Begonia Care

I love begonias. Their coloring and texture are some of the most unique and eye catching in the plant world. Until I really started to learn how to take care of them, begonias intimidated me. Don’t tell anyone, but I killed many at first.

Here’s the trick to begonias! Do NOT over water them. They almost like to dry out. They do however thrive in a humid environment. Some more than others can handle more abuse and not all species are the same so please always do you’re research when you are buying. There are species that will not thrive in the hot south west Florida climate. Not even in the house.

With that being said, here’s a few of my tips for begonia care. Keep in mind I live in south west Florida and I keep my begonias outside all year (unless it drops below 45 degrees at night consistently, which is very rare).

All my begonias are either on my covered lanai or for larger more hardy begonias, those are housed in a shady area underneath 2 trees. They all receive dappled, indirect sun, more in the morning than afternoon. They get watered in the summer about 2-3 times a week, in the winter about 1 time a week. I will neglect my begonias with little water before I water more often.

The begonias not under cover will get the same treatment unless it has rained, which they LOVE.

Keeping your begonias happy indoors will depend on how much bright light and humidity you can give them. More watering will not help!

Over watering will kill your begonia.

Cut off dying or dead leaves. That’s normal, the plant can’t be perfect all the time. And often in the winter months it will get smaller and not push out new leaves. Just wait. Just like you sometimes need a break so does your plant. Water a bit less and it will come back when the humidity and daylight increases.

When is your plant ready for watering? When you put your finger down in the soil of the potted plant 2-3 inches or 5-6 inches in a large pot, and it’s dry. Also try using a moisture reader. Another good indicator is when the leaves droop. It’s telling you it’s thirsty. Water thoroughly. Always make sure your pots have proper drainage.

If you have good tips to pass along please send them to me. Growing plants isn’t always a one-size-fits-all. You often have to figure out what’s working for your specific environment. I will guide you best I can until then!