Tuberous begonia, Begonia boliviensis: care instructions

Tuberous begonias are colorful, permanent bloomers that are preferred to be cultivated on balconies and patios. The eye-catching ornamental shrubs can also be planted outdoors. However, you have some requirements regarding care.

Location

Tuberous begonias prove to be sensitive when it comes to space in the garden. Its leaves quickly dry out in the blazing midday sun. A few hours of sunshine in the morning or evening do not cause any problems for the ornamental plants. The less light there is in the garden, the fewer flowers the plants will develop. The color intensity is also lower in weak sunlight. You gratefully accept a moderately sun-drenched place with an east or west orientation. However, if they are placed on the weather side, there is a risk that stems and flowers will break off. You should consider these requirements:

• many hybrids prefer partially shaded to shady locations
• small-flowered cultivars are suitable for somewhat sunnier growing locations
• The area is ideally protected from wind and rain

Substrate

Normal flower or garden soil is sufficient to guarantee the varieties of the original species Begonia boliviensis a good growth base. If the ground is heavily compacted or poor, help Soil improvements. Sand is used to loosen up and compost gives the earth more nutrients. The rhizomes of the tuberous begonia prove to be sensitive to moisture. If the conditions are too wet, rot can quickly develop. This is what the flowering plants attach great importance to:

• loose structure with high permeability
• deep ground
• fresh and nutrient-rich soil

Note: In order to prevent waterlogging and improve water drainage, you should think of drainage made of gravel or sand for potted plants.

to water

The tuberous begonia has a moderate water requirement and attaches great importance to regularity. Thirst is higher in summer than in winter during the growing season. The floor should not be penetratingly wet. It is enough if you ensure moist conditions. Therefore, pay attention to a balanced watering interval and use the amount of water sparingly. Short periods of drought are less of a problem for the plant than stagnant moisture in the ground, because this quickly leads to root rot. How to do it right:

• Moisten the soil weekly when leaves emerge
• Keep foliage and flowers dry
• do not water directly at the base, but water the substrate over the entire surface
• Slowly reduce the watering rate when leaves wither in autumn

Fertilize

Similar to the need for water, the need for more nutrients increases as soon as the flowering plant is in the growth phase. Here, too, constant supply is part of optimal care, so that the varieties bloom for a long time and the blossom does not weaken over the years. Follow these recommendations:

• Incorporate compost into garden soil in spring
• Fertilize potted plants with irrigation water every 14 days
• Organic-mineral complete fertilizers or liquid balcony plant fertilizers are ideal
• Provide outdoor plants with additional nutrients only when they are poorly in bloom
• Slowly reduce fertilization after flowering

Cut

Begonia boliviensis does not require regular pruning. Such measures within the care are limited to cutting off the withered parts of the plant to a few centimeters before you remove the tubers from the substrate in autumn. Regular cleaning is all the more important to reduce the risk of rot. Dead leaves and flowers quickly get caught in the dense foliage and encourage rotting processes here. Therefore, remove dead plant parts regularly during the season.

Tip: If you snap off the first emerging flower buds at the beginning of the season, you not only promote compact growth with numerous bushy branches. The plant reacts to this measure by increasing the number of flowers.

Overwinter

Varieties of the tuberous begonia are not hardy, so you have to overwinter them frost-free. To do this, you dig the root tubers out of the earth in autumn, after the perennial has drawn its energy from the leaves and stored it in the rhizome. You can recognize this point by the completely withered leaves. Clean the outer skin with a fine brush to remove any remaining earth. It is customary to store the storage organs in a bucket of moderately dry sand. Rotten or damaged specimens should be sorted out to prevent mold from developing. A basement room, the garage or the garden shed prove to be optimal winter quarters, provided these conditions are met:

• dry room air so that tissue does not rot
• dark light conditions prevent early germination
• Temperatures between five and seven degrees

Note: Stop the supply of nutrients and water as early as the end of September so that the soil can dry out and the plants go into hibernation.

sowing

The cultivation of a tuberous begonia from seeds is not always promising. With a lot of patience and under optimal conditions, the seeds will germinate within two to three weeks. Greenhouses with plant lamps and a heating mat increase the germination success for these light germs. At the same time, you need to ensure good ventilation and keep the soil evenly moist. How to sow correctly:

• ideal period: December to January
• Sprinkle seeds on a nutrient-poor growing medium
• Moisten the soil with a flower sprayer
• Ensure temperatures of 23 to 26 degrees
• pay attention to high humidity
• Do not place the container in direct sunlight so that the delicate leaves do not dry out

When the first shoots appear, reduce the ambient temperature to 20 degrees. You can remove glass hoods from the growing vessel or open the greenhouse. This reduces the humidity. After about seven weeks, the seedlings have developed the first pair of leaves so that you can prick them out and continue to cultivate them at 15 degrees.

Prefer

From February you can get the storage organs out of the winter quarters and drive them out on the windowsill. As soon as the thermometer rises above ten degrees, the tubers sprout. The room temperature should not exceed 15 degrees so that the plants do not grow too quickly and become stronger. These are the steps:

• Let the rhizomes swell in lukewarm water for 24 hours
• Cover the bottom of the planter with gravel or potsherds
• Fill three quarters of the pot with loose potting soil
• Insert the onion, indenting upwards and halfway into the soil
• Dust with a spray bottle
• Continue care in a warmer place as soon as the plants are two to four centimeters tall

plants

In May after the ice saints, both pre-cultivated tubers and young plants grown from seeds can move permanently to the garden bed. If you are aiming for group planting, you should ensure that there is sufficient space between the individual specimens. A tuberous begonia needs a distance of at least 40 centimeters to the nearest neighbor so that it develops expansively and good ventilation of the stand is guaranteed.

Multiply

Begonia boliviensis can be reproduced in two ways. The division offers a safe option, because the daughter tubers are already optimally prepared for the start of growth. Leaf cuttings are another option that you can do between spring and fall. With this method, the success is a little less. Follow these steps:

• Cut strong leaves from healthy plants
• stuck in a mixture of potting soil and sand
• Keep the substrate evenly moist
• alternatively, divide tubers in spring shortly after budding
• Place single tubers in pots with at least one eye
• Pay attention to constant soil moisture

Tip: Dust the cuts on the rhizomes with some charcoal powder. This is how you prevent rot.

Diseases

Both excessively wet and extremely dry conditions make ornamental plants difficult, making them susceptible to pathogens. Common types of fungi include the Phytophtora fungus and powdery mildew. While the first-mentioned species causes putrefactive tissue on fine roots and tubers, the fair-weather mushroom settles below the leaves in dry weather. How to take action against fungal diseases:

• Generously separate rotten roots
• Pluck fungal leaves
• Improve site conditions and adapt them to requirements

Pests

If the plants are weakened by incorrect care, insects have an easy job. The most common causes of pest infestation include overfertilization or suboptimal temperature and humidity conditions. In order to increase the resistance of the ornamental plants, you should regularly brew field horsetail, Comfrey or Nettles to water. This helps against typical plant pests:

• Collect visible beetles and wipe the sap teat with a cloth
• hidden aphids can be combated with washing-up liquid
• Neem oil and dusting with water help against thrips
• Black weevils must be fought with nematodes or special bait traps

frequently asked Questions