Begonia is one of the ornamental plants that is a favorite of many people. Begonias are known to be easy to breed and have beautiful flowers. If you want to add to your collection of plants in the house, bring hanging plants, or beautify the garden in your yard, then consider planting begonias. Begonias are tropical/subtropical plants. In the country of the four seasons begonias become annuals that need to be replanted every year. Nevertheless, begonias provide comparable beauty.
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Part 1 of 2: Preparation for Planting Begonias
Step 1. Choose the type of begonia you want to plant
In general, there are two types of begonias: the type that grows from seeds and the type that grows from the tuber. Begonias are grown from seeds to become small plants, the growth is relatively difficult. Meanwhile, the type of begonia that comes from tubers is relatively easy to grow into large and sturdy plants. However, both varieties have different flower colors, such as shades of pink, white, purple, yellow, and red. Both varieties of begonias are annuals (in the country of the four seasons). However, the tubers can be stored and planted again. If you don't want to bother caring for seeds or bulbs, you can come to a plant nursery in your neighborhood/city to buy begonias in pots that have grown.
- In a country of four seasons, it's possible, though rare, to find a variety of begonias that grow year-round. But in tropical countries, begonias grow all year round.
- You can also choose to plant begonias by cutting (cutting off the old stems).
Step 2. Choose a planting location
Begonia is one type of flowering ornamental plant that can grow well in indoor and outdoor spaces. The many shades of color that it has make it worth adding to the collection of ornamental plants in your home. If you are growing begonias in pots, choose a location in the house that is oriented towards the east, west, or south. Potted begonias can also be placed on the veranda that is shaded but gets plenty of sun. If you are growing begonias in your garden, place them in a shaded area protected by larger plants on the north side of the garden.
- Begonias should be kept out of direct sunlight.
- If you don't have space around the windows to display potted begonias then you can stick them anywhere in the interior. Use lamps placed around the pot so that the begonia gets a supply of light.
Step 3. Prepare the soil
Or vice versa, you may also not need to prepare the soil at all because begonias grow better in mixed growing media without soil. You can make it yourself. Prepare a mixture consisting of peat moss and soilless planting medium mix (can be purchased at a garden supply store/supply or at a nursery). Begonias prefer acidic media and a well-draining environment as provided by a peat moss mixture. If you must use soil, mix it with a little peat moss and organic matter to make the best growing medium for begonias.
- If you are using a peat moss mixture, pre-soak the material in boiling water. After it cools down, you can use it to plant begonias.
- You can use a liquid fertilizer with a composition of 20-20-20 on the soil/soil mixture to provide additional nutrients to the begonias.
Step 4. Know the right planting time
Begonias are annuals that don't grow back every year so they must be replanted regularly. Begonias do not tolerate cold/freezing temperatures, so planting is usually done in mid-spring. Planting can be started indoors before finally after the temperature warms can be planted outside. This is the condition in the country of the four seasons. In warm tropical countries begonias can grow all year round.
Part 2 of 2: Start Planting Begonias
Step 1. Prepare a planting area in the garden or pot
If you plan to grow begonias outdoors, dig a hole in the soil a few inches deep to insert the begonia seeds or tubers. If you are going to plant it in a bed or pot, then provide enough beds/pots to accommodate the growth of plant roots. You can also combine it with other plants in pots. In principle, begonias do not require too much space, so you are free to plant them anywhere-adjacent to other plants in the garden or at the edges of the beds/plant pots.
Step 2. Plant Your Begonias
Insert tubers, seeds, or begonia cuttings into the hole you dug. Each plant should be placed in a separate hole, but that's fine if you want to plant it in one hole. Next, cover the top with soil or a mixture of planting media that has been prepared for planting in pots. If you are planting a small begonia (one that is already growing), remove a bit of the roots before inserting it into the hole.
Step 3. Water the Plants
Most plants require more watering at the start of planting. This is to avoid a phenomenon known as 'displacement shock'. Water your newly planted begonias with enough water so the soil is wet but not waterlogged. Thus, watering needs to be continued for the next few days. You can do watering manually or using an automatic sprinkler (sprinkler). Begonias cannot tolerate too much water. Therefore, it is enough to do light but constant watering so that the soil moisture is maintained. Even if it rains too hard, you need to move the potted begonias to the terrace or inside the house to prevent them from being inundated by rainwater.
Step 4. Raising Begonias
If you grow begonias in pots and place them on your patio or indoors, you won't have to deal with annoying weeds. On the other hand, if you plant it in an open space such as a garden, you will need to check every few days and remove any weeds that have grown. Add liquid fertilizer with a composition of 20-20-20 once a month, or as additional nutrients can be given a mixture of a little compost and peat moss (peat moss). If you want, you can add a haystack to trap moisture (thus reducing the intensity of watering) while preventing weeds from growing.
Step 5. Cut off the withered parts
Over time you may notice parts of the plant (flowers, leaves, etc.) that turn brown and wither. In such conditions you must clean the withered parts by cutting or picking them. This action allows the growth of new shoots as well as distributing nutrients to other parts of the plant. When the blooming season is over, you should also clean the flower buds or other wilted/dead plant parts and keep the green/fresh parts. This will give the plant the opportunity to store nutrients in the tubers for the next growth (in a four-season country means growth in the following spring).
Step 6. Protect begonias from pests
Although outdoor plants are always at risk of disturbing natural phenomena, indoor plants can also be attacked by pests. Keep the begonias you plant free of slugs and snails. You do this by sprinkling crushed egg shells around the base of the plant. Begonias that are placed indoors are often attacked by mealy bugs, which are small white/grey insects that are parasitic. These pests can be eradicated by spraying alcohol. Various other pests can be eradicated by giving special insecticides for ornamental plants. Consult with nursery workers for advice on the best care for your begonias.
Step 7. Pick Your Begonias
Actually begonia is not a type of flower to be arranged because the stem is not long enough. However, you can pick the flowers for decoration, for example in an emergency. Pick flowers from the shoots, avoid picking too many leaves/stems. During the flowering season, you can pick as many as you need, as the plants will sprout within a few days.
Step 8. Protect the plant from the cold
In a four-season country, when it gets cold outside or it starts to freeze, potted begonias can be brought into the house. Unfortunately, that can't be done for begonias grown in the ground. The begonia pot should be placed in an area near a window that gets enough sunlight. Within 1-2 weeks usually begonias will drop a lot of leaves. This is normal as a result of the transfer. However, begonias will improve once they can adjust to a new environment.
Step 9. Save the begonia tubers
In a four-season country, at the end of the year when all crops are ready for winter, people save begonia tubers for planting again the following spring. Although in tropical countries this is not necessary, but you can also do it - especially to anticipate if your begonia is caught dead. The trick, if the whole plant looks brown, remove the plant and separate all the stems and leaves from the tuber. Take the tubers and place them in a latticed container or gauze and store in a cool and dry place for about 5-7 days. When dry, the tubers can be stored in a cardboard box containing peat moss. The bulbs can be planted again as needed (in the area of the four seasons planting is done in spring).
Tips
- You can pluck begonia stems and place them in a watering container to grow roots. If the roots have grown well, you can remove them from the water and plant them normally in a pot.
- Planting begonias can be started from seeds / seeds. However, the nursery can take up to 4 months before it is ready to be planted outdoors. Begonia seeds are relatively very soft so growing begonias starting with seeds does tend to be more difficult.
