Tuberous Begonia Is A Festive Decoration. Planting, Care, Reproduction. Honeycomb. A Photo

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Tuberous Begonia Is A Festive Decoration. Planting, Care, Reproduction. Honeycomb. A Photo
Tuberous Begonia Is A Festive Decoration. Planting, Care, Reproduction. Honeycomb. A Photo

Video: Tuberous Begonia Is A Festive Decoration. Planting, Care, Reproduction. Honeycomb. A Photo

Video: Tuberous Begonia Is A Festive Decoration. Planting, Care, Reproduction. Honeycomb. A Photo
Video: Tuberous Begonias 2024, March
Anonim

Tuberous begonias bloom profusely and brightly, their luxurious flowers resemble roses, carnations, camellias, peonies, daffodils … The great advantage of tuberous begonias is their ability to give a festive decoration to the shaded corners of the garden, bringing in their bright colors. Numerous ornate flowers of a variety of tuberous begonias adorn gardens from June to September, and apartments and frost-protected balconies even longer - from late spring to late autumn.

Tuberous begonia
Tuberous begonia

Tuberous begonia (Begonia x tuberhybrida). Herbaceous plant with a thick underground tuber-rhizome, succulent translucent stems, height from 20 to 80 cm. Leaves have a regular arrangement, heart-shaped, asymmetric. Flowers, depending on the variety, are simple, semi-double, double. Colors from white to dark red, yellow, orange, except for shades of blue, blue, violet. The flowers are heterosexual, monoecious, that is, male and female flowers are located on the same plant. The flowers are non-double, semi-double and double in shape. With additional pollination, tuberous begonia forms well seeds, which in 1 year contain from 80 to 120 thousand. Flowering occurs from May to November. For the winter, begonia loses leaves, enters a dormant period.

The name Begonia x tuberhybrida was proposed by A. Woz, since there was a large group of hybrids, as well as mutations from them, united by the presence of a perennial tuber. According to various sources, from six to nine species participated in crosses, but the Bolivian begonia (Begonia bolimensis) is considered the main one. The first hybrid varieties were marketed in England in 1869 and were grown in greenhouses as flowering indoor plants. Belgian Louis Van Hutt was the first to cultivate begonia outdoors. Thanks to his work, begonias were grown almost like tulip bulbs, and the city of Gand became the world center of tuberous begonias. In the 90s of the last century, about 50 million tubers were produced there per year.

The selection of tuberous begonias proceeded very quickly, since the hybrids produced many seeds, and the original species were distinguished by a great variety in the shape and color of the flower. Already in 1874 V. Lemoine introduced gardeners to terry begonias. To this we can add that by the end of the 19th century there were about 200 names of forms and varieties. In a relatively short period of time, by 1900, hybrids with all characteristic colors and double flowers were on sale. Further selection led to the creation of garden groups with flowers of various sizes: giant (gigantea) - up to 20 cm, large-flowered (grandiflora) - with flowers, the diameter of which is 8-10 cm, profusely flowering (floribunda) - 8-12 cm and multiflora (multiflora) - 5-7 cm in diameter.

Nowadays, selection goes in two directions. The first of them is the creation of heterotic hybrids, more suitable for open ground. Most often they are grown annually from seed. The second, more traditional, direction pays more attention to the variety of flowers in color and shape. Such varieties are more often sold as tubers, although heterotic hybrids can also be sold in tubers.

The varieties and hybrids of the gigantea group are distinguished by the greatest variety in the shape of flowers and petals. Double flowers resemble camellia, peony or anemone. The petals of large flowers can be strongly corrugated or assembled (crispa form), as well as cut or fringed (fimbriata form).

A special place is occupied by ampelous tuberous begonias (Begonia pendula flore pleno), which were obtained by crossing various forms of the multiflora group. They have semi-double and double graceful flowers on thin drooping pedicels. But their advantage is not only in decorativeness - they tolerate the sun well, bloom early and abundantly. Therefore, they are readily used in flower beds.

Tuberous begonia
Tuberous begonia

Tuberous begonia (Begonia x tuberhybrida) belongs to the genus Begonia (Begonia). The genus includes, according to various sources, from 400 to 1000 wild plant species of the Begoniaceae family, growing in the tropical and subtropical regions of America, Africa and Asia. Begonia was first introduced in Santo Domingo in 1690 by the botanist Charles Plumiero.

The name of the genus Begonia (Begonia) comes from the surname of the great lover and collector of the plant M. Begon, who lived in the 17th century in Santo Domingo, in his honor the begonia was named by K. Liney who described it. In Russia, begonias have been known for a long time, and after the French fled from Moscow in 1812, it received an interesting Russian name - "Napoleon's ear", since the shape and reddish color of the underside of the leaf of some begonia is really similar to a large frostbitten ear.

Features:

  • Light: depending on the variety (there are varieties that are more resistant to the bright summer sun than others). In indoor conditions, bright diffused light is better suited.
  • Temperature: For normal flowering, depending on the variety, usually at least 10 ° C.
  • Watering: regular summer, without overdrying. During the dormant period, the substrate with wintering tubers is occasionally moistened.
  • Air humidity: preferably high. Spraying is recommended for plants planted in containers.
  • Top dressing: in order for begonias to develop foliage, after planting, they need to be fed with potassium nitrate two or three times with an interval of seven days, and then with a full complex fertilizer with a low nitrogen content.
  • Pruning: fast-growing ampelous begonias are pinched to form side shoots.
  • Dormant period: in winter. It is advisable to store the tubers in sand or peat at temperatures around 12 ° C. The rest period lasts about 3-3.5 months. To avoid drying out the tubers, occasionally the substrate is carefully moistened.
  • Transfer: annually at the end of the dormant period.
  • Reproduction: tubers, cuttings, seeds (less often).

Dependence on growing conditions

The ratio of tuberous begonias to light is different. Plants with small flowers grow well in sunny places, and large-flowered plants grow better in partial shade. The ampel forms are the same: the smaller the flower, the better the plant feels in the sun. Both tall with large flowers and ampelous begonias should be planted in places protected from the winds so that fragile succulent shoots do not break.

Tuberous begonia
Tuberous begonia

Due to its complex hybrid origin, the ratio of various groups of tuberous begonia to temperature is not the same. If, in general, this plant can be considered more thermophilic than ever-flowering begonia (B. semperflorens), then the most heat-demanding varieties are large-flowered begonias, and relatively cold-resistant are heterotic hybrids of the floribunda group, which bloom well at a temperature of about 10 ° C, while in large-flowered begonias at this temperature, flowering weakens, and the buds may crumble. None of the tuberous begonia varieties tolerate even light frosts. Plants especially suffer from cold winds, they may blacken the edges of the leaves. But even hot dry weather does not promote good growth and flowering. In dry, heated ground, the roots stop growing and can completely die, flowers fall,leaves and buds, and an almost bare stem remains. Begonia reacts poorly to low air humidity.

All begonias are moisture-loving plants, with a lack of moisture, their leaves become dull, and the buds fall off. But excess moisture causes the appearance of various rot.

Plants suffer more in the open wind, especially dark-leaved varieties and hybrids. It can be assumed that only heterotic hybrids with medium-sized flowers can grow in open flower beds.

The soil

Tuberous begonias are demanding on soils, thrive on loose and nutritious, neutral soils. Heterotic hybrids are less moody and can grow on denser soil.

For adult plants, the best mixture is 3 parts deciduous soil, 1 part peat and sand. It is advisable to add 1 part of rotted cow dung to such a mixture.

Landing

It is better to plant tuberous begonia in open ground in early June. On closed loggias it is possible earlier - in mid-May. If the temperature drops, it must be covered. Purchased seedlings, including flowering ones, can be kept at home on a light window, but not in the bright sun, providing them with sufficient moisture.

When planting, you need to very carefully remove the seedlings from the pot, especially if they are overgrown, since the juicy stem can easily break. Seedlings from seeds are buried 1-1.5 cm lower than they were in a pot. Tall seedlings and tuber-derived plants should be planted 2-2.5 cm deeper to provide stability. It is recommended to put slowly dissolving fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus into the hole and shed well. It is better to plant tall varieties of begonias in flower beds at a distance of 30-35 cm from each other, compact hybrids - by 25-30 cm. In containers, especially ampelous forms, they are planted every 10-15 cm.

Tuberous begonia
Tuberous begonia

Care

The main thing in caring for tuberous begonia is proper watering. To maintain flowering in hot dry weather, water it early in the morning, but not with cold water. With daily watering, burns appear on the leaves, and subsequently they fall off. If you water overheated soil with cold water, the roots die.

To increase the resistance of plants when the heat comes, they need to be sprayed with growth substances (humate, epin, zircon). It is advisable not only to water the begonias in containers, but also to spray them with warm water in the morning and evening.

In order for begonias to develop foliage, after planting, they need to be fed with potassium nitrate two to three times with an interval of seven days, and then with a full complex fertilizer with a low nitrogen content. Excess nitrogen causes the plants to stretch and in wet weather contributes to their decay.

Until the plants grow, keep the soil loose and remove weeds.

Tall begonias with large flowers should be tied to small pegs so that they do not break in the wind or during heavy rains.

In containers, fast-growing ampelous begonias are pinched to form side shoots. In addition, so that the shoots do not rot with strong thickening, it is recommended either to distribute them in the container, or to remove excess and weak ones.

Overwintering, reproduction by tubers

At the end of August, before frost, it is necessary to decide what to do with the tuberous begonia further: leave it at home for further flowering or dig it up to get the tubers. In the first case, the plants are transplanted into a pot, keeping the root system, if possible. In the second, without cutting off the stem and leaves, they are dug out with the largest possible lump and placed for drying in a well-ventilated shady place protected from rain.

With a short autumn day, the leaves gradually dry out, and the nutrients from them enter the tuber. Thus, a large tuber is formed within one month. In industrial cultivation, in addition, at the time of mass flowering, flowers are removed from plants.

At the end of the growing season, the begonia should be covered overnight from frost with paper, gauze or plastic wrap. After flowering, begonia goes into a dormant state. During this period, watering is reduced, and the plants are transferred to a dark place. After about 1-1.5 months, the aerial part of the begonia dies off, after which the tuber is left in the ground for another 2-3 weeks. After that, the tubers are dug up and placed in a box with sand or peat. The substrate in which the tubers are stored is slightly moistened from time to time so that the tubers do not dry out. The box with tubers is kept in a cool room with a temperature of 12-14 ° C. 2-3 months before planting in balcony boxes, tubers are removed from the sand and planted in pots with earth. The tubers have a top and a bottom. On the upper part, which is flatter or concave, there are buds that look like bumps and bumps. The lower part is smoother, slightly convex, roots will form on it after jigging. Tubers germinate well at a temperature of 22-24 ° C and regular watering. Old tubers can be cut into 2-4 pieces, so that there are 3-4 buds on each piece. It is advisable to sprinkle the places of cuts with charcoal powder.

Tuberous begonia
Tuberous begonia

When buying tubers, you need to pay attention to their size and appearance. The diameter should be at least 3 cm; in ampelous small-flowered begonias it is slightly smaller. Well-peeled tubers at the top should be smooth and firm.

Seed reproduction

Begonia seeds are very small. To get them, flowers are artificially pollinated, for which pollen from male flowers is transferred with a brush to the pistils of female flowers. To get blooming begonias in summer, seeds must be sown in December-January in leafy soil, and do not sprinkle with earth.

The dishes with the planted seeds are tightly covered with glass in order to prevent the top layer of the substrate from drying out. The optimum temperature for seed germination is 22-25 ° C. The earth is periodically moistened. The glass needs to be opened from time to time so that there is no excess moisture and mold. Seedlings appear in 14-16 days.

They dive in the state of two cotyledon leaves into deciduous soil at a distance of 2 x 2 cm at a temperature of 20-22 ° C, after which they cover with glass for 2-3 days. When the leaves are closed, a second pick is made at a distance of 4 x 5 cm, and then a third - after 6 x 7 cm.

The soil mixture for the second and third picks is made up of 2 parts of deciduous, 1 part of sod land and peat each, as well as 0.5 parts of sand (pH of the mixture is 6-6.5).

After the third pick, when the leaves close, the begonia is planted in 11-13-centimeter pots with a lump of earth, adding 1 part of deciduous soil, a little bone meal and pounded dry cow dung to the mixture.

After planting, watered abundantly, slightly shaded.

Often begonias are tall, unstable. To avoid this, during the period of 5 leaf formation, the plants are sprayed with a growth regulator (retardant) - chlorocholine chloride (0.5% solution, 20-30 ml per plant), which inhibits growth. Under its influence, the plants have a compact low bush with numerous flowers.

Young plants are planted in balcony boxes after the spring frosts have ended, at a distance of 20 cm from each other.

With seed reproduction, plants bloom 135-150 days after planting.

Tuberous begonia
Tuberous begonia

Propagation by cuttings

When propagating by cuttings from well-developed plants, the apical part of the stem 6-10 cm long with several leaves is cut off. The lower leaves on the cut cuttings are removed, and the place of cut is sprinkled with charcoal powder, after which the cuttings are planted in sand, watered and covered with a glass jar. The jar needs to be lifted from time to time to avoid excessive moisture. The cutting takes root in about 2 to 3 weeks. After that, it is transplanted into nutrient soil. The advantage of propagation by cuttings over seed propagation is that the plant obtained in this way retains all the characteristics of the mother plant.

Indoor culture of tuberous begonias

At home, tuberous begonia, purchased by seedlings in a pot, will bloom in the summer on a fairly bright window, but not in the sun. If the pot is placed in the ground or peat and watered moderately, this will provide normal moisture for growth and flowering.

If the tuberous begonia is unnecessarily shaded or placed on the northern windows, it stretches and loses its decorative effect.

It is much better to bloom begonias in boxes on a shady balcony or on a balcony floor. Plants in pots and boxes require regular feeding with full complex fertilizers. In such conditions, begonias grown from tubers feel better and bloom more abundantly.

Possible difficulties

Powdery mildew and gray rot can occur both outdoors and indoors. Powdery mildew appears in hot, humid conditions. Gray rot - more common in cold, damp weather. In both cases, it is necessary to remove diseased leaves and increase ventilation. If the plant is severely damaged, it should be sprayed with special preparations.

The plant is stretched out due to a lack of light and nutrients, or due to too tight a container.

When dry or waterlogged, the earthen coma is affected by powdery mildew.

In cold and damp conditions, gray mold can appear - ventilation needs to be improved.

When damaged by leaf rot, its plaque and brown spots appear on the leaves (you need to remove the damaged parts and treat the plant with a fungicide solution).

Excessively damp and cold contents may cause root rot, as well as leaf blight when exposed to water.

Yellowing of the leaves is observed with a lack of light;

Brown, paper-like edges of the leaves indicate dry air or direct sunlight falling on the plant.

Tuberous begonia
Tuberous begonia

If the temperature is too high and the humidity is too low, plant leaves dry and curl.

In low light (if the shoot is too stretched), dry air (if the leaves are shriveled), excess moisture (i.e., the leaves began to droop), leaves may fall off.

With too dry air, lack of moisture or sharp temperature fluctuations, flower buds dry out.

In case of insufficient air humidity, buds may fall off.

Varieties

  • Brautjungter. A group of fringed. The bush is compact, 25 cm high. The leaves are large, light green. Terry flower, white with a red border, 11 cm in diameter. Seed productivity 0.01 g. Looks good in group plantings, on beds and in flower pots.
  • Bouton de Rose. Group of rosaceous. The bush is compact, 25 cm high. The leaves are green. Double flower, pink, 18 cm in diameter. Seed productivity 0.02 g. Looks good in flower beds and vases.
  • Gold Dress (Gold Platier). Group of rosaceous. Semi-spreading bush, 25 cm high. Leaves are light green. The flower is very double, large, yellow, 20 cm in diameter. The peduncle is spreading. Seed productivity is low. Looks good in group plantings and in vases.
  • Gardsmen (Guardsman). Group of rosaceous. Semi-spreading bush, 25 cm high. Leaves are dark green. Terry flower, dark red, 12 cm in diameter. Seed productivity 0.02 g. Looks good in group plantings and in flower beds.
  • Duck Red (Dark Red). Group of peony. Semi-spreading bush, 15-16 cm high. Leaves are bright green. Terry flower, with wide petals, dark red, 10 cm in diameter. Seed productivity of 0.03 g. Looks good in group plantings.
  • Diana Unyard (Diana Wynyard). Fringed group. The bush is compact, 18-20 cm high. The leaves are light green. The flower is large, densely double, with wavy and folded petals, white, up to 20 cm in diameter. Seed productivity 0.01 g. Looks good in group plantings, vases and flower pots.
  • Crown (Corona). Group of peony. Semi-spreading bush, 25 cm high. Leaves are light green. The flower is slightly double, yellow, up to 18 cm in diameter. Blooms profusely and continuously. Seed productivity 0.33 g. Looks good in group plantings and on curbs.
  • Camellia Flora (Camelia Flora). A group of camelliaceae. The bush is compact, 20-23 cm high. The leaves are green. The flower is pink, with a white border, 12 cm in diameter. The petals are tiled. Looks good in vases and flower pots.
  • Crisp marginata (Crispa marginata). Folded group. Sprawling bush, 15 cm high. Leaves are green, folded, with a thin purple edging. The flower is broadly oval, white, with a bright pink border, 9x12 cm in size. The outer petals are wide, the lateral ones are narrower, the edges are strongly corrugated, wavy. Looks good in groups and in flower beds.
  • Cristata yellow. A group of warty. Sprawling bush, 20 cm high. Leaves are green, folded along the edges. The flower is simple, yellow, 11 cm in diameter. On the central vein of the petals there are outgrowths in the form of a fringe. Looks good on flower beds and borders.
  • Marmorata (Marmorata). Bicolor group. Semi-spreading bush, 20 cm high. Terry flower, scarlet with white strokes, 12 cm in diameter. Looks good in vases and flower beds.
  • Orange (Orange). Group of peony. Semi-spreading bush, 16 cm high. Leaves are green. Terry flower, orange, 10 cm in diameter. Seed productivity 0.02 g. Looks good in groups and in flower beds.
  • Rose (Rose). Group of rosaceous. Semi-spreading bush, 20 cm high. Leaves are bright green. Terry flower, pink, 10 cm in diameter. Seed yield 0.02 g. Looks good in groups, vases and flower pots.
  • Salmon Rose (Salmon Rose). Group of rosaceous. Sprawling bush, 18 cm high. Leaves are bright green. Terry flower, salmon pink, 11 cm in diameter. Seed productivity 0.02 g. Looks good in flower beds, vases and flower pots.
  • Scarlet. Group of rosaceous. Sprawling bush, up to 20 cm high. Leaves are green. Terry flower, pink-scarlet, 11 cm in diameter. Seed productivity 0.04 g. Looks good in groups and vases.
  • White. Group of rosaceous. The bush is compact, 16 cm high. The leaves are bright green. Terry flower, white, 10 cm in diameter. Seed productivity 0.01 g. Looks good in groups and in curly flower beds.
  • Helene Tartalin (Helene Tartalin). A group of fringed. The bush is compact, 15 cm high. The flower is terry, white with a red border, 11 cm in diameter. Looks good in groups, vases and flower pots.

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