Planting Begonia Tubers
Prepare seed trays or small clean pots about 2 to 3 inches deep with good drainage holes
with a commercial potting mix, mix it with equal parts of peat moss and perlite.
Place each tuber hollow side up just below the soil level. The tuber should have no more
than half an inch of light soil covering it. (They rot easily if planted too deep.) Water
the tubers once really well, to get them started, and place them in a warm, bright spot
where the temperature will never fall below 16-17 ° C (60 ° F). Cover the
freshly-planted tubers with paper or polythene to promote growth, but remove the covering
as soon as growth appears. Do not water again until some growth appears or the soil is
dry. Some begonias will sprout right away others will take weeks; generally, expect to see
growth shoots in five to six weeks.
Once They're Growing
Once the shoots are showing, water regularly, never allow the soil to dry out. Give
maximum light, but shade from direct sun. Applying liquid plant food will improve your
Begonias' growth; feed them with half strength balanced fertilizer the first time when
their leaves and stems are about 3 inches tall, wait two weeks, and then start a regular
feeding schedule. When the shoots are 6 inches tall, the Begonias are ready to be
transplanted to the garden or outdoor containers. Don't put them outdoors, though, until
all danger of frost has passed, and remember to harden them off properly.
General Care
Tuberous Begonias thrive in partial to full shade and need well-drained soil. They need to
be kept away from hot sun and drying winds. As they dislike dry conditions, they'll need
to be watered generously, especially during hot weather. Keep their soil moist but not
soggy; the tubers will rot if they get too much water. Always water the soil around the
plants rather than the plants themselves, if possible, to avoid mildew, and at the first
sign of a white patch on any of your begonias' leaves, apply a fungicide right away. Feed
Begonias with a well-balanced plant food every 2 to 3 weeks.
For appearance's sake, pinch off extra or too-long stems as the plants are developing,
keeping the three strongest stems and pinching off the others. Large flowered Begonias
look best with fewer, larger flowers, and you don't want your begonias to get leggy. Pinch
off the early developing flowers, too, until the plants are 10 inches tall.
If you're growing pendant types and want to make sure they have lots of branches to
cascade down from their pots, pinch out the primary growing tip when the plant is about 2
inches tall.
You'll also want to remove spent flowers on a regular; removing wilted leaves and
flowers encourages them to produce more blooms.
Copyright ©
2004-2007 Dieter L Pietryka |
