Certain types of cane begonia (e.g. Use clean, sharp shears or a knife to cut the stems back to a leaf node. Care Advice. Jul 14, 2020 - Is your angel wing Begonia looking tall and leggy instead of compact and bushy? Check out the new begonia garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney (Bed 31), and if you like what you see, consider joining the . Begonia Maculata plants like to be in moist soil, so you should find a soil mix that retains water quite well. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. How to prune a Begonia Maculata Besides struggling with leaves drying up and getting spots, you might also experience that your Polka Dot Begonia starts to look leggy. Begonia Society to meet with friends to learn more about begonias. In warm, frost free climates, begonias can grow outdoors as perennials and certain types may even bloom all year. Begonia Maculata will also grow from stem cuttings, commonly known as rhizomes. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Without pruning your plant grows up instead of spreading … Cut leggy growth to force new shoots. When it’s doing well it grows surprisingly fast, and it can easily start to look a bit untamed – do a quick image search and you’ll see that it can get pretty big! Throughout the year, prune your begonias to shape their growth. This step is particularly important if you have perennial begonias, which come back year after year. Use sharpened and sterilized pruning shears when pruning your begonias to reduce the risk of spreading harmful plant diseases. This is the Complete Indoor Houseplant Guide on how to care for this beautiful angel wing begonia plant. If you have winter-flowering begonias, cut them back in the spring after they have finished flowering. This is an important part of begonia maculata care guide. Find out how to prune and propagate your plant and make it look gorgeous again. Close. Make your pruning cuts just above the leaves to minimize pruning stress. Cultivar Selection. Rhizomatous begonias are usually easy to identify by their fleshy, horizontal stems or rhizomes which run along or just under the soil surface. For more tips from our Gardening co-author, including how to propagate begonia cuttings, read on! You can also pinch off a few of the largest healthy stems to help the rest of the plant grow more evenly. Hey guys! Just like their leaf counterparts, ensure they remain moist, but not wet. For maintenance pruning, pinch or cut off each new branch at the tip after it has sprouted two or three leaves. It is important to remember that some types of begonias are grown for their brilliantly colored flowers, while other begonias are enjoyed for their unique and beautiful foliage. In pots, use a light free- draining potting mix containing coco coir, perlite or vermiculite (African violet mix works well). To prune, old brown canes can be removed at ground level in late winter (at the end of August - a little later in very cold suburbs) and the rest of the canes trimmed at the same time by one-third to a half to make the plant bushier. Begonias make a great addition to the shaded areas of your garden or your house, but they need to be pruned to control their spread, keep their foliage thick and avoid an overgrown look. Enjoy watching and don't forget to hit the LIKE button and please subscribe! Don’t prune more than 1/3 of a begonia at any 1 time as this stresses the plant, which may kill it. Rhizomes are long thick stems that can be grown under the soil. For more tips from our Gardening co-author, including how to propagate begonia cuttings, read on! Pull up the horizontal rhizome of the begonia from the soil. This will make the plant produce two branching stems, rather than a single stem growing straight up. Pinch off new stems when the newly-planted cane begonia is about 6 inches (15 cm) tall. Make sure to remove the dead leaves and stems from the floor immediately as they may spread disease into the healthy plant. Rhizomatous and fibrous rooted begonias don’t die back but they are usually pruned annually to keep them full and blooming properly. Many plant lovers have realized that instead of purchasing expensive begonia baskets each spring, they can overwinter them in greenhouses or as houseplants. April 2020. Many rhizomatous begonias are specifically grown as houseplants for their dramatic foliage and tolerance of indirect sunlight. Pruning a begonia plants depends on different factors. Let's talk plants! References. This will protect the begonia during the winter. https://www.chicagobotanic.org/plantinfo/begonias_angel_wing, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/trim-begonias-64007.html, https://newengland.com/today/living/gardening/how-to-prune-houseplants/, https://www.doityourself.com/stry/pruning-a-begonia, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Begonias can be high-maintenance at times, but the end result of having a beautiful, flowering plant is well worth it. So do allow the top of the soil to dry out before watering. % of people told us that this article helped them. ... B. manicata aureo-maculata shown in the photograph would have been much improved by the timely removal of the two uppermost stems. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. In cool climates, begonias are pruned in fall, mainly so that they can easily fit in an indoor location to safely overwinter. You can also pinch off the young flower buds of tuberous begonias. Posted by 4 hours ago. This will make the plant produce additional blooms. The Polka dot Begonia Maculata is a real eyecatcher. Fertilizing your Begonia Maculata This article has been viewed 39,250 times. If a lot of your begonias’ leaves go brown, it may be a sign that you need to thin out the foliage to allow the plant to grow properly. Begonias are easy to propagate so don’t throw away those pruned off stems! Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. For most begonias, the blooming season is in the spring and summer. The best time to prune a begonia maculata is in late fall. Of course, there are some bushier varieties that will get a little unruly, so these may need a bit more attention with the pruners. How would one prune a begonia rhyzoumatus? On top of that, these angel wing begonia plants are a real eyecatcher in your home. Last Updated: April 30, 2020 What to Prune. Choose an indoor type of begonia. But w atch out for soggy roots, no plant wants those. How to prune begonia tamaya Spring is the best season for pruning, followed by summer. For any green canes, you can shorten them a bit, but leave at least 4 nodes like I did in the photo above. How would one prune a begonia rhyzoumatus? Only cut off the tops of the few tallest stems. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. This means that in warm tropical climates they can grow outdoors, and some even bloom year round. 1. Be sure to time your pruning correctly, then you can prune your plant to shape it and help it flourish. In cool climates, begonias are pruned in fall, mainly so that they can easily fit in an indoor location to safely overwinter. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Begonia s don't need a great deal of pruning, for the most part. Angel Wing Begonia Care - Prune and Propagate your Plant. You can also use rubbing alcohol. And let the pot drain completely before putting it back on the saucer or in its cache pot. B. serratipetala. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014. Jul 14, 2020 - Is your angel wing Begonia looking tall and leggy instead of compact and bushy? In cool climates, they can be brought indoors and treated like houseplants through winter. If you prune by reducing the number of shoots at the bottom and culling old leaves, the plant will turn into a tall but thin bush. For instance, how and when to prune a begonia plant depends on your location, as well as which type of begonia you have. Always prune back any dead leaves, or branches that appear to be growing back into the begonia plant. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. The begonia plant does not need much nutrition, once a month is enough. Propagate a Begonia maculata. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Don’t cut the tips off all of the stems as this may damage the plant. Sick of dieting? They are fussy about humidity and need semi-regular pruning, but they’re very easy to propagate. Make cutting sections on the rhizome with a … … You should prune maculata for healthier bushy growth. How to care for this angel wing begonia. Use sharp, clean cutting shears to carefully remove tall and leggy stems. Fibrous rooted and rhizomatous begonias do not die back once a year like tuberous begonias. If your begonias start to get overgrown, cut up to a third of the stems at a time to thin them out. Trim back the tall stems by up to two-thirds their height. Throughout the growing season, regularly check your begonias for any discolored leaves and stems, and remove them with shears or scissors. Prune plants whenever they get leggy. the process increases the production of leaves and your plant looks fresh and beautiful. A begonia with curled leaves may have been affected in a number of ways in order for this to occur. Let's talk plants. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. This article has been viewed 39,250 times. Pruning begonia maculata Wightii plants is an essential part of their care if you want a spectacular bushy potted houseplant. Reasons for Begonia Leaf Curl. [11] X Research source Thanks! Watch for green looper caterpillars that find the taste of tender begonia leaves tempting. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. In cool climates, they can be dug up. Increase. Continue reading to learn how to prune begonias. However, at this point, tuberous begonias will naturally begin to die back to the ground. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Rhizomatous and fibrous rooted begonias don’t die back but they are usually pruned annually to keep them full and blooming properly. Each stem is potentially a whole new plant, or a growing piece to place back in with the original plant to make it grow fuller. You can also use rubbing alcohol. … Is your angel wing Begonia looking tall and leggy instead of compact and bushy? In warm climates, begonia plant pruning is usually done in spring. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. In summary, the begonia is an awesome plant. You should be careful not to damage the main stem of the plant while pruning it. Here's how I prune and propagate Angel Wing Begonia. More begonias. 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