Growing and Maintaining Tuberous Begonia Plants

One of the most well-liked flowering plants is the tuberous begonia, and it’s easy to understand why. They bloom profusely from early summer to fall, come in a variety of hues and require just moderate maintenance.

Here is everything you need to know about growing and caring for begonias if you consider including a few tuberous ones in your garden this year.

Growing Tuberous Begonias:

Plants for tuberous begonias should be placed in well-draining soil with some sunlight. Either the ground or containers may be used to plant them.

Make sure the pots have drainage holes if you’re putting them in containers so that any extra water may drain.

Unbranched side-down tubers should be buried about 2 inches deep. After planting them, please drink a good drink to keep the soil moist but not drenched. Within 2–3 weeks, plants will start to appear.

Propagation

One of the most common flowering plants is the tuber begonia. From stem or leaf cuttings are taken from the parent plant, they can be easily multiplied. After the parent plant has bloomed for the season in late summer or early fall, cuttings from that plant are an excellent option.

Taking cuttings from the parent plant is the first stage. For this, you’ll need a good knife or pair of garden shears. Ensure to include a node when taking 4-6 inch stem or leaf cuttings from the parent plant (the point where leaves are attached to the stem). The cuttings should be put in a clean container with water.

Sterile potting soil should be added to a planting container. Wet the mixture thoroughly, and then let it drain. With your finger, poke a small hole in the middle of the potting soil.

Each cutting should be carefully taken out of the water container and placed into the potting mix hole, with at least one node buried beneath the mix’s surface.

Around each slice, firmly push the potting mixture. Please place it in a sunny area with indirect sunlight and give it plenty of water. During rooting, keep the soil wet but not drenched.

Your cuttings can be transplanted into individual pots with brand-new potting soil once they have rooted and new growth has begun to show. The ground should have some time to dry out in between waterings.

Use a water-soluble fertilizer made for blooming plants to fertilize your plants every two to three weeks. Regularly deadhead wasted blooms to promote new growth.

Soil

One of the crucial elements of begonia care that you need to understand is soil potting mix.

Tuberous begonias are fortunately relatively simple to care for, but one of the most crucial things to remember is that they require well-draining soil to flourish.

Ensure the soil you’re using drains adequately because begonia tubers will rot if they sit in damp soil. Mixing in some perlite or sand before planting is one way to accomplish this.

You might also put your begonias in containers or raised beds with drainage holes. Simply ensure that the roots of your plants are never sitting in water, regardless of your method.

The optimal soil for tuberous begonias should be loose, loamy, and well-draining. This will facilitate the plant’s roots spreading out and immediately taking root.

Adding organic material to the perennials, like compost or dried peat moss, is an excellent way to accomplish this. To boost your begonias, you may also mix a slow-release fertilizer into the soil before planting.