You can grow begonias from seed, but it’s much easier to propagate them from cuttings instead, and you can do this with most kinds of begonias. Propagating Begonia Tubers 1. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. All begonias can be divided except for some tuberous begonias. Moisten the sphagnum with a sprayer, then cover with glass or plastic wrap to keep moisture in. Although tuberous begonias must be grown in well-drained soil, they are not drought tolerant, so it's important to water them when it hasn’t rained. Lift the tuberous begonia from the soil, and shake off any loose soil that is attached to the tubers. Tuberous begonias are sensitive to cold and should not be put outdoors until the nights are above 50°F. While professional growers use different methods for begonia propagation for each of these types, we home … Wait Until Foliage Dies The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Birds do it, bees do it, and even begonias do it—they make babies. Use tuberous begonias to brighten shady spots in your yard. Put the whole assembly into a clear plastic bag. All rights reserved. If the stored tubers show no signs of disease, you can use the same medium in which they were stored. Small tubers should have two or three stems, large tubers three to six stems, so pinch off any extras. stems and placing them in a juice glass with an inch of water. Begonia propagation is an easy way to keep a little bit of summer all year long. It’s easy to propagate begonias with simple cuttings and every experienced gardener tweaks the basic methods to suit their own talents. Open the plastic bag a little more each day for a few days to accustom the plants to normal humidity. Tuberous begonias can be grown from divided tubers, but the tubers must be divided while the plant is actively growing. Fasten the top of the bag to keep the air around the cuttings humid. Cut or pull the tuberous begonia tubers apart, making sure each tuber has a stem section or "eye" attached. Whether you use these methods for a windowsill garden or to grow your own flats for next spring’s outdoor planting, or even to save that begonia stem that has been sacrificed to the wind, propagating begonias through stem or leaf is an easy way to save money and show off you green thumb. Rooting begonias this way gives me more control over the moisture content of the container. Water just enough to keep the potting mix moist. It is easier for homeowners to propagate rooting cuttings or starting from seed. Once the weather has settled, the soil is warm, and all danger of frost is past (usually by late May or early June in Minnesota), transplant them to hanging baskets on the porch or out in the garden, or move containers to their permanent place on the deck or patio. With a sharp knife, cut a mature leaf from the plant where the leaf meets the stem. If they're growing in the shade of trees or in containers under a roof, you must pay even more attention to keeping the soil properly moist. Carefully remove the leaves from the bottom half of the stem. These should not be thinned. They will be bushy and bear lots of smaller flowers, especially if the tips of the stems are pinched in May or early June. The clay pot is a water reservoir, so you will not need to water the cuttings as long as you keep it filled. If you are growing them in pots, use a high quality, humus-rich growing mix. Tuberous begonias are popular for their beautiful flowers that come in a variety of colors and forms. Red, orange, yellow, white, salmon and pink blooms may be single or double and may be plain, ruffled or toothed. Bring them back in before temperatures cool off at night. Once they have reached this size, it's time to repot the tubers into larger containers, either 5- to 6-inch pots, or their permanent summer containers. (Tissue culture was tried for several years but was never really successful). In late winter or early spring, purchase tubers or start those you have stored. Left in the ground during a Minnesota winter, they would be killed. Tuberous begonias are fairly heavy "feeders", so fertilize with a dilute balanced fertilizer throughout the growing season for best bloom and growth. There are drawbacks, however. Tuberous begonias are not hardy in Minnesota and can either be grown as annuals or their tubers can be overwintered indoors. To prepare a forsythe pot: After two to four weeks, cuttings should be well-rooted. Why not try them both and see which one works best for you? Some varieties, such as those used in hanging baskets, are grown for quantity of flowers, not for large blooms. Most varieties available in garden centers or though catalogs are hybrids with complex parentage, but all share the same growing requirements. An insulated but unheated attic or three-season porch may be cool enough. Propagation: Propagation is an important part of the seasonal cycle. Press seeds onto the surface of the medium and cover them lightly with milled sphagnum. You certainly can, but annuals often suffer shock when brought in from the garden or the plants grow leggy after their summer outdoors. Plant the tubers in a flat of peat moss or vermiculite. A common way to propagate tuberous begonias is to root cuttings. For me, a more sure fire way of propagating begonias is to plant those four inch (10 cm.) Make a hole in your planting medium with a dibble stick (or if you’re like me, use that pencil sitting on the counter) and insert your stem into the hole. Place the flats where the temperature is around 70F, and they will receive indirect light. A very successful way of propagating Begonias - and ensuring a true to type plant - is by stem cuttings. To accustom the plants to outdoor conditions, begin hardening them off about two weeks before the last frost date. Sign up for our newsletter. Once you have plants, choose a site for tuberous begonias that is somewhat protected from wind, where the soil is well-drained, and plants will be shaded during most of the day. Tuberous begonia flowers come in many different colors and shapes. Cut just below a node. Early morning and late afternoon sun will not harm them, but they need good indirect or dappled light at other times. The best method to propagate tuberous begonias is by rooting cuttings in a forsythe pot. Rexes, rhizomatous, tuberous, and a few other types can be started from leaf cuttings or portions of leaves. If you would like bigger flowers, thin the shoots when they're about 3 inches tall. Fill containers with fine-textured potting mix and moisten it. Rooting begonias aren’t fussy about the medium they’re grown in as long as it’s light and retains moisture. The three most popular types of garden begonias are the tuberous types, which are large leafed and sold either growing in pots or as brown tubers for do-it-yourself planting; the rhizomatous, commonly called Rex begonias; and the old fashioned wax, which are known as fibrous rooted. Check the tubers occasionally for rot, softening or withering, and discard bad tubers immediately. Tubers started in February should begin to bloom in June; those started in March or early April should bloom in July. Some gardeners cut a small piece of tuber with each shoot to increase the chances of the stem rooting, but the wound on the tuber may allow disease-causing organisms to attack the tuber. Moisten the vermiculite, then fill the clay pot with water. Thin the seedlings to 2 inches apart. Moss-lined wire hanging baskets work particularly well to provide adequate drainage. At this time, the plant will produce new, small tubers which shoot out of the main tuber. Cut the stems to about five inches, and allow tubers to cure (dry) indoors at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, until the remaining stem pieces are dry and loose. Harden the plants off, then plant them in hanging baskets, in larger containers, or directly in your garden. Plant the tubers 1” deep in moist growing mix and water sparingly. Propagation Propagation is an important part of the seasonal cycle. Place the tubers in a perforated plastic bag filled with peat moss or vermiculite. Unfortunately, many divided tubers suffer root rot and die when they are divided. 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