How do you take care of tuberous begonias in the winter?

Tuberous begonias should be dug up and stored indoors during winter until the return of warmer weather in spring. Begonias can be dug up in fall once foliage has faded or just after the first light frost. Spread begonia clumps on newspaper and leave this in a sunny area until thoroughly dry — about a week.

What should you do with begonias in winter?

If your begonias are fibrous rooted, then you can either dig them up, trim them back and store as house plants over winter, or take cuttings and keep in a warm spot in your house. Most begonia varieties easily take from cuttings – hardly any labour at all.

Can you keep begonia plants over winter?

The corms can now be stored for winter. The ideal place is a cool but frost free area which is dry and dark. Our preferred method is to store them in individual paper bags in a cardboard box. Somewhere like a garage or an unheated room in the house is ideal.

How do you overwinter fibrous rooted begonias?

Fibrous-rooted begonias are best overwintered as ‘dormant’ plants. Pot them up individually, cut back to 15cm and place on a windowsill of a cool room, or under the staging in a heated conservatory or greenhouse with a minimum temperature 5°C.

What to do with begonias after flowering?

Fertilize the Rieger begonia once a month with a high-phosphorous liquid plant food while it is blooming, and snip off withered flowers. Stop feeding the plant after it has stopped blooming, and gradually reduce water until the soil is barely moist.

When to plant Begonia tubers?

KNOW WHEN TO PLANT. Tuberous begonias are sensitive to cold and should not be put outdoors until the nights are above 50°F. For earlier blooms, start your begonias indoors, eight weeks before the last frost date. Plant the tubers 1” deep in moist growing mix and water sparingly.

What kind of light does a Begonia need?

The tuberous begonia does need some light, so if you don’t have a suitable place near a window, you can place the plant under artificial lights. Standard fluorescent lighting works well, or you can get good results by using one cool white bulb and one bulb labeled for use with plants in a two-bulb fixture.

When to plant begonias outside?

Begonias are tropical plants and they need warm soil. If you live in a cool climate, it’s best to hold off planting begonias outdoors until the soil is 60°F and the nights are relatively warm. In northern areas this will be late May to early June.