Do you remember why you grew tuberous begonias

kdjoergensen

19 years ago

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Comments (9)

sallyc
19 years ago
great pictures! If I dig up my begonias will they come back next year? How should I store them. Thank You
kdjoergensen
Original Author
19 years ago
If you have tuberous begonias, you can lift them and put them in a cool but frost free place with indirect light (even a garage is fine, light is not critical). Let the foliage die back, and then store the tubers dry and frost free for the winter. the cooler you can store them the better. avoid moisture.

I have had good experiences leaving them in the soil that they grew in, but you can even dust off the dry soil from the tubers and store them in dry peat for the winter, if you prefer.
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What to do with leggy tuberous begonias
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Thanks from me too! I have four Non-stop begonias that I brought in for the winter, to grow as houseplants, and one nearly died, the other three are very leggy. This fall, I will let the tubors go dormant, I think. So, for this summer, I should stake about every other leaf section (boy, I need to learn the terminology! please excuse me,) tying securely to the stake, with not too much wiggle room? Is that correct? Would pantyhose make good ties, or would they be too loose? This is my first experience with tuberous begonias, and I am so thrilled they have survived the winter. Usually, to become a houseplant under my care is a death sentence. lol!! I'm going to start re-introducing them to the outdoors any day now. I'll start with a very protected spot, especially since I don't have the room to stake them upright in the house. They are currently on a three-shelf plant stand, under a flourescent light, next to an east window. Our house has three foot overhangs, and a huge spruce outside that window. It was the best I could do. Sorry to go on so long. Thanks again for all the help. I have been lurking here for some time, trying to figure it all out. I am amazed by all of the wonderful folks, who have such beautiful plants, and are so knowledgeable. Jean
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How to keep/store tuberous begonias
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Comments (6)
Linnea, Next fall, let your begonia be touched by frost. Much like dahlia, the frost will kill the foliage. That's your cue to bring them in --- to a garage or other place, where they have the stalks removed, flowers go too, and let them dry for a couple days before they go into storage. Just like geraniums, they can be stored where it is cool, dark, and dry. There left to spend the winter. No sprinkling, no water of any kind, no light which can initiate growth, no heat...just cool, in the range of 38 - 50ÂºF.... AT this time you might make note of the color of the flower on each bulb so that next spring, you can plant accoridng to that wish. If the bulb doesn't have a particular look showing which side is up, put them on a shelf designating which end had the roots. Most times though you can feel the concave end---that's the top. Old roots too can give it away. Now I believe the frost treatment allows the bulb to send its starches and sugars back down into the bulb....much like why we let the tulips wilt on the vine, to do the same. The next spring, the bulb has all the energy that wasn't destroyed by removing the foliage too soon. If the begonia goes inside to enjoy the bloom for as long as it will, then do much the same, remove the foliage, let it dry, then store it where cool. As far as why the foliage wilted, the distinct temperature change from out of doors to indoors, is probably what caused it. Keep cutting back the water and let the bulb use less and let it go dry.
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Tuberous begonias, why do we grow them?
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Comments (2)
When I worked at Wight's in Lynnwood briefly during the 1980s, the ones they were getting were the Non-Stop Series. These would start mildewing right in the nursery. Non-Stop was supposed to mean they offered uninterrupted flowering, but it soon seemed it actually meant relentless mildewing was to come. Later I got the impression this Series was more prone than others, when my mother used to grow tuberous begonias it wasn't much of a factor - don't remember hers mildewing much, if at all.
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Do You Remember What The First Thing You Ever Sewed?
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Comments (34)
I think the first real item I made was a yellow plaid roll-up sleeve blouse in Home Ec. I had no clue that matching plaids would be that involved. Since I was in high school in the 60's I remember making a 2 piece lined wool suit like Jackie Kennedy and of course had the matching pill box hat. Next I made a dress out of a pretty green dotted swiss. We didn't have room to cut out our garments in the Home Ec. cottage so we were taken into the cafeteria to use those tables. When I started making my dress I realized that I had not only lost the back pattern piece to my skirt but also the fabric. My Mother and I went back to the store to buy more but they were out of that color. I ended up replacing the back of my skirt with white organdy and applied a white bow in the back of the waist. What had started out as a rather plain dress became a nice church dress which I wore for quite a while. The dress that gave me such fits turned out to be a favorite of mine. Now I really LOVE to sew and also enjoy "thinking outside the box". Some things are made special because of the work involved. It makes you appretiate the results.
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ego45
19 years ago
Great pictures.
Some of mine:
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amazondoc
19 years ago
I bought a few cheap tuberous begonias for the first time this summer -- and they've done surprisingly well with complete neglect.

Question: do I HAVE to let them go dormant for the winter? Or can I keep them going indoors, with my other begonias?
Freda
19 years ago
The begonias are gorgeous. I really like the contrast of the black potato vine with the begonias. Mine are all brought inside and drying to be stored in shavings.
BoringB
19 years ago
Just gorgous kd! I am bringing mine inside today and won't be getting them back out until April - how sad. I can't wait to get the new catalogs to order some more for next year!!!
bmchan
19 years ago
My goal is to post some pics here. I have over 50 that I grow in containers and are now curing and drying - waiting for wood shavings. My one year olds are staying in their dirt for the first winter. I was pretty successful keeping the tags with the bulbs. Only two remain "anonymous". I used corrugated blueberry containers for storage.

I would like to learn more about what people use to stake their tuberous begonias to prevent the canes from breaking as they get large and wet from rain etc.

I will post soon.
dighappy
19 years ago
I love these bright colors but alas I did not pull them out of the pots before the frost.

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flowersandthings
18 years ago
I grew them originally because I needed (wanted) an annual for shade. :)

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Do you remember why you grew tuberous begonias

Comments (9)

sallyc

kdjoergensen
Original Author

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ego45

amazondoc

Freda

BoringB

bmchan

dighappy

flowersandthings

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Do you remember why you grew tuberous begonias

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kdjoergensenOriginal Author

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kdjoergensen
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