I bought a lot of trailing begonia plugs this year and the display has been simply amazing.

I understand that begonias can be overwintered if they are the type which grow from tubers, but I don't know which type mine are.

The variety is called 'Orange Sparkle' and I have posted a picture of what I hope is a tuber on my Picassa web album.

Please could somebody tell me if the hard, pink nobbly thing at the bottom of the stems is a tuber?

https://picasaweb.google.com/1130453...8356 74669954

TIA

In article ,
Sadge wrote:

I bought a lot of trailing begonia plugs this year and the display has
been simply amazing.

I understand that begonias can be overwintered if they are the type
which grow from tubers, but I don't know which type mine are.

The variety is called 'Orange Sparkle' and I have posted a picture of
what I hope is a tuber on my Picassa web album.

Please could somebody tell me if the hard, pink nobbly thing at the
bottom of the stems is a tuber?

http://tinyurl.com/loqxgyx

It looks like one. It won't be one of these, even though it looks
a bit like one :-)

http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/naked-mole-rat


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Sadge" wrote in message
...

I bought a lot of trailing begonia plugs this year and the display has
been simply amazing.

I understand that begonias can be overwintered if they are the type
which grow from tubers, but I don't know which type mine are.

The variety is called 'Orange Sparkle' and I have posted a picture of
what I hope is a tuber on my Picassa web album.

Please could somebody tell me if the hard, pink nobbly thing at the
bottom of the stems is a tuber?

http://tinyurl.com/loqxgyx

Yup, definately a tuber or to be more precise a corm. Leave the plants
until they are frosted then lift, wash off any soil or compost and leave
them to dry in seed trays or similar, and after a couple of weeks or
so, store them in bags or nets in a cool but frost free area. At the end
of March, bring them into the warm and as soon as buds appear, pot
them into 3"pots, just below soil level. I have been using a similar
variety for summer bedding for 5 years now, with over 200 corms,
and they are superb here in the north of Scotland.

Phil

On 22/09/2013 15:32, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Sadge wrote:

I bought a lot of trailing begonia plugs this year and the display has
been simply amazing.

I understand that begonias can be overwintered if they are the type
which grow from tubers, but I don't know which type mine are.

The variety is called 'Orange Sparkle' and I have posted a picture of
what I hope is a tuber on my Picassa web album.

Please could somebody tell me if the hard, pink nobbly thing at the
bottom of the stems is a tuber?

http://tinyurl.com/loqxgyx

It looks like one. It won't be one of these, even though it looks
a bit like one :-)

http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/naked-mole-rat

Are you absolutely certain that the IBC aren't considering Begonia
heterocephalusi as a valid name? ;-)

--

Jeff

"Phil Gurr" wrote
Yup, definately a tuber or to be more precise a corm. Leave the plants
until they are frosted then lift, wash off any soil or compost and leave
them to dry in seed trays or similar, and after a couple of weeks or
so, store them in bags or nets in a cool but frost free area. At the end
of March, bring them into the warm and as soon as buds appear, pot
them into 3"pots, just below soil level. I have been using a similar
variety for summer bedding for 5 years now, with over 200 corms,
and they are superb here in the north of Scotland.

I leave mine in the compost they have grown in but turn the pots onto their
sides and leave them under the bench in my greenhouse (min 50°F) to dry out.
When I see tiny buds of growth appearing in the spring then I repot with
damp compost. Take care not to overdo the watering at first. If you want to
increase your stock then take cuttings during the season which will root and
grow new corms.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

"Bob Hobden" wrote ...

"Phil Gurr" wrote
Yup, definately a tuber or to be more precise a corm. Leave the plants
until they are frosted then lift, wash off any soil or compost and leave
them to dry in seed trays or similar, and after a couple of weeks or
so, store them in bags or nets in a cool but frost free area. At the end
of March, bring them into the warm and as soon as buds appear, pot
them into 3"pots, just below soil level. I have been using a similar
variety for summer bedding for 5 years now, with over 200 corms,
and they are superb here in the north of Scotland.

I leave mine in the compost they have grown in but turn the pots onto their
sides and leave them under the bench in my greenhouse (min 50°F) to dry
out. When I see tiny buds of growth appearing in the spring then I repot
with damp compost. Take care not to overdo the watering at first. If you
want to increase your stock then take cuttings during the season which will
root and grow new corms.


I might add that some begonias do not make big corms ever. One of my show
begonias has huge flowers and very heavy strong growth but the corm is only
the size of a 50p. Whereas the ones I inherited from my mother grow huge
corms that can easily be cut up to make new plants when they get too big for
the pots I use.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

Thank you so much everybody, and especially for the instructions as to how to keep them. I only have a very small plastic greenhouse so I'll have to dry them out and store in bags in the garage.

I'll be absolutely thrilled if I get such a fabulous display again next year - especially if I don't have to spend any more money. What a bargain!