Hello! If there are very old, woody canes, especially with not that many leaves, just cut the whole canes down to the soil line. Do not let your plant sit in water. Or, allowing it to sit in water for long periods of time. This lets you adjust and increase humidity more than the other two methods. Maintain a 3-inch layer of mulch on the surface of the soil around your Begonia Maculata to conserve moisture and keep the soil cool. That’s about it folks! I keep the soil moist, humidity high, and light abundant but despite this it seems as if soon all of the leaves will be affected. Confira! . Once this happens, the entire leaf goes from healthy to shriveled and falls off. This is especially important for begonias! • Folhagem– Esta espécie é uma Begônia do tipo cana, com caules grossos e nós bastante grandes. Begonia Maculata (also known as Begonia Maculata Wightii, Polka Dot Plant, or Trout Begonia) is a perennial flowering plant, in the family Begoniaceae. Although, it is more of a hassle to maintain. Propagation: It is easy to propagate the Begonia maculata from cuttings. Start by making a stem cutting. Depending on the season, this could be once every 4 days in the summer and every week to two weeks in the winter. In this post you will learn how to take care of this plant, as well as discuss some common problems with Begonia maculata and what you can do to help prevent these issues. But, only do so a little at a time. The ABS says that if you are on a budget, you can use a plain shop light with cool white bulbs and leave them on for 14 hours a day. That said, you want to keep it away from direct sunlight. Watering it while moist is a sure way of increasing the risk of overwatering, especially if you get into the habit of doing so. While it isn’t as efficient as succulents are, it means that it is easier to give it too much water. This is what makes watering the plant tricky. How do you care for a Begonia maculata plant? Just right in a clay pot in a warm sheltered spot, later bring indoors to … I actually have successfully grown begonias indoors even under LED lights (not the hideous purple ones…just plain LED). Use a soilless planting medium that is equal parts peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite. As such, in addition to humidity, it likes warm conditions alongside dappled light. This is ideal if you live in a cooler region. Common Issues with Begonia Maculata. You can start in water or directly plant it into soil. A node is where the leaves meet the stems. What are your experiences with this plant? This may or may not be a challenge depending on where you live since more homes’ average humidity runs between 40% and 50%. The begonia maculata is prone to root rot. The use of quick-draining soil also means that a lot of the nutrients could be lost in the water. From the previous section, you can already guess that your begonia maculata likes well-draining soil. I would not recommend growing this plant in front of a North window. Large tresses of immaculate white blooms spill from the strong stems in summer. Some of the lower leaves will also turn ugly and drop off as well. A Begonia Maculata is a plant that loves to be in moist soil. When I first got her, she went through a slow transition period and she seems to be fine now! You don’t propagate Begonia Maculata from seed, but instead cut off branches and root these. Begonia Maculata, or Polka Dot Begonia as it’s often called, is a splashy show-stopper that looks fantastic with its olive green leaves and contrasting spots. Their climate preference makes it easy to care for as a houseplant since it enjoys conditions similar to what humans do. The plant is toxic to humans and animals. This will let you keep adding until you get the right combination. If you are concerned about natural light, the American Begonia Society says that begonias can grow very well under fluorescent lights and it doesn’t have to be an expensive set up. Comment below! If such it the case, you can either keep in on top of a water tray or group it with other plants. You’ll want to have one or two nodes on the stem. This keeps it away from the sun’s rays at all times. Thus, you want to avoid giving it too much water. It’s ideal living conditions include temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Please do me a favor and share this post to social media because it will help me spread the Ohio Tropics houseplant care tips to the masses! The first point towards ensuring adequate nutrient supply is during planting. Eventually though, you’ll need to move it into a container with soil. 9 Cold Weather Crops You Can Grow NOW from Seed! And, the best way to do is via stem cuttings. Next, plant the stem cutting into fresh potting soil in a small container. My begonia maculata is making her debut. The undersides of the leaves are a dark purplish red, forming a dramatic contrast with the green upper surfaces, and it produces large white flowers that grow in clusters on a … This is not a low light houseplant. You don’t want to keep it there if you live in warm areas or experience brutal summers unless you keep it at least a few feet from the window. Gently remove the begonia from its container and immediately transplant it into the new medium. Once it is rooted, pot it up. Here are all the cuttings I made after I pruned my plant. Although Begonia can do well in darker locations, the frequency of irrigations must be reduced to counteract the chance of root rot. I refrain from fertilizing in the winter when growth slows or comes to a halt. The very lovely Spotted Begonia. All the cuttings I made rooted. How to care for begonia maculata: Polka dot begonia (Wightii) needs well-draining soil, and the pot should be in bright, indirect light. However, it does best when given bright, indirect light. A few months later, this is what the plant that I chopped back looked like. I trimmed mine in the photo further down below, and you can see that it is growing back. Impressive! You may likewise hear it referred to as the spotted begonia or trout begonia. I wish I could attach photos. Pull your Begonia Maculata out of the pot; Clean soil off roots by hand; Clean soil off roots with water; Prepare your pots; Prepare your Leca; Plant your Begonia Maculata in Leca; Water your Begonia in Leca; Maintain your Begonia in Leca; Before we get started, let's remind ourselves what the plant looks like before converting it from soil to Leca. This does a few things. Keep the temperature of about 67-70 °F or 18-22 °C and make sure that you take your begonia indoors during the wintertime. Roots, leaf stalks and flowerheads all sprout directly from the rhizome. Your email address will not be published. It will take a few weeks to root. That said, your polka dot begonia likes moist soil. I have the begonia in a nursery pot with drainage. Light (next to watering) is the most misunderstood topic in houseplant care. If you choose this method, allow the cutting to dry then apply rooting hormone powder to the end of the stem. @Raffaele, While it won’t die in less humid conditions, you’ll also notice lose foliage and have difficult flowering depending on how far below 45% you go. This plant absolutely MUST be in front of a window, otherwise it will grow weak and lanky. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In the case of begonia maculata, you need to repot it once a year. To increase humidity, you can place a plastic bag over the plant and open it once in a while to let oxygen in. So, it is a good idea to stake them and tie the stems to the stake for support. Do not need to use big size container the existing size of the container is enough. Water your plant thoroughly until all excess water escapes the drainage hole, and discard the excess water. !Excellent!Congratulations the best tips I find all over the net.awesome information. Begonia maculata. As such, it is always best to add a layer of pebbles or broken pieces of terracotta pots to the bottom for better drainage. I'm afraid it appears that my little begonia has blight. If you have leaves that are yellow and dropping off, you are keeping it too wet. I’ve converted most of my houseplants to Dyna-Gro Grow fertilizer. With light and humidity, you want to hit certain levels to keep the plant happy. As you can see both methods lead to the same end point. Don’t wait forever to pot it up into soil. You can extend a little into the fall. Potting: The best soil is a mixture of sand, clay, loam. Use a natural mulching material such as peat moss, pine straw or bark pieces. This is why pruning is important. She’s not perfect but she is finally doing well. . Mine is just planted in an all-purpose Miracle Gro potting mix to which I’ve added some perlite to it. Their growth also means that stems can get leggy as the plant will overemphasize growing as opposed to producing foliage. When grown indoors, Begonia maculata does like some partial sun. LIGHT. Your begonia maculata is a flowering plant. Name – Begonia maculata Family – Begoniaceae Type – perennial down to 50°F (10°C) Flowering – May to October. Thus, you want to avoid giving it too much water. Sadly, I can’t find any answered anywhere. The back of the leaf is red. I initially thought it may have recieved too much sun and leaves got sunburnt and/or lack of humidity. I find that they tend to need support regardless, and if you have these plants in conditions that are too dark, you will be disappointed. Just be sure to have the bulbs 2 inches above the top leaves for best growth. You can even use a heating mat for your begonia seeds if you think that your begonia won’t be protected from the cold conditions. But, keep in mind that they are fast growers. Could it be a sign of root rot? As such, it isn’t the focal point of the plant. I LOVE how beautiful your begonia is! Cane-type begonias aren’t as picky as some other types of begonias as far as soil goes. As mentioned earlier, your begonia maculata is top heavy. Mix together well and moisten with water. There is evidence of rooting on the node and also on the internodes (between the nodes). Having the right kind of soil allows it to drain excess moisture efficiently. And for good reason! How to Grow and Harvest Ginger Indoors Step-by-Step. You want to choose a healthy stem for this. Perhaps the most exotic looking plant on our patio, polka-dot begonia has large angel-wing leaves scattered with bright silvery dots. Height – 8 to 16 inches (20 to 40 cm) Exposure – full sun, part sun Soil – rather rich, well drained. ress_js("//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=3727937f-fd2d-4a8e-aac6-737ec7e1cc2a"); Ohio Tropics (Raffaele Di Lallo) is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Luckily, this process is pretty easy and fairly quick. So, keep young children, dogs and cats away from it. I talk about the humidifier in my blog post that I linked to above, but if you want to go directly to Amazon to purchase it, check out the Levoit Ultrasonic Humidifier now. Granted, in the winter, conditions in Ohio are quite dismal so you may be luckier than I am! So, you can stop feeding it at this time. Soil moisture for Begonias is CRITICAL! That said, both methods work. Dyna-Gro Grow is simply the best all purpose fertilizer that I’ve used for my indoor plants and should be part of anyone’s houseplant care routine. My plants, and my skin, are much happier in the winter with the humidifier. This will cause rotting to occur and also invite various diseases that begonias can be prone to including powdery mildew, among others. I add 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water and use this with every watering throughout the growing season. Toxicity: All species of begonia are toxic to pets The plant needs a lot of humidity because this mimics its native habitat, which is in the tropical rainforests of Brazil. After it develops roots, you can move it into a pot. I LOVE it and it has so many features. I did notice that it was overwatered when I got it so I let it dry out at first. But, you want to keep it somewhere that’s still bright to allow it to produce beautiful flowers and grow. You also want to keep it in a warm area with bright, indirect sunlight. To read more about crispy brown leaves in houseplants in general, be sure to read my blog post on why plant leaves turn brown and crispy. That said, your polka dot begonia likes moist soil. Like many houseplants, you have a couple of options when it come to rooting your cuttings. So, you can use either. You will likewise want to monitor to see how well the mix is draining water. Keep temperatures between 67 to 70°F with high humidity and keep the soil a bit damp, but not overly wet when watering. Beautiful !!! I’d love to hear from you. Sunshine in the wintertime is beneficial for many plants (including ones that don’t traditionally “need” direct sun). A good East window would be great. When grown indoors, Begonia maculata does like some partial sun. Begonia Maculata Care . Required fields are marked *. I do run a humidifier indoors though in the months that our central heat is on, otherwise my plants (and my skin) will hate me. Cane-like begonias such as the maculata like brighter light. As such, when you move containers, go up slowly in size. And, the easiest way to monitor indoor humidity is by using a hygrometer. Just be careful as the plant grows, you will have to adjust the lights! Ideally, you want to keep humidity above 45%. Once you enter a room where the plant is present, there’s almost no way you’ll miss it. Once I respond, you can attach photos and I can try to help. And, the best way to avoid too wet or too dry soil is to check it before watering. If under the sun’s rays for long periods, you’ll see its silver spots start to fade. Most plants need bright, indirect light, well-drained soil, at least 50% humidity, and warm temperatures (70–75°F) to be at their best. Depending on how low the lighting is, it may or may not tolerate it. . When you notice this happen, stick your finger in the soil and see if it is wet or dry in order to best diagnose the cause. Similarly, keep them away from draft and breezes. And, during the simmer you’ll being to see its white flowers bloom. Soil. If you are blessed with super sunny windows, you may want to diffuse the light with blinds or a sheer curtain. My plant had started to look a bit ragged because I unintentionally let it dry out multiple times (life happens…) but I took action to improve it. Outdoors your begonia maculata is best grown as a shade place. Older leaves that rapidly become yellow are a clear sign of over-watering, usually caused by too little light, with other symptoms include mouldy or heavy soil, stunted growth and a rotten base. Wax Begonia (Begonia Semperflorens) Plant Care Guide, Your email address will not be published. This is not a low light houseplant. It will give you a digital reading instantly telling you whether or not you need to increase moisture. This area gets the most sunlight throughout the day. 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