Do I need to pinch begonia and how to do it

Content:

What is pinching for?
When to pinch begonia
Do all begonias need to be cut
Pinching tools
How to pinch: ways
How to care for a flower after the procedure

Begonia is a plant suitable for both indoor and outdoor cultivation. The culture reacts positively to good lighting, especially at the time of active growth and flowering, but prefers diffused light. Hypothermia and drafts worsen the condition of the flower. The best place for begonias is the window sills located on the western or eastern part of the room.

Beginner growers often ask if you need to pinch begonia. Pinching - Trimming the branches of shoots and buds located at the top or directly at the end of the plant stem. For begonias, this procedure is as mandatory as timely pruning of the plant.

Begonia flowers

What is pinching for?

Formation is a necessary and very important point in plant care. Regular pruning is carried out not only for beauty, but also for rejuvenation and recovery. When the flower reaches 8-10 cm in height, the first sanitary pruning is carried out. Pinching the upper parts helps the shoots to branch out, thanks to this, a lush bush is formed. If the moment was missed, the following activities will help:

Pinching the top of the plant by 4-5 cm.
Shortening of lateral shoots, their length should be about half the size of the main stem.

Correct flower formation

Florists most often use two methods of forming a bush: pruning and pinching. If you pinch off the top of the plant, shorten the shoots and stems, you can not only create a lush crown, but also achieve abundant flowering.

Before pruning begonia, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic rules:

Do not prune young flowers. They do not yet have old shoots to be removed.
Pruning is carried out mainly for bush varieties. Otherwise, they retain a tendency to shrinking foliage and a rapid growth of green mass.

Flowering begonia vulgaris

To give a beautiful shape, it is necessary to pinch the apical stems in a timely manner. The choice of how to form begonia depends on the plant variety.

Remember! Pinching the apical kidney stimulates instant activation of the "sleeping" lateral ones.

When to pinch begonia

The pinching procedure can be performed twice a year:

in spring, always before budding;
in summer, immediately after all flowers have fallen off.

Petunias ampelous - when and how to pinch

Also, pruning and pinching are carried out as the branches are pulled out. What if the begonia is stretched out? Cut it off urgently. The formation is carried out regularly and gradually. The first time such procedures are done immediately after purchasing a flower, having previously determined the shape of the flower.

Remember! Transplanting and pruning cannot be carried out at the same time. The plant may not stand up to double stress.

If there is no constant care for the plant, then it grows and turns into a formless "something". In addition to the nondescript appearance, there is a depletion of the stem and shoots. Leaf plates are reduced, flowers do not form or become very small.

Unkempt plant

In late autumn, before winter pruning, it is necessary to significantly reduce the frequency and intensity of watering the flower. When the first signs of leaf drying appear, the entire aerial part is cut off. Above ground level, you must leave no more than 2 cm of the stem.The place for wintering is selected as carefully as possible: the temperature in the room should not be higher than +15 degrees; complete lack of sunlight is encouraged.

Important! The tubers of an adult plant can be stored in winter not only in the flower pot in which it grew. Most often, flower growers use boxes with dry sand and peat for these purposes.

You can use the basement, a darkened loggia, or hide the flower in the closet. Even during the dormant period, begonias must be observed: the soil must not be allowed to dry out. Florists advise pruning in October. For a normal rest of an adult plant, you need at least six months. The awakening of the flower occurs, as a rule, at the very end of February or at the beginning of March.

Remember! The growth of a young flower practically stops in winter. The ability to preserve stems and leaves is inherent only in some types of begonias.

Do all begonias need to be cut

Begonia leaves dry - what to do

The following varieties are not pruned:

Royal Rex and all its hybrid subspecies;
Eternal blooming.

Pinching tuberous begonia is a must. For the normal development of the plant, it is carried out before winter. Thanks to this, the tuber rests and is at rest. It is from it that new young shoots will grow in the future. The rest of the varieties are pruned exclusively at will.

Royal begonia is not pinched

Thick-stemmed varieties should only be pruned in extreme cases. Most often, pinching is done to give the flower a beautiful shape.

Additional Information. Ampel varieties are categorically not recommended to be cut, but pinching the tops will help the formation of the flower crown.

Pinching tools

How to transplant begonia to a new location

Experienced growers advise cutting and pinching using only sharp tools. For these purposes, you can use a knife, scissors or garden pruner. It is strongly not recommended to use ordinary office scissors for trimming and pinching. The use of unsuitable tools can cause plant disease.

On a note! Pinching with your hands can damage the stem.

How to pinch: ways

Pinching is performed to give a certain shape to the crown of the plant. It can be a ball, pyramid or bush.

To give bushiness, you need to perform the following actions:

For the first time, pinch off the top at a height of 5 cm. This procedure stimulates and accelerates the growth of lateral shoots.
When the lateral stems reach 12 cm, the procedure is repeated.
When the desired result is obtained, you need to cut out the inner branches and side shoots from time to time. This will help keep the begonia in shape for a long period.

Cutting technology

To figure out how to properly prune begonia, you need to understand in what cases it is needed:

Pruning of flowering shoots is carried out in ornamental plant varieties.
When dry and damaged branches and leaves appear, they must be urgently removed. This procedure is carried out to avoid the appearance of diseases and pests.
Pruning a flower before winter is a prerequisite for any plant that is dormant in cold weather.

Advice! If the begonia has stopped growing for some unknown reason, you need to cut off the bud on the upper stem in order for the growth process to resume.

How to care for a flower after the procedure

The pinching of begonia can be capital, sanitary, or apical. Timely carrying out of the procedure will allow to preserve the decorative appearance of the plant for a long time and increase its life.

Having figured out whether it is necessary to pinch the begonia, it is important to understand that caring for the plant does not end there. After the procedure, it is necessary to reduce watering and reduce its frequency. The restoration of the intensity of watering is possible only after the appearance of new shoots.

Leaving after pinching

Top dressing after pruning begonias is not required.The cuts are treated with charcoal, this promotes the speedy healing of cuts. For the first time, fertilizers are introduced when new shoots appear.

On a note! Even one begonia tuber has several growth buds. Accordingly, even with a single planting, a powerful and beautiful bush is formed.

Any kind of begonia can become an accent in the interior. Bright large flowers of ampelous varieties look like a bright waterfall. Tuberous species, due to their bushy shape, will give a feeling of comfort and warmth.

Begonia in the interior

Among newcomers to florists, there is an opinion that begonia is an extremely capricious plant. It will undoubtedly take a lot of effort to create a beautiful flower, but the result is worth it.