Tuberous Begonias ... 
and How They are Grown 
W HILE in the service overseas, Carlton Lowe noticed wonderful 
fields of tuberous begonias in Belgium growing with apparently 
little care. Upon inquiry he found that seed could still be imported 
into the United States. Returning here, he struggled for eight years to get 
the first blossom from seed. 
Now he uses an electric sterilizer to kill bugs and diseases in the soil 
before sowing the seed. This is started in January. Begonia seed is as fine 
as dust and is purchased by the tenth gram from Belgium, Germany and 
England. It is expensive because fertilization has to be done by hand with 
a camelshair brush as the bees will not pollinate the flowers as they are 
odorless. 
In order to plant thinly, the seed is spread on glass, then held over a 
flat and gently tapped, watching closely as the seed rolls over the edge. 
Ten days later the plants must be transplanted, although they are only the 
size of a pinhead. Soil is sifted through fly screening and the tiny plants 
moved to their new home with the aid of magnifying glasses and the bent 
prongs of a steel pen. No fingers are small enough to handle the tin} T 
infants. One person can transplant about 4,000 a day. Then he must change 
to work which is not so close. 
The original soil is disturbed as little as possible as another batch of 
seedlings will soon sprout up again. Three or four transplantings will be 
made from the first sowing of seed, the later plants being the most unusual 
in coloring and shape. Even though extreme care is taken to sow thinly, 
sometimes 3,000 to 5,000 plants will be taken from an ordinary flat. 
During this stage of their life the tiny plants are watered by an atom¬ 
izer and covered with a sheet of glass. But after they grow up to occupy 
a three-inch pot they can be readily handled by the average layman. 
CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS 
This is what we have found successful culture, but plants may vary 
in different soils and locations. 
Tuberous begonias thrive best in an open, porous soil made up of one 
part sand, one part well rotted cow manure, one part peat moss, two parts 
clay loam. If your soil is clay or sand, dig it out and mix with the other 
necessary ingredients. 
The succulent foliage and stems indicate that the plants are gross 
feeders, requiring plenty of water and fertilizer. However, they must be 
well drained. 
It is well to treat these begonias as annuals, as the foliage and stems 
mature the middle of November thus not making a satisfactory house plant. 
Then, too, they like a cooler temperature than is found in the average 
living room. 
As a general rule, do not plant three years in the same soil without 
sterilizing or changing it. 
Torenia fourneri, heliotrope, lobelia, or the fibrous rooted coral 
begonias make good bedding companions for tuberous rooted begonias, 
seeming to prefer the same conditions. When heliotrope is used it will 
supplement the begonias lack of odor and thus form a perfect bedding 
combination. 
CHILLICOTHE ROAD. CHAGRIN FALLS. OHIO 
