Begonia ampelous tuberous planting and care in the open field

Begonia is deservedly popular among amateur flower growers, because it pleases with its abundant and lush flowering almost to frost. How to plant ampel tuberous begonia, grow and care for it in order to get healthy luxuriously flowering plants, you can learn in detail from this article.

Begonia was introduced from South America to Europe in the 19th century. There are 3 types of begonias: tuberous, leafy and bushy.

• Tuberous begonia is usually grown in outdoor flower gardens, but you can also plant them at home. This species is divided into 3 groups according to the size of the flowers: with large, medium and small flowers. A special place is occupied by ampelous begonia, its hanging double or semi-double flowers on rather long pedicels give the plant an additional decorative effect.

• Leaf begonias are used for indoor breeding. This is a species blooming with inconspicuous small flowers, the beauty of this species lies in the multi-colored leaves of a bizarre shape. Caring for them is less difficult than for tuberous ones.

• Shrub begonias are more often grown at home, the plants bloom almost all year round. This species has decorative leaves and flowers.

Shrub begonias

Planting begonias

It is better to buy begonia tubers in winter. When choosing tubers for planting in the store, you need to carefully examine them. It is advisable to select tubers at least 3 cm in diameter, without damage. The concave side of the tuber should be dense, have 3-6 buds.

Tubers begin to germinate in March. Before planting, they are left for an hour in a pink solution of potassium permanganate, then laid out with the convex side on a damp cloth, sand or soil, kept in the light and periodically sprayed with warm water. You can plant when seedlings appear on the concave part.

The soil for planting can be prepared independently; for this, peat, sand and humus are mixed in equal parts and 2 parts of leafy earth are added. First, they are placed in small pots, the tuber is immersed in the soil only 2/3, watered as the soil dries. When the sprouts reach a height of 10-15 cm, tubers can be planted in pots, beds and flower beds.

Planting in open ground occurs in early June, the plants are placed about 20 cm apart. The tubers are covered with soil no more than 5 cm.To obtain seeds from plants, they need to be planted at a distance of 40 cm.

Advice! If the soil on the site is clay, it is necessary to add peat, humus and organic fertilizers. To avoid stagnant water, the beds are slightly raised.

Reproduction methods

Tuberous begonia propagates by dividing the tuber, cuttings or seeds.

• When multiplying by division, the tuber is cut into several parts so that each has at least one bud. Parts of the tuber are placed in pots with soil in a well-lit place, covered with foil. When several leaves appear on the shoots, the film is removed and the tubers are planted in a flower bed or in a pot. This method is usually used to rejuvenate plants as older plants do not flower well.

• Growing by cuttings makes it possible to preserve the characteristics of the variety as much as possible, there is not much planting material in this case. To obtain seedlings, tubers are placed in boxes with moist soil and sprinkled with humus. When 3 leaves appear on the sprouts, the cuttings are carefully cut and planted in boxes or pots. The seedlings are placed in a well-lit place, avoiding direct sunlight, and watered as the soil dries. A month later, when the cuttings form roots, they are transplanted into individual pots.

• Growing begonias from seeds has a number of features. To get flowering plants this year, you need early sowing of seeds - around mid-January. Also, seedlings require additional lighting in the evening, preferably with the help of fluorescent lamps. The seeds remain viable for 3 years, but it is better to sow with freshly harvested seeds.

The substrate for sowing seeds must be sifted and disinfected by watering with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Seeds are placed on the surface, without sprinkling with earth, sprayed with warm water, covered with glass or film and left in a warm place. Light is not needed for seed germination, if the pots are placed on a lighted windowsill, they are covered with paper. The glass or film is periodically removed to ventilate the soil with seeds.

When the roots appear on the seeds, the seedlings are transferred to a bright, cool place, but on sunny days they are shaded. The soil is sprayed, avoiding waterlogging. When 2 leaves appear, the seedlings dive about 2-3 cm apart, they are no longer covered with glass. The second time they dive when the leaves of the plants begin to touch. It is necessary to plant at a distance of 7-8 cm, every 10 days they are fed with mineral fertilizers.

Plants that are planning to be planted in open ground should be hardened in May. To do this, the pots with seedlings are taken out into the fresh air in a shaded and protected from the wind place, gradually increasing the time spent in the open air. Planting in open ground is possible when the spring frost ends.

Begonia care

In order for begonia to delight with its lush flowering for a long time, it needs careful care.

1. Successful cultivation of begonias is possible only in fertile soil with good drainage. After planting, the soil is sprinkled with ash and mulched. It is undesirable to plant a plant in the sun, because leaves and flowers will wither. With strong shading, few flowers are formed, and the leaves fall off.
2. You need to water begonias in the morning, you need to maintain high humidity, but do not allow water to stagnate and get on the leaves, this leads to the formation of spots on them.
3. During growth and flowering, care consists in tying the plants to a support, because shoots can break under the weight of flowers or from the wind.
4. Tuberous begonia needs fertilizing 3 times per season with mineral fertilizers, as well as diluted manure. With the beginning of autumn, watering and feeding are stopped.
5. With the onset of autumn frosts, plants need additional care. At the first frost, the tubers are not damaged, but the potted plants are transferred from the open air to the greenhouse or home.
6. In winter, tuberous begonia begins a dormant period. Watering the plant is stopped after the leaves fall, the aboveground part is cut off after dying off. Tubers are taken out of the ground, cleaned and laid in peat or sand, stored in a cold room.Winter care of the plant consists in periodic inspection of the tubers and the removal of rotten specimens. Young begonias with small tubers grown from seeds are kept in a cool, bright room, without removing shoots, and watered moderately.

Disease prevention

Taking proper care of begonia helps to avoid diseases that occur most often in adverse weather conditions or in greenhouses. Begonia is affected by diseases such as gray mold, powdery mildew, bacterial and ring spot.

• Gray rot.

It is a fungal disease that develops in warm and humid weather. Leaves, shoots and flowers form gray watery spots that gradually turn into brown rot. The stems rot and break, the leaves turn black and curl. To combat the disease, plants are sprayed with 1% Bordeaux liquid.

• Powdery mildew.

The disease affects the whole plant, first spots with a white bloom appear, then they cover the entire surface of the leaves and shoots, the plant dries up. You can fight the disease with fungicide treatment or spray the plants with a soapy copper liquid. For its preparation, 2 g of copper sulfate and 20 g of tar soap are added to a liter of water.

• Ring spot.

The disease is caused by the tomato virus. Yellow-green rings and spots appear on the plant. It is better to destroy diseased plants, because the virus remains in the tubers and can infect even more plants when planted again. To prevent the disease, it is necessary to weed out and fight against sucking insects that carry viruses to plants.

• Bacterial spotting.

With this viral disease, small watery spots appear on the underside of the leaves, which then turn brown, the shoots and flowers turn black, the plant dies. Infected plants destroy and disinfect the soil after them. For prophylactic purposes, the flower garden is sprayed with a 0.5% solution of copper oxychloride.

So, growing a begonia and caring for it is a rather difficult matter, although if all the recommendations are followed, tuberous begonia will delight with its magnificent flowers all summer season. The main advantage of begonias is that it can be planted and grown in shaded areas of the garden, where other flowers feel uncomfortable. Begonia will be a real decoration of the garden, if you spare no effort and time to care for it.

Garden begonia Bouton de Rose

NOTE

When choosing varieties of street begonias, it is important to take into account not only their color combination, but also their height. The flower bed should be smooth and neat. If necessary, cut off too large shoots with a sharp knife.

How to get seedlings: step by step instructions

At home, garden varieties of begonias are grown from tubers, which is why the plant was named "tuberous". The bulbs begin to sow in early March, and in warm latitudes (Krasnodar Territory, Crimea), you can start breeding in February.

Tubers (bulbs): selection, planting, care

First of all, it is important for the grower to choose the right begonia tubers (they are also called bulbs). As a rule, the material is purchased in specialized stores, the assortment of which is quite large. Therefore, the main task is not to find tubers, but to select them correctly. Here are the first things to look out for:

1. Of course, the bulb should have a normal appearance: no cracks, overgrowth, mold, etc.
2. In terms of size, it is better to choose those tubers whose diameter is more than 3-4 cm.
3. Dry bulbs are not allowed. Therefore, you should pay attention to their weight: healthy tubers are quite dense and heavy, while dry ones, on the contrary, are light.
4. If you buy the bulbs in March, you can see how white or reddish buds are already starting to form on them. At the same time, it is optimal to buy material in January. There are still no buds at this time - the tuber is in a state of physiological rest.

Planting a tuberous begonia in a pot itself will not take much time. The main requirement is to create optimal lighting, watering and temperature conditions. The whole process can be conventionally divided into 3 stages.

Step 1. Preparation of tubers

It is useful to know not only how to plant a begonia bulb in a pot, but also how to prepare it for the ground. First, the tuber is completely cleaned of all rotten sprouts. If the bulb is large (6 cm or more), you can cut it in half and sprinkle the surface with charcoal.

Then the tuber is immersed in a solution of any fungicide (for example, "Maxim") and kept in it for half an hour. Instead of a fungicide, it is allowed to use a solution of potassium permanganate with a concentration of 1%. It is enough to hold for 40-45 minutes.

NOTE

All work with tubers should be done very carefully. Do not drop, bump or crush the bulbs.

Step 2. Planting tubers

The pot or box must be placed on a pallet - after all, abundant watering of future begonias is supposed. Drainage (expanded clay, pebbles) is laid at the bottom, then the soil. The surface of the earth should be 3-4 cm below the edge. A small depression is made in the center, into which the tuber is planted.

Each bulb has 2 sides - convex and concave. It is only necessary to place it in the ground with the convex side (accordingly, the concave side will look up). It is important to consider that the top third will remain on the surface. When the first shoots appear, they can be lightly sprinkled with earth.

Step 3. Care of the sprouts

Now it remains to thoroughly water the soil - it should become noticeably wet (but not too much). Place boxes or pots in a sunny spot. However, direct rays should also be avoided. To solve this problem, you can use the following tips:

1. Optimally arrange containers in the west or east.
2. If the sun's rays are too much, you can create partial shade using a curtain or shade from other plants.
3. Well, in the case of south windows it is better to put the container a little further from the windowsill.
4. Concerning temperature, then it should be at least 20-22оС. Indeed, in order to understand how to properly plant tuberous begonia in a pot and care for it, it is important to consider that this plant came to us from the tropics. Therefore, at home, they provide a sufficient level of humidity and illumination.
5. Watering mode determined by the condition of the soil - it should always be moderately moist. At the same time, water is not allowed to enter the tuber itself - it can rot and die.

Normally, the first shoots will appear after 5-7 days, and after another 15-20 days, 2-3 leaves will flaunt on the tuber. A month will pass, and with proper care, the first flowers will appear on the tuberous begonias, which will mark the onset of spring.

NOTE

1. If later it is planned to transplant a flower into open ground (for example, to decorate a garden or summer cottage), this can be done a month later after the emergence of the seedling.
2. However, if you are not sure that there will be no more frosts, you can simply transplant the flower into a pot with a diameter of 25-30 cm and wait for the final onset of the warm season.

Seedling seeds

This method requires certain labor costs and in general it looks more troublesome. On the other hand, the gardener gains invaluable experience in plant breeding. In addition, you can grow many begonias at once, from which you can create a beautiful flower garden in the garden or in the country.

The cultivation technology looks like this:

1. The process starts already in January (before the beginning of February) - after all, by the spring you need to get ready-made seedlings and distribute them in pots. However, you can plant seeds later - they will bloom, but only in the fall.
2. The seeds are usually immediately mixed with a little sand: they are quite small and can be blown away by the wind.
3. Typically, seeds are grown in boxes. You can choose a container from any material, while it should not be too deep (10-12 cm in height is enough).
4. The soil is prepared in advance according to the scheme described above. You can also use peat tablets. Immediately before planting, the soil is watered abundantly - it should become noticeably moist.
5. Then the seeds are spread over the surface. You should not fill them up - you can only distribute a handful of soil over the entire surface.
6. Then you need to wait a few hours and cover the box with glass, and put paper on top. The temperature should be about 21-23 ° C.
7. Seedlings appear after 2 weeks. At this time, the glass is removed, and the box is removed to a cooler place (18-19 ° C).
8. After the appearance of 3-4 leaves, a pick is carried out. At the same time, the first mineral fertilizers are applied. It is important that nitrogen and potassium are present in them - otherwise begonia will grow much more slowly.
9. Seedlings need constant watering. Before the first shoots appear, the soil can be moistened with a spray bottle. And when 1-2 leaves appear - water as usual.

Begonia in the garden: planting and care

Regardless of where begonia is grown - in the garden, in the country or at home, the main thing to remember is that this plant came from the hot tropics. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the correct irrigation and lighting regime for him.

Planting: when and where to plant

Everything has its time, and everything has its place. If we apply this phrase in connection with planting begonias in the country, we get the following answers:

1. By landing dates you should always be guided by the actual weather. If the warm season has already begun and the temperature is stable, you can start working.
2. Night temperature from + 12оС Is a necessary criterion.
3. Thus, the planting of garden begonia is carried out At the beginning of June (in southern latitudes - in early May).
4. Concerning choice of location, then it is important to take into account 2 points at once - practical and aesthetic. In order to organize the proper care of begonia in the garden, it is better to plant plants in the most conspicuous place, because such beautiful flowers simply cannot stand aside. On the other hand, they need to be provided with sufficiently bright lighting and an acceptable soil composition.

How to plant begonia in the garden

The very technology of planting begonias in the country is not particularly difficult.

1. After choosing a place, the seedlings are fixed in the ground so that all the green part remains on the surface.
2. The interval between plants is 20-25 cm.
3. The plant must be handled very carefully - it is unacceptable to press on the roots or foliage or drop the seedlings. If injured, they may not take root.

The soil

Regardless of which variety of street begonia to take for planting, caring for it begins with the correct selection of soil. The plant loves slightly acidic, fairly fertile lands with loose soil. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary on the site and in the garden to take care of so that there is no:

• large stones;
• dense layer of earth;
• willow or oak nearby - they saturate the soil with tannins that adversely affect the development of the plant.

If you are not sure about the fertility of the soil, it is better to add humus, bird droppings or other organic fertilizer. A week later, you can start planting tuberous begonia.

Watering in the garden

1. Watering begonias pretty abundant: the soil should never be dry or cracked.
2. On the other side, need to know when to stop: when planting and further caring for tuberous begonia in the garden, do not give too much moisture. Excessive moisture leads to root rot and even death of the plant.
3. Water the plant usually in the morning hours, every 3 days. At the same time, it is important to try to prevent moisture from getting on the stems, greens and flowers: they are quite delicate, and the sun's rays can lead to burns.
4. During flowering watering begonias should be reduced by 1.5-2 times compared to the usual volumes.

Thus, you need to periodically check the condition of the soil, and most importantly, to be guided by the appearance of the flower itself.If the plant is in good shape, the leaves are elastic, and the flowers form quickly and stand long enough, then everything is in order. If they become lethargic, you should immediately check the soil: it may already be dry.

Fertilizers

To care for tuberous begonia in the garden and in the country, fertilizers are also used - immediately after planting and during the summer season. The application mode is as follows:

1. After landing it is necessary to immediately apply a complex mineral fertilizer (dosage according to instructions).
2. When the bushes began buds to form, apply fertilizers with phosphorus and potassium.
3. Summer can be fed 2 more times with mineral fertilizer.

And starting from August, the application of fertilizing stops - the plant needs to be prepared for the winter period, i.e. to the phase of physiological rest.

Pruning

With the right approach, the flower begins to grow extremely quickly. Therefore, you need to immediately think about the fact that the time will come soon to trim foliage and shoots. As soon as the stems have reached 8 cm, the first shape adjustment is carried out: excess layers are removed from the sides so that the bush takes on the desired appearance.

And when the shoots grow to 12 cm, it is necessary to pinch the tops so that the plant ultimately looks very attractive and not chaotic. Pruning is carried out only with a sharp knife - garden shears are not suitable for this, because begonia is a very delicate plant.

USEFUL ADVICE

When the pruning has taken place, it is better to sprinkle the damaged areas with charcoal - this way the plant will recover faster. In addition, such a tool serves as a kind of disinfection.

Illumination level

This condition of caring for tuberous begonia in the garden must be taken care of even at the stage of planting the plant. On the one hand, this flower is very fond of light, but on the other hand, it does not tolerate direct sunlight very well. The answer is obvious - you need to create light shading.

And in the garden, this can be achieved with bushy plants that will cast a faint shade. If they are not there, you can make a canopy from a fine mesh. It is important to understand that too much shading (for example, under the foliage of a tree) is also unacceptable - that is, in this matter, one should proceed from the principle of the golden mean.

Preparing begonias in the garden for winter

1. In September, watering begins to be significantly reduced - the plant needs to be prepared for winter.
2. The tubers should be dug out before the onset of the first frost. In our latitudes, it will be mid-October (in the south - until early November). All green mass is completely removed, and only the bulbs are taken for storage.
3. Tubers (bulbs) are treated with fungicides (for example, "Maxim") or in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (hold for 30-40 minutes).
4. Then the tubers are dried outdoors and stored at home or in the basement. You can also store them in the refrigerator or in a cool area of ​​the apartment.

How to store tubers correctly

The most important thing is to take into account a few simple tips that will allow you to preserve the material well:

1. Initially, all tubers are carefully inspected in order to immediately remove damaged material.
2. The storage temperature should be above zero, but at the same time not more than + 9 ° C. Otherwise, the tubers begin to sprout.
3. Even a small amount of moisture on the material is not allowed. If possible, it should be stored in a dry place.

Storage in the apartment

In the apartment, you need to find the coolest place - for example, under a window or under a balcony door. The temperature is checked in advance (so that it is constantly in the range of 0-9 ° C). There are three storage options:

1. In the box or box - in bulk. Tubers are placed, completely covered with sawdust, dry peat or sand.
2. In pots - they are transferred to a cool place, while the upper part is cut off with a sharp knife flush with the ground. Water the soil occasionally to keep it slightly damp (no drying out). If the tubers will be stored in pots, it is better to water them through the drip tray to avoid possible rotting.
3. If the apartment is warm enough, and there are no cool places in it, you can save the begonia tubers for further planting and in the fridge... The material is dried, placed in bags with holes and covered with sawdust, or each tuber is wrapped in paper. Store in the door or at the bottom of the refrigerator (in the same place as vegetables and fruits). Such care will perfectly preserve the bulbs of the tuberous begonia until the next planting.

Basement storage

If you have access to a sufficiently dry, cool basement, you can store the tubers there as well. They are also placed in a cardboard box or wooden box, covered with peat, sand or sawdust so as to completely hide. It is important to understand that the cellar is definitely not suitable for such purposes. As a rule, the humidity in it is always high due to the proximity of the ground, which will lead to rotting of the material.

Diseases and pests of begonia

In the garden, there are much more enemies of the tuberous begonia than in the apartment. Plant pests include the following:

• shield;
• aphid;
• nematode;
• thrips;
• spider mite;
• whitefly.

To combat these insects, ordinary insecticides are used (neoron, thiophos, karbofos, etc.).

You can also use a home remedy based on regular onions (with brown hulls):

1. Chop the onion very finely or pass it through a meat grinder.
2. Take a full teaspoon (half a tablespoon) and infuse for 1 week in a liter of water.
3. Strain and spray the foliage and stems until the insects are completely destroyed.

PREVENTION TIP

The foliage and especially the stems of the plant that are hidden under the bush must be carefully examined for the presence of these pests and other lesions. The sooner you start dealing with them, the higher your chances of success.

The most common developmental disorders associated with improper conditions of detention and infectious pathogens include the following.

outward sign	cause	solution
the leaves of the flower dry at the edges, begin to curl	dry and hot air	sprinkle and moisturize the plant periodically
leaves fall off or turn yellow and wither	too cold	cover or rearrange to a warmer place (if in a planter or pot)
foliage wilted	polluted air or lack of moisture	move (outweigh) the pot to another place, water abundantly (if the ground is dry)
leaves grow small, flowers do not form or flowering is rare	lack of fertilizer	fertilize the soil with organic or mineral fertilizing
leaves fade, cobweb found	spider mite activity	use an insecticide or infusion of onions (more details below)
powdery coating with greenish and brown tints	gray mold fungus activity	spray with fungicide (benomyl) according to the instructions and remove the pot with the plant in a dry, cooler place
white spots of a powdery consistency	powdery mildew activity
the roots turn black and rot	black root rot fungus activity	stop watering, spray with fungicide, remove to a drier place
rot on the surface of leaves and flowers	waterlogging	reduce watering, prevent moisture from spraying on the begonia itself
leaves are deformed, yellow spots appear on the surface	activity of the cucumber mosaic virus	destroy the flower, pot or pots (if any) disinfect, replace the soil
the leaves have lost their color, on the roots there are influxes	nematode activity

Begonia in the garden: a thousand and one ideas for inspiration

If we talk about what flowers in the garden are combined with tuberous begonia, we can highlight the plants that create the border, for example:

• Iberis;
• lobularia;
• surfiniya;
• lobelia.

In landscape design, the plant is used to create flower beds and flower arrangements. A lot of ideas can really arise here - here are just a few of them (and examples in the photo):

1. The plant looks great against the backdrop of a well-groomed lawn.Whether natural or artificial turf is used is not so important. Thanks to the contrast effect, garden begonia flowers will look exceptionally beautiful.
2. Florists often combine planting of several varieties at once. Form alternating bushes with bright and light tones - for example, with reds and yellows, reds and pinks, oranges and whites.
3. From begonias, you can make flower beds of original shapes - from multi-colored circles to panoramic paintings. It will turn out to be a real work of art.
4. Ampel varieties are used to decorate fences and hedges. It will be very beautiful if you place them on the walls of the gazebo or recreation area, which is separated by fences.
5. Another interesting idea regarding ampelous (hanging) begonias is to make a garland out of them and place them along the entrance to the country house (steps).
6. If the flower bed is located in a garden on a hill, you can achieve an incredibly interesting effect of movement. Begonias are planted in turn, alternating contrasting stripes. As a result, the largest plants are located at the very top. Due to the tiering, the flower bed will resemble a kind of mound or even a road to the sky.

Ampel plants fit perfectly into the decor of the garden, home or gazebo. Their long, hanging shoots, strewn with flowers, are able to decorate any room. The ampelous begonia looks especially impressive due to the unusual shape of the flowers and the bright tones of their color.

On any begonias, you can see two types of flowers at once - large, beautiful, terry male and simple, small female. If only nondescript female flowers remain on the plant, then something is wrong with it. Description and features of the plant

A whole group of different plants belongs to ampelous plants, a characteristic feature of which are long shoots. When placed in hanging planters or upright plant stands, they form beautiful hanging rugs with decorative leaves or beautiful flowers. This group got its name from the German word "ampel", which was used for hanging plant vases.

The homeland of the ampelous begonia, like other species of this plant, is the hot and humid tropical and subtropical forests of South America, Africa, India, Asia. In Europe, this plant first appeared towards the end of the 17th century, thanks to the botanist C. Plumier, who described it during his wanderings around the islands of South America. He named the beautiful plant in honor of the organizer of this expedition - M. Begon.

Ampelous begonia is a small bush 20-25 cm high, on which long hanging shoots up to 40 cm long are formed. Shoots are decorated with dark green curly leaves and large (8-10 cm in diameter) bright flowers of orange, pink, white, red and mixed colors.

The flowering period begins in mid-summer and can last until the first frost if the plant is grown outdoors and with proper care. In the house, flowering can last almost all year, if the plant is provided with comfortable living conditions. Although it will be better for a flower if in winter it leaves during the dormant period, and does not continue to bloom.

This is interesting: each begonia flower lives no more than 10 days, after which it dies off. The duration of flowering is ensured by the constant blooming of more and more flowers.

Planting and caring for an ampelous variety of begonias

Ampelous begonia is a grateful plant, so planting and caring for it will not require excessive effort, and the result will be no worse than in numerous photos on the Internet.

To plant seeds or tubers of a plant, you will need to prepare a soil mixture in advance:

• 1 part sand;
• 4 pieces of leafy land;
• 1 part of turf land.

It is better to plant seeds in December-January, so the components for the mixture should be prepared in the fall, before the soil freezes.If there is no way to compose the soil yourself, you can use store-bought soil for growing begonias.

Light and temperature

Ampel begonia is quite capricious and demanding to care for at home. She loves good lighting, but the light should be soft, diffused. You can choose a place for her where the morning and evening sun will fall on her (before 11 in the morning and after 15 in the afternoon). In the constant bright sun, the plant can fade and get burns on the leaves, and if there is not enough light, the color will fade, the leaves will begin to wither.

Ampel begonia is often called a shade-loving plant, but it is not. She likes abundant lighting, but the light should be diffused and soft. With a lack of light, the plant will wither and may die.

The optimum temperature for keeping begonia is 18-20 degrees, although it tolerates a slight decrease in it. In summer, pots with a plant can be taken out to a balcony or veranda, choosing a place for them that is illuminated and protected from rain, wind and drafts. Even weak winds can damage fragile flowers and negatively affect the appearance of the plant.

Watering and wintering

Despite the fact that begonia comes from a humid climate, watering it should be moderate, it does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil and can quickly begin to rot. In this case, the regularity of watering is important, since overdrying the earthen coma also leads to the death of the plant. From time to time, begonia leaves can be sprayed, after removing the pot away from sunlight, and you can also arrange a shower with warm water.

It is better to use settled water for irrigation, and in summer it can be heated in the sun. When watering, avoid getting water on the tuber by directing it along the edge of the pot. Closer to winter, pots with begonias are transferred back to a closed room, and watering is gradually reduced, watering as the topsoil dries up. At this time, the begonia will not bloom, but the bright foliage will preserve a certain decorative effect.

Important! To prevent the potted soil from drying out too quickly, the plant should be kept away from batteries.

During the wintering period, begonias can stretch out a little, therefore, closer to mid-end of February, they can be cut off, leaving at least 3-4 internodes on each shoot.

Tuberous ampelous begonia at the onset of winter and a reduction in watering can often mislead inexperienced owners - during the dormant period, the entire aerial part of the plant dies off. This does not mean that the plant has died, it is just that the begonia went into hibernation. The pot with the tuber is carefully rearranged in a cool place (the temperature is not higher than +15 degrees), from time to time, moderately watering it to prevent the plant from drying out.

Some growers recommend that the retired tuber be carefully removed from the pot, cleaned of soil and the remnants of sprouts, and then placed at rest in dry peat at a temperature of 5-12 degrees. From time to time, you should check the condition of the tubers and, when sprouts appear on it, immediately plant it in the soil, regardless of the season. If this happens too early, the plant will need additional phytolamps.

Fertilization

Like most other indoor plants, ampel begonia requires periodic fertilization of the soil for successful cultivation. At the beginning of the spring season, it is fed with nitrogen fertilizer, which will stimulate the growth of greenery.

Closer to summer and during the entire flowering period, begonias are fed 1-2 times a month with fertilizers for flowering plants. In such fertilizers there is little nitrogen, but a lot of potassium and phosphorus, which contribute to abundant and prolonged flowering.

Important! The solution of commercial fertilizer for begonia should be twice as weak as indicated on the package.

A couple of times a year, the ampelous begonia can be fed with organic fertilizers - this will have a beneficial effect on the general condition of the plant and the quality of flowering. Fertilizers, both organic and mineral, should be applied in moist soil so as not to burn the roots.

Diseases and pests

Having provided ampelous begonias with proper care at home and outdoors, you can not be afraid of diseases or pest attacks. But sometimes, even with the most careful care, the plant gets sick. Most often, begonia owners face two problems:

• gray rot;
• annular (or bacterial) spotting.

The cause of the appearance of gray rot is the spores of the Botrytis fungus, which can easily get into the ground or on the plant during the summer "airing" on an open balcony or veranda. Small white spots on the leaves and stems of the plant are a symptom of the disease. Over time, they turn into brown rot or mucus.

You can cope with gray mold by spraying. To do this, prepare a solution of laundry soap and copper sulfate. If it does not have the desired effect, then a more potent agent should be used - a 1% solution of foundationol, which is also sprayed on the plant.

Important! At the first signs of the disease, the affected plant should be immediately isolated from others and the place on the windowsill where it stood should be disinfected. It is also recommended to spill neighboring plants with a medicinal solution (which one depends on the disease) to prevent their infection.

If the begonia is attacked by aphids, a disease such as ring spot, which is carried by these insects, can develop. Its sign will be the appearance of brown, white, brown or red spots on the leaves. Unfortunately, this disease cannot be cured, so the affected plant should be immediately isolated and destroyed, no matter how sorry it may be.

Neighboring plants should be examined for aphid or ring spot infestation and either treated with an insecticide prophylactically or, if symptoms are present, also thrown away.

Begonia breeding methods

You can propagate your favorite ampel begonia in several ways, typical for all types of this plant:

• seeds;
• cuttings;
• tubers (if the plant belongs to the tuberous variety).

Growing ampelous begonias from seeds is a rather laborious and troublesome task, since the seeds are very small and easily decay or dry out. To sow them more conveniently, some sellers cover the seeds with a special soluble shell.

The coated seeds are placed in seedling cups or cassettes, two in each, lightly pressed to the ground so that the shell dissolves faster and covered with film or glass. You do not need to sprinkle the seeds with soil.

When growing begonias from seeds, you need to prepare for delicate and painstaking work, since both the seeds and seedlings are very small and fragile

From time to time, the film needs to be slightly opened to ventilate the greenhouse and remove accumulated condensate. It is important not to forget about timely watering. After the seeds sprout, the greenhouse shelter is removed and, as the seedlings grow, they are transplanted into larger pots.

By cuttings

Ampelous begonia propagates very easily and quickly by stem cuttings. With this method, all the varietal and species characteristics of the plant are preserved. Cutting cuttings is best done in the spring, after the plant comes out of dormancy. Such sprouts will take root faster and will soon grow. However, begonias can be grafted throughout the year.

For propagation by cuttings in begonia, parts of the stem are cut off up to 10 cm long and placed in water until the first roots appear. After about 9-12 days, the sprouted cuttings can be planted in a pot of soil. Watering with warm water will help improve the survival rate of cuttings.

Tip: to get a pot with a lush and dense bush, you can plant 5-6 rooted cuttings in it at once. Each plant is pinched after 3-4 internodes to stimulate branching.

By dividing the tuber

If more than 7 sprouts appear on the overwintered ampel begonia tuber, it can be divided into two parts, thus obtaining two new plants at once.

Important! On a separated piece of root, there should be no more than 3 and no less than 2 buds.

Tubers suitable for dividing are cut with a sharp knife into several parts with a downward movement. The cut segments must not be planted immediately; the cut points must dry out for a while. After that, they are planted in prepared soil to a depth of no more than 1-2 centimeters.

Closer to spring, buds "wake up" on wintering tubers. The older the tuber, the more buds can appear on it.

Ampel begonia can become a real decoration of any room. A dense waterfall of bright, large flowers immediately attracts attention and leaves no one indifferent. Although begonia is considered a somewhat capricious plant, it is very responsive to care and, under comfortable conditions, will delight the owner for a long time with abundant flowering.

Moscow, Russia, on the site since 11.01.2017

Making the garden area cozy and festive at the same time is a creative task. The multi-colored tuberous begonia planted in the garden, with proper care, becomes its chic decoration. Consider the features of its breeding, the tricks are simple and available even to a novice gardener. Perhaps begonia will become your favorite garden flower.

Varieties and types of plants

Experienced gardeners have been familiar with begonias for a long time. This is a plant that has been obtained by breeders from several types of flowers. It is better to buy begonias in a specialized flower shop. It can grow as a bush, grass or ampelous plant. She is decorated with both a balcony and park beds.

It is possible to determine in what conditions begonia will develop best by type and variety. Flowers differ in the parameters of the tuber, the size and characteristics of the bright petals and the general shape of the bush. From a distance, some of them, with their inflorescences with terry, jagged, corrugated edges, resemble camellias and roses, daffodils and peonies.

The roots of any begonia are sensitive to cold snaps and drought.

There are up to four types of tuberous begonias and many of its varieties:

• large-flowered (height from 7 to 20 cm): "Golden ball" (yellow inflorescences); "Kelblutrot" (red inflorescences), "Marmorata" (white terry inflorescences with a pink stripe along the edge), "Pikoti" (pink, white, yellow with a pink edge);
• mid-flowered (height up to 7 cm)
• small-flowered (multiflora loves well-lit places)
• ampelous (hanging bushes require a lot of light): "Chanson" (perennial with small double inflorescences).

At home, begonia care is not difficult. Watering is carried out along the perimeter of the pot. An ideal place for its cultivation will be the windowsills of the eastern and western directions. In the course of development, withered shoots, leaves and male nondescript inflorescences are removed, in which seeds ripen if necessary.

Planting begonias outdoors in the garden

Tuberous begonia can be placed in an open area in the garden only after the frosts have passed, in the central regions - not earlier than May. But let's start in order.

Experienced flower growers recommend purchasing strong and dense tubers with buds in proven stores, starting in February. They should be free of physical damage, mold. Healthy planting material will last well in a cool room until disembarkation.

Before planting, the dead roots are eliminated and the tuber is placed three quarters in warm water with a fungicide for etching for 30 minutes (take the proportions in the instructions for the preparation).

For germination of a flower with shallow roots, a shallow pot or container with drainage from expanded clay, brick or large rubble is suitable. It is better to fertilize the soil immediately with mineral components. Ready-made earthen composition can be bought at the store. If you cook yourself, then take: two parts of leafy earth, part of humus, peat and sand. Tamping the ground for begonias is not recommended.

The interval between plants is kept at 10 centimeters, and to the edge of the container - 5 centimeters. The convex side of the tuber is placed deep into the soil for root formation, and on the concave part, which is left on the surface, buds will grow.

It is not recommended to create greenhouse conditions for the plant, so the tuber quickly adapts to external conditions. The place for germination is suitable for a light without direct rays, ventilated without drafts, the temperature is required from 15 to 17 degrees.

Young begonias are gradually taught in the street and in the garden, daily taking it out to the open balcony or directly into the garden. This is the easiest way to adapt colors.

Planting in a flowerbed in spring and covering the plantings with various materials is a more energy-intensive option for a gardener. Although it also has a right to exist, especially if you live next to your garden.

A plot in the garden is chosen semi-shady and windless, the soil is prepared nutritious, loose, breathable.

In the formation of the landscape design of the garden, it is imperative to take into account the characteristics of the begonia variety.

Planting large bushes from each other is recommended at a distance of at least 30 itself. For medium-sized specimens, it is sufficient to leave 20 cm. The interval for small varieties is 15 cm.

Tuberous begonia care at home

Watering, fertilizing, feeding

So the begonia took its place in the garden. The time has come for caring for flower plantings. During the growing season, the bushes prefer morning abundant watering, but not on the tubers, but around them.

Begonia blooms profusely in late May and mid-October. Each large bush-bouquet needs support, since the shoots of flowers are brittle. Plants require moderate irrigation during flowering.

Good development, an increase in the number of inflorescences is facilitated by the introduction of organic matter and mineral additives. Top dressing is carried out up to three times during the whole season.

Diseases and pests

Tuberous begonia is a delicate plant, tasty for all pests of the garden and park. She is often amazed, especially in greenhouse conditions: thrips, nematodes, greenhouse aphids, whitefly, scale insects. You can prevent attacks by treating begonia with prophylactic agents (it is important to follow the dosage according to the manufacturer's instructions).

Compliance with the watering regime, lighting and the correct composition of the soil will eliminate the need to treat begonia. Violation of even one point leads to the defeat of the bushes with powdery mildew, gray mold, bacterial or ring spot.

In this case, it will be necessary to destroy fungal microorganisms with special solutions: Fundazol, Topaz, Bordeaux liquid, copper sulfate.

How to propagate tuberous begonia at home?

You can get several begonia bushes in various ways: by seeds, dividing a tuber or cuttings.

Her seeds are small, so they are sold in a soluble shell, and obtained at home, they are mixed with sand. Sowing without sprinkling into containers with drainage and nutrient soil is recommended to be done in the middle of winter, so that tuberous begonia has time to please with flowers in summer. In early October, the tuber will be formed. The container is covered with a lid or foil, the temperature in the room is maintained at about 25 degrees. After 14 days, seedlings will appear, and in the presence of two real leaves, the seedlings dive into separate pots.

Large specimens of tubers aged more than two years before spring planting are segmented with a sharp knife into several parts, leaving several live buds on each.Coal is sprinkled on fresh surfaces, and then placed in boxes with soil.

Consider the most difficult way, how to propagate tuberous begonia using cuttings. To do this, in spring or autumn, the shoots from the tuber of the mother plant are twisted, sprinkled with coal and dried "wound". In order for the roots to appear at the cutting faster, conditions are created, as in a greenhouse: the sprout placed in the soil is covered with a plastic bottle. After about a month, the begonia stalk will give roots, it is moved to the pot. Further care takes place like any other house plant.

Dormant period of tuberous begonia

With the beginning of autumn, watering of begonia plantings is significantly reduced, feeding is completely stopped. The aboveground part gradually dies off. After all the leaves have fallen off, the tops are cut off. After 14 days, the tubers can be dug out for the transition to the dormant period.

Tubers overwinter well in containers in which sphagnum moss or peat is placed. In a dry, dark room, the temperature is kept no higher than five degrees. At least twice a winter, it is recommended to look into the boxes and remove rotten or dried specimens.

Young bushes, which were grown from seeds, do not lose their shoots and leaves in the first year. They are dug up to the first frost with a lump of earth in boxes up to 15 cm high. For them, a bright room with a temperature of no higher than 15 degrees is chosen, and the moisture of the earth is monitored throughout the winter period. With the arrival of natural heat, the bushes will actively grow. Before moving to the garden, they are planted in pots and adapted to outdoor conditions.

Location in the garden and combination with other plants

A gentle and relatively wayward begonia is often used in the design of a garden or park. Tuberous begonia blooms until frost, keeping the bright, well-groomed appearance of the site.

The originality of the garden will be given by compositions using flowerpots, in which begonia develops well. Borders and ridges can consist of bright strokes of begonia inflorescences in combination with other annuals or decorative deciduous crops. Thanks to their color variety, you can paint whole pictures and compositions on the garden plot.

The garden beauty is unpretentious in the neighborhood and gets along well with lobelia, lobularia, surfinia, iberis, primrose, daisy.