Luxurious flowers Begonias are often compared to roses. But unlike the latter, our heroine is not so capricious. Although she also needs care, especially with the onset of autumn.
Heat-loving perennial begonia loves fertile soil. It grows well in sunny areas, but if you plant it in partial shade, it will also bloom. Begonia will appreciate regular watering. True, it will also tolerate a small drought. There is practically no special hassle with this plant. The only thing that tuberous begonia is afraid of is cold and frost, so the plant needs to be provided with a quality winter.
If you leave begonia tubers in a flower garden or outdoor container until spring, they will inevitably freeze. During the winter, plants go into a dormant state, and low temperatures can disrupt bud formation. It’s better to dig up the tubers and move them indoors so that the hibernation period passes without problems. Begonia “sleeps” from about mid-November to early March. And if you dig up the tubers correctly and provide them with good storage, then there will be no problems with future flowering.
For the winter, not only begonias are dug up, but also cannas, dahlias, and gladioli. Phlox, daylilies, clematis and many other perennial flowers are left in flower beds.
When to dig up tuberous begonias for the winter
The procedure can be carried out after the onset of autumn frosts, in late October - early November, when the above-ground part of the begonias turns yellow and withers. But you should prepare for work already in September. To ensure that the tubers accumulate as much nutrients as possible during the dormant period, remove buds and dried flowers from the plants. And if, for the sake of decorativeness, you decide not to deprive the plants of flowers for as long as possible, get ready for the fact that the tubers will not have time to get stronger for the winter, and next year begonias are unlikely to please with lush flowering.
Do not rush to dig up the tubers if the plant is still green, otherwise the begonia may go to winter in a weakened state. Picking off green leaves to speed up the transition to hibernation is also not recommended.
How to dig up begonia tubers for the winter
For work you will need: a pitchfork or scoop, sharp pruning shears, garden shears and gloves, carton or wooden box. You need to dig up plants very carefully so as not to damage the tubers and roots. Step back from the bush about 6-8 cm, loosen the soil and carefully dig up the begonias. Then remove the tuber along with a lump of earth, cut the stems to a height of 5 cm (the stump will then dry out on its own), carefully remove the roots and place the plants in a box or box in one layer. Then send the tubers to dry, which will take about 14 days. Choose a warm, dry and well-ventilated area for her. A regular room will do.
Have you found suspicious spots and traces of rot on the tubers? Such specimens cannot be sent to dry! Burn them along with other plant debris. And to prevent the appearance of rot on healthy tubers, be sure to trim off the dead stems.
There are other options for digging up begonias. For example, some gardeners successfully use this method: first they cut off the above-ground part, and then dig up the tubers. But with this method it is not always easy to locate the plant, so if you are not sure that you will find begonias, it is better not to rush to prune them.
If begonias grow in containers, removing the tuber is much easier: turn the container over and tap on the bottom. Or you can leave them in a container and move them to the basement or cellar. The main thing is to reduce watering by the end of September, and after the above-ground part dies, cut it off, leaving a stump of 2-3 cm. In the spring, begin to gradually water the tubers, and then replant them in new nutrient soil.
How to Preserve Tuberous Begonias Until Spring
The most difficult thing is to keep the begonia tubers intact. The fact is that they have a tendency to dry out and become rotten, so it is important to immediately ensure proper storage. When the tubers are dry, shake off any remaining soil, inspect them again and place them in a wooden box (not too tightly). To prevent infection by pathogenic bacteria and pests, first wrap each tuber in a sheet of paper or newspaper. Then sprinkle with dry sawdust, peat, vermiculite or sand.
It is better to store begonia tubers in the basement. The ideal temperature for storage is 4-10°C, humidity is at least 60%. It is advisable to store small tubers of young plants separately from adults, because they require more careful care.
Some gardeners, before storing begonia tubers, wash them in weak solution potassium permanganate or processed fungicidal preparations(Fundazol, etc.) to reduce the risk of fungal infection.
If the basement is full and there are not many tubers, you can overwinter them in the refrigerator. To do this, place the tubers in a paper bag and cover with peat. Or use perforated plastic bags and sawdust. This method is especially suitable for storing young plants. You can also store begonias in sphagnum moss. But sealed containers ( plastic containers, tight packages, metal boxes from food, etc.) cannot be used. The tubers will not be able to breathe in them and will dry out.
About once a month, inspect the begonia tubers and spray them to prevent drying out. Special attention focus on small tubers. But there should be little moisture so that the kidneys do not awaken ahead of schedule or the begonia has not rotted. Discard diseased tubers. If a small part of the tuber has rotted, cut it off and sprinkle the cut with crushed coal. To be safe, transfer such a specimen to another box so that healthy plants do not become infected.
If there are a lot of tubers, sort them into boxes depending on variety or color, and label them.
How to plant tuberous begonias in spring
If you did everything correctly, at the end of February - beginning of March the begonia tubers will begin to awaken. When fresh sprouts appear, you can start sprouting to start early flowering. Prepare a box with loose soil and place the tubers on its surface, lightly pressing them into the soil, but without sprinkling them. The cavity with the growth buds should “look” upward. Gently moisten the soil and place the box with plants in a well-lit, but dark place. scorching sun place. When the sprouts on the tubers reach about 2 cm in height, plant the begonias in separate containers, but do not sprinkle them too much.
After the first leaves appear, sprinkle the tuber with soil. Monitor watering so that water does not stagnate near the tuber and in no case gets into its center, on the leaves, otherwise the plant will rot. Plant begonias in open ground only after finishing spring frosts. Choose a well-lit, draft-free place for planting.
Digging and storing begonias only seems like a complicated procedure, but in fact it does not require much effort and time. Having thought it through gardening work in advance, you can take care of your flowers without much difficulty.
Exceptionally beautiful and luxurious begonia in recent years became a decoration of city parks. She pleases with her palette of colors and lush flowering, but being heat-loving plant, you should make a lot of effort if you decide not to buy new tubers next season, but save them from your home flower bed.
Exceptionally beautiful and luxurious begonia
Sorry, there are no surveys available at this time.
Perennial tuberous begonia requires loose and well-fertilized soil. Optimal composition The soil should consist of compost, sand, peat and a little ash. It is preferable to plant in a semi-shaded area - then the flower bushes will be more luxuriant. Of course, begonia flowers grow well in illuminated areas, but they are painful to tolerate bright sun and direct rays. The soil should not dry out, so begonias need regular watering(Not cold water) and mandatory loosening.
Due to its fragility, it is preferable to plant in places protected from the wind.
Motherland flower culture- the tropics, so she is afraid of even the slightest frost. Closer to autumn, flowering becomes less violent. During this period, we reduce watering and stop feeding. The flower independently begins to prepare for the arrival of the dormant period, which lasts from October-November to early March.
Now your task is to carefully dig up the tubers. Using pruning shears, cut off the above-ground part, leaving 3 cm, and prepare the plant for the next planting.
In mid-September we prepare the tuberous begonias for digging. It is advisable to tear off the newly formed buds so that the nutrition goes into the tubers. But we leave the shoots until the beginning of October, since the tubers feed on them. In mid-October we cut off the above-ground part. With the onset of the first signs of frost, we begin digging. The main thing is not to be late and remove the root from the ground in time. After waiting for the first frost, the plant will die, and if it is dug up earlier, the root will not gain mass and flowering will be sparse next year.
Read also:
A selection of the most unusual varieties August flowers
The main thing is not to be late and remove the root from the ground in time How to dig up begonia tubers for the winter
The most convenient way to dig up begonias is with a pitchfork. To avoid damaging the plant tubers, step back from the bush and grab a large lump of earth. We put the dug up tubers together with the soil in a container (box) and take them out to dry in a dry and ventilated room where the temperature does not exceed 15 degrees. After two weeks, dry the tubers, clean them of sand and cut off the damaged roots. Before storing for the winter, sort the tubers by size: large and smaller. In the long run winter period, small tubers often dry out, so it is better to store them in a separate box so as not to harm the rest.
Tuberous begonias grown in flower pots, you can leave them in them without taking out the tubers for the winter. Cropped upper part plants and put away in a cool place. Water once a month. Closer to spring, watering is carried out more often. With the appearance of new shoots, the flower is transplanted into new soil.
How to Preserve Tuberous Begonias Until Spring
Main task gardener - to save planting material for spring. After drying and clearing the tubers from the soil, they must be sorted by size. Small tubers are stored separately. To prevent them from drying out, you need to water them periodically. Place large tubers separately from each other in boxes, pouring river sand with the obligatory addition of vermiculite (a mineral component that absorbs and releases moisture). We place the finished boxes in a cool place or room so that the temperature does not exceed 10 degrees and the humidity is 55-60%. Periodically inspect the tubers for mold or rot.
The main task of the gardener is to preserve planting material for spring If you have a few tubers, put them in a plastic or paper bag, cover them with dry peat and store them in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment.
Another tip: if you find sprouts on the tubers during hibernation, remove them; the plant does not need them at all during the dormant period.
How to plant tuberous begonias in spring
In March, begonia begins to wake up. First, roots will appear, then flower buds will begin to appear on the tubers, which means it’s time to get the tubers out of the sand. We fill the container or box with a damp substrate and carefully lay out the tubers at a short distance from each other, lightly sprinkling them with soil on all sides. It is better to cut old tubers, which have a diameter of 10 cm, when the buds swell, into pieces, thereby rejuvenating the plant. Move the plant closer to the light. Suitable room temperature is 16-18 degrees. Watch the soil, it should not dry out.
Tuberous begonia is a flower that loves warmth. They can survive the winter period only in a state of sleep. Already in September, the flower independently prepares for a state of dormancy, shedding leaves and getting rid of stems. Let's talk about storing tuberous begonias in winter.
In the first year of life, Begonia tubers are small and weak, so they need special care. If you leave them to be stored together with adult plants for the winter, then there is a possibility that the first-year plants will die.
Young tubers are removed from the garden and placed together with a lump of earth in boxes, where the peat mixture has already been prepared. The peculiarity of first-years is that their period of rest is a relative concept. Often their upper part (stems and leaves) remains green for the winter. Therefore, flowers in boxes are placed in light and a cool place. Watering at this time is required infrequently. It is enough to moisten the soil a little once or twice a month. In spring the plant again enters the stage active growth. In April, they should be transplanted first into pots with peat, and then, closer to summer, planted in the ground.
In the second year, the plant independently and consciously prepares for hibernation, this time in the fall by the month of October his upper one dies off part that then needs to be cut off.
Dormant period and awakening of tubers
The period of rest or hibernation in ever-flowering begonia starts in November and continues until early spring. With the help of this event, the plant hides from the cold. The main task of gardeners during this period is to preserve the tubers and protect them from drying out.
If the flower is sent for storage early, she may not have time to prepare for bed, since the supply of nutrients at this moment will be insufficient. That's why Don’t rush and remove the flower at the very beginning of autumn. Optimal time end of October – beginning of November. The main thing is to do it before frost sets in.
With the onset of heat, namely in March - April, the flower buds swell and the flower emerges from the sleep state. At this time, it is necessary to carry out cuttings and plant them in a peat mixture.
A couple of months before planting, the tubers must be removed from the container in which they were stored and planted in a container for germination.
Tubers should be planted so that their crown faces upward. It is usually concave or flat, with kidneys. Germination requires warmth, at least 18 degrees, and daily watering.. In a few weeks the first shoots will appear.
The tubers can be divided, the main thing is that each part has several buds. The cut site is treated with ash or charcoal. It is advisable to treat the cut areas with charcoal.
The difference between wintering begonias at home and in the open ground
Caring for domestic tubers garden plants significantly different. In order to properly prepare them for winter, you should take into account some features of both:
- Tubers of Begonias living in open ground much larger than those growing in pots at home. Garden flowers should be removed at the onset of the first hard frost. The rule of the golden mean is important here, since the first light frosts are not capable of killing the plant, so there is no need to rush either. Let the flower gain strength and prepare for hibernation on its own. The optimal time is when the plant's leaves and stems die off on their own. After this, the stems are cut off, and the tubers themselves are placed in a box and left so that they can dry. After this, the containers with the plants are put away for storage until spring.
- Caring for a houseplant in winter looks a little different. The tubers are not dug up, but remain in their pots. At the first appearance of wilting of the stems, they are also pruned. From this point on, watering is reduced to a minimum. In the spring, Begonia must be transplanted into new soil, having previously been divided into several parts if many buds have formed on them.
When purchasing an already germinated homemade Begonia at the end of summer, be sure to check whether the flower in the pot has tubers. Since there are annual varieties. They do not leave tubers and their lifespan is only one season.
It's not uncommon when home Begonia It does not shed its leaves in the winter and remains green. In this case, there is no need to trim it. The plant remains in place until spring replanting.
Is it necessary to dig it up for the winter?
Begonias are heat-loving flowers, so preparing them for winter is very important for further growth. When answering the question “is it necessary to dig it up for the winter”, it is worth taking into account the type of plant and condition:
- Flower growers advise outdoor large tubers after wilting, dig up and place in a bowl with peat to a cool place.
- Large tubers of domestic plants are left in pots in the same place for the whole winter.
- Sprouted Begonias from seeds and flowers with small tubers also cleaned and stored in a cool, well-lit place.
Preparing tubers for storage
The result of storage and further growth depend on how correctly the planting material is prepared for winter and how you care for this plant.
Firstly, Begonias that grow in the garden must be dug up before the first hard frost.. At this time, the upper part of the plant is cut off, leaving stumps no smaller than 1 centimeter in size.
Secondly, the tubers are placed in a dry and cool place where they should dry out. Only after they are completely dry can it be put away for storage.
It is best to dig out the tubers with a pitchfork and under no circumstances should you shake off the soil from them.
Begonia growing at home, is stored differently. Preparations for hibernation begin in October. First, reduce watering, and after a month, stop it altogether. When the upper part of the flower fades, it is cut off. If it does not die off, leave it in its previous state.
Compliance with storage rules is the key successful wintering and further growth in the future.
Basic methods and conditions of storage in winter
There are several methods for storing such plants.
The most common way is in the basement. Dried Begonia tubers are placed in boxes or wooden boxes. They fill the top with sifted sand and put it in the basement. You can make a mixture of sand, peat and sawdust in equal quantities. This method is convenient for large quantity planting material.
Storage in the cellar is prohibited, as it has very high humidity. This is very harmful for Begonia.
From time to time it is necessary to sort through and remove the rotten ones.
The second, no less popular storage method is in an apartment.. The best place there will be a plot near balcony door or under the window. There are two types of storage in the house:
- In the box, when the tubers are placed in them and covered with sand and sawdust.
- In pots. Flowers that grew in a pot remain in it, are trimmed and transferred to a cool place. In this case, you need to water the plant no more than once a month.
In the spring, after germination, they are transplanted into new soil.
The third storage method is in the refrigerator. Suitable for small quantities of planting material. To do this, Begonia tubers are placed in plastic bags with sawdust, having previously made holes in them for breathing.
If there is no sawdust, you can take plain paper and wrap each tuber in a separate sheet.
The bags are placed in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator for vegetables.
Compliance with all of the above storage rules guarantees successful growth and flowering of Begonia next season.
5 minutes to read. Views 9.1k. Published 05/19/2016
In winter many indoor plants are at rest. Begonias are no exception. There are decorative deciduous and decorative flowering tuberous varieties of these plants. Their wintering rules differ significantly.
Decorative foliage plants
Decorative deciduous varieties of begonias do not have a pronounced appearance. They can grow equally well in winter and summer.
But due to the fact that daylight hours decrease in winter, natural conditions become insufficient for these plants.
Therefore, with intensive watering, they develop incorrectly, stretch out and become thinner.
In order for decorative deciduous begonia to grow more slowly in winter, its temperature is reduced and watering is reduced. In winter, such varieties are kept at a temperature of about 16ºC and watered only when the top layer of soil in the pot dries out.
In winter, it is undesirable to keep decorative deciduous begonia at room temperature, since when high temperature(22-26ºС) frequent watering of the plant is necessary.
To frequent watering the plant did not stretch, you need to provide it with good lighting. But since even on southern windows in winter there is not enough light for begonias, you will have to organize additional electric lighting for at least 6 hours a day.
Peculiarities
If in winter begonia is kept at low temperature, you need to water it very sparingly. Top layer The soil must dry out between waterings to a depth of at least 3 cm, otherwise the roots of the plant will rot very quickly.
At low temperatures, do not allow moisture to get on the leaves and stems of begonia.
Excessive humidity at low temperatures leads to fungal diseases of these flowers.
When keeping decorative deciduous begonia in a heated room, it needs to be watered more often than during a cool winter, but much less often than in the summer.
The surface of the soil should dry out between waterings.. You need to place the flower on the most illuminated windowsill. Direct sun in winter time will not harm the plant.
Begonia should not be placed near heating radiators. Near heating devices The air in winter becomes very dry, and this is harmful to the plant. With low humidity, the leaves may begin to dry out.
To prevent this from happening, you should move the begonia to a windowsill away from radiators and take care to humidify the air in the room. You cannot spray the flower so that water gets on the leaves; it is enough to spray the moisture near the plant.
Begonias should not be transplanted or propagated in winter.
Disturbed root system plants recover very slowly in winter and subject to . Cuttings for rooting are not cut in winter, since at this time they slowly take root and often rot.
Tuberous flowers
Tuberous decorative flowering begonias are grown in pots or on outdoors. These plants have a pronounced dormant period.
Potted and garden begonias overwinter in different conditions . That's why winter care behind the potty and horticultural crops tuberous begonias are fundamentally different.
Garden
In order to preserve the tubers of begonias growing outdoors, it is necessary to carefully dig them out of the ground when cold weather sets in. This is usually done in early October, when the air temperature drops and the plants begin to lose leaves. You should not wait for frost, as even a slight frost can damage the tender begonia tubers.
You need to dig up begonia tubers carefully so as not to damage them. The stems of the plant need to be cut with pruning shears at a distance of 2-3 cm from the tuber. After this, the dug tubers are lightly cleared of soil and placed in wooden boxes for drying. Dry them in a closed, warm and dry room for 2 weeks.
After this, the remaining soil must be removed, and the tubers should be covered with dry moss or sawdust and stored in a dry cellar.
Here they should be stored at a temperature of 5 to 10ºC until mid-March.
In spring, begonia tubers begin to wake up. When the buds on them have increased significantly, they are planted in boxes filled with peat for germination. In this case, it is advisable to increase the temperature to 15-17ºС.
The tubers are kept in peat boxes, periodically moistening the substrate, until mid-April or early May, and then planted in flower beds if frosts are no longer expected.
Indoor
If tuberous begonia grows in a pot, do not dig it up for the winter. In order not to disturb it and not damage the roots, the flower is left in the ground, but the frequency of watering is significantly reduced. Already from the beginning of October, the flower is watered once a week, and with the onset of winter, watering is reduced even more. In winter, the plant is watered only after the entire lump of earth in the pot has dried.
A pot with wintering tuberous begonia is kept in a room away from heating radiators. It is best to place it on a cold windowsill, where it will be illuminated by the rays of the winter sun. So the plant should winter until mid-March.
In March or early April, watering the tuber can be slightly increased.
Soil moisture and extension daylight hours will promote the plant to emerge from dormancy and tuber germination.
Peculiarities
Air humidity plays an important role in the wintering process of tuberous begonias. It is desirable that the air in the room where the tubers are stored is as dry as possible. This will ensure their safety and prevent rotting.
Begonia tubers can be stored in two ways: in the cellar and in the refrigerator. When stored in the cellar, they need to be watered periodically, making sure that fungus does not begin to develop on them. Or you can cover them with dry moss and place them in plastic bags to prevent them from drying out. These bags are stored in the refrigerator until spring.
Begonias are plants of the tropics and subtropics. They can survive the cold period of the year only by shedding their leaves and plunging into a state of hibernation. But short-lived autumn frosts do not damage rhizomes. In addition, in September the plants themselves begin to prepare for dormancy - the leaves and stems gradually die off. Therefore, the time to dig up begonia for the winter is determined by the weather. As soon as the above-ground part of the plant dries, it is cut off. Two weeks after pruning, you can remove the tubers from the ground, clean them and place them in dry sand or peat.
The resting period of begonia lasts from November to February inclusive. And the most big problem at this time, the tubers dry out. Why are tubers different sizes require various conditions storage After separating the shoots intended for use, large ones are stored dry at low air temperatures. Small ones, especially those grown from seeds, require moderate watering when kept in a cool room. Their shoots often do not die completely, remaining green but stopping growing.
If the begonia is removed too early, it risks not having time to prepare for hibernation. The nutrients stored in the tubers may not be enough to force greenery and flowering next spring. Therefore, when preparing to dig up plants for the winter, one must take into account that the tubers gain a significant part of their volume in August - September.
When autumn is warm, begonia can be dug into last decade September. But if it’s cold and wet, it’s better to do it in advance. It happens that unexpected frosts immediately destroy all plant organs that rise above the ground - they quickly turn black and sag. In this case, all shoots should be cut off, and the rhizome should be taken along with a lump of earth and placed to dry in a dry and sufficiently ventilated place. You can simply plant it in a pot of suitable size, turning it into an indoor flower for a while.
Some gardeners specifically dig up begonias after severe frosts, when the flowers and leaves completely turn black. The tubers, along with the roots preserved in clods of earth, are placed in flat boxes, placing them vertically in a row. Filled boxes are brought to dry in a cool room with good ventilation, where they are kept for at least a month.
Others remove their begonias from the ground when frost is still far away. The stems and leaves are not cut off, but are left on the roots as much as possible. more soil. Plants are placed in a shaded but cool place, taking care not to let the soil on their lower parts dry out. With such cleaning nutrients, located in the above-ground parts - stems and leaves, gradually move into tubers, noticeably increasing their size. After some time, all the greenery inevitably dies and has to be cut off and removed.
If begonias bloomed in pots in the summer, then large tubers, after the shoots dry out, can be left to overwinter in the same containers where they grew. The only thing you need to do is put the pots in a fairly cool place.
