Begonias are one of the most commonly grown garden plants. They are valued for their asymmetrical leaves and juicy colors of flowers. This genus includes over a thousand species of plants from tropical and subtropical areas, which are divided into 5 groups. The most popular in garden cultivation are:continuously flowering begonia , tuberous begonia and hanging begonia. Begonia can be sown very early, starting in January.
Ever-flowering begonia
Ever-flowering begonia(Begonia semperflorens) is a hybrid, the result of crossing Begonia cucullata with other species.They are plants with compact, lush growth and fibrous roots, usually reaching 20 to 30 cm in height. They look great in garden beds, they are also planted in parks and in urban green areas, as plants perfect for borders and flower beds. Also suitable for containers on balconies and terraces.
Ever-flowering begoniapleases us with its flowers continuously from early summer until the first frost (hence the name - constantly blooming begonia). Flowers with a diameter of about 3 cm are most often red, pink or white, there are also varieties with two-color flowers. The leaves of the constantly flowering begonias are fleshy, asymmetrical, ovate or oval. Colored in green, burgundy or brown, they perfectly contrast with the colorful flowers of these plants.
Growing continuously flowering begonia
In our climatecontinuously flowering begoniais grown as an annual plant. It works well both in full sun and light partial shade.It requires fertile, humus soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. Remember to water the begonias on a regular basis so that the soil is constantly moist. These plants do not tolerate drought badly.
Some varieties of constantly blooming begonia are decorated not only with colorful flowers but also red or brown discolored leaves
Due to the long growing season and the time needed from sowing to flowering,seeds of constantly blooming begoniasow in January in a greenhouse or in boxes on window sills. The seeds are sown superficially on an airy seedbed and then sprinkled with a thin layer of sand. The containers are covered with foil or glass. The seeds need quite a lot of heat to germinate, the temperature should be between 20 and 22 ° C. Due to the early winter sowing date, it is also necessary to provide additional lighting with plant lamps. If we do not have lamps to illuminate the plants, for the production of our seedlings, we should choose the best illuminated window sill on the south side.
After about 3 weeks, when the seedlings have 2 leaves, they should be pierced. Quilting consists in separating the growing seedlings together and replanting them so that they grow in lower density or into larger, separate containers. During this treatment, we choose the strongest and fully he althy specimens for further cultivation. Usuallycontinuously flowering begoniahas to be quilted twice more - in March and around mid-April. Plants can be transplanted to permanent places, i.e. to flower beds or to balcony boxes, in the second half of May, when the risk of frost is over.
