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The Plant: Tuberous Begonias have fleshy green or bronze-green
leaves, with lighter, fleshy stems giving rise to striking, colourful
flowers ranging from subtle pale pink through yellow, orange, to sunset
scarlet. Male flowers, (the more ‘showy’), and female flowers, (the
‘single’ type), occur on the same plant.
Its needs:
Use a loam/compost potting mix, with 1 teaspoon/5ml bone meal added.
Press the tuber down, (concave side up), on top of the compost until
half buried. Good light, including some morning sun. Warmth and
humidity promote good growth. |
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Begonia tuberhybrida - seen here with both single and double flowers.
You should just pinch the single flowers off. They normally grow in
pairs right behind the main double flower.
Care:
Keep compost just moist until the tuber has produced new leaves.
Throughout growing season water very consistently and well, including a
weekly feed. Provide extra humidity in dry summers. Once flowering
period is over, allow leaves to die back. Tubers can be stored over
winter in a cool dry place, or grown on in sand trays to produce
cuttings. Plants soon become top-heavy, so additional support needed,
e.g. slender canes. Susceptible to powdery mildew.
Good for:
Tuberous begonias are good showy plants, cheerful,
popular, and excellent for giving or receiving.
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