In our city apartments, it is the balcony that often becomes the oasis where constant summer reigns - plants turn green and flowers bloom.

Let's figure it out how to choose the right flowers for the balcony or loggias.

What kind of care do they require? How to protect them from diseases and pests?

In the southern regions of Russia, you can maintain a constant assortment of perennials on balconies, but in the middle and northern regions it is better to prefer annuals. However, a glazed and heated balcony will significantly increase your possibilities in choosing plants.

Flowers on a sunny balcony

If the balcony faces the south, sunny side, the overwhelming most balcony plants will bloom well and for a long time, with the exception of fuchsia and begonia: excessive sun suppresses them, they wither and sometimes do not bloom at all.

special “greed” for sun and warmth purslane, kobea, morning glory, dorotheanthus and dimorphotheca are exhibited. On cloudy days, the grandiflora purslane will not open its flowers, and in cool summers it blooms sparingly even on a southern balcony.

Daisies, asters, mignonette, dahlias, godetia, gatsania, heliotrope, balsam, lobelia, verbena, violas, sweet peas, morning glory, ampelous pelargonium, nasturtium - an excellent set for a sunny balcony.

African agapanthus and Indian canna feel great in tubs or large pots.

Place Tobacco Grandiflora, Elegant Zinnia and Drummond Phlox in one container and you have a lovely mini flower garden.

To have a balcony pleased with the flowering as early as possible, already in early May you should plant daisies, violas and ever-flowering begonia.

And so that flowering continued until the end of October, use asters, kobea, petunia, gatsania, lantana, tuberous begonia and sedum.

Flowers on a shaded balcony

Begonias, lobelias, fuchsias, mignonettes, and violas will bloom well in partial shade.

Marigolds, pelargoniums, nasturtiums and petunias will tolerate the lack of light. Calceolaria and ageratum are quite comfortable in the penumbra.

If the balcony is heavily shaded, limit yourself to tuberous begonia, daisies, violas, and nasturtium can decorate the balcony until frost, if not with abundant flowering, then with beautiful rounded leaves.

On high floors, where it is windy and there are constant drafts, it is better to use daisies, low-growing marigolds, ageratum, gatsania, sedum and ever-flowering begonia.

For vertical gardening inside balconies and loggias, ampelous varieties of lobelia, petunia, winged thunbergia, fuchsia, pelargonium and tuberous begonia are suitable.

Interesting balcony flowers and caring for them

And in conclusion, a few words about plants, sometimes undeservedly unclaimed in balcony floriculture.

Begonia

Queen of balconies.

The color range ranges from pure white to pink, yellow, salmon, bright red and crimson. Flowers are simple, semi-double and double on one plant.

Varieties with a height of 15 to 30 cm are suitable. Flowering from late May until October frosts. For the winter, the tubers are put into a cool room and stored until March in sand or peat chips at plus 8-12°C.

It is distinguished by large bell-shaped flowers of an exotic shape on long stalks, first colored green and later bluish-violet. There is a variety with white flowers.

This fast-growing summer plant, thanks to its tenacious and strong tendrils on its pinnate leaves, rises up several meters even on plastered walls, although it is more reliable to strengthen it on a sparse wire mesh or a support on a balcony box.

Blooms from June to October. It is afraid of cold weather, so it is planted after the end of spring frosts. Kobeya quickly plants large areas, although from a distance it looks much more modest than calceolaria or salvia.

Propagated by seeds, which are sown in March. Seedlings are planted at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other.

Attracts with its luxurious “mosaic” leaves and is easily propagated by cuttings.

Small-leaved balcony forms form a dense bush 20-40 cm high. The brightness of coleus leaves and its showiness in the near or distant plans outshine the brightly colored balcony flowers. Plants are planted in May at a distance of 20-30 cm. In August, coleus are cut and left to overwinter in a bright room. Reproduction by seeds is possible in February.

It blooms profusely and tirelessly with yellow flowers resembling bright balls. Plant height 30 cm.

It is enough to buy one plant to further provide a spectacular contrasting bright yellow tone for red pelargonium, salvia, petunia, blue and purple violas, blue ageratum and blue-violet heliotrope.

Propagates well in mid-summer by cuttings in a cool, bright room. They overwinter, like pelargoniums, in a room or frost-free room, and in mid-May they are planted on the balcony.

(Erika carnea), sometimes incorrectly called "heather", reaches 15-30 cm in height, has needle-shaped leaves and is recommended for southern regions and insulated balconies and loggias.

Various varieties bloom from January to March with white, pink and red flowers abundantly covering the tops of the shoots. For autumn flowering, the species Erika gracilis is recommended, blooming from September to November.

Early-flowering Erica is grown on calcareous soil, and late-flowering Erica is grown on a slightly acidic substrate, preferably on a mixture of marsh soil and peat.

Eriks overwinter in the middle zone in the basement, in frost-free loggias, and even in open ground under spruce branches and snow; in the southern regions - in open ground.

Notable for its radiant, shiny, orange-red (to bronze) flowers 7-8 cm in diameter with a dark spot at the base of the petals and a white eye.

Flowering from June to October. Unpretentious, resistant to winds. Height 20-40 cm. Seeds are sown in the room in March, seedlings are planted on the balcony in May. Close-up decoration.

Mini-garden for the balcony

Despite the very limited area, it is advisable to find a place on the balcony for a fragrant mini-garden, for which it is enough to plant two or three plants of mignonette, verbena, tobacco or heliotrope with a distinct aroma of vanilla.

It is useful to have a corner of herbs on the balcony: watercress, salad mustard, catnip, lemon balm, chervil, parsley, dill, savory, chives.

On the balcony in early spring it is quite easy to force perennial onions (onions, chives, onions), parsley, celery, parsnips, beets, rhubarb.

Plant compositions for balconies

When placing flowers in balcony boxes, the main thing is not to get carried away with the variety of colors: no more than two colors that harmonize well. Monochromatic red pelargoniums, fuchsias or salvias, pink petunias, white daisies, yellow or lilac violas are beautiful and laconic.

Two-color combinations of red salvias (petunias, zonal pelargoniums) on the side of the apartment and blue, white, purple petunias paired with yellow marigolds, mignonette, and blue ampelous lobelias on the street side are successful.

Instead of hanging plants, low-growing red-and-white fuchsias, pink ever-flowering begonias, blue petunias or ageratums can be placed in the outer row, and on the inner side - red tuberous begonias and yellow calceolarias, respectively. These options are suitable for semi-shaded and shady balconies.

To create a bright flower spot that attracts attention from the street, red and white pelargoniums, red salvias, yellow marigolds, calceolarias, and nasturtiums are good.

Up close, ageratum, mignonette, kobea, beans, lobelia, daisies, sedums, etc. are expressive.

Some plants are good only in the same type of planting: purslane, gatsania, godetia, celosia, eric, dimorphotheca, doronicum, nemesia, aster, dahlias, coleus, chrysanthemums and lantana.

Microclimate and seasons on the balcony

On insulated, frost-free balconies or loggias you can carry out a successful early spring forcing bulbs - crocuses, tulips and daffodils.

in autumn a number of ornamental plants from the garden will migrate to the balconies and will delight you with flowering all autumn (asters and chrysanthemums).

In summer The balcony will also be decorated with indoor plants that benefit from being in the fresh air: azalea, cyclamen, bromeliad, hydrangea, ficus, clivia, oleander, hippeastrum, agave, aloe, crassula, pomegranate, monstera, aspidistra, aucuba and cacti.

But indoor plants native to the humid tropics and subtropics do not tolerate open ground conditions (Saintpaulias, or Uzambara violets, peperomia, anthurium, royal begonia, philodendron, sansevieria and dieffenbachia); they only benefit from a glassed-in “dacha” and high air humidity.

Soil for balcony plants

Suitable for most flyers humus-rich compost soil with the addition of peat chips (10-20%) and liming material (ground egg shells). Summer plants such as sweet peas, asters, and chrysanthemums are especially sensitive to a neutral or slightly alkaline soil reaction.

Melissa, catnip, and bluebells prefer slightly alkaline soils (pH up to 7.0-7.5); azaleas, heathers, hydrangeas - acidic soils (pH 4.5-5), they are fertilized with superphosphate or potassium sulfate.

In general, the soil must have moisture permeability, for which river sand is added; be sufficiently moisture-absorbing, which is achieved by adding peat chips, and must be fresh and free from pathogens; in addition, the soil for balcony flowers must be changed annually.

It's important to remember that Earthen mixtures for indoor flowers are not suitable for balcony flowers containing too few nutrients. A three-meter balcony requires about 30 kg of soil mixture.

For summer gardens, you can use peat chips from briquettes, enriched with nutrients: it will provide easier care, retain moisture for a long time, weigh less and is free from pathogens. For perennials grown in tubs and pots, humus lumpy soil with turf and clay additives is preferable.

Unlike annuals, which require replacing old soil with fresh soil every year, perennials are transplanted into new soil after 2-4 years, with the exception of agapanthus: they prefer to remain in lived-in old pots for as long as possible, content with adding fresh soil.

Feeding balcony plants

Taking into account the limited feeding area and the rapid depletion of the soil substrate balcony flowers need more frequent feeding compared to garden ones. Complex mineral fertilizers with microelements (manganese, boron, molybdenum) are excellent for these purposes.

Fertilizing is carried out every 7-10 days, alternating with watering, using weak solutions (2-3 g per 1 liter of water). The first feeding is carried out 4-6 weeks after planting and rooting of seedlings. Feeding continues until the end of August.

Minimal fertilizing (once every 2-3 weeks) is given to nasturtiums, gatsania, purslane, sedums, godetia and dorotheanthus: on heavily fertilized soil they form many leaves to the detriment of flowering, or even do not bloom at all; purchased soil for them is diluted by 30% river sand.

How to plant balcony flowers

It is important not to thicken the flowers when placing them in boxes: the optimal distance between seedlings of dahlias, chrysanthemums, salvia, gazania, petunia, pelargonium, asters, lantana, tuberous begonia, fuchsia and celosia is 20-30 cm; for verbena, heliotrope, balsam, godetia, Drummond phlox, violas, zinnias, daisies, mignonette, marigolds and ever-flowering begonia - 12-15 cm; for fire beans and sweet peas - 10 cm.

It is important to remove flowers immediately after flowering, preventing the formation of ovaries, unless you need to collect seeds. When the flowering of ageratum, lobelia and nemesia weakens, it is important to trim the upper part of the plant, leaving only stems 3-5 cm high: they will soon form young shoots and flower buds.

Diseases and pests of balcony plants and how to deal with them

Provided the right location is chosen and proper care is taken, balcony plants are rarely affected by disease.

Reddish or yellow leaves on the edges occurs when the soil is very waterlogged (lack of drainage) or overdrying.

Scanty flowering may indicate an excess of nitrogen in the soil, and in combination with suppressed growth and yellowing of leaves - a lack of nutrients.

Plants can be damaged by pests.

Ugly, bent shoot tips and leaves covered with sticky sap, indicate an aphid invasion that occurs in dry, warm summers. Don’t rush to the store for pesticides, but don’t put off fighting pests: they multiply at an unprecedented rate and can quickly eat your entire flower garden. Sprinkle the affected plants with infusion of garlic, nettle, or, at worst, soap or washing powder.

Sometimes the leaves are eaten by caterpillars - remove them and destroy them. A mini-garden of spice herbs and planting marigolds will help repel pests. Finally, a tiny ladybug will complete the job.

In dry, warm summers, sometimes the leaves and stems become covered white powdery coating- true powdery mildew. Sprinkle the plants with a strong solution of potassium permanganate (15 g per bucket of water) or fermented infusion of fresh chopped garlic (40 g per bucket).

The most effective means of protection are, contrary to popular belief, not strong poisons that destroy pests and pathogens, but simple and generally available preventive measures that stimulate the plant to effectively defend itself.

Do not over-moisten the soil and do not thicken the plantings - your asters, marigolds, and lobelias will not get sick with blackleg and fusarium. Do not use acidified soils - get rid of rot. Every year, change the soil in the boxes with fresh soil - there will be no soil fatigue and pathogens.

Usually, double or triple picking of seedlings is required.

Recommended soil mixture options for sowing seeds for those who want to make them themselves: for tuberous begonias - leaf soil (1 part), peat soil (1 part), humus (0.5 parts), sand 1 part; for ever-flowering begonias - leaf soil (2 parts), humus soil (1 part) and sand (1 part). The pH of the mixture is within 6-6.5. Ready-made soil mixtures “For begonias” or “For gloxinias” are suitable for all types of begonias.

It is worth noting that seedlings on northern windows stretch out greatly, because begonia is a very light-loving plant. Therefore, plants need to be illuminated with fluorescent lamps.

Begonia blooms 6 months after sowing the seeds.

7. Signs of begonia diseases - what’s wrong with the plant?

The most common pests of begonias are aphids, nematodes and red spider mites. To prevent all plants from being affected by these pests, try to inspect the leaves and flowers from all sides from time to time and carry out treatment in a timely manner.

If all the foliage of begonias has turned yellow and softened, become limp and signs of rotting have appeared, this indicates an excess of water in the soil and too high air humidity.

If waterlogging occurs in late autumn in open ground, begonias can be affected by real and downy mildew. To prevent this disease, it is best to plant plants in a place protected from rain.

When the leaves on begonias turn yellow, this may indicate a lack of light, as well as insufficient or excessive watering of the plants.

Pale leaves are a sign of too much light.

If the stems become thin and there is little foliage on them, then the begonia is experiencing a lack of light.

When dry and curled leaves fall off plants, it means they are too hot. Spraying the air around the begonias and shading them from the sun will partially help cope with this problem.

Brown and dry leaf tips indicate low air humidity.

Bud drop is a sign of low air humidity or high soil moisture.

If a white coating appears on the leaves of the begonia, this may be a sign of powdery mildew disease. Remove all affected foliage and spray the plant with a fungicide according to the instructions. If possible, try to increase the air temperature and lower the humidity, as well as provide ventilation to the room where the begonias grow.

To prevent flower mold, it is advisable to remove faded flowers.

If begonia leaves become covered with brown spots, on which a gray coating then appears, this may be a sign of gray mold disease. Remove any infected leaves, spray the plants with a fungicide, and try to avoid high humidity in cool, shaded areas. If begonias are planted on balconies or loggias, it is advisable to ventilate the room.

Begonia often sheds its leaves due to sudden and frequent changes in air temperature.

Photo gallery | Author's notes Our summer vacation this year took place in the resort village of Shayan, Transcarpathian region in Ukraine. I would like to at least very briefly remind you what is interesting about Transcarpathia in terms of summer holidays. For curious people who have never been there, I think this is...

Begonia tuberous Young plants are planted at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other. They prefer soil mixtures with leaf humus and peat chips.

Hybrids of tuberous begonia develop well both in sunny places and in partial shade, which is important because the range of plants for shady places is usually limited. Therefore, it is recommended for windows and balconies with any orientation. For planting, it is advisable to choose a place protected from wind and heavy rain, because... Begonia has very fragile shoots that easily break in bad weather.

This type of begonia is propagated by both seeds and tubers.

In autumn, after flowering, the plants go into a dormant state, the above-ground part gradually dies off. 2 weeks after the stems have completely died, the tubers are removed from the ground, dried and placed in a box with sand or dry peat. Store them at a temperature of 8-14°C in a dry and dark room. The sand or peat is periodically moistened so that it does not dry out completely, but is slightly damp. The dormant period for tuberous begonias lasts 2-3 months, after which the tubers are again ready for planting.

Popular varieties

Due to the great popularity of tuberous begonia, seed companies do not stand aside - more and more new varieties appear every year. As a rule, companies offer entire series of plants, which include hybrids of various colors. It is very difficult to list all the popular collections. For now, let’s focus on begonias from the German company Benary, which have become widespread in recent years, which has more than a dozen series of these plants.

Series Illumination- garland begonia, which is characterized by high germination seeds , as well as short internodes, in each of which large double flowers are formed. The line is designed for hanging baskets. Plants grow well both in the sun and in shady places. The growing season is 18-20 weeks.

The series includes 8 hybrids: Apricot Shades Improved (apricot), White (white), Peaches "n Cream (yellow), Golden Picotee (yellow-red), Salmon Pink (salmon), Orange (red-orange), Rose ( red-pink) and Scarlet (fiery red).

I would like to note that Illumination White begonia has a high growth rate, and Illumination Apricot Shades Improved has flowers of various shades on one plant (from yellow to orange).

Tuberous begonia Illumination Peaches "n Cream	Begonia tuberous Illumination Golden Picotee

Series Nonstop- the leader among erect begonias. The height of the plant is 20 cm. The diameter of the flowers reaches 7-10 cm. Begonia is intended for growing in bright sun or partial shade. The growing season is 17-20 weeks. It will be a wonderful decoration for both apartments and balconies, as well as flower beds in the open ground.

The series consists of 9 hybrids: Red (red), Appleblossom (white-pink, flowers resemble the color of an apple tree), Rose Petticoat Improved (pink with red edges), Deep Rose (dark pink), Pink (pink), Yellow with Red Back (bright yellow), Yellow (yellow), Deep Salmon (salmon) and Orange (orange-red).

Begonia tuberous Nonstop Rose Petticoat Improved	Begonia tuberous Nonstop Pink

Begonia drooping

Begonia pendula or pendula is an ampelous variety of tuberous begonia, about 50 cm high, with simple or semi-double flowers up to 5 cm in diameter, from white to yellow and red. The recommended distance between seedlings is 25 cm. The cultivation technology is the same as for tuberous begonia. Popular varieties are Chanson Picotee and Cascade.

Begonia Chanson Bicolour Orange and Yellow	Begonia Chanson Pink

4. Bolivian Begonia

One of the types of begonia that tolerates bright sun well. The first shoots of this plant grow upward, and all subsequent shoots hang down, forming picturesque hanging “thickets”. The growing season lasts 14-17 weeks. If you want your Bolivian begonia to bloom in May, sowing must be done in January.

One of the common varieties of Bolivian begonia from Benary isSanta Cruz, which has excellent seed germination and good resistance to drought and rain. Over a long period, the plant is decorated with a large number of bright red bell-shaped flowers. Plant height is about 30 cm. Designed for growing in hanging baskets.

Care is the same as for tuberous begonia.

5. Begonia everblooming

A very common type of bushy, erect begonias with rounded, ovoid, shiny leaves up to 5 cm wide and up to 30 cm high. They differ from begonias in their tuberous shape and smaller flowers. The plants are unpretentious and easy to grow.

There are many interesting hybrids with leaves of various shades - from yellow-green to dark red. The flowers are simple or double from pure white to dark red in various shades and shapes with a diameter of up to 2.5 cm.

This is a type of begonia that can bloom throughout the year - in the fall the plant can be dug up from a flowerbed or removed from a balcony or terrace and used as an indoor plant. And in the spring you can plant it again in open ground or take it out to balcony .

Begonia everblooming does not tolerate hot and dry air, temperatures below 15°C, excessive watering and very bright sun, preferring partial shade. Well suited for western and eastern windows and balconies. The optimal growing temperature is 13-22°C, and during budding - 18-20°C. The soil should be predominantly sand. In winter, if pots with plants are brought indoors, water them moderately after the surface of the earthen ball has dried.

In flower beds, young plants are planted at a distance of 12-18 cm from each other. Easily roots from stem cuttings. As a rule, they are propagated by seeds.

Popular varieties

Series Cocktail- bestseller of flower markets around the world. Designed for sunny and shaded areas. Plants reach a height of 23 cm. The growing season is 13-15 weeks.

The series includes 6 hybrids, which have the names of different alcoholic drinks: Brandy (pale pink), Vodka (bright red), Gin (pink), Tequila (hot pink), Rum (white with red edges) and Whiskey (white ).

Begonia everblooming Cocktail Tequila	Begonia everblooming Cocktail Vodka

6. Propagation of begonias

Let me remind you that tuberous and Bolivian begonias reproduce both by seeds and tubers, and evergreen begonias by seeds. And you can propagate any begonias using cuttings, leaf and stem.

Tubers are planted from February to April. They are planted with the recess upwards in a moist universal peat-based soil mixture and maintain a temperature of 18-22°C. When the seedlings reach 4-5 cm, the seedlings are transplanted into 12 cm pots in an earth mixture consisting of equal parts of leaf soil, peat and sand. At the beginning of summer it can be planted in open ground. Begonias bloom 5 months after planting.

Further care consists of feeding, maintaining air humidity near the plants and tying them to supports. For better flowering of large male flowers, it is advisable to pluck out small female ones. In mid-October, the tubers are dug up, dried leaves and roots are torn off and stored in dry sand or peat at temperatures above 0°C.

Propagation by dividing old tubers

For propagation, you can also use old large tubers, which are first germinated and cut into pieces so that each of them has a sprouting bud. The cut surfaces are sprinkled with charcoal powder and left in the air for 24 hours to dry the cuts. Then in the spring they are planted, as in the previous case (see Planting new tubers).

Tubers take root after 3 weeks. And in the fall after digging, when the plants enter the dormant stage, they are dried at a temperature of 11-12°C. In general, begonia tubers “rest” for about 3 months.

Propagation by stem and leaf cuttings

Typically propagated from stem and leaf cuttings in spring and early summer. They are rooted in an earth mixture, which consists of sand or a mixture of sand (4 parts) and sphagnum (1 part) at a temperature of 20-22°C. Stem live baits are cut with 2-3 internodes. The bottom leaf is completely removed, and the top one is left at 2/3.

When propagating by leaf cuttings, cut leaves are deepened into the sand by 1.5-2 cm. After 10-20 days, live bait takes root. After another 1-2 weeks, they are transplanted into pots with a diameter of 7-9 cm in a universal substrate or soil mixture, which consists of leaf soil (1 part), turf soil (1 part), humus (2 parts) and sand (1 part).

Propagation by seeds

Begonia seeds are very small in size. They are collected in a wing-shaped capsule, which cracks when the seeds ripen. In open ground, the plant is pollinated by insects.

In enclosed spaces, pollination is carried out manually, artificially, if necessary. But it is worth remembering that hybrids (F1) are obtained by crossing begonias of certain parental forms, and when flowers of one hybrid are artificially pollinated at home, hereditary characteristics will not always be inherited. But to obtain seeds from non-hybrids or just for the sake of experiment, you can start seed production of these plants.

For this, uterine, well-developed and typical plants for this species are selected. Then, with a brush, pollen from the largest and most beautiful flowers is transferred to the pistils of female flowers. This procedure is repeated for 3-4 days. Seed ripening occurs within 2 months. After this, the boxes are cut off, in which the seeds ripen for another 3-4 weeks. If stored well, seed germination lasts up to 3 years.

Female begonia flower with future seeds	Ripe begonia boxes with seeds

Sowing of seeds is carried out in November (so that flowering begins in April) or in December-January (so that the plants begin to bloom in May-June). Due to their size, the seeds are usually sown in a mixture with sand or chalk.

For convenience, seed companies produce granulated seeds. They are sown in a universal soil mixture or made yourself using leaf soil. The seeds do not need to be sprinkled with soil, just moistened with water from a spray bottle.

Each year, the Dutch Flower Bureau awards the title "Summer Bulb Plant of the Year" to just one plant. To receive this title, a plant must not only stand out among others, but also comply as closely as possible with the trends of the time in garden design, have a memorable appearance and excellent character. And in 2016, begonia was declared a style icon. And this is no coincidence, because this colorful, long-flowering plant is a symbol of such a wonderful quality as balance. This is exactly what our modern, hectic world needs. Wonderful begonia flowers bring a smile to your face, give moments of joy, and lift your spirits. Plant these beautiful flowers in the spring, and in the summer you will be able to fully enjoy their beauty of blooming!

Colorful begonias of the Summerwings series form lush flowering bushes, behind the wall of flowers sometimes even the pot itself is not visible. They can instantly revive boring compositions.
From tropical rainforests to gardens

Begonia is native to the tropical rainforests of Asia, Africa and America, particularly tropical regions characterized by high humidity and plenty of light. Begonias were first discovered in 1690 in Haiti by Charles Plumier, who took part in a scientific expedition organized to study and collect plants in the Antilles. Charles was a botanist and an avid artist who made drawings of a hitherto unknown plant. He named the plant begonia in honor of his friend and mentor, the patron of natural sciences Michel Begon, who was intendant of the French colony of St. Domenic and later became governor of Canada. Thanks to Plumier's discovery, the beautiful rainforest begonia has become a wonderful addition to our gardens.

Family Begoniaceae

Perhaps some people believe that all begonias are alike. But that's not true! The Begoniaceae family is very diverse: quite complex in composition, but interesting! Plants boast flowers of a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. The family consists of two groups: begonias with erect shoots and hanging begonias. Erect species are characterized by rigid, erect stems. In this group, three more subgroups can be distinguished: begonias with double, small and single flowers. Hanging begonias are characterized by drooping flowers, which makes them great for growing in hanging planters or tall vases. They belong to the pendula group of begonias (Begonia pendula). In ampelous begonias, large-flowered and small-flowered varieties are distinguished.

Begonia "Picotee Lace"

Begonia pendula "Illumination Apricot"

Begonia pendula "Cascade Odorosa Yellow"

Begonia pendula "Illumination White"
Boarding time

Begonia tubers are planted in a pot from February to May - it all depends on when you want to get a flowering plant. If you plant them in January - February, you can admire the flowering already in June. In this case, the tubers must be planted in pots or balcony boxes, which should be kept indoors. And only after the threat of a return of late spring frosts has passed, the pots with the plant can be taken out into the open air. When planting in May, the tubers are planted directly in open ground. In this case, the plants will bloom in August. The tubers should be placed in the hole so that the concave side faces up and the smooth side faces down. Then the tubers are covered with a layer of soil.

Begonias of the Summerwings series: Balcony landscaping for the laziest

Begonias are considered easy plants to grow and care for, but the hardiest varieties are, without any doubt, the Summerwings series of hanging begonias, obtained in 2008 by crossing with the undemanding Bolivian begonia (Begonia boliviensis).

This summer promises to be hot - regardless of weather conditions! From May to October, countless flowers of the ampelous begonia ‘Summerwings’ appear in all shades of flame and sun, cascading beautifully downwards, elegantly rising above the bright foliage and igniting a fiery passion in hanging planters, vases or balcony boxes. The ‘Dark Elegance’ variety looks especially impressive: the contrast of light red flowers with a “fiery temperament” and beautiful jagged dark green foliage shimmering with dark red shades gives the summer beauty a truly extravagant look.

Begonia 'Dark Elegance' seduces with its exciting and at the same time harmonious play of colors in combination with Calibrachoa, morning glory (Ipomoea batatas, for example, the Sweet-Heart series), Pennisetum 'Rubrum' (Pennisetum) with red-brown spike-shaped panicles .

Modest flowers of soft pink, white and vanilla shades are a breath of freshness for hot days

Anyone who is obsessed with the idea of ​​landscaping a balcony or terrace with easy-to-care ampelous begonias of the new generation, but at the same time loves simplicity, will like the light shades of varieties such as 'Summerwings Rose', 'Summerwings White' or 'Summerwings Vanille', the flowers of which shimmer like silk. Their delicate and graceful flowers above light green, narrow foliage, like all Summerwings begonias, exude a feeling of freshness and purity.

The soft pink begonia Summerwings 'Rose' makes a lovely patio addition.


Snow-white begonia "Summerwings White" forms a spectacular cascading garland consisting of numerous flowers.
Abundant flowering for sunny and shady corners - a versatile plant

Who else can look so dazzlingly beautiful? Should it be Diva? The new hanging begonias have absorbed the best qualities: their lush bushes with slightly drooping shoots, entwining flower pots and columns, instantly transform them into flowering balls. These plants are very hardy and surprisingly easy to care for. They bloom equally well in shade or full sun. Even a temporary drought does not stop the growth of begonias decorating balconies and terraces.

Whether it’s a tapeworm shimmering in the bright sun, or a composition of sorrel ‘Burgundy Wine’ (Oxalis), begonia ‘Summerwings Orange’ always attracts attention.
Tips for more abundant blooms

Despite their unpretentiousness, there is still something that begonias do not like: stagnation of water. Therefore, select your substrate carefully. It should be loose, light and breathable. It is important not to forget about the presence of drainage holes in the container in which the plants will be planted. In addition, before filling the container with soil, do not forget to pour a drainage layer of gravel or expanded clay at least 10 cm thick at the bottom. Regular fertilizing, which should be carried out once or twice a week, adding liquid fertilizers in water for irrigation.

Translation: Lesya V.
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garden center "Your Garden"