HOW TO GROW TUBEROUS ROOTED BEGONIAS 
Tuberous Begonias grow from seed and from tubers. They 
may be purchased in either of these forms or they may be 
secured as plants produced from seeds, tubers, or cuttings. 
They are easy to grow, and with reasonable care will thrive 
in most climates. 
FROM TUBERS 
The size of the tuber does not indicate the size or quality of 
the flower; however, the large tuber starts easier and will 
form larger plants. The natural dormant period of the tuber 
is the winter season, and in the spring the tuber will form 
sprouts. 
SPROUTING 
It 1s very important that a sprout appear before the tuber is 
planted. 
You may move your tubers to a warm, dark place to get 
earlier sprouting. Tubers placed on damp soil or peat moss 
is not advisable as they will sprout without this dampness 
and with less danger of loss. 
PLANTING 
The sprouted tubers should be placed in shallow containers 
(nursery flats are ideal) of a mixture of leaf mold and sand, 
or of finely divided reed peat. They should be completely 
covered, leaving only the tips of the sprouts showing, as the 
roots develop from the top and sides of tubers. After planting 
in the flats, the tubers should be well watered and should not 
be watered again until they show dryness. It is important to 
keep the tuber in the flat until the roots are well developed. 
The plants may attain four or five inches of growth before 
they are removed. A good root system will insure a finer plant. 
POTTING 
For the soil mixture used in the pot, we use seven parts of 
rotted leaf mold mixed with one part of barnyard manure 
and three parts of sandy loam. These proportions may vary 
depending on the difference in soils. In planting the tuber 
or the seedling in a pot, a piece of crockery is placed over 
the opening to allow proper drainage. The pot is filled one- 
third with the potting mixture, then two tablespoons of Full 
Bloom are sprinkled over this. The fertilizer is then covered 
with potting mixture and the plant is placed so the roots 
are about one inch above the fertilizer. In choosing the pot, 
it is well to allow room for the growth of the plant. A large 
tuber requires an eight- or nine-inch pot. 
After potting, the plant is lightly watered and 1s not 
watered again until the soul shows dryness. Too much water- 
ing may cause the soil to sour and cause the loss of the tuber. 
As the plant develops, the watering will become more 
frequent. A repeated simple rule is to “water only when the 
soil shows dryness.” For a longer blooming season with better 
flowers, the feeding of fish emulsion should be used several 
times, at two-week intervals. 
The flowers will continue to bloom from June through 
October. As the plant starts to die in November, the water 
should gradually be taken away. When the plants are quite 
yellow and falling apart, the tuber should be dug, washed 
and put in the sun to dry. The stem should be removed, but 
not until it has dried sufficiently to pull out easily, as the 
tuber may be injured. When the tuber is thoroughly dry, it 
may be stored in a cool, dry place for the winter. In years 
of early rainfall, there is danger of losing your tubers by 
rotting. In this case, dig and place the plants in trays until 
they are sufficiently cured and a slight pull will remove the 
stem from the tuber. 
FROM SEEDS 
You may sow your seed from December until March, but the 
best results are obtained from those planted in February. 
This should be done in well-drained flats containing an inch 
and a half of well-decayed leaf mold. The seeds are watered 
with a light spray, covered with glass, and darkened with 
paper until germination. In a temperature of 60 to 70 de- 
grees germination will take eight to ten days. As soon as the 
seed shows small white specks, the paper should be removed. 
Two or three days later small plants will show. The glass 
should be removed and the plants kept moist. 
To avoid the growth of weed and fungus, it is advisable to 
sterilize the soil with steam or soil fumigants before planting, 
and to water with sterilized water until the third leaf shows 
on the small plants. The plants may then be watered with 
fresh water for fifteen to twenty days before transplanting. 
