How to Take Care of Tuberous Begonia

Tap to Read ➤ Sonu S

If you do not take adequate care after planting tuberous begonia, it will not grow properly. Read on to know how to take care of your tuberous begonia.

Even a person who is not fond of flowers, will fall in love with the beautiful tuberous begonia. The wonderful blooms of this plant will surely make your garden more appealing. Their beauty is so enchanting that you will have a smile on your face the moment you see them.

To ensure that your begonia plant has lovely flowers, you should take good care of it. Taking care of this plant is not difficult, you will just have to spend a little time, and take a bit of effort everyday, to keep your begonia healthy.

Tuberous Begonia Care

Assuming that you have planted the tuber right, here are the steps to care of this type of begonia plant. To make it easier for you, this section has been divided into 3 parts:

Initial Stage

This is the most crucial stage of the plant care. If you are careless during the initial stage, your beloved begonia may not achieve full growth. Till your plant reaches a height of 6 inches, you should not transplant it outdoors.

Tuberous begonia is not fond of dry winds, so keep it in a location not exposed to such winds. You should water the plant regularly, but do not water it too much. If is is surrounded by excess of water, it will rot! Once the plant is 3 inches tall, you should apply some liquid fertilizer (half-strength) on it. This will aid its growth.

Keep watering it regularly, but do not apply any fertilizer for the next 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, you can start using the fertilizer regularly. Once your plant is 6 inches tall, you can transplant it outside, in your garden.

Growing Stage

Plant the begonia in a location which is not exposed to direct sunlight. These parts grow well in partial shade or full shade. Water your begonia regularly, but do not let the soil in which it is planted become soggy.

In addition to the water, feed it with appropriate plant food. In a few days, you will find that your tuberous begonia has several stems.

Cut off all the stems of the plant, except the 3 strongest stems! Check the plant for signs of infestation. If you see any symptoms of pest attack, you should treat it immediately. You can use a pesticide to kill the pests. See that you do not give your plant an overdose of the pesticide.

Remember, if you make a delay in treating the infestation, you might not be able to save your plant. Whenever you find withered leaves or flowers on the plant, you should remove them, doing so will result in the growth of new leaves and flowers.

Preservation Stage

You should remove the tuber and preserve it before the frost. Transplant the begonia indoors before the end of the fall season. Do not water the plant, and allow its leaves and flowers to wither and die.

Now, carefully remove the stems from the tubers. Clean the tubers properly. Now, take some vermiculite and cover the tubers with it. Now, keep the tubers in a cool and safe place, you can plant them in the next spring! Note: The location in which you store the tubers should have proper ventilation and should not be exposed to frost.

Tuberous begonia can be a great addition to your garden. Apart from this, there are over 1000 species of begonia which can be a part your garden. Irrespective of the species of begonia, you should remember one thing; only care can ensure that you enjoy the company of these plants for a very long time.