Today, in almost every apartment you can find indoor flowers. Botany has approximately 400 species of begonia. The variety of varieties is simply amazing. The beauty of flowering begonia is in no way inferior to roses. She will delight you with modest inflorescences. Another unique feature of the culture is beautiful foliage, which is rarely found in other plants. The species differences of this flower today cause a lot of controversy. Every year, the popularity of begonias is only growing. Florists use various methods of propagation of the crop in question. How does begonia from seeds grow? This review will be devoted to this issue.
Tuber begonia propagation
For cultivation in private greenhouses, two types of plants are usually used: ever flowering and tuber. To plant a flower, it is not necessary to apply seeds. There is another option for growing from a tuber. To do this, after flowering, begonia must be dug up with an earthen lump. When it dries, the flower is placed in winter storage along with peat and sand. To keep the tuber, the container with the substrate sometimes needs to be watered. With the onset of the warm season, when the probability of frost will be extremely low, you can transplant tubers peeled from the ground to a permanent place. Only initially they need to be prepared.
At home, begonias can also be obtained by dividing adult tubers. For this, healthy planting material that has survived the winter should be divided into several parts, no longer than 5-8 cm. When fragmented, each of them should be left in the kidney. The slice must be treated with ash. Plant tuber fragments prepared in this way in an upright position in a pot with moist soil. From above the flower is covered with glass or film and placed in a bright place. When the plant is well rooted, several leaves form on the shoot. Now it can be planted in the ground or in a separate pot. At this stage, the plant requires regular watering and top dressing.
Propagation by cuttings
Many flower growers consider this method the easiest. Begonia can also propagate by cuttings. For this purpose, it is necessary to choose a process on which at least two kidneys are present. Adult leaves growing on it must be cut in half. To root the plant, a substrate consisting of peat and sand is used. A hole is made in the container, into which the previously prepared stalk is then placed. On top of the container is covered with a film or plastic. Care must be taken to ensure that condensation does not form upon rooting. After 2-4 weeks, roots will appear on the cuttings.
Seed cultivation
How is this process going? What is necessary for growing begonias from seeds at home? Planting it is recommended in December-February. If you plan to transfer the plant to the garden, it is best to start sowing seeds closer to spring. If you plant early seedlings for open ground, then when you transfer them to the garden, they will be too large and lose their decorative effect.
Pick the seeds
Today there are a huge number of shops for gardeners. The choice of seed is one of the most important stages in growing begonias. To get healthy and beautiful plants as a result, give preference to quality seeds.
When choosing, the following requirements should be considered:
- Fresh seed is better for planting. It may lose its viability over time, even if the expiration date has not yet expired.
- To plant granular seeds, use peat tablets. They have a thick shell, so a little more in size
- Grains are usually slightly smaller. They are best planted in special drawers for seedlings.
Time for landing
According to experts, it is best to sow begonias with seeds in November-December. The seedlings obtained as a result of early planting have excellent health. It is also worth considering that tuber begonia, planted in November, December or January, manages to form a tuber with a diameter of about 2.5 cm. Such plants will tolerate winter well.
Preparing the ground
How to grow begonia from seeds? This flower does not grow well in acidic soil. Therefore, soil of neutral acidity is better for sowing. Today in specialized stores you can find suitable land for flowering plants. Where is seed begonia better to grow? The cultivation of this flower can be performed in independently prepared soil. To do this, in equal proportions take sheet and turf soil and sand. Vermiculite or perlite must be added to this composition.
How to cultivate the soil?
Regardless of whether you bought the soil or prepared it yourself, it must be decontaminated. Begonias have rather delicate and fragile leaves. For this reason, they quite easily pick up fungal diseases.
Given this, there are several ways to avoid this nuisance:
- The soil must be kept for some time in the cold.
- To remove pathogenic bacteria, the soil can be poured with boiling water.
- For disinfection, it is recommended to use a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- Seeds can be planted in peat tablets or small plates. Tanks must be covered to create an additional greenhouse effect.
How to plant a plant at home?
How is begonia grown from seeds? At home, doing this is quite simple. You just need to find the right seeds. Since they are small enough, they can be mixed with sand for even distribution over the surface. Many people prefer to simply immerse seeds in moist soil, since they consider this option more acceptable. After this, the containers are covered with film or glass and placed in a room with a temperature of 20-24 degrees. At low temperatures, the seeds may not hatch and freeze. The soil in the pots must be kept moist. Excess water can also adversely affect flower development.
If you decide to use granular seeds, it is best to plant them in peat tablets. They are inexpensive. Each of them is a piece of peat, compressed in a certain way. The advantage of this method is that the tablet has good moisture and air permeability. This composition retains moisture. This prevents the development of the fungus. The tablets must be well soaked before sowing. Then each of them is laid out on a seed and sprayed with water. The pills should be covered with a film on top to maintain the required humidity level.
The appearance of the first shoots
When does tuber begonia start to hatch? From seed, the first seedlings will begin to appear after about two weeks after planting. Timing may vary slightly depending on the quality of the material. When the first sprouts appear, it is necessary to provide the plants with a sufficient amount of light. Otherwise, the seedlings may die. Sprouts rearrange closer to the window. The temperature can be gradually reduced to 12-16 degrees. The processes must be accustomed to the open air, taking out for several hours on the balcony or terrace. At first, the flower must be protected from direct sunlight.
We dive begonia
When growing begonias by seeds, caring for a plant necessarily involves a procedure such as picking. When 2-3 leaves appear on the sprouts, they must be transplanted into separate containers with fertile soil. Sometimes gardeners recommend a double pick. Here it is up to you. Many believe that once again disturbing the root system is useless. Sprouts are planted in containers with a volume of 30-50 ml. Simple plastic glasses will do. It is only necessary to make special drainage holes in them. You can also buy suitable containers. They are sold at any flower shop. Transplanting soil is also bought special. After the pick, the flowers must be placed in the greenhouse. The air temperature is gradually reduced to room temperature. The minimum value is 18 degrees.
Begonia should still be gradually accustomed to normal humidity. In this case, increase the ventilation time. If seedlings suddenly drop leaves, close the greenhouse. Particular attention should be paid to watering plants. The soil should be moist, but not wet. Otherwise, the root system will begin to rot. Be sure to provide the sprouts with high-quality illumination. It is best to keep seedlings on the east side. In doing so, try to avoid direct sunlight. In total, 2-3 picks are carried out. The first helps to stimulate the further growth of seedlings.
How to feed begonia?
How does tuber begonia grow? Planting the seeds of this plant necessarily provides for the additional introduction of nutrients. The first feeding is carried out after the begonia is planted in a large container. Two weeks after the pick, you can feed the culture in question. It is easiest to use ready-made fertilizers for indoor plants for this purpose. Flowers are fed twice a month. When the first buds appear, you should start making potassium-phosphorus complexes. Fertilizers must come into the soil when watering.
Pest and Disease Control
What diseases is begonia susceptible to? Planting with seeds, unfortunately, does not relieve gardeners of the standard diseases characteristic of this plant. Most of all, the flower is afraid of excess moisture. In this case, you may encounter such an unpleasant problem as root decay. Also in wet soil, fungal infections develop faster. Most often, begonia is affected by gray rot. This disease can be identified by the characteristic gray coating on the leaves. Rot can also infect buds, causing mucus to appear on them. To get rid of this unpleasant fungus, it is necessary to treat the plant with a solution of soap and copper sulfate.
Another disease that can develop in conditions of high humidity is powdery mildew. It manifests itself in the appearance of light gray spots on the leaves of the flower. Dealing with it is quite simple. It is necessary to treat the leaves with a soapy solution.
As for parasites, most often begonia from seeds is affected by aphids. This is a small insect that sucks from the leaves of a flower juice. To combat this pest, special chemicals must be used.
Often grown at home from begonia seeds suffers from rot. In this case, it is important to timely remove the affected stems and treat the plant with fungicide. Only in this way you can avoid the death of the plant.
Bacterial spotting can cause blackness on stems and leaves. The disease may begin with the appearance of small glassy spots on the green processes on the inside. In this case, the diseased plant can only be thrown out, and the ground disinfected. As a preventive measure to combat bacterial spotting, it is effective to use a solution of copper and chloroxide.
The risk of various diseases in seedlings can be significantly reduced in the case of competent begonia cultivation. The main thing is to recognize the disease in time and proceed to its treatment.
Finally
Begonia has long been a favorite plant of flower growers. She is not whimsical in growth. Moreover, this species is characterized by incredible diversity. Begonia can be grown in various ways, but the most interesting is the method of seeds. In this review, we described this method in detail. How does begonia from seeds grow? The most important step is the selection of seed. The beauty of the future plant will mainly depend on its quality.
For the proper growth and development of begonia, compliance with a certain temperature and humidity is required. Abundant watering should be avoided, as this can lead to rotting of the roots and the occurrence of fungal diseases. If all these conditions are met, you can grow a beautiful flower that will delight you for many years.