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Begonia Let my words, like vegetables, be tender and sweet, for tomorrow I may have to eat them......Author Unknown
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Few plants can compare to the Begonia for long-lasting color, reasonable drought tolerance, easy care, and memorable impact when used in mass plantings. These are the features that make Begonias very popular with commercial landscapers. Examples of creative use of these plants can be seen everywhere - around office buildings, malls, apartment complexes, etc. If you are looking for the perfect easy-care annual to fill those empty pots on either side of the entryway, then Begonias should be on the top of your list.
Like Impatiens, Begonias are actually tender perennials (come back year after year) that are usually treated as annuals (gone forever at first frost). Begonias perform admirably in many garden situations, including full sun in all but the hottest areas. As a veteran of the hottest areas, a Begonia will survive, but it will look ghost-like with bleached out leaves and a tired appearance when it gets too hot outside. Medium shade is good where it's hot, but over a certain temperature limit, Begonias will not look fabulous, but will survive to enchant when the temperature cools. . Anyhow, in every other scenario, give as much sun as you can and you will generally be rewarded with rich color and healthy foliage. In deep shade situations, Begonias will stretch and become leggy, so do give them a spot with at least a few hours of sunlight for the best results. If your Begonia looks weak, pale, and looks like it is stretching toward the available light, situate it better and trim all the stretched branches just above the joints - you'll be amazed at how fast the plant recovers. Begonias transplant very easily so never hesitate to relocate a plant that is not doing well. All Begonias appreciate a well drained soil and a monthly feeding with any flowering plant food, but can and will withstand some neglect and will mostly do well under less than perfect circumstances. Even though some may consider Begonias "common", there's a reason you see them so often - they are easy, inexpensive, tough and will work beautifully in a variety of situations. Begonias can be propagated by seed or cuttings, with cuttings being the preferred method. Even under perfect conditions, Begonias can be difficult to raise from seed (the seeds are small, slow to germinate, and hard to find), but if you are determined, seeding is best done indoors in flats. Cuttings placed in a moist soil root easily and quickly, and are a great way to increase your supply of these valuable landscape plants. Wax Begonias come in a variety of flower and leaf colors. The flowers come in whites, pinks, and reds, and the leaves are bright green to bronze. The bronze leafed varieties are generally more tolerant of hot, sunny conditions, so keep this in mind when choosing your plants. Once established, Begonias are surprisingly drought tolerant, but be sure to keep new transplants well watered for the first month or so. Begonia flowers are edible, but you will get more mileage from the tuberous types because of their much larger flowers. Begonias have a citrus-spicy taste if you're too chicken to pop one in!
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Gardens Ablaze |
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