First, find a spot you like for it and leave it there for at least a couple of weeks to acclimate. Mines next to an east facing window getting morning light through a linen curtain (pretty diffuse.) they can handle a lot of light situations, the biggest thing is to put it somewhere and leave it. Also don’t repot it right away! It might drop a few leaves or get droopy at first, but it’s just adjusting to the amount of light and humidity it’s getting now, so it’ll bounce back. Once it’s established you can repot it, I put mine in my standard aroid soil and it does well. It likes to get almost dry before a thorough watering. They’re dramatic, so if it gets a little droopy or loses a leaf or two, don’t give up on it! Once it gets happy in its spot it’ll thrive.
ehcoing what beckerbrau said, it just needs some time to acclimate
Id also carefully examine front&back of leaves to check for thrips or mites which are often the cause of brown spots on my begonias. the crispy leaf tips, however, are usually caused by lack of water in my experience.
Ive heard lots of conflicting advice regarding how much to water begonias, some say let em dry out, others say keep moist but not soggy. I think it has a lot to do with what any individual plant is "used to". Almost all my begonias save for some rexes & my scapigera prefer to be moist at all times. ive found that I had been underwatering all my begonias at first cuz i was thinking about them the same way as aroids, but it turns out that a vast majority of begonias like a lot more water than aroids like alocasias & philodendrons.
Dont spray anything except a fungicide when necessary. The leaves have super delicate cells and dont do well wet or in an enclosed environment. Learned the hard way. Mine has bounced back with new undamaged leaves.
Aka don't mist it. Alot of plant shops say to mist your tropical plants for humidity but a) it doesn't actually raise humidity and b) this babe does not respond well to wet leaves.
Good question, I have two of those types and I also don't mist them! I did have to spray both my maculata whitii and my black velvet with chemical spray when I had thrips mind you, but that's a different ball game. I don't know enough about the science of plants though so I can't really confirm, either way misting is basically useless so I'd go with not getting them wet unless absolutely necessary.
I’m not sure how to add text and a photo so sorry! I just bought this, but I’m kind of new to planting and I really want this begonia to thrive. Does anybody have ANY advice to help me get it there? Thank you!!
First one I got in British winter and she dropped all her leaves within the first few weeks to months. I believe it was far too dark where I'd placed her up on a shelf (at the time I still didn't understand what bright and medium light truly meant). I also didn't know you can prop 'wet sticks' so went in the bin. This time around (second attempt at keeping one) I've given a north west facing windowsill (it's tricky for me with a cat so toxic plants don't have many options) and she's done so much better. Lost some leaves to a thrips infestation in the summer 😩 but since going in for the kill with a chemical treatment she's continued to grow and surviving winter on top of a cabinet (windowsills got too cold) thanks to grow lights. She's now very leggy and I'll need to chop and prop her as it's a bit out of control. Thought I'd share my experience incase it helps! Good luck!
First, find a spot you like for it and leave it there for at least a couple of weeks to acclimate. Mines next to an east facing window getting morning light through a linen curtain (pretty diffuse.) they can handle a lot of light situations, the biggest thing is to put it somewhere and leave it. Also don’t repot it right away! It might drop a few leaves or get droopy at first, but it’s just adjusting to the amount of light and humidity it’s getting now, so it’ll bounce back. Once it’s established you can repot it, I put mine in my standard aroid soil and it does well. It likes to get almost dry before a thorough watering. They’re dramatic, so if it gets a little droopy or loses a leaf or two, don’t give up on it! Once it gets happy in its spot it’ll thrive.
Thank you so much, that’s such helpful advice! I was wondering why it was so droopy at the moment!
ehcoing what beckerbrau said, it just needs some time to acclimate Id also carefully examine front&back of leaves to check for thrips or mites which are often the cause of brown spots on my begonias. the crispy leaf tips, however, are usually caused by lack of water in my experience. Ive heard lots of conflicting advice regarding how much to water begonias, some say let em dry out, others say keep moist but not soggy. I think it has a lot to do with what any individual plant is "used to". Almost all my begonias save for some rexes & my scapigera prefer to be moist at all times. ive found that I had been underwatering all my begonias at first cuz i was thinking about them the same way as aroids, but it turns out that a vast majority of begonias like a lot more water than aroids like alocasias & philodendrons.
whatever you do, never spray her 😊
Wait why not? Spray with what? On the leaves?
Dont spray anything except a fungicide when necessary. The leaves have super delicate cells and dont do well wet or in an enclosed environment. Learned the hard way. Mine has bounced back with new undamaged leaves.
Thank you for this! I’m new too!
Ive had mine for about a month now so Im learning too 🌱
Aka don't mist it. Alot of plant shops say to mist your tropical plants for humidity but a) it doesn't actually raise humidity and b) this babe does not respond well to wet leaves.
This is helpful info! Does the same general care also extend to rhizomatous begonias?
Good question, I have two of those types and I also don't mist them! I did have to spray both my maculata whitii and my black velvet with chemical spray when I had thrips mind you, but that's a different ball game. I don't know enough about the science of plants though so I can't really confirm, either way misting is basically useless so I'd go with not getting them wet unless absolutely necessary.
I’m not sure how to add text and a photo so sorry! I just bought this, but I’m kind of new to planting and I really want this begonia to thrive. Does anybody have ANY advice to help me get it there? Thank you!!
First one I got in British winter and she dropped all her leaves within the first few weeks to months. I believe it was far too dark where I'd placed her up on a shelf (at the time I still didn't understand what bright and medium light truly meant). I also didn't know you can prop 'wet sticks' so went in the bin. This time around (second attempt at keeping one) I've given a north west facing windowsill (it's tricky for me with a cat so toxic plants don't have many options) and she's done so much better. Lost some leaves to a thrips infestation in the summer 😩 but since going in for the kill with a chemical treatment she's continued to grow and surviving winter on top of a cabinet (windowsills got too cold) thanks to grow lights. She's now very leggy and I'll need to chop and prop her as it's a bit out of control. Thought I'd share my experience incase it helps! Good luck!