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| Begonias - most magical flowers |
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By HEATHER BUTLER Lindisfarne Village Garden Centre THE spectacular tuberous begonias originated from species native to the Andean highlands of South America and need cool temperatures and moisture to thrive. Their flowering is controlled by the length of daylight - meaning they start blooming after the longest day and stop sending buds up when daylight hours become too short, usually in May. At this point, watering should cease, forcing the plant to dry out completely. The stem will fall and the plant will go into dormancy. Keep tuber dry and out of frosts – tipping the pot on its side is enough - and away from snails and slugs. In September and October the ‘eyes’ will sprout with red shoots. Repot these into fresh potting mix with some slow release fertiliser as there will be no roots at this stage. The size of the pot will decide how big the plant becomes as long as the tuber fits it! Do be careful as the tops become very heavy and the whole plant can tip over very easily, breaking the brittle stems. Flowering is encouraged by not letting the plant self seed. The large showy flowers are the males - the females are single with winged seeds behind them. By removing the female flowers, the males will be bigger and don’t forget, dead heads constantly encourage more buds. Be careful having the plants inside too long as powdery mildew can be a problem. Have them positioned near a window with good light, regular liquid feeding with a low nitrogen fertiliser such as tomato feed. This helps keep the begonias growing strong and healthy. Tubers can be grown in the garden as long as they are lifted in winter to prevent rotting. A newer ‘Bonfire Begonia’ with its fine light orange flowers has been bred for shade and is perfect for hanging baskets. Begonias seem to grow best on an open deck or veranda that has a covered roof with good airflow. In pots or hanging baskets, there isn’t a plant I have discovered yet that has a more magical flower. Enjoy!
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