AmeriHybrid Begonias
- BOTANICAL NAME
- Begonia x tuberhybrida
- PLANT TYPE
- Tuber
- FAMILY
- Begoniaceae
- SIZE (HxW)
- 30-50cm x 20-30cm
- DEPTH & SPACING
- Plant with the concave, or hollow side facing upward, there may be small buds beginning to show, be careful not to damage them. Cover with 3-5cm of potting mix. Put them somewhere warm, out of the weather, and they will emerge in just over three weeks.
Ideally use a pot that is around twice the size of the tuber, if your ornamental pots are in use, you can use a plain black plastic pot and once you have around 15cm of growth, you can pot on your Tuberous Begonia into hanging baskets or larger, decorative pots if you like.
- SOIL
- Very well drained, they thrive well in a good quality, loam based potting mix. You could add a handful of perlite to ensure the perfect drainage, and don’t rely on the potting mix for fertiliser, you will need to add a bit extra, see below. If making your own mix you could try a combination of a third peat, a third sand and a third garden loam.
- ASPECT
- Filtered light, they won’t tolerate direct sunlight. As a general guide, they are happiest where ferns and orchids grow such as under trees, eaves, porches or in a shade house.
- CLIMATE
- Cool to Mediterranean
- Frost
- Tender
- WATER
- 1. Spring, when the shoots begin, around August/September, keep the soil just moist, watering as it begins to dry.
2. Summer-autumn, when the plants are actively growing saturate the pot, avoiding the plant, then allow the soil to dry out before watering again – this is important because if it is kept wet it can breed fungal or bacterial infections and cause rot.
3. Winter, when foliage yellows reduce watering, allow the pot or hanging basket to dry out completely (store under eaves, in the garden shed or on its side). When the new pink eyes appear in spring, bring them out of storage water and fertilise.
- FERTILISER
- Apply a liquid fertiliser every other week during active growth for best results.
- FLOWERING TIME
- Late spring to late autumn
- AFTER FLOWER CARE
- Weak flower stems are best removed. Remove spent flowers to encourage more blooms and prevent fungal issues.
- NOTES
- Great for pots and hanging baskets. You may need to protect your plants from snails and slugs. Tuberous Begonias will last for many years. Each year, if cared for well, the tubers become larger and, once they have two or more buds can be divided to produce new plants – each needing a bud. Watch for aphids and spider mites as these can sometimes attack. Check under the foliage and control these if necessary.
Poor air circulation and high temperatures can contribute to fungal problems such as powdery mildew. Control by removing affected leaves, or spraying with a suitable fungicide (organic preferred) if necessary.
