How to Troubleshoot House-Plant Problems

By Tracy Morris, eHow Contributor

When your house plant starts to turn yellow, wither and drop leaves and flowers, the trouble could be anything from over-watering to under-watering. Diagnosing house-plant troubles is a little like diagnosing an illness. You have to know what your patient needs. However, unlike human beings, there are thousands of species of houseplants. Each one has different needs. The first step is to know everything there is to know about your house plant.

Instructions

1. • 1
     Identify your plant by looking thorough a plant guide book or on the Internet for a description of your plant.
   • 2
     Write down the plant's requirements, including the type of soil that the plant needs to be planted in, light requirements that the plant needs to grow strong, the amount of water that the plant needs to thrive and the types of fertilizer that the plant requires.
   • 
     
   • 3
     Check these requirements against the conditions that you have provided for your plant. If the plant's growth seems spindly and the plant grows bent toward the light source, the plant may not receive enough light. Plants with crisp leaves may not be receiving adequate water, while plants with soft brown growth may receive too much water. If the tips of the plant's leaves are brown, it may be receiving too much fertilizer.
   • 4
     Check the pot itself for soil condition. If the soil is incorrect for the plant, this may cause the plant to receive too little or too much water. If the plant is root-bound, it may not receive enough water and may need to be repotted.
   • 5
     Examine the plant for unusual discoloration or mildew on its foliage; it may have contracted a plant pathogen. Check your plant's description for any pathogens that it is susceptible to. You can also check plant guidebooks for photos or drawings of common plant pathogens such as leaf gall, leaf spot or powdery mildew.
   • 6
     Take photos of your plant for ease of identification. Use the macro setting on your camera for detailed photos.
   • 7
     E-mail or call your local county extension service agent or check with a plant-oriented message board for a diagnosis. You can send your digital picturesfor an easy identification.

Hoya meliflua ssp. fraterna

Hoya meliflua ssp. fraterna has extremely large leaves that match the size of its name.  I have never seen it bloom in the four years that I have had it, and recently learned that it is very difficult to get to bloom.  I keep this plant around only because the leaves are very cool to look at.  I tried it in the main house, and it quickly went down hill without the humidity of the plant room – I had to move it back in.  If you are looking for a large leafed Hoya that is a real challenge to bloom, have the heat, and humidity to spare, this could be a good plant for your collection!  I just managed after four years of hard work to bring this plant into bloom.  It finally happened in a artificially lit grow tent.

How to Grow Cane-Type Begonias

By Jon VanZile, About.com Guide

Cane type begonias are some of the world's best performing and easiest begonias to grow. They are second only to wax begonias in their ease of culture, and second to none in their beauty. By far the best-known cane type begonias are the angel wing begonias, which grow on upright stems with interesting leaves and magnificent displays of pendant and drooping flowers. The dragon wing begonia, another beauty, also belongs in this category. In terms of culture, these are not particularly difficult to grow and can thrive indoors, providing you meet a few basic requirements.

Growing Conditions:

Light: Bright, indirect light year-round. They are not as sensitive to direct light as Rex begonias, but cannot handle the direct sunlight of a wax begonia.

Water: Water when the soil dries through the first half-inch, water thoroughly and let drain. Provide lots of humidity.

Temperature: Average to warm (and humid). As with all begonias, they do not like cold drafts and cannot tolerate freezing.

Soil: Airy, light, fast-draining soil.

Fertilizer: Use liquid fertilizer weekly at quarter strength or biweekly at half strength. During blooming in later winter or spring, switch to high-phosphorous fertilizer.

Propagation:

Angel wing and cane-type begonias are very easy to propagate from cuttings. When new growth begins to emerge in the spring, carefully remove a two- the three-inch leaf-tip cutting that doesn't have blooms on it and insert into potting soil, then keep moist and warm until new growth begins. A rooting hormone will increase the chances of success, but it's not strictly necessary as they readily root from cuttings under the right circumstances. As with other hybrids, these will not reproduce accurately from seed, so only grow begonia from seed if you're sure of the seed source (a seed company, for example).

Repotting:

Angel and dragon wing begonias seem to really thrive when they are slightly pot-bound. When repotting is necessary, such as when the plant has exhausted its potting media or the pot is tipping over, shift to a slightly smaller pot and refresh the potting soil. These plants can grow large (more than 36" tall), and larger plants may have somewhat brittle stems. Stake up larger plants to prevent damage to their canes as the foliage is highly attractive. Repot in early spring, just as the first flush of new growth appears. Do not attempt to repot a plant in bloom, however, as the shock will cut short the flowering.

Varieties:

The angel wing begonia is a Begonia x corallina, and it has served as the basis of an extensive, long-term hybridizing program. As a result, there are dozens of named hybrids, as well as various species that loosely fall into the cane-type category. Look for hybrids with attractive leaves and lots of unopened blooms. Favorites include the 'Lucerna' and 'Carriere.' All the angel wing begonias have similar growing requirements, so treat them all the same. The dragon wing begonia (based on B. descoleana) is a similar cane-type begonia that thrives on the same treatment as angle wing begonias.

Grower's Tips:

Whereas other begonias might require a more careful touch, the angel wing begonias seem perfectly suited for indoor culture, providing you can give them the warmth and humidity they require. In winter time, they can even tolerate some direct sunlight and look great on a windowsill with a collection of winter-blooming plants (including the Rieger begonia). To keep your collection fresh, take cuttings every spring and discard leggy adult plants—they have a tendency toward leginess if conditions are less than ideal, especially if they are cold and drafty.

How to Grow Rex Begonia Species

By Jon VanZile, About.com Guide

Among the various types of begonias, the B. Rex are some of the most beautiful and stunning plants. Sometimes called painted-leaf begonias or fancy-leaf begonias, these plants are known for their showy, sometimes jaw-dropping leaf coloration. They frequently have large leaves (up to 6 in. long) that are brightly colored in various shades of green, red, silver, and even purple. These plants are grown almost exclusively for their foliage—their blooms tend to be small and less showy, so many growers pinch off blooms to maintain breathtaking leaf displays. Some types of Rex begonias go into dormancy during the winter.

Growing Conditions:

Light: Bright, indirect light year-round. Because they are not aggressive bloomers, they can tolerate less light than other begonias and will thrive under fluorescent lights.

Water: Rex begonias like even water, but hate being overwatered, and they thrive on humidity, but don't like direct misting, which encourages powdery mildew.

Temperature: Average to warm (and humid). They cannot tolerate freezing, and some types of Rex begonias go into a dormant period during the fall.

Soil: Airy, light, fast-draining soil.

Fertilizer: Use liquid fertilizer weekly at quarter strength or biweekly at half strength.

Propagation:

The vast majority of begonias offered in the trade are hybrids and thus cannot be accurately propagated from seed. Rhizomatous begonias can be easily propagated by rhizome division during repotting, while almost all begonia species will readily sprout from leaf-tip cuttings. A rooting hormone can help the cuttings sprout. Rex begonias can also be propagated by pinning a leaf down to the bedding mix and making small incisions in the leaf veins, or by inserting a leaf (with a petiole) directly into soil.

Repotting:

Rex begonias are rhizomatous plants that grow from a shallow and knobby rhizome. As such, they do best in large, relatively shallow pots where the rhizome has room to spread. As long as there is still growing room in the pot, the begonia should be considered happily potted. When the rhizome begins to butt up against the pot side, however, it's time to repot into a fresh pot with fresh soil. Divide the rhizome at potting time to increase your plant stock. As with all begonias, don't soak the soil of newly potted plants, but do keep it lightly moist and warm.

Varieties:

Begonia rex is the basis for many hundreds of hybrids, and its forms are too numerous to count. The resulting hybrids are often known in the trade only by fancy trade names dreamed up by growers looking to market their plants. As a result, you might find the same crosses named two different things in different garden centers! One interesting and beautiful begonia that's often included with the Rex begonias as a foliage begonia is the B. masoniana, or iron cross begonia. This beautiful plant was introduced to cultivation in 1952 and has puckered leaves with a dark cross in the middle. It's available in various colors.

Grower's Tips:

Because these are primarily foliage plants, careful cultivation is a must to really realize their full beauty. As with other begonias, the Rex and foliage begonias enjoy the same humid, gentle environment of understory ferns. Be especially careful of directly spraying the leaves, as standing water will encourage powdery mildew, which is a disaster on a plant meant to be viewed. Even the best Rex specimen can only be expected to thrive for a few years, but because they propagate so easily, it's a simple matter to keep a steady supply of healthy plants by taking new ones every year.