TUBEROUS BEGONIAS^SELECTED STRAINS 
Although Tuberous Begonias are one of the most beautiful garden plants, they 
are not cultivated as much as they deserve as they are comparatively un¬ 
known to the average flower lover. 
They thrive under trees and in shady places, where other plants will not grow. 
Their lively colors brighten up the dull parts of gardens and they require but 
little care. The success that growers have is so gratifying that they find them¬ 
selves planting many varieties. 
Tuberous Begonias bloom from May through November and are among the 
few plants that flower so abundantly over such a long period of time. Their 
colorful blooms lend themselves to various uses as flower arrangements. 
Culture of Tuberous Begonias . . . Tuberous-rooted Begonias require three 
things: shade, rich soil, and moisture. Shade is one of the necessities for their 
culture. If planted under trees, the branches of these trees should not be so low 
on the ground that they will interfere with free circulation of air. 
Soil . . . Tuberous Begonias are surface feeders; their roots do not go down 
deeply but spread horizontally in the ground. Therefore, it does not matter what 
kind of soil you have, whether clay, rock, or hard loam; just select a shady 
place in your garden where you would like to have these plants to grow, and 
procure enough soil to fill the space to a depth of six inches. The soil should be 
a mixture of old leafmold and barnyard manure in equal proportions. Add 
some peat and coarse sand; mix these ingredients together and your soil is 
ready to receive the plants or bulbs. The bulb should be covered with one and 
a half inches of soil. Use same mixture for pots or baskets. Plants in pots or 
baskets should be given some liquid cow-manure about once a week after pot 
is rootbound. Outdoor plants should have a mulching of peat and bonemeal 
mixed, during the middle of July. 
Moisture . . . Tuberous Begonias like moisture, both on their leaves as well as 
on their roots. Keep soil moderately wet. In July and August when it is hot and 
dry use garden hose with fine spray and apply for a few minutes over entire 
plant. The leaves of these Begonias help to support the entire plant, and when 
the humidity is down and the leaves are not moistened, you will find that the 
center flower will drop off, because the roots alone are unable to support it. 
Tubers ... If early flowering is desired, place tubers in flats with moistened 
peat and leaf mold (half and half) during January and February. Keep uni- 
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