Description of varieties of tuberous begonias, planting and care in the garden and breeding methods

Tuberous begonia has a wide variety of varieties; planting and caring for the garden does not require much effort and time. The culture is famous for its bright colors of inflorescences and is widely used in landscape design.

Tuberous begonia: features and characteristics of culture

Begonia belongs to perennial plants, twisting shoots. The bush can grow up to 70 cm in height, depending on the variety. The leaves of the plant are heart-shaped and large in size. The inflorescences can be of different sizes, however, as a rule, they consist of a cluster of flowers, forming a panicle. Features of the plant:

• can be grown both outdoors and indoors;
• forms tubers;
• the color of the flowers can be varied;
• each cultivar can react differently to changes in the environment.

Begonia varieties differ in leaf size and flower color. Also, inflorescences can be of various shapes and sizes.

Benefits of using in landscaping

A wide range of colors of plants allows you to create compositions and is often used in landscape design.

Benefits of begonia:

• the plant is unpretentious in care;
• saturated colors;
• used for planting in a pot;
• can be used as a cover for flower beds;
• you can create various curly designs;
• street begonia is used to create slides;
• goes well with various plants.

Disadvantages:

• planting begonias in an area with constant sun exposure can contribute to the absence of inflorescences on the bushes;
• in the fall, the begonia must be dug up, which can cause discomfort for large compositions.

The plant has a long flowering period and is an ideal garden decoration.

Popular varieties

Among the large list of begonia varieties, it is necessary to highlight the most commonly used ones.

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Growing conditions

In order for the plant to flourish and delight, it is necessary to observe the peculiarities of begonia care.

Location in the garden: suitable and unsuitable neighbors

When disembarking in open ground, it is necessary to choose an area where there is a slight partial shade, and direct sunlight does not fall more than 5 hours a day. The plant prefers a medium level of moisture, excessive amounts of water can lead to the formation of diseases.

Begonia is most often used as the main plant in garden beds.

Illumination

Begonia prefers light shade. Sunlight should be diffused. The plant does not like frequent changes in the environment. However, prolonged shade can lead to the fact that the bush will not develop well, stretch upward and not bloom.

Important. Direct sunlight on leaves can cause burns and death of the plant.

Requirements for soil composition

The soil for begonias should be light, with plenty of organic fertilizers. In order for the plant to be less exposed to diseases, fine river sand is used, mixed with the same amount of humus and two parts of the soil. If the soil is poor, additional potash and phosphate fertilizers, as well as peat, can be used.

Temperature regime

The plant, with proper care and timely watering, can withstand high temperatures without losing color. However, low temperatures can be detrimental to shrubs. A plant is planted only when the soil warms up, the first time after planting it is recommended to use insulation.

How to plant begonia outdoors

Planting a plant does not require special skills, it is enough to follow the standard rules.

Disembarkation dates

The plant is planted most often in mid-May, when there is no night frost. At night, the air temperature should be at least 12 degrees. However, if the weather conditions are favorable, the planting can be carried out earlier, at night the planting is covered with plastic wrap.

Landing schemes and technology

Planting a plant does not cause difficulties, the following steps must be followed:

• small holes up to 7 cm deep are made in the prepared area;
• holes are pre-watered with warm water;
• drainage is laid at the bottom of the hole;
• the tuber is carefully placed in the hole, sprinkled with soil;
• if already germinated seedlings are used, the ground part of the plant should be placed on the soil surface;
• the soil is compacted a little.

The distance between the holes must be at least 20 cm, otherwise the plant will have a lack of nutrients.

How to care for a bush

Proper maintenance includes watering and regular loosening of the soil. It is also important to timely fertilize and monitor the condition of the leaves and shoots of the crop.

Watering and feeding

Watering the flower beds is carried out every three days in the morning. If the soil is wet, irrigation is transferred to the next day. It is necessary to water the plant in moderation, excessive moisture leads to damage to the roots.

Fertilizers are applied according to the following scheme:

• after planting, a complex mineral fertilizer is applied to the soil;
• during the period of bud formation, it is necessary to use potassium and phosphorus for abundant color;
• mineral fertilizers are added in July.

In the fall, feeding is not carried out, since it is necessary to prepare the roots for winter.

Pruning

In order for the bush to have an attractive shape, pruning is recommended. It is recommended to remove leaves and shoots after the bush reaches a height of 10 cm. All excess shoots are removed and a bush is formed.

After the shoots of the plant reach a length of 12-15 cm, the top is pinched. In order not to infect an infection, a sharp knife is used, which is pre-treated with manganese.

Important. So that the plant does not die, the place of the cut is sprinkled with charcoal after pruning.

Begonia transplant

It is not recommended to transplant the plant, since begonia does not tolerate a change in growth site well. However, if necessary, the following actions are used:

• water the plant with water;
• carefully using a small spatula, dig up the plant along with the soil;
• place the seedling in a container with a light manganese solution for 15 minutes;
• transplant into prepared holes.

After the plant is removed from the soil, it is not recommended to delay the planting process in a new place of growth.

Diseases and pests: treatment and control

Bushes are most often exposed to the following types of pests:

• aphid;
• shield;
• whitefly;
• nematodes.

The following preparations are used for pest control: "Actellik", "Fitoferm", "Biotlin".

Among the diseases most often occur:

• powdery mildew;
• gray rot;
• bacterial spotting.

For treatment, a thorough loosening of the soil and spraying with the following preparations are carried out: "Topaz", "Fundazol", a light solution of copper sulfate.

Wintering a flower

In mid-August, watering and fertilization stops, the roots of the plant are prepared for further storage during the winter.

Is it necessary to dig up plants for the winter?

The tubers are dug up in mid-November. It is imperative to dig up begonia roots, otherwise the culture may die. The tubers are located in the upper layers of the soil, so the impact of low temperatures affects the planting material.

The difference between wintering begonia at home and outdoors

The tubers that grew in the open field are large and require mandatory digging for the winter. Flowers that grew in pots also go into hibernation mode, however, they are small in size and remain in their pots until spring.

How to keep young begonia tubers in winter

In order to prevent tubers from dying during the winter, the following storage tips must be followed:

• storage is carried out in a cool place;
• it is necessary to water the planting material so that the roots do not dry out;
• young tubers are placed in wooden boxes, it is periodically necessary to inspect the roots and remove sprouts if they appear prematurely.

You can also store planting material in a plastic bag filled with peat, such a bag is placed in the refrigerator in the compartment for storing vegetables.

Reproduction methods

Tuberous begonia reproduces in the following ways:

• Reproduction by a sheet. For this, a leaf with a handle is used. The leaf with the handle is placed in water and left until the roots appear. Then the sprout is planted in the ground. Another breeding method is also used, small longitudinal cuts are made on the leaf of the plant. The sheet is placed on the ground with cuts down. A plastic wrap is put on top of the pot.
• Reproduction using seeds. The seeds are purchased from a gardening store. Planting takes place in February. Drainage and special seedling soil are placed in special boxes for planting. The seeds are spread over the soil surface at a distance of 2 cm from each other. They are sprayed with water from above and are slightly pressed into the ground. They are covered with glass from above. After the emergence of seedlings, the seedlings dive.
• Propagation by cuttings. This method involves the use of a shoot, which is placed for an hour in a growth activator, and then in peat. The seedling must sometimes be watered so that the cutting takes root.

The culture can multiply in various ways, while not reducing its characteristics.

The main difficulties in growing

When growing begonias, the following difficulties may arise:

• brown spots appear on the leaves, this indicates excessive sunlight, which resulted in burns;
• leaves curl - it is necessary to spray the plants;
• inflorescences fall off - excessive watering of the crop.

With improper care, very often the culture is exposed to diseases and does not give color; when such symptoms appear, it is necessary to revise the rules of care. Begonia is renowned for its variety of varieties and unique flowers. Compliance with the rules of care will allow you to make various compositions and flower slides.