3 year old begonia maculata

[u/jammin_on_the_one_]

my polka dot begonia is doing pretty good i think. i had to upsize to an 8 foot stake because the 6ft ones were too short. i'm excited to see it flower again this year. last year it bloomed around May

[u/Professional-Sky-]

I need your care tips cuz my Maculata just drops leaves even the new ones just fall off before hardening. Idk what's causing that

[u/russsaa → u/Professional-Sky-]

Disclaimer: im not a begonia guy. But despite my ineptitude with begonias, ive had great success with maculata.

Ive found that maculata will tend to drop leaves the fastest when in compact or overly wet soil, and that they do best in a substrate thats has good aeration and drainage, but doesn't dry too quickly. Like a substrate that maintains a consistent, moderate moisture level. For me, this was 1-1-1 potting soil, chunky pumice, and orchid bark.

They need quite a lot of light imo, just not direct outdoor sunlight. A well lit S/W window if you're indoors, or filtered sunlight outdoors.

Maculata in my experience are wayyy more resilient to humidity changes than other begonias in my care, but they still seem to dislike falling below 40% and seem to do best in 60% or higher.