, prune your plant from the top-down, removing the leggy parts. This means they steal the hydration and nutrition from the plant. How to split begonias? Rex begonias are not only lovely and graceful, but they are also very simple to cultivate from leaf cuttings. It grows about 6 inches tall and wide. They also thrive on humidity but don't like direct misting, which encourages powdery mildew. Dont be afraid! Garden Guides | Care of Rex Begonias You want to be careful during this process to avoid injuring the plants roots. Step 1: Gather your materials for propagating rex begonias. Taxon 67(2): 267-323. When to Start Seeds Indoors Begonia rex care & info | Painted leaf Begonia - Houseplant Central If youre afraid to damage the roots, use pruning shears for this step. This article has been viewed 38,009 times. Rex begonias make excellent house plants, and are easy to divide so you can gift them to friends. This can take about two or three weeks. Humidifiers allow you to adjust the humidity as needed. But they will also let you know if they feel that their water, light, and soil conditions are a bit off for their liking. Mist the foliage of Rex (foliage) type begonias twice a week or provide high humidity to avoid leaf drop. Examine your begonia growing environment. 8 Causes of Polka Dot Plant Dying (And Solutions), Are Pebbles Good for Soil? The best time to divide is during the repotting period in the spring or summer. Rex Begonia House Plants - Begonia rex Picture, Care Tips Previously, she owned her own business, selling handmade items online, wholesale and at crafts fairs. All rights reserved. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Grows up to 10-12 in. Continue reading to learn how to turn this unfortunate circumstance into a win for your indoor garden. Salsa Rex begonia is a silver-leaf type that's variegated with shades of green and burgundy-red. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. Expect one or two plants per cut. Begonias: houseplants / RHS Gardening - Royal Horticultural Society Rex begonias grow from a rhizome, which is a root system that sprouts buds and roots to grow into the plant. External Information Resources (NCBI . Rex begonias like bright, indirect light year-round. Rex begonias require regular water, but be careful not to overwater them. Airy, light, fast-draining soil is best for rex begonias. They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil that is kept moist during the growing season (spring through autumn). You need to dilute the neem oil with water. Begonia Listada Plant Care Best Practices, Scarlet Begonia (Begonia Coccinea) Best Care Tips | Plantophiles, [] The leaf surface has a mixture of colors ranging from green grass ting to red. . Then, to keep the cuts in contact with the mix, start pushing T-pins through the leaf into the soil. Begonias are prone to fungal infections, and bleach kills any lurkers. Jenny Harrington has been a freelance writer since 2006. Remove the begonia from its container and gently tease the roots apart, position it in the pot and backfill around it. If the two asexual propagation methods of cutting and branching are adopted, we should pay attention to maintaining high environmental humidity and temperature from 20 to 25 . They need room to spread. It can harm or even kill your plant. Airy, light, fast-draining soil is best for rex begonias. Carefully cut away the rotted portion of the roots, and re-pot in better soil. Over-watering can make your plant sick and fast. These elegant plants arent hard to propagate. Use regular houseplant fertilizer tri-weekly diluted to half-strength. Plantophiles.com is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to affiliates. Insert the cuttings in moist, free-draining potting mix and place the set up in a warm, shaded place. As a result, you might find that the same crosses have different names in different garden centers. Repot your begonias only when they are completely root-bound. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. It can affect the animals breathing and cause excessive drooling. The flowers can turn orange, pink, and white. How to Propagate Rex Begonias from Leaf Cuttings - Garden Gate wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. It's best to divide the tubers in the early spring, after the buds have begun to swell. Read our. Rex Begonia Guide: How to Grow & Care for "Begonia rex-cultorum" This plant can come in various colors depending on how its bred. Indoor begonias thrive in soil-free mediums. This is how you may get more of these wonderful plants for free. These cuts (and the stem cut) are where the new plantlets will form. growing fancy-leaf begonias, indoors and out - A Way To Garden Spray the mixture with water until it's damp clear through, but not dripping. Begonia Rex has tiny seeds that need warmth to germinate. The begonias eye-catching, asymmetrical leaves make it the star of any collection, but what if your begonia is more stem than a leaf? You want to switch out the saturated soil for fresh, moist soil. Unlike other types of legginess, this is not caused by excessive growth. I hang fluorescent lights 6 inches above the cuttings and leave them on about 12 hours each day until the new plants start to grow. Water once the to 1-inch of soil is dry once a week. Even the best specimen plant can only be expected to thrive for a few years. After you've resolved the initial problem, prune your plant from the top-down, removing the leggy parts. Simply break off rhizomes that have grown outside the pot and start them in a small pot. You could also put your leaf cuttings in an east window as long as the temperature stays consistently warm. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. A leggy begonia, like an adolescent, is one that is rapidly growing. But you can also propagate this plant through leaf cuttings. Here are some other cool Begonia species to check out. How to Divide Bearded Irises. Use a well-draining soil mix to care for Begonia rex and provide bright indirect light. Avoid nicking or cutting the tuber if you are using a spade. Well walk you through both methods step-by-step down below. Begonia seeds are tiny and you might mistake them for dust or pollen. Etiolation is the rapid growth of the portion of the stem between the leaves. Fill the plant pot with porous and fast-draining soil. Now you care for the new plant like you do the mother, Rex. This moisture goes straight to your plant since it sits atop the water source. Care guide highlights: Known as the painted-leaf begonia, Begonia rex performs quite well in standard potting mix with the addition of peat moss or leafmold for increased acidity, in bright to moderate light with good ventilation and high humidity, higher, in fact, than other begonias. The Rex Begonia requires bright but indirect sunlight. How to Grow and Care for Begonia Rex Indoors - Homeplantsguide Begonia tubers increase in size each year and after three years or so, the flower display will begin to deteriorate. Rex begonias do produce delicate flowers but are usually grown for their spectacularly colored and intriguingly textured leaves. Even though high humidity isnt required, it keeps the plant full, lush, and healthy. If you have a heat mat for seedlings, that will help the begonia leaf cuttings get off to a faster start. Because you can only cut once, consider what you want to keep and what needs to go. Place in a brightly lit, 60 to 70 degree F room and keep the soil moist but not soggy. One of our favorite methods for creating high humidity is the pebble tray method. After youve pruned your begonia, it will begin to sprout new leaves. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. When to Start Seeds Indoors You may get several cuttings depending on the size of your leaf. Easy Houseplants - Begonias. Gently transplant the babies into 3-inch pots. You Might Also Like: University of Vermont Extension Department of Plant and Soil Science. But if all the roots are rotten, there isnt anything you can do for the plant. Provide 50% or more humidity and fertilize every three weeks using a liquid fertilizer diluted to 1/2 strength. This can harm Begonias roots as well as the leaves. There is nothing you can do for the old damaged leaves. Find out to divide your rex begonia house plants, in our step-by-step guide. How to Root Succulents with Leaf Cuttings You start by filling a tray with smooth pebbles. How to Divide Rex Begonias - BBC Gardeners World Magazine How to propagate Rex Begonia in water? Please note the tuber I split here in the images is nowhere large enough to need splitting but it is all I had on hand to demonstrate with! Propagate by leaf cuttings or sections of rhizome No pruning is required. You can test the moisture with your finger. And the Begonia rex isnt the only wonder species out there. Move your Begonia Rex to an eastern exposure and the new leaves will be fine. Common Issues with Strawberry Begonia. Letting the cut sides dry overnight before replanting as well as the use of fungicide helps prevent this. The plant needs more light, but not intense light. Rex begonia can be difficult to grow because of its need for high humidity. Plus, you want to trap in moisture so itll grow quicker. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine. Begonia rex 'Putzeys' | The American Begonia Society Rex Begonia plants are rhizomatous plants. Youll want to repeat this process about three days later. How Much Light Do Anthuriums Need? Fill containers with fine-textured potting mix and moisten it. It should be getting bright indirect light. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Gently tease away some of the soil, and split the horizontal rhizome along with its healthy root systems. Develop the tech skills you need for work and life. 6. An older begonia may become leggy as the leaves on its older stems fall off. Can begonias overwinter indoors? - JacAnswers Using a shovel or flat-edged spade, slice completely around the outer perimeter of the plant, a few inches away from the foliage. If your plant is turning brown, with brittle leaves/dead leaves, it is likely to be one of three causes. have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality. How to Propagate Begonia Rex in Water by using a single leaf | plant Propagating Experiments. When peat moss is unavailable, Ive had success substituting coir or sphagnum moss for it in this blend. Its both economical and satisfying to watch your sad, leggy begonia transform into a thriving swarm of new plants. Some Begonias go dormant for the winter and others have no dormant period and continue to grow and flower for the entire winter. Garden Guides | How to Divide Wax Begonias Gently remove the begonia from its container and immediately transplant it into the new medium. All rights reserved. #begoniarex #waterpropagation Its much easier to propagate begonias from leaves, and you can do this with most kinds of begonias.To make babies from leaf, start by snipping a few healthy leaves from your favorite begonia. Youll also want to check the roots to ensure root rot hasnt started. Guide To Care For Begonia Rex | Harper's Nurseries If you can squeeze water from the medium, it is too wet. Find out how, in our step-by-step guide. Grow them there until theyre big enough to put in the garden or transplant into more permanent pots. Rex begonias are a special group, because we grow them for their beautiful leaves. Fertilize your begonias. There are three types of begonia propagation: stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, and division. Place this in a warm area of your home, but out of the path of direct sunlight. Fill the remainder of the container with the potting mix, carefully firming it up around the begonia and being sure not to plant any deeper than it was growing in its nursery pot. (Begonia rex Magic Colours) The begonia foliage should be trimmed back, and the tubers can be dried and stored in a cool, dry location through winter, just as canna or dahlia bulbs are stored. Avoid putting a pin through a main leaf vein, or that vein may not root. Rex Begonia Plant - Care, Growing, Watering, Propagation Begonia rex Taxonomy ID: 200043 (for references in articles please use NCBI:txid200043) current name. To treat this disease, remove all infected leaves on the plant. 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Rex Begonia. You should fertilize your winter-blooming plants with a high-phosphorus, water-soluble fertilizer that contains little or no nitrogen. Always be careful during this process, you dont want to damage the Rex Begonia plants roots. When shopping for a new pot, choose one that is only an inch (2.5cm) or so wider across the top. We empower you to efficiently solve each new challenge and make your life better and easier. How to Water Houseplants The Begonia tuberous plant creates beautiful pink flowers. Jon VanZile was a writer for The Spruce covering houseplants and indoor gardening for almost a decade. Once a nice cluster of roots has formed, they can be potted as a separate plant in their own right. The rex begonia requires at least 50 perecnet humidity and careful watering that keeps the soil moist but not too wet. What if I told you that you could propagate a bunch of beautiful rex begonias for almost nothing? The easiest method to turn one Rex Begonia into two (or more) Rex Begonias is by dividing the . The temperature should be between 65-75F (18-24C). Remove the stem with a sharp knife and slice the leaf into wedges, each piece with a main vein. Rex Begonia Propagation| How to Propagate Rex Begonia from Stem Cuttings This Begonia species have leaves with a fun fuzzy feel. Unique to this genus, propagation by leaf cutting can be successful no matter how you cut the leaf because rex begonias have the ability to regenerate completely from any plant part. Dip the cut end in a rooting hormone. The rhizome is cut apart and divided in order to propagate new plants. How to Propagate Begonia Rex in Water by using a single leaf | plant Step 2 - Cut with a sharp knife. Mealybugs like to feed on the sap from the inside of a plant. Then spray your Begonia down with the oil. Houseplant Help: 5 Tips to Keep Finicky Begonia Rex Alive They thrive on humidity but be careful if misting leaves that they don't stay too wet and encourage powdery mildew. Begonia fungicide is available at garden centres. Spider mites also feed on the sap from your plant. I changed the water ones a week.Rubber plant propagation PART Ihttps://youtu.be/yXjvCQt5K0sRubber plant propagation PART IIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBx3UjgMHPQ\u0026t=3sMonstera propagation https://youtu.be/Oa2Bdz14vJMInstagram https://instagram.com/lushgarden.lak?igshid=1awg76y1j643hThanks for clicking and I hope you've enjoyed this video!Stay tune for further updates. Cut the leaf and stem from the main plant, then take off the leaf stem and throw it away so youre left with just the leaf. Begonia Plant Pruning: How And When To Prune A Begonia Plant Lay the plants roots on a paper towel. This is it! Cissus discolor: How to Grow and Care for the Rex Begonia Vine My begonia is so leggy that I wonder if when I cut it I can cut the stems several times to propagate them? It can be a tattered, older leaf, but on the underside, the main veins should be plump and undamaged. Begonias grown indoors are especially susceptible to root rot and overwatering. This is especially true of cane begonias, which can grow to look almost like bamboo with careful, consistent care. Provide 50% humidity. How to Divide Rex Begonias - BBC Gardeners World Magazine Appearance. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. I am going to walk you through how to propagate Begonia using root division and through leaf cuttings. Regular LED Lights vs. Grow Lights, just didn't know how. Cover your container with its dome or plastic wrap. You can use a mixture of perlite, vermiculite and peat moss, if you prefer. You Might Also Like: Simply keeping your new dense delight well-watered and well-lit will result in thicker, more luscious growth. Like many other Begonias, the Begonia rex is susceptible to several plant issues. You can purchase this Rooting Powder in our retail store, The Plant Farm located in Spokane Valley, WA.