Flowering Begonias
Rieger, Tuberous, Wax and Others
Valued for both their leaves and their blooms, one of the hardest
part about growing flowering begonias is picking out the varieties you want
to grow. Begonias are a versatile group of plants that offer various shapes
and sizes of leaves and plants as well as blooms in shades of white, pink,
salmon, orange or red. Some of the most popular types of blooming begonias
are wax, tuberous and Rieger.
Rieger Begonias
Rieger begonias are amazing plants. Their foliage is attractive all
year and their flowers can brighten the darkest of winter days. They
were developed by crossing several types of tuberous begonias to get
their showy, glossy leaves and lots of delicate semi-double and double
flowers. They are wonderful and will often bloom for months, but they
can be difficult to hold and make rebloom. To keep your Rieger begonia
healthy and happy, provide it with lots of light, but avoid the direct
afternoon sun. It will last the longest if it is grown in cool temperatures
(55-65º). Keep the soil evenly moist to slightly dry. Do not
allow it to sit in a saucer of water. Feed Rieger begonias every other
week while they are blooming with a water-soluble fertilizer such
as Bachman's Excel Gro. As individual blooms fade, pick them off carefully
avoiding damage to the flowering stem. That's where new flowers will
develop. Because they aren't easy to bring back into bloom, consider
enjoying the flowers and glossy foliage while they are in their prime
and replacing the plant the next winter.
Tuberous Begonias
Many gardeners are familiar with the tuberous begonia varieties sold
for hanging baskets in the spring. Their blooms are amazing, offering
incredible colors and huge flowers, some resembling the prettiest
of roses. One of their strongest virtues is that they will bloom in
the lower light indoors or in light shade outdoors. There are varieties
of tuberous begonias that grow with an upright habit and others with
a trailing form. Nonstops are a type of tuberous begonias. They offer
slightly smaller double and semi-double blooms on compact, well-branched
plants in a wide range of colors. As their name implies, Nonstops
bloom prolifically.
A healthy tuberous begonia planted in spring will begin blooming in early summer and continue until frost in fall.
They do go dormant in winter, but the bulbs can be saved. Tuberous begonias can be started from tubers or purchased already growing. The tubers look a little like wrinkly potatoes.
They should be cup-shaped with an indented area on one side. The indented side is the top of the tuber. You may see small eyes or sprouts emerging from inside the cupped area.
Look over the whole tuber to make sure it is firm and doesn't have any soft areas. Tuberous begonias are planted 2-3 inches deep, cup-side-up, in a well-drained peat-based soil such as
Exceloam or Hyde Park Professional Potting Mix. Once they are planted, they should be kept evenly moist, but not wet. They like warm soil and should not be put outdoors until late May or early June.
Grow them in bright shade where they will receive plenty of light but none of the direct afternoon sun. To keep them blooming well, fertilize every other week.
While they aren't bothered by many insect problems, tuberous begonias can develop powdery mildew. This is most likely during periods of high humidity and cool weather.
Powdery mildew will give the leaves a gray, dusty appearance. At the first signs of this problem, increase air circulation and spray with a broad-spectrum fungicide.
Tuberous begonias do go dormant even when they are growing indoors. When they begin to fade (or when cold weather approaches) allow them to dry until the foliage dies back.
At that point, remove the browned tops and store the tuber for 3-4 months, or until spring. Begonia tubers should be stored where it is cool, but not freezing and dry.
They can either be left in the soil or unearthed and stored in vermiculite. Check on them every few weeks and mist lightly if they are drying to the point of shriveling.
Fibrous Begonias
Wax begonias (semperflorens) are probably the best known of the fibrous
begonias. Most gardeners know them as wonderful bedding plants. There
are some absolutely incredible fibrous begonias that make great indoor
blooming plants. They are grown principally for their blooms, but
their foliage is often attractive too. The bedding begonias all have
glossy, stiff leaves. They are classified as either bronze-leaved
or green-leaved. Wax begonias offer small but numerous blooms in the
white-pink-red range. Watch for some of the newer bicolor blooms (most
often white with a pink edge) and some pretty shades of scarlet and
salmon. Wax begonias do their best outdoors, but can make acceptable
indoor plants too. As an outdoor plant, green-leaf wax begonias do
their best in a semi-shady location with well-drained soil. Dark-leaf
varieties can tolerate more sun. Fertilize monthly throughout the
growing season. Wax begonias grown indoors should be treated the same
as Angel-wing varieties.
Angel-wing begonias are wonderful plants for indoor blooming. They can also be used in containers outdoors during the summer. Their delightful name comes from their wing-shaped leaves.
Angel-wing begonias offer a wide array of attractive leaf sizes, shapes and colors and well as different colors of blooms. They prefer bright light but no direct afternoon sun.
Fertilize every 3-4 weeks except during the winter. All fibrous begonias prefer well-drained soil and to be kept slightly dry.
To select a healthy begonia, look for a full plant with signs of new growth and some mature leaves so you can see what it will look like as it grows. If you are buying young starter plants,
look for ones that are well-rooted. Begonias tend to have brittle stems, so watch for damaged branches and use them to set cuttings to start new plants.
For Additional Information on Begonias
Ortho's Guide to Successful Houseplants
Rodale's Houseplants and Container Gardens
Bachman's Information Sheet General Care for Indoor Plants
Bachman's Information Sheet Indoor Insect and Disease Problems
Bachman's Information Sheet Moving Plants In and Out
Recommended Products
Quality Begonia Plants
Containers and Saucers
Bachman's Exceloam Potting Soil
Bachman's Excel Gro Fertilizer
Quality Tools and Gardening Gloves |
