1 Growing from seeds
A similar method is used in breeding, which allows you to preserve the generic characteristics of the plant. A favorable period for sowing begonia seeds is January-February. Planting until autumn has time to gain strength. In March, it is possible to plant the rudiments, but the flowering period will be significantly postponed. Later sowing is undesirable: the root system will not have time to fully form.
It is difficult to work with the seed due to its excessive fineness. To facilitate it, it is pre-coated, that is, covered with a special shell. It dissolves over time. A plastic container with a lid or a box with drainage holes in the bottom is ideal for germination. Sequence of further actions:
- The drainage layer is filled in at least 0.7 cm.
- Next comes loose soil 2–3 cm thick. It is better to dilute it with peat, sand and leaf compost.
- After abundant moisture, the seeds are distributed over the surface without deepening.
- The top is covered with foil or glass.
- A warm and dry place is chosen. The optimal temperature regime is 22-25 degrees.
- The soil should be constantly kept moist. Watering is carried out by the drip method, from a spray bottle. Pallet irrigation is also suitable.
Subject to the rules, seedlings appear after 8-14 days. After the seedlings are rearranged in the cool. With the first strengthened leaves, a dive is carried out in separate containers. Every 10 days, the seedlings are fed with fermented herbal gruel.
During the growing season, tubers grow up to 1.5–2 cm in volume, and even more happens. After planting in open ground or a pot, they begin to bloom the next summer.
How does tuberous begonia reproduce?
There are three main ways to propagate begonias - by seed, dividing the tuber and cuttings.
Growing tuberous begonia from seeds
The good thing is that it allows you to preserve the varietal characteristics of the flower, but this is a very laborious process. The purchased seeds are poured onto damp ground, without digging, and the pot is covered with plastic wrap. They are placed in a warm, sunny place and sprayed daily. Every day, the pot is opened for an hour to ventilate the seeds and prevent them from rotting from dampness.
The room temperature should be around 24 degrees.
In about two weeks the seeds will sprout
When the sprouts acquire two or three leaves, carefully place them in small cups
Tuber division
Most often it is practiced on old tubers, since over time the plants will bloom less luxuriantly. Separation of the tuber is carried out in early spring, when new shoots appear on the tubers. Until they reach 4-5 centimeters in length, you can cut the tuber without harming the plant. Places of cuts are processed so that they do not rot, with a special preparation or charcoal powder. After that, the tubers are planted in different pots and looked after as full-fledged plants.
Reproduction of begonia tuberous cuttings
A very simple and quick way to plant begonias. Cut off a shoot about 10 centimeters long with several leaves, sprinkle the cut with crushed charcoal (to prevent rotting) and root it in moist earth in a warm, bright place.
Cutting leaves should not touch the soil.
The planted stalk must be covered with a glass jar and aired for an hour every day so that excess moisture evaporates. After three weeks, the cutting is carefully transplanted into a pot.
How to propagate begonia at home?
It is propagated by parts of a tuber, seeds, cuttings of leaves or stems, as well as parts of a leaf.
- Begonia breeding methods:
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Reproduction of begonias by seeds at home. You will need the seeds themselves, a plastic container for germinating with purchased soil (to eliminate the risk of weeds), and a plastic wrap (or bag). In the middle of winter, scatter the seeds over the ground and spray liberally with a spray bottle. Do not bury the seeds in the ground - they may suffocate.
Cover the container with seeds with plastic and place in a warm (about 24 degrees), well-lit place. Every day crops need to be sprayed, you also need to ventilate them daily - open the container for an hour and a half. After two weeks, the seeds should sprout. When several leaves appear on the sprouts, transplant them into small (50 ml) cups, and after a month - into larger glasses (100 ml).
Begonia propagation by a leaf. Get a healthy fresh leaf. On its back, make several cuts across the veins. Place the sheet back down on the ground and press down lightly with small stones or other light objects. Cover the pot with a sheet with polyethylene and place in a bright, warm place. The soil in the pot should be moistened, it is best to sprinkle it from a spray bottle with water with the addition of a biostimulant drug.
Soon the leaf will give roots, and after 2-3 weeks sprouts will appear.
When the sprouts are about a centimeter in diameter, carefully remove the excess parts of the "mother" sheet and carefully place the "kids" in small glasses
Rooting a begonia leaf in water. Cut a healthy leaf with a short "leg" and place it in a glass of warm water. Keep the glass in a warm place with diffused light and change the water regularly. It is recommended to dissolve an activated carbon tablet in water to prevent leaf rot. Over time, the leaf will give roots. When they reach a length of 2-3 centimeters, plant the leaf so that about a third of it is underground.
Propagation of begonias by cuttings
Cutting is a fast, simple and reliable method of rooting begonias. It allows you to plant a plant without compromising its varietal characteristics.
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How to cut begonia? Cut off a stalk - a part of a healthy stem about 10 centimeters long. The stalk should have several leaves and at least 2-3 buds.
The cut is moistened with water, then "Kornevin" to accelerate the emergence of roots and buried in the moistened soil by 1-2 centimeters. After that, the pot is covered with a plastic container or glass jar so as not to hurt the stem. Every day, the plant must be opened for 1-2 hours, and when new leaves appear, the jar or container is removed and then the flower is looked after as usual.
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Can begonia be grafted in the fall? Of course, the optimal time is the period of active vegetation, that is, the spring-summer season. In autumn and winter, begonia is in a state of rest, rest, so the cuttings may be reluctant to give roots. However, plants growing outdoors (not indoor) are often cut in the fall, before digging up the tubers.
Propagation of begonias by cuttings in water. The stalk does not have to be immediately planted in the ground, you can root it in a glass of water using the technology described above, in the paragraph "Rooting a begonia leaf in water". Keep in mind that rooting in water will take much longer than rooting in soil, and this method of propagation will also result in thinner and weaker roots.
How to root a begonia stalk? So, cuttings are rooted in two ways - in soil and in water. The first method is faster and more reliable, but the second is simpler and clearer.
Propagation of begonias by parts of a tuber
In the spring, new shoots appear on the tubers, and if they have not yet turned into full-fledged shoots, the tuber can be safely divided into several parts. The cuts are sprinkled with crushed charcoal to prevent rotting of the tubers.This method of propagation is good in that it rejuvenates the plant, and it blooms much better. "New" young plants are planted in pots with soil and watered abundantly.
Landing
To plant a young plant, you must use soil purchased in a store, or one of the options for a self-prepared substrate, which must be disinfected with fungicides or thermally:
- Sod and deciduous land, sand, humus in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1.
- 2 parts of peat, 2 parts of leafy soil, 1 part of sand and 0.5 part of manure.
- Greenhouse soil, peat, sand and manure in equal proportions.
It is better to use a low and shallow pot as a container for tuberous begonias: the distance from the edge of the pot to the tuber should not exceed 2 cm.Do not forget that the lower two-centimeter layer must necessarily be drainage from expanded clay or broken brick.
The best planting method for young seedlings rooting in the ground is the transfer method: the plant is taken out of the container and, without shaking off the earthy coma, is placed in a new pot. The top layer of soil near the stem is crushed by hands, the plant is watered and put in its place.
Important! It must be remembered that when planting, you cannot deepen the root collar or the growth point of the seedling.
For details on how to properly plant begonias in open ground and in a pot, as well as what care the plant needs, read our material.
Dividing a bush or rhizome
Some begonias (bush growing) can be propagated by division. To do this, the plant must be carefully removed from the pot, its adult stems, peduncles and large leaves must be removed, then the roots must be rinsed under running water. With a sharp knife or razor, the roots are divided into 2 or more parts. Each of them must have 1 bud or sprout. The cut must be covered with crushed activated carbon. Parts of the plant are soaked in a growth promoter, and then planted in separate pots.
Tuberous begonia can be propagated by tubers. When the first shoots appear on the tubers in spring, they are separated with a sharp knife or razor. At least 1 sprout must remain on each part. The cut is treated with wood ash and dried. Planting material is placed in pots, half buried in the ground. When the sprouts have reached a height of 7 cm, the tubers can be completely covered with soil.
