How To Bring Rex Begonia Back To Life?

If your begonia rex is looking a little sad and sorry for itself, you are probably wondering how to bring rex begonia back to life.

Luckily for you, this is easier than you might imagine, and it shouldn’t take too long for your plant to get back to its former glory!

How To Bring Rex Begonia Back To Life

The great thing about a rex begonia is that it really, REALLY wants to grow and thrive. This means that it is pretty responsive to things you do to try and save it!

These plants are mainly grown for their leaves, so adding a fertilizer that is designed to support foliage is always a good idea.

Use a fertilizer that has high levels of Nitrogen, to give your little rex a better chance at growing well.

If the plant flowers, it is using up a lot of energy that could be put into the leaves – you can pinch these out as soon as they appear, if you love your begonia for its leaves.

Adding more humidity to the air can bring a rex begonia back from the brink – they thrive in warm, humid environments.

Rex begonia can struggle in areas with “hard” water – this contains mineral salts which the plant finds it difficult to process.

Using distilled or spring water instead can make a huge difference if your rex begonia is struggling.

This article shows you the best ways to care for rex begonia, and some things you can try if your plant appears to be struggling.

Will My Rex Begonia Come Back?

Some houseplants are extremely fussy, and the slightest thing will kill them. Rex begonia is far more tolerant!

If your plant has been having some issues, you can generally get it back to its former glory by simply ensuring that it has its favorite conditions.

Bright, indirect light is one of the main factors in growing rex begonia well. They need plenty of light but not direct sunlight.

Humidity is another factor to consider – up your humidity by placing a tray of wet clay pebble beneath your plant’s pot.

A little feed can help them immensely – just a multipurpose fertilizer to give them a little extra boost of nutrients fortnightly is a great bet.

Removing spent growth will also help your rex begonia; fallen or drooping leaves will not help the plant thrive so they should be removed.

This video will give you hope, if your rex begonia is looking worse for wear:

Do Rex Begonias Go Dormant In Winter?

All plants have a period of slower growth in the winter – this is because there is less available sunlight, and the plant is preserving its energies for the spring.

Rex begonia is no exception! It will not produce as much vigorous growth in the winter, and at times it may seem as though it is not growing at all.

Some of these plants will even droop a little, or shed some leaves in the winter – but don’t panic, it should bounce back in the spring.

If your begonias are outdoor plants, you may need to give them a little extra TLC to ensure they get through the cold season unscathed.

If you grow your begonias indoors, simply make sure that they are not left in a place that gets cold droughts.

You will not need to water so often in the winter; about once every 10 days should be enough – but keep an eye on the soil and water if it gets dried out.

You can stop feeding them in the winter – the plant will not be using as much nutrients, and adding more will simply clog the soil and be wasted.

Don’t worry if your plant starts to slow or even look a little sad in the winter – this is perfectly normal and natural, and it should be back to itself come the spring.

Why Is My Rex Begonia Not Doing Well?

There are many factors that can cause your rex begonia to struggle. The good news is that it should bounce back if you can give it its preferred conditions!

• Too much water. I know you love your plants, but are you killing them with kindness? Make sure the soil is not soggy and it should improve.
• Not enough water. These plants like to be kept moist, so if it does not have enough to drink then it will not do well.
• Direct sunlight. Yes, I know that this is a tropical plant – but it won’t thank you for leaving it in the glare of the sun!
• Hard water. If you live in a hard water area, your rex begonia may struggle as it cannot cope with the mineral salts left when the water evaporates.

How Do You Stimulate Begonia Growth?

Keeping this little plant happy is not too difficult, but sometimes you may want to give it a little boost.

• Ensure that it is growing in well-draining, peat-free compost for the best results. You don’t need specialist begonia compost; multipurpose is fine.
• Keep it well watered – not enough to cause root rot, but just enough so that the growing medium is consistently moist.
• Feed it weekly with a good fertilize that promotes leaf growth – tomato feed is ideal for begonias (no, it won’t make them produce fruit!)
• Remove any old, spent leaves that are drooping or dying. This will allow the plant to focus its energies on healthier leaves.
• Bright, indirect light promotes growth, so ensure it is growing in a bright spot where the leaves are not in danger of being burnt.
• Keep an eye out for pests like aphids and mealybugs – these love to feast on begonia leaves, so removing them is a priority.
• Remove any fallen leaves as soon as possible – leaving them can encourage mould and rot and cause damage to your plant.

As you can see, bringing a begonia back from the brink shouldn’t be too difficult, and once you do it should reward you by being its happy, beautiful self again.

Now that you have some good ideas on how to keep this plant happy and healthy, you can enjoy it for a long time to come!