Quick Tip: Begonias

July 06, 2016By west-coast-gardens

Are your begonia's a little shy? Jason, from West Coast Gardens, shares a quick tip that will help you see more of your begonias in containers and in the landscape. We've all got some more great care tips for you below!

Basic Care Tips

Light: These colourful plants love morning sun and then enjoy a cooler afternoon shade. Too much direct sun all day will damage the leaves, or stress out the plants, and could lead to disease. This is great news though, because they can brighten up the shady spots in your garden!

Watering: Keep them happy with a moist environment, but beware soggy soil! These plants like to stay damp, and not dry out completely, but they hate having their roots sitting in water. Use well draining soil, with some compost material, to help retain moisture. Always water at the base of the plant, as they are susceptible to leaf rot and spots if the leaves get damp.

Temperature: Begonias are tender annuals, and need to be planted after the frost has ended in the Spring. They love warmer temperatures, and can be damaged when it dips below 10'C (50'F).

Fertilizer: Use a balancedfertilizer mixed into the soil before planting, as well as a water-soluble fertilizer about once a month, will keep them healthy and blooming for you all summer long!

Other Notes about Begonias

If you want to keep your plants continuously blooming, then don't be afraid to deadhead spent flowers, as this will encourage the plant to grow new buds. As a bonus, these versatile plants are deer resistant, so you can plant them in areas that have had problems with nibblers during the summer months.

Watch Jason show you how to create a colourful shade planter using begonias and other beautiful blooms in this video, then try it for yourself! This planter absolutely bursting with colourful coleus, begonias and more, including an eye-catching caladium to top it all off. Looking at the amazing selection of plants, it's hard to believe they can all fit in this pot, but keep watching to see Jason work his magic. For those keeping score, that's 4 different varieties of coleus, 3 types of begonias, 2 sweet potato vines and 8 more stunning plants. Feel free to improvise your own choices as well, but remember to check the plant info to make sure they will be happy in your shady patio oasis.