Three details to watch in wax begonia care: vigorous growth and large, vivid blooms

There is a saying that details determine success or failure, and the same is true for growing flowers. On the surface, care seems much the same, but the plant's overall shape and the quality of its blooms reveal the difference.

Many flower lovers complain that they clearly grow their flowers in much the same way, yet other people's wax begonias bloom large and vivid with a rich fragrance, while their own are small and shriveled. What is the reason?

To grow flowers you must understand them, and for wax begonia care the details matter even more. Today Hua'er will walk you through the care details, so your wax begonia will also bloom nonstop, with large, vivid flowers.

1. Water

Wax begonia likes a moist environment, but watering follows the rule of "two more, two less": in spring and autumn give a little more, keeping the potting soil fairly moist; in summer and winter it enters semi-dormancy or dormancy, so water a little less and keep the potting soil appropriately dry.

For wax begonias that bloom in summer, replenish water in time; too dry a condition will affect flower bud differentiation and bud growth. Generally, water thoroughly as soon as the potting soil shows signs of turning white; do not wait until it is completely dry, as that is bad for growth and blooming. Every 7-10 days you can water once with diluted fertilizer water to increase soil acidity and promote root nutrient uptake.

2. Fertilizing

Wax begonia is fairly sensitive to fertilizer. For new plants propagated in the second half of last year, after flowering you can apply some decomposed, diluted cake fertilizer liquid, once a week, for two consecutive applications, and you will see flower bud differentiation, then continued budding and blooming.

For plants already grown for more than a year, or weaker, smaller plants, once summer temperatures exceed 25°C, stop fertilizing, otherwise it easily burns the roots and affects bud formation and blooming. You can wait until it is cooler or move the plant to an air-conditioned room, then fertilize, and it can welcome a second bloom.

3. Pruning and pinching

After wax begonia flowers fade, promptly prune the spent flowers and pinch the tips to encourage new shoots to sprout and grow, making the branches and leaves lush, promoting more branching and more blooms. If you do not prune and pinch in time, nutrients are consumed needlessly, the plant grows leggy, its looks suffer, and it will not form buds or bloom again.

That is all for wax begonia care. If you have anything to add, flower lovers, you can share it with everyone in the comments section below. To learn more about growing flowers, you can follow Huajianke!