CULTURE OF HANGING BEGONIAS 
Hanging basket Begonias have the same cul- 
tural requirements as all other types, with 
minor exceptions. For good results one should 
have large tubers, as the larger tuber will have 
more shoots come from it and consequently 
the plant will be larger and more effective. 
Tubers can be started from January to March, 
the same time as any other type, but when the 
growth reaches three or four inches trans- 
plant them in a light mixture of soil; if pos- 
sible, two-thirds coarse leaf mold and one- 
third sand, as they are very sensitive to per- 
fect drainage. Containers should be large 
enough; a minimum of 8 inches in diameter 
for small tubers and up to 12 inches for large 
ones. Shallow pots are better than wire or 
any other type basket, as the plants do not 
dry out in these types so severely and can 
produce far better growth. Wire baskets, lined 
with moss, can be utilized but one can not 
expect to grow excellent specimens by this 
method. Tubers started in peat will develop 
a sufficiently large root system so that they 
can be planted immediately in pots large 
enough to carry them through the season. 
Feeding . .. It will be necessary to mix a 
small handful of fish meal with the soil going 
into the lower half of the pot, which will sup- 
ply the plant with sufficient nutrients to start 
with. Later in summer, when the plant shows 
a decline in growth, another small handful 
dug into a shallow trench around the edge of 
the pot and covered with soil will revive it 
completely, and bring a new profusion of 
blooms. 
Pinching. . . Hanging types, which do not 
show more than one or two shoots at the be- 
ginning of the season, should have the heart 
pinched out when the growth reaches the first 
flower bud. This will induce the side shoots 
to develop fully and form a better balanced 
plant. 
Digging and Storage In autumn, 
when the foliage turns yellow, withdraw the 
water gradually and when all growth dies 
down entirely, take out, wash off all soil, tak- 
ing care not to bruise the tubers, dry in sun- 
light for a day or two until thoroughly dry; 
then store in open flats in cool, dry place. See 
that all particles of the old stem are removed 
until healthy tissue shows; otherwise, if left 
on, they will decay and destroy the tuber. 
FAILURES AND REMEDIES 
On this page we shall try to list the most common failures that are reported to us by inexperienced 
growers. 
1. Dropping of buds and flowers. 
Several factors are responsible for this 
phenomenon, the foremost of which is 
high temperature. Begonias are native to 
high altitudes in the tropics growing from 
an elevation of five thousand-feet up. This 
means cool daily temperatures and decid- 
edly cool nights. In California’s central 
valleys or in any region where the tempera- 
ture rises above ninety degrees, buds and 
flowers will often drop during the warm- 
est summer days, but will hold them in 
autumn when nights are cooler. 
Another factor is a poor root system. 
When plants are freshly transplanted they 
will often drop the buds and flowers until 
they develop a new root system. 
Plants that suffer from poor drainage 
and are heavily overwatered will often 
drop their buds completely. The soil should 
always be moist, but never soggy-wet. On 
the other hand extreme drying out and 
too sunny a location will cause the same 
difficulty. 
2. Too many leaves and not enough flowers. 
Some begonias inherit a strong branching 
habit, and if several shoots are left on a 
tuber, especially if it is well fed, will form 
a very bushy plant with too much foliage. 
The flowers won’t be able to come through. 
One can clip some of the upper leaves 
covering the lower shoots to bring light 
in, but care should be taken to cut only 
the leaves and to leave the leaf stems on 
the plant to mature and eventually fall 
IZ 
off. If cut close to the main stem they will 
mold infecting the main stem and destroy- 
ing the plant. To overcome extensive, 
bushy growth, one should leave only one 
shoot per tuber or if a large tuber, two 
or three shoots facing in opposite direc- 
tions, breaking off the remaining young 
shoots before they reach a height of two 
or three inches. The wounds should be 
left exposed to air and not covered for 
several days in order to heal. It could also 
be done before the sprouting tubers are 
planted in flats by simply pushing the 
weak buds off with a thumb or cutting 
them off with a sharp knife, leaving only 
the strongest to grow. 
Leggy plants with sparce bloom. 
The amount of light begonias receive 
governs their growth. If exposed to too 
much sunshine, they will be dwarf, form- 
ing thick shiny leaves and the flowers will 
burn. Extreme shade again produces very 
tall skinny plants with a few or no flow- 
ers at all. One should seek the happy 
medium where the plants get full light 
without direct sunshine in which they will 
bloom profusely and will not grow too 
tall. Begonias will not perform as house 
plants excepting on glassed porches where 
they have overhead light. If no overhead 
light is available, they will simply grow 
leggy and not bloom. 
4. Overfeeding. 
Begonias require judicious feeding in or- 
der to produce large well formed speci- 
Os 
