Slugs and Salal: Flowers

Begonia

Starting begonia tubers

Start begonia tubers into growth early in the month for plants to set out later in the spring. Plant the tubers either in individual pots or communal flats, nestling them into a well-dampened lightweight, sterile planting mix. Be sure to set them top side up. The rounded part is the bottom, while the tuber top will have a bowl-like indentation where the stem was attached to the tuber during the previous growing season. Pink nubs of new growth will develop in the growth ring around the dished-out hollow.

Leave two inches (five cm) between the tubers in a community flat and cover the tuber tops with a scant half-inch (12-mm) of the mix. Place the containers in warmth to encourage fast, healthy rooting. Keep the mix evenly moistened, the containers out of direct sun.

Move begonia plants from flats into five-inch (12.5-cm) wide pots when the shoots are three inches (7.5 cm) long, keeping the tuber top near the soil surface. Once roots are established and growth is proceeding well, bright indirect light combined with coolish room temperatures will produce strong, stocky plants.

begonia

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