This plant pot should have drainage holes on the bottom. If your plant is turning brown, with brittle leaves/dead leaves, it is likely to be one of three causes. Flip the begonia leaf over and make a -inch cut across five or six of the largest veins with your knife. How to Divide Bearded Irises Pin the leaf down so that each cut makes good contact with the seed-starting mix. Pests love hopping from one plant to another. Amend the medium with a couple of tablespoons of ground limestone to help control humidity. Advice on chopping top half do you have to cut where there's still green on the base or can you cut lower if there's pups growing? Its also the most common issue youll come across. 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. Its best to do your pruning in the warmer months when the plant is growing, too. Even the best specimen plant can only be expected to thrive for a few years. Place the leaf-cutting, so its sticking out of the soil at a 45-degree angle. Aggressive Drainage. All rights reserved. 1. The best temperature is 65-75F (18-24C). Keep the temperature setting at about 70 degrees. Grown for their foliage, the leaves come in shades of green, red, pink and silver. . Rex Begonia House Plants - Begonia rex Picture, Care Tips As with other begonias, the rex and other foliage begonias prefer the same humid, gentle environment in which understory ferns thrive. When an infestation is too big for you to handle, consider pesticides. You start by filling a tray with smooth pebbles. Because you can only cut once, consider what you want to keep and what needs to go. If you have a heat mat for seedlings, that will help the begonia leaf cuttings get off to a faster start. Water the begonia transplant and acclimate it in an area out of direct sun. After you've resolved the initial problem, prune your plant from the top-down, removing the leggy parts. On transplant day, dig a hole sufficient to accommodate the begonia's root ball or tubers (in the case of tuberous begonia). How long does it take a begonia tuber to How to start a new Virginia creeper from How to propagate and split perennial geraniums, Clemson University Extension: Growing Begonia Indoors. Begonias, according to conventional wisdom, benefit from smaller-than-average pots. It isnt too good to be true! Remove the stem with a sharp knife and slice the leaf into wedges, each piece with a main vein. It is perfectly acceptable to lop off the entire top of your leggy begonia. They bloom in several colors, including pink, orange, and red. Blight plant disease is challenging to battle. But most come with leaves in a pretty pink with blackened edges. Begonia tubers increase in size each year and after three years or so, the flower display will begin to deteriorate. Very good article. Begonias are easily propagated at home. The easiest method is to buy a humidifier. Place your Rex begonia in either a north or east-facing window to get bright indirect light indoors. Begonia rex is toxic to pets such as cats, dogs, and horses, according to ASCPA. External Information Resources (NCBI . Make sure the water isnt running full blast. Divide rhizomatous begonias in spring, ensuring that each portion of the rhizome bears one or more growing points. They can take up to 6 weeks to emerge, so be patient. Can you divide Rex Begonias? 2 Let the soil surface become dry to the touch before watering. Houseplant Help: 5 Tips to Keep Finicky Begonia Rex Alive By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. How to Divide Bearded Irises. ". The leaves are narrow and spotted white. They frequently have large leaves (up to 6 inches long) that are brightly colored in various shades of green, red, silver, and even purple. Rex begonias are a colourful addition to your indoor or patio potted plants. Use a well diluted balanced plant feed monthly in the spring and summer. A few stones may help keep the begonia leaf from curling up and away from the mix, as well. Cut a healthy leaf. How to Divide Perennial Plants - The Spruce The Rex Begonia originates in areas without salt in the water. Creach Greenhouse and The Plant Farm are family owned and operated. Rex Begonia Plant - Care, Growing, Watering, Propagation I am personally against misting the leaves of plants manually as mist on the leaves can cause leaf rot if the airflow is not sufficient to dry them quickly. I have a question. How to Grow Tuberous Begonias Are Begonia Rex Plants Poisonous? - Study Nature Water once the to 1-inch of soil is dry once a week. We empower you to efficiently solve each new challenge and make your life better and easier. They can also become sprawling because fast-growing stems frequently lack the strength to keep their heads up. Rex begonias are semi-tropical perennial plants native to Asia, usually grown as house plants. Find out how, in our step-by-step guide. You could also put your leaf cuttings in an east window as long as the temperature stays consistently warm. . Because they are not aggressive bloomers, they can tolerate less light than other begonias and will thrive under fluorescent lights. Its usually an easy process if you know what steps to take. This beautiful plant was introduced to cultivation in 1952 and has puckered leaves with a dark cross in the middle. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we Mix together well and moisten with water. Use a sharp knife and divide into as many pieces as you like, as long as each piece has at least one bud on it. When a previously lush and leafy specimen produces an excess of stems and stalks, it shoots up until its nothing more than a tuft of greenery on a long bundle of sticks. long stem cutting from a healthy Begonia Rex. My begonia is so leggy that I wonder if when I cut it I can cut the stems several times to propagate them? How to Propagate Begonia Rex in Water by using a single leaf | plant You can cut off up to two-thirds of the top of any given cane begonia. How to Divide 45 Favorite Perennials Fill an 8-inch diameter pot with well-draining soil mix. Rex begonias can be bought at the following online retailers: Logees, Amazon and Etsy, and many other online and offline shops. Let the soil dry between waterings and avoid overwatering as it may cause fungal diseases or rot. It came from Assam, India which is in the Himalayan foothills. Straight perlite is very easy for starting new rhizomes. The water shouldnt flow over the pebbles. You can use a pair of sterilized pruning shears to do this. The bright side is if you find an infestation early, its easy to get rid of. Dip the cut end in a rooting hormone. For a Begonia, use regular houseplant fertilizer at half strength every two to three weeks in spring and summer. When it comes to repotting, your choice of potting medium is critical. a Few Hardy Begonias @ . So what are you waiting for? The rex begonia is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Painted-leaf begonia can be propagated in different ways, including: Leaf cuttings; Stem cuttings; Dividing the rhizome; Of the three, the most common is leaf cutting because it requires less work to set up. See those tiny plants unfurling? Pin into place with wire. These strange plant pests are soft-bodied. Insert the garden fork about 6 inches from the plant so the roots won't be damaged by the fork. Whether you need to fix, build, create or learn, eHow gives you practical solutions to the problems life throws at you. Dont remove the plastic wrap until a few new leaves have grown. Turn the begonia leaf back over and press it into the seed-starting mix. You can use a mixture of perlite, vermiculite and peat moss, if you prefer. Slice down several inches deepat least 6 inches for most plants and more for extremely large, well-rooted plants. Step 1: Gather your materials for propagating rex begonias. Active Interest Media Holdco, Inc. Copyright 2023. Now, set your plant on the pebbles. Plants are root bound when you can't insert a pencil into a drainage holes on the pot. Cut away any shrivelled or soft and rotten sections of the tuber and discard these. Keep your leaf cutting near 70 degrees and give it plenty of humidity. Pot in well-draining soil and feed with a balanced fertilizer in the spring and early summer months. Rex begonias are often troubled by powdery mildew and botrytis fungal disease. Begonia rexis the basis for many hundreds of hybrids, and its forms are too numerous to count. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. 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 . Over-watering can make your plant sick and fast. A Begonia rex needs porous fast-draining soil using peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite. Propagating Begonia rex. When the plants are 3 inches tall and have at least two leaves, theyre ready to lift. Water until it begins dripping from the bottom drainage holes to ensure it is moist throughout. Youll want to use the root division process for the best results. How to Care for Rex Begonias - The Spruce The most common affliction from too much direct sunlight is the scorching of leaves. Typically grown for their beautiful leaf markings, most rex begonias have large leaves with intricate swirling patterns in a variety of colours including green, red, purple and silver. Because their leaf markings are so beautiful, rex begonia growers often remove the small, inconspicuous flowers when they appear, as they can detract from the foliage display. Check weekly. Set Up Your Apiary With the Best Beekeeping Supplies, Create a Safe Deer Feeding Station With the Best Deer Feeder, Become More Efficient With the Best Rubber Buckets, Declutter Your Outdoor Space With the Best Deck Boxes, Liven up Your Lawn With the Best Grass Paints, Create a Relaxing Sitting Space With the Best Gazebos, Optimize Your Orchids Growth With the Best Orchid Fertilizers, Improve Your Gardens Soil Health With the Best Fish Fertilizers, Relax and Unwind With the Best Inflatable Hot Tubs, Best Patio Sets to Level up Your Outdoor Space, Seclude Your Garden with the Best Outdoor Privacy Screens, Unleash Your Flower Power With the Best Fresh Flowers, Safeguard Your Equipment With the Best Riding Lawn Mower Covers, Guarantee Extra Protection With the Best Lawn Mower Covers. This makes them easier to work with because theyre easier to see. In the video, Alan of The Plant Farm talks about the unique Rex Begonia and how to propagate it. Begonias originated in the tropics and thrive in warm, humid climates. Because they are susceptible to fungal infections, it is a good idea to limit the opportunity for those pesky diseases to establish a foothold in potting soils. Brush fungicide onto each cut surface of the roots to prevent disease. 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. Begonia 'Tiger Paws' (Eyelash Begonia) - Gardenia.net Your plant will get plenty of sun but it wont receive direct sunlight. 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. 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. Bright indirect sunlight, and can tolerate direct sunlight too. This article has been viewed 38,009 times. You need to remove all dead or harmed roots right away. The Rex Begonia requires bright but indirect sunlight. Set Up Your Apiary With the Best Beekeeping Supplies, Create a Safe Deer Feeding Station With the Best Deer Feeder, Become More Efficient With the Best Rubber Buckets, Declutter Your Outdoor Space With the Best Deck Boxes, Liven up Your Lawn With the Best Grass Paints, Create a Relaxing Sitting Space With the Best Gazebos, Optimize Your Orchids Growth With the Best Orchid Fertilizers, Improve Your Gardens Soil Health With the Best Fish Fertilizers, Relax and Unwind With the Best Inflatable Hot Tubs, Best Patio Sets to Level up Your Outdoor Space, Seclude Your Garden with the Best Outdoor Privacy Screens, Unleash Your Flower Power With the Best Fresh Flowers, Safeguard Your Equipment With the Best Riding Lawn Mower Covers, Guarantee Extra Protection With the Best Lawn Mower Covers. This begonia is rhizomatous, growing from a thick, fleshy rhizome that grows just below the surface of the soil. A brief period of unusual warmth will inspire your begonia to make the most of the summery conditions, resulting in a leggy plant. 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Fill a small pot with moistened seed-starting medium. If you can squeeze water from the medium, it is too wet. It should be getting bright indirect light. How to split begonias? - JacAnswers Rex begonias require high humidity and heavy fertilization during the growing period. It contains Soluble calcium oxalates. Cissus discolor: How to Grow and Care for the Rex Begonia Vine