Tuberous Begonias For Variety

One gorgeous flower, the tuberous begonia with its crisp petals of delicate texture and elegant form, brings half the color wheel to life in your garden.

Any backyard gardener can grow these begonias for they require only simple care. In our garden, for the little attention we give our plants, we are rewarded with a display of exquisite beauty from late June to early November. Our entrance porch and patio are aglow with color. In the lath-house and small greenhouse constructed by my husband, the exhibition is lasting and never fails to bring forth an exclamation of “Ah !” from the visitor. The returns for only spare-time care are surely magnificent.

Tuberous begonias, luxuriant in foliage, kaleidoscopic in color, delicate in texture of blossom truly put on a one flower show. Colors range from purest white to darkest red and forms are numberless, many of them imitating nature’s finest flowers, the rose, carnation and camellia..

We start our tubers early in the spring, as soon as danger of frost is past. Because our garden is flanked by giant eucalyptus and studded with tall pines whose roots are greedy for moisture, and moisture is something to be cherished during California summers, we prefer to grow our begonias in pots, rather than in beds. We use 10-inch pots, for begonias are heavy feeders, and need room for bulb growth. To provide good drainage, always important, we place about an inch of gravel in the bottom of the pot before filling it with the soil mixture. In California we use to use oak leaf mold or chaparral leaf mold which we brought home from nearby mountains or canyons. Now we use a bagged soil mix and add a tablespoon of fish meal, bone meal, or blood meal. Then we fill the pot to within one-half inch of the top, and bury the tuber about one-half inch below the surface. After planting, we water thoroughly.

Later on, watering need be only enough to keep the soil damp. Frequent light waterings are more effective than heavy waterings. After the plants are well started, they will consume more moisture, and will need to be watered fairly often. A teaspoonful of additional plant food may be added to the surface of the soil mixture after the plant has grown for a period of 30 days.

Begonias are almost free from all disease. Their likes are filtered shade, lack of wind, and surrounding moisture. Their deadliest enemies are direct sunlight and dry soil. Luxuriant growth and plentiful blooms tend to make them top-heavy, and we find it wise to support the stalks with stakes, tying them loosely with plastic-coated bands that will not cut the stems – twist-em’s.

As with all other flowers, your expectations can be no greater than the plant material with which you start. That does not mean that a tremendous outlay for choice tubers is necessary. All our present tubers were purchased as seedlings from one of the best growers on the Pacific Coast, and potted in June with the same soil mixture we use for tubers. Out of 50 plants, only four failed to produce blooms that brought pride to our hearts. Many of the plants may well develop into prize-winning specimens, to be cherished for several years.

As cold weather approaches in the fall, watering should be decreased. When leaves and stalks have withered, the soil should be allowed to dry out. The tubers should be stored for the winter where they are away from freezing temperatures and free from moisture. In our temperate climate the storage problem is simple. We turn the pots on their sides, and allow the tubers to rest there undisturbed until spring.

Spring never comes soon enough, even in California. Throughout the winter we can hardly wait for that early week-end in March, when we can get our fingers into potting soil, and once more watch a rainbow unfurl in our garden.

by M Gunnerson

Related Articles Of Interest:

• Begonia Facts – Tuberous Begonias are Not Impossible
• Try Growing Tuberous Begonias – Part II
• Tuberous Begonias Insects Disease and Winter
• Tuberous Begonias Give You Silken Gorgeousness