Garden begonia is a popular ornamental flowering plant - perennial, which has more than a thousand different species, varieties and hybrids in its family. They all differ in bush height, shape, size and color of buds and leaves, growing methods and flowering duration. The plant prefers moist forest soil in tropical areas of many countries, thrives in the shade of tall trees and even on their trunks.
Begonia is loved by most gardeners and florists for its varied palette of colors and a long flowering period (from May to November). Some varieties of indoor begonias are in bloom all year round. Lush bushes of white, yellow, pink, crimson, red, lilac simple and double roses, as well as ornamental leaves with various patterns and shades fit perfectly into any floral ensembles and plant compositions in the front garden, flower garden, in the tub and on the flower bed. They are no less attractive in single plantings as a houseplant, the average height of which is from 20 to 35 cm, depending on the variety. With proper maintenance and care during the lush flowering, the number of buds in begonias is so large that they cover all the foliage of nearby plantations.
Garden begonia is unpretentious in growing, if you know some secrets, its individual characteristics and preferences.
Propagation of begonia garden tubers
When choosing planting material, it is necessary to pay attention to the presence of live eyes on the tubers and its size. The diameter of a tuber suitable for planting is 4-6 cm. In winter, it is recommended to store the tubers in a container with moderately damp sand, which will be in the cellar or basement, or on the bottom shelf of a regular refrigerator. The sand must be watered as needed, but do not allow excess water, as rotting of the tubers may begin.
Planting is carried out in early March in special planting containers or in mid-May in open flower beds. Before planting, the tubers need to be examined well, old roots removed and soaked in a weak manganese solution or in a 1% hydrogen peroxide solution for 30-40 minutes (for disinfection). If, upon inspection, mold is found on the surface of the tubers, then such soaking is mandatory. The mold is pre-cleaned with a soft brush. In specialized stores, you can purchase a product that is recommended specifically for garden begonia tubers and protects the crop from pests and diseases.
From one tuber germinated before planting, several plants can be grown at once (about 5-6). To do this, you need to carefully remove the shoots from it and plant them in the soil separately, you can in different small pots. Each sprout should be at such a depth that its tip remains 2-3 mm above the soil surface.After rapid rooting, young plants can be transplanted into the ground.
Cutting method of reproduction
This method is suitable for breeding any kind of begonias. It is necessary to cut off the top of the selected beautiful flowering bush, on which there should be at least three pairs of leaves. Closed buds and all flowers must be trimmed. Before planting the cuttings in the ground, their lower part must be treated with a special biologically active solution, which can be purchased at a flower shop or prepared on your own. It consists of 200 g of water, as well as fresh aloe juice and honey (one tablespoon each). The shelf life of such a drug is 48 hours at a temperature of 3 to 10 degrees Celsius. The depth of planting cuttings in the ground is 5-6 centimeters. The time for the formation of the root part is from 7 to 10 days, during which the cuttings should be under a film or glass cover.
Rules for planting begonias in the ground
To plant each tuber, you will need a peat cup or an ordinary flower container. When transplanted into the ground, this will help maintain the integrity of the root part and greatly facilitate the procedure as a whole.
The slightly acidic soil mixture should contain peat and a sufficient amount of useful organic components. You can purchase a ready-made substrate for begonias.
Sprouted tubers with upward sprouts are recommended to be sprinkled with a layer of soil no more than 2.5 cm thick so that they can easily break through to the surface.
The optimum temperature range is from 18 to 22 degrees Celsius. The first shoots will appear in about a week.
Watering is carried out moderate, top dressing - in liquid form when watering no more than once a week (concentration according to the attached instructions).
Basic rules for caring for garden begonia
The growing area should be very bright and sunny, but not in direct sunlight. The delicate flowers and leaves of begonia become brown spots from ultraviolet radiation.
Water the flowers in moderation, but regularly. Excess water that has appeared in the pan must be drained immediately so that root rot does not develop. As a top dressing, you can alternate irrigation water with slightly acidic mineral water. This is especially necessary for young plants. When using hard water for irrigation, it is recommended to add 1 tablespoon of vinegar for every 10 liters.
Begonia prefers high humidity, but as a preventive measure against powdery mildew (which develops in humid conditions), it is recommended to regularly ventilate the room.
When white pubescent spots appear on the leaves, and this is a sign of powdery mildew, the diseased plant must be urgently removed. All other flower crops are recommended to be sprayed with a pink solution of potassium permanganate for prevention.
With an excess of moisture or direct sunlight, the crop can shed its buds. It is necessary to reduce the amount of irrigation water or change the growing location by transferring the begonia along with the earthen clod to a shaded area.
The main pests are aphids and spider mites. When they appear, it is recommended to process the flower bushes with a soapy solution based on laundry soap and rinse again with plain water at room temperature. As a preventive measure, you can use folk recipes. Onion husks and garlic stalks are soaked in water and infused, after which the infusion is used for watering. You can spray the begonia bushes with a water-ash solution.
As a protection against diseases and pests, as well as as additional food, special sticks can be purchased at the flower shop. They need to be stuck into the soil next to the plant. When soaked with irrigation water, they give the soil a small portion of the fertilizer.
Saplings 1.5-2 months old, grown on a windowsill or in a mini greenhouse, are ready for transplanting into open ground.Landscape designers and experienced florists advise using different varieties with a variety of flower shades in group plantings. It is very important to observe the interval between plantings - from 15 to 20 cm. Such a planting scheme will soon turn the site into a thick and lush floral carpet.
A mulch layer of expanded clay, peat or sawdust will simplify maintenance and provide the plants with the necessary moisture in the soil. If there is mulch on the flower beds, there will be no need to loosen and weed the soil, and crops will have to be watered very rarely.
Throughout the spring-summer season, you need to regularly make nutritional supplements intended for flowering plants. Universal fertilizer is applied every two weeks.
The tubers are removed from the ground together with the aerial part around mid-October, the stems are cut almost completely, leaving a length of 2-3 cm.The tubers must be cleaned of soil, rinsed, dried for 7-10 days and stored until spring in a dark, cool room.
An unpretentious garden begonia with minimal maintenance - an ideal plant for the garden and for the home.
