How to Make Begonias Bloom

The begonia is a low-maintenance annual garden plant—and reaches up to 9 inches in height, with blooms in a variety of colors, including red and yellow. Once a begonia blooms, it retains its flowers for much of the year. However, it takes proper care and pruning to make it bloom continually.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Water
• Fertilizer
• Garden shears

1. Select a dry planting site that does not collect standing water. Begonias do not thrive in wet conditions, and will not bloom if under stress from the environment. The planting site should receive full-morning or late-afternoon sun; begonias tolerate partial shade through mid-afternoon heat.
2. Water the begonias until the soil settles, once every week or two weeks, depending on your climate. Let the soil become dry to the touch between waterings. Begin the regular watering schedule in the early spring.
3. Apply a fertilizer high in nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous once a month, according to package directions, beginning in the early spring. This nutrient blend encourages blossom growth.
4. Remove any spent or fading blossoms throughout the year with garden shears. This process, called deadheading, encourages the plant to continue blooming. Remove any dead leaves or droopy stems, as well.