The Rex begonia is a rhizomatous plant with stems creeping on the surface. It suffocates the pests within only minutes. University of Connecticut Home and Garden Information Center. Common Issues with Strawberry Begonia. How to Divide Bearded Irises. Po each piece into individual pots of new compost, making sure each portion of rootball is planted at the same depth it was originally. Above: Moist soil, happy begonia. The cutting should then be placed in a clean pot filled with moistened potting mix. Carefully cut away the rotted portion of the roots, and re-pot in better soil. I like to take leaf cuttings because its so fascinating to watch a single leaf sprout a whole bunch of babies. It can be a tattered, older leaf, but on the underside, the main veins should be plump and undamaged. The scorch marks can be either dark or white. It contains soluble calcium oxalates. Dont be afraid! You could also put your leaf cuttings in an east window as long as the temperature stays consistently warm. Do not put a Begonia where it gets a southern or even a western exposure. While this may appear barbaric, it will prompt your blushing beauty to produce not one, but two new sprouts from the trimmed tip. Use as many as you need to hold the leaf flat. Be careful not to over-water your plant, though. Leave them in place until they start to get in the way. Step 2 - Prepare the New Location. You'll notice if the leaves of your lovely rex begonia begin to wilt, which is one of its most common problems. A Rex Begonia can grow to be 12 to 18 inches in height. Airy, light, fast-draining soil is best for rex begonias. When the plants are 3 inches tall and have at least two leaves, theyre ready to lift. The plant requires less water during winter, when it often enters a dormant . Begonia rex plants are prone to mildew and fungi. You should only allow the top inch or so of the soil to dry out before you water. Plant one Begonia rex per pot. Once the plant pot is ready to go, you can go ahead and plant the leaf-cutting. Stick to the plan above, and your bundle of twigs will be restored to its verdant glory in no time. Fertilise every two weeks with a liquid houseplant fertiliser. However, while they do best in partial shade and indirect light, this is not the same as no light at all. Your begonia, regardless of variety, requires partial shade to bright, indirect light to thrive. There is nothing you can do for the old damaged leaves. Like most Begonia species, such as Begonia maculata, the Begonia rex is easy to care for. Step 3: Cut the rex begonia leaf. Begonia roots are prone to rot immediately after dividing. Plus, there will be minimal damage to your plant. 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. Step 2: Take a leaf cutting from your rex begonia. Make sure you sterilize the pruning shears with isopropyl alcohol. Step 4: Pin the rex begonia leaf into seed-starting mix Turn the begonia leaf back over and press it into the seed-starting mix. This is usually in March. Rex Begonia. The water will evaporate over time, keeping humidity in the air at all times. Booman has another trick: Water thoroughly so that at least 20 percent of the water flows out of the pot, and don't let the plant sit in the water for a second, so that the salts cannot be taken up by the plant. This Begonia species have leaves with a fun fuzzy feel. http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/articles/how-to/divide/how-to-propogate-rex-begonias-from-leaf-cuttings/, How to Root Succulents with Leaf Cuttings, How to Propagate Rex Begonias from Leaf Cuttings. a Few Hardy Begonias @ If your begonia is receiving adequate light but still reaching for the stars, the problem is one of temperature, and you must maintain your cool. 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Move your Begonia Rex to an eastern exposure and the new leaves will be fine. Using a little bit of root tone and a small amount of fungicide to keep the roots healthy as they grow, you can propagate a Rex Begonia like a pro. When it comes to repotting, your choice of potting medium is critical. Its a natural oil and isnt known to harm many plants. This is to prevent the spread of spores and fungi. You Might Also Like: This is because of []. Divide rex begonia in early spring right before the plant begins growing again. Nothing should go to waste. Alternatively, you can propagate using water as a medium for Begonias. The flowers can turn orange, pink, and white. A Begonia rex fools many plant lovers with dry leaves. Appearance. Knowing which Begonia you have can help a lot in having success with bringing the plants indoors for the winter. Jon VanZile was a writer for The Spruce covering houseplants and indoor gardening for almost a decade. You dont want it to take off again, so keep an eye on it. Gently remove the begonia from its container and immediately transplant it into the new medium. Or pink with silver edges. Within minutes youll see plant pests popping up deceased. Because rhizomes have shallow roots, a shallow pot will do. University of Vermont Extension Department of Plant and Soil Science. You need to remove all dead or harmed roots right away. When shopping for a new pot, choose one that is only an inch (2.5cm) or so wider across the top. Brush fungicide onto each cut surface of the roots to prevent disease. Cover your container with its dome or plastic wrap. Keep your leaf cutting near 70 degrees and give it plenty of humidity. Allow fleshy cuts to dry for an hour before potting. Airy, light, fast-draining soil is best for rex begonias. They should always be your last resort because they contain chemicals that can harm the environment. Rex begonias are rhizomatous plants that grow from a, When the rhizome begins to butt up against the sides of the pot, however, it's time to. 2. After youve resolved the initial problem, prune your plant from the top-down, removing the leggy parts. The rex begonia requires at least 50 perecnet humidity and careful watering that keeps the soil moist but not too wet. The best light for rex begonia vine when growing indoors. 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. Straight perlite is very easy for starting new rhizomes. 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. Repot your begonias only when they are completely root-bound. Active Interest Media Holdco, Inc. Copyright 2023. It can be challenging to find just the right conditions for rex begonia to display its best leaf color. Simply break off rhizomes that have grown outside the pot and start them in a small pot. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Begonia propagation is just as easy without it. Rex begonias are a colourful addition to your indoor or patio potted plants. Dip the cut end in a rooting hormone. Take a long stem cutting from a mature rex begonia plant with single foliage. Turn the begonia leaf back over and press it into the seed-starting mix. This begonia requires high humidity during the growing period. The original Rex Begonia had dark leaves with wonderful silver designs. They thrive on humidity but be careful if misting leaves that they don't stay too wet and encourage powdery mildew. How to split begonias? The easiest method to turn one Rex Begonia into two (or more) Rex Begonias is by dividing the . Consider using a systemic fungicide. Your plant cannot photosynthesize and produce food if it is not exposed to light. Rex Begonias are not difficult to divide and propagate, which comes in handy as individual plants usually don't have a very long lifespan. Find out to divide your rex begonia house plants, in our step-by-step guide. Most indoor plants, on the other hand, live in a kind of perpetual spring, where it is warm but not hot and there is little moisture in the air. In no time you should start to see new growth springing up from the site of the old, woody stems. 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. The rex begonia plant thrives in humid environments and exposure to bright indirect sunlight. Rex begonias are semi-tropical perennial plants native to Asia, usually grown as house plants. Begonias grown indoors are especially susceptible to root rot and overwatering. Some Begonias go dormant for the winter and others have no dormant period and continue to grow and flower for the entire winter. Rex begonias need thorough watering but should not be overwatered. Start as many leaves as will fit in your tray or pot without the leaves touching. Begonia rex Taxonomy ID: 200043 (for references in articles please use NCBI:txid200043) current name. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we Place your plant or bury the rhizome in a shallow container filled with rich, aerated plant mix. Examine your growing environment and choose a location for your newly trimmed begonia that receives more light than its previous location. Allow the top layer of soil to become completely dry in between waterings. Cut a healthy leaf. All of that summer zeal will end up in the leaves, giving you a display of growth to be proud of. Youll only need to refill the tray with water once its empty. Its important to pay careful attention to your plant so you can fix any problems as they arise. To fix a leggy begonia, first, determine what is causing the overgrowth and then correct it by increasing light, temperature, or changing the plant's pot. The petiole is the stalk that attaches the leaf blade to the plant stem. Provide the plant with plenty of bright indirect sun, but keep it out of direct sunlight and rotate frequently to expose it to equal light on all sides. Fertilize your begonia no more than once a month during the growing season for best results. A leggy begonia reminds me of a teenager in the middle of a growth spurt, gangly and out of proportion, and theres some truth to that. Let me show you the secret to propagating rex begonias from leaf cuttings. Keep a Rex Begonia plants soil moist. Step 2: Take a leaf cutting from your rex begonia. A stem cutting should be two to four inches in length and come from a healthy plant. Rex begonias grow from a rhizome, which is a root system that sprouts buds and roots to grow into the plant. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Fibrous rooted and rhizomatous begonias do not die back once a year like tuberous begonias. Keep the temperature setting at about 70 degrees. A tuber ready to divide should be large and also have at least two clear stems. All rights reserved. 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. Now, set your plant on the pebbles. Fill a 4-inch container with commercial potting mixture. Youll also need to make sure theres plenty of air circulation. Press seeds onto the surface of the medium and cover them lightly with milled sphagnum. To water propagate your Begonia, all you have to do is partially submerge the stem in water, leaving the leaves sticking out. Use a pair of sterilized pruning shears to get your leaf cutting. Over-watering can make your plant sick and fast. Gently remove the Rex begonia from its nursery pot, handling the root system with care, and place in the middle of the new container. Begin by removing the tallest, thinnest stalks. Spray the mixture with water until it's damp clear through, but not dripping. The best time to divide is during the repotting period in the spring or summer. Brush off the excess soil and inspect the rhizome to find the buds. . Keep in mind youll want to use distilled water for this plant. To grow a begonia in a pot, you need to allow for growth, so ensure you choose a pot that is twice the width and depth of the plant. Cane begonias should be pruned on a regular basis to encourage a thicker growth, and other varieties benefit from having their excessively straggly growth removed as well. Step 1 Snip off flowers and older leaves first to give the division more energy for root growth. Tuberous, rhizomatous, and waxy begonias do not suffer as frequently as cane varieties, but long and malformed leaves can still be seen. Even though high humidity isnt required, it keeps the plant full, lush, and healthy. After you've placed your Begonia Rex seedlings into holes in the soil, cover them with soil and water them generously. Learn more Rex begonias are striking known as painted-leaf begonias or fancy-leaf begonias because of their stunning leaf coloration. It grows 8 inches tall and wide. External Information Resources (NCBI . Active Interest Media Holdco, Inc. Copyright 2023. Rex begonias grow at a medium speed, but they like a pot with room to grow, so you won't need to worry about repotting too often. If you give your begonia too much space, it will seize the opportunity and spread as quickly as it can into the new space. have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality. Jenny Harrington has been a freelance writer since 2006. Regular LED Lights vs. Grow Lights, just didn't know how. A Begonia rex needs porous fast-draining soil using peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite. Whats more, dividing rex begonias reinvigorates them and makes them grow better. You should only fertilize this plant during the growing season when new growth emerges. Keep the temperature setting at about 70 degrees. It grows about 6 inches tall and wide. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Clip just above growth nodes to give the plant something to work with as it grows new leaves. Replant the original piece and pot or plant the remaining piece. Check for rot in your cuttings once a week. Remove the stem with a sharp knife and slice the leaf into wedges, each piece with a main vein. You can use tape to keep the plastic wrap to the cutting. The biggest plant disease you want to avoid from over-watering is root rot. How to Make a Kokedama. Plus, you want to trap in moisture so itll grow quicker. Is the Begonia rex plant toxic to animals? Because you can only cut once, consider what you want to keep and what needs to go. 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. I mist mine daily and water the soil once a week. Once the roots have dried, its time to plant them. Get the plant pot ready. There is an entire group of hybrid begonias that the world knows as Rex Cultorum meaning that they can all trace their . You can also use artificial lights for this Begonia. Blight plant disease is challenging to battle. Allow fleshy cuts to dry for an hour before potting. Take a close look at the shape of your begonia first. Grown for their foliage, the leaves come in shades of green, red, pink and silver. #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. Don't water the leaves, only the soil to avoid fungal disease issues. Lush Garden 5.95K subscribers 108K views 2 years ago #begoniarex #waterpropagation #begoniarex. Your plant will get plenty of sun but it wont receive direct sunlight. She is a Master Gardener and lead gardener in a Plant-A-Row, which is a program that offers thousands of pounds of organically-grown vegetables to local food banks. Cover your container with its dome or plastic wrap. Fill the tray with damp potting mix and youre ready for the fun part taking the cuttings! Pruning and pinching will help you concentrate the growth of your plant and make it denser and bushier. Growth will slow in freezing temperatures and some types of begonias go into a dormant period during the winter due to lack of light. Have a lovely tuberous begonia who has been blooming well since August but is leggy now in December. After you've resolved the initial problem, prune your plant from the top-down, removing the leggy parts. Then, to keep the cuts in contact with the mix, start pushing T-pins through the leaf into the soil. Ensure it bears at least one leaf node. Keep the seeds in temperatures of between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit until they germinate. The first thing you do is to dig up your Rex Begonia plant. During the warmer months, take the time to pinch off new growth at the plants crown. Needed good info to prune and appreciate this info as I am not as good a plant person as my sister who gave me this plant. To do this, you want to cover the leaf-cutting in plastic wrap. Powdery mildew is a pain to get rid of, but its possible with a lot of effort. Regarding the Rex Begonia, you want to repot in a shallow pot. And the Begonia rex isnt the only wonder species out there. Gather the items on the "Materials & Tools" list above. This plant disease can destroy a plant. The temperature should be between 65-75F (18-24C). Divide rhizomatous begonias in spring, ensuring that each portion of the rhizome bears one or more growing points. Salsa Rex begonia is a silver-leaf type that's variegated with shades of green and burgundy-red. Find out how, in our step-by-step guide. These elegant plants arent hard to propagate. Avoid putting a pin through a main leaf vein, or that vein may not root. Begonias are just as at home in a pot as they are in the garden. We empower you to efficiently solve each new challenge and make your life better and easier. Its leaves can be almost round, angel-wing shaped, or any other form. 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. Open the containers lid once a week for 10 minutes to let the cuttings breath. Make sure the soil is always moist. Gently transplant the babies into 3-inch pots. A Begonia rex needs porous fast-draining soil using peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite. Published: Wednesday, 26 August, 2020 at 3:06 pm. It can harm or even kill your plant. Rex begonias can also be propagated by pinning a leaf to the bedding mix and making small incisions in the leaf veins or by inserting a leaf (with a petiole) directly into the soil. How to Divide Bearded Irises. And some are smooth, some fuzzy. The roots should be completely covered in soil. Provide 50% humidity. Divide a Rex begonia when it begins to outgrow its pot or once the plant is at least three years old if you want to add more begonias to your houseplant collection. The soil should always be moist. See those tiny plants unfurling? But they can get pricey. A great way to prevent powdery mildew is through a spray mix you can make at home. 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? Begonia rex Putz. Pin into place with wire. These leaves are arranged in an asymmetrical manner on the stems. This makes them easier to work with because theyre easier to see. 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. 1. Ive cut each vein about an inch from the central vein in the photo above. Join our Facebook Group About Houseplants and Gardening, propagate using water as a medium for Begonias, Mars Hydro VG80 Seedling LED Grow Light Review, 11 Worst Signs of Anthurium Root Rot Fix Anthurium Root Rot. It drains well while retaining a good amount of moisture, and the slow but steady decomposition of the moss provides a consistent amount of nutrition. In the video, Alan of The Plant Farm talks about the unique Rex Begonia and how to propagate it. These begonias have gorgeous flowers with frilly edges. Ingestions may lead to vomiting, kidney failure in grazing animals, and salvation in cats and dogs. Stem cuttings are very simple. Divide the vine into smaller pieces, ensuring each has at least two or three leaves. Rex begonias grow from a rhizome, which is a root system that sprouts buds and roots to grow into the plant.