Begonia attracts gardeners with high decorativeness, long flowering, as well as the ability to grow both in open ground and indoors. It is often used in landscaping balconies and loggias, it adorns the main entrances to buildings, is planted in flower beds and decorates arbors.
The flower in the apartment looks no less impressive , and it is suitable for any interior. The abundance of forms and shades of this begonia, which are successfully combined with other plants, is simply amazing.
Plant description
A lover and connoisseur of exotic plants, the French quartermaster Michel Begon, when he organized a botanical expedition to the Caribbean, could not even imagine that his name would be known all over the world in centuries. During the expedition, the monk Charles Plumier discovered unknown plants, which he described and named in 1687 in honor of his patron - begonias. It was from this time that cultivation of new and very beautiful flowers began.
Tuberous varieties of begonias were discovered in the middle of the XIX century, which served as an impetus for the development of hybridization. As a result, a group of plants blooming with unusually beautiful flowers appeared. Begonias do not have a classification; they can be conditionally divided into groups according to external characteristics and the root system.
In vivo begonias grow in South America, Africa and Asia. They are especially common in tropical countries that have humid forests or a subtropical climate in the mountains in their territories.
Tuberous begonia - a perennial plant, usually herbaceous, but sometimes there are woody shrubs. The plant has a fleshy, erect or creeping stalk with pronounced nodes. It can reach a length of sixty centimeters.
Succulent and rather large leaves on the stem are arranged alternately and are most often heart-shaped. Begonia has paniculate complex inflorescence and dioecious flowers. Different hybrids may have simple or double, wide-open buds. The color of the flowers is different: yellow and white, red of the most varied shades, with specks or border.
The root system of this plant is weak, superficial, and therefore very sensitive to soil quality and watering. Begonia forms a tuber, which is a modified shoot that serves as a source of nutrients in the off-season. Despite the fact that this beautiful flower is widespread in our country, beginning flower growers do not know how it propagates.
Begonia can be grown from seeds. But this method is quite troublesome and long. Much faster you will be pleased with its luxurious flowering tuberous begonia propagated by cuttings. There are several ways to allow the cuttings to take root faster. We will talk about this later.
Propagation of begonias by cuttings at home
Excellent planting material can be obtained from the apical shoot, cut by 8-10 cm. Each handle should have at least two buds. By the way, propagation of begonia with stem cuttings is the most common and popular method among gardeners. It is not laborious, it will not even require special skills from a beginner plant lover.
Cuttings retains all the properties of the mother plant. Thus, you can diversify your collection with a very rare look that you can’t always buy in a store. The percentage of survival of cuttings is very high. Almost all types of begonias successfully propagated by stem cuttings. But what is most important for many flower gardeners is that flowering occurs immediately after rooting.
Cooking cuttings
Before propagating begonias by cuttings (photos you can see in this article), of course, it is necessary to correctly prepare planting material. You will need strong and healthy cuttings with a length of not more than 12 cm. At the request of the owner of the plant, you can cut off the entire stem or only its top.
The slice must be done under the node (the place on the stem from which the leaves grow). You need to cut the stalk with a razor or a sharp knife. Scissors, even the sharpest, squeeze the stem too much, blocking the access of nutrients and water to the cells. So that the stalk is provided with moisture, it must be cut at an acute angle. In this case, the cut area increases.
It is desirable that the length was at least two centimeters. The number of roots depends on this. If you want to receive several flowers, the whole stalk can be divided into several parts. Moreover, each of them should have at least two kidneys. From the cuttings remove flowers, leaves, buds. You can leave one or two leaves on top.
The largest leaves are cut in half. Leaves, flowers and buds are removed so that they do not take away the juices from the plant and do not interfere with its development. Unlike evergreen begonia, propagation by cuttings of which also gives good results, tuberous plants have a period of physiological dormancy. With a reduction in daylight, their foliage dies. With the increase in daylight, underground tubers give new shoots that can serve as planting material.
How to prepare cuttings for propagation?
Florists consider a rather unpretentious plant tuber begonia. Propagation by cuttings in water usually does not cause problems if certain rules are followed. Before lowering the cuttings in water, treat them with growth stimulants, which also protect the plant from infections (Gumisol-N, Zircon). This will increase the chances of rooting, especially if a slightly weakened stem is used as a stalk.
This treatment prevents the process of decay. When using growth stimulants, use only glass, porcelain, or enameled glassware. These drugs are available in the form of solutions or dry mixtures. Slices of the cuttings are dipped in a solution or powdered with powder. The duration of the drug is usually indicated on the package.
Root formation and propagation of begonias by cuttings in water will be more successful if vitamins C or B1 are added to the growth stimulator. The use of vitamins alone will not give the desired effect. About 50 mg of vitamin C or 20 mg - B1 are added per 1 ml of solution. One gram of dry preparation should be mixed with 50 mg of vitamin C or with 10 mg - B1. Vitamins should be dissolved in a small amount of water before entering the solution.
What can replace stimulants?
Many flower growers use natural bee honey to enhance root formation. In a liter of water at room temperature, a teaspoon of honey is bred. The cut stalk is placed in a vessel and the honey solution is poured so that its third part is under water. The duration of the procedure is at least six hours. Honey rich in minerals significantly increases root formation.
The choice of vessel for rooting
Begonia is particularly demanding on the rooting tank. Propagation by cuttings in water will be more effective if you prepare a container of dark glass. It delays the sun's rays, so the water stays fresh much longer. Experienced flower growers believe that you should not change it during rooting. You can only add a little fresh to compensate for the evaporated.
What should be the water?
When begonia is propagated by cuttings in water, care must be taken to ensure that it is as soft as possible (settled, rain, or filtered) at room temperature. Many flower growers recommend adding aloe flower juice to it, which is a powerful natural growth stimulator. It strengthens the immune system of plants, causes more active cell division, protects against phytopathogens that affect flowers. Add five drops of freshly squeezed juice to a glass of water.
Rooting process
Propagation of begonias by cuttings in water will require the creation of a special temperature regime (+22 ° C). For a container with a handle, find a place protected from direct sunlight, but well-lit. Water allows you to observe how the plant develops, and in a timely manner to pay attention to signs of trouble.
If you notice rot on the tip of the stem, the stalk should be removed, cut off the diseased area, slightly dried, and again placed in a vessel with fresh water.
Transplant to the ground
Young begonias propagated by cuttings in water very quickly produce roots about two centimeters long. They are immediately transplanted into a special soil for begonias. You can prepare the mixture yourself from sheet (or sod) land, peat, plant compost, humus and coarse river sand, in equal proportions.
After transplantation, do not condense the earth around the stem of a young plant, especially at the root neck, so as not to damage the delicate roots. Planted stalk is easy enough to water.
Propagation of begonia leafy cuttings
This is a fairly productive way: you can grow several plants from one leaf. Some varieties of culture do not have a stem, which is why this method is the main one for them. Quite often, propagation by cuttings in the water of coral begonia is practiced.
On the mother flower, find the strongest and healthiest leaf. Cut it with a blade or a sharp knife, spread on a horizontal surface (usually use a cutting board). From the base of the leaf to the edges, make cuts by dividing the sheet plate into segments. Each of them must have at least one vein.
Pour river sand into a box or pot and moisten it. Lay the pieces of the leaf on top so that the convex veins on the bottom of the leaf touch the sand. Part of the sheet plate can be placed with a sharp end into the ground. If you cannot divide the plate, you can propagate begonia with a sheet, laying it whole on the ground. In this case, an incision is made at the intersection of the veins. It is here that young shoots and roots appear.
Under a layer of sand, put some crushed sphagnum moss mixed with peat. Such soil will supply the roots of plants with the necessary moisture and nutrients. Reproduction by leaf feeding is more successful. The box with plants is covered with plastic wrap and installed in a well-lit place.
Ventilate the plants regularly, moisten the soil when drying out of the spray gun. When the first sprouts appear, gradually increase the airing time so that the plant gets used to the air. On cloudy and warm nights and nights, open a window in the room where begonias grow. Using this method of begonia propagation, you can move young plants into separate pots after three months.
Propagation by leaf cuttings is carried out at the end of spring or at the very beginning of summer at a temperature of +30 ° C. If you already have an adult begonia, repeat the breeding every three years in any way you like.
And some more tips
- Rooted cuttings are best planted in wide, but shallow containers.
- Be sure to lay a drainage layer (red brick or large expanded clay) at the bottom.
- Plant a young sprout of tuber begonia so that its tubers are located at a distance of two centimeters from the edge of the pot.
- After transplanting, place the pot in a shaded area. You can rearrange the pot in a lighted place only after three days.