Begonia Cultivation

 

Shade - Loving Begonias

Begonias are available as tubers and as bedding plants in late spring through summer. In most parts of the country, plants grown from tubers, as well as plants that have been lifted and stored over winter, should be started indoors. They should be planted out into the garden after the threat of frost has passed. They will flower 12 to 15 weeks from start-up.

1. Select tubers that are firm to the touch.

2. To get earlier blooms, start begonias growing indoors about six weeks before your planting-out date, the date in your area when the threat of night frosts is past. Choose clean containers (at least 2-3 inches deep) with a drainage hole. Good drainage is essential. Use a commercial potting soil mixed with equal parts peat moss and a drainage material such as sand or perlite.

3. Place tubers in the soil mix with the rounded sides pressed gently onto the surface of the soil. Cover with about a 1/2 inch of soil. Space the tubers about 2-3 inches apart.

4. A warm humid setting is optimal for promoting growth. Keep soil moist, but not wet. Never let it dry out completely.

5. When shoots reach 6-inches tall, transplant the begonias to the garden or outdoor containers. (By this time the threat of frost should be past.)

1. Tuberous begonias also may be planted directly into the garden.

2. Keep in mind, they do not like hot sun. In warm climates, place plants in beds that receive filtered, indirect sunlight. Keep away from direct sunlight, midday heat and out of the wind. In cooler climates, direct morning and afternoon sun is okay, but avoid windy areas. Wind can dry out the plants.

3. Most upright-flowering plants will need staking. Be careful not to damage the roots with the stake. Apply ties gently to prevent stem injury.

4. For container plantings, tuberous begonias do not like much root space. Depending on the size of the plant, an 8-inch pot is plenty large for individual plants. Keep sun and heat restrictions in mind when selecting a location. (Hanging baskets are especially susceptible to being dried out in a windy location.)

 

Begonias in shade

5. Keep moist, but don’t over water. Never let the soil dry out. Water the soil only and not the plant. A light application of houseplant fertilizer is recommended about once a month.

6. Pinching leggy plants promotes stronger stems and better flowers. The time to pinch (nip off extra or too-long stems) is when plants are developing. Keep the strongest three stems and nip off any others. Potted showpiece begonias look best with fewer (thus larger) flowers, so pinch off early developing flowers (until the plant reaches 10 inches) to promote sturdy growth and fewer buds. For bedding plants, pinch off only the first few buds as flower size is less important as mass display.

7. In fall when night frosts hit, begonia season is over. Either bid begonias adieu as annuals or, prior to a killing frost, lift the tubers for over-winter storage. To store: after letting the tubers dry off for several days, layer them in peat or vermiculite in a cool dry place (45° to 50° F). In spring, replant plump, healthy tubers for another season of bloom.

Privacy Policy - We do not share any of your personal information with anybody, not now, not later on, period. There are numerous products listed here that are trademarks of Growquest. All other products mentioned are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies. Questions or problems regarding this web site should be directed to Surf and Sierra Wholesale Nurseries, LLC. Copyright © 1999-2008 . All rights reserved.