Hello, it's us, your begonias. First, we need you to understand a fundamental truth about our existence: we are not built for endless, year-round growth. When the days grow short and the light weakens, our internal processes slow down. This is not a sign of illness or neglect; it is our natural dormancy period. It is a deep, necessary rest, much like your sleep, where we conserve energy to burst forth again in spring. Pushing us to grow vigorously during this time with excessive water or fertilizer will only exhaust us and make us susceptible to pests and disease. Please, respect our need to sleep.
Though we are resting, we have not ceased to live. We still desperately need light, albeit less intensely than in summer. The weak winter sun is our lifeline. Place us in your brightest window, preferably facing east or south. Rotate our pots a quarter turn each time you water us to ensure all our leaves get their share and we don't start leaning desperately towards the light. Without enough light, we become weak, our stems elongate pathetically (a condition you call etiolation), and our vibrant leaf colors will fade. We are reaching for the sun because we are starving for it.
This is perhaps the most common way our relationship sours in winter. Our thirst changes dramatically. Because our growth has stalled and evaporation from our soil is slower in your heated home, we need far less water. You must let our soil dry out much more between drinks. Stick your finger into our soil up to the first knuckle—if it feels damp, wait. Soggy, cold roots in winter are a death sentence for us, leading to swift and fatal rot. We would much rather be slightly too dry than too wet. It is a kindness to let us rest in drier soil.
Your cozy winter home presents two major challenges for us: dry air and temperature shocks. We thrive in humidity, but your heating system creates a desert environment. This dry air crisps our leaf tips and makes us miserable. Please, cluster us together, place our pots on a pebble tray with water (ensure we are not sitting in the water), or occasionally mist the air around us. Furthermore, keep us away from both cold drafts and direct blasts of heat from vents or radiators. Sudden temperature fluctuations are incredibly stressful for our systems.
Since we are not actively growing, we have no need for fertilizer. Please stop feeding us from late autumn until early spring. Fertilizing us now is like being offered a heavy meal while we are trying to sleep; it will burn our roots and cause a harmful buildup of salts in the soil. This is also a good time for you to help us with grooming. Gently remove any yellowing or dead leaves. This not only keeps us looking tidy but also helps prevent fungal diseases and allows us to direct our limited energy to our healthiest parts.
