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 1s 
high temperture. Begonias are native to 
high altitudes in the tropics growing 
from an elevation of five thousand feet 
up. This means cool daily temperatures 
and decidedly cool nights. In California’s 
central valleys or in any region where 
the temperature rises above ninety de. 
grees, buds and flowers will often drop 
during the warmest summer days, but 
will hold them in autumn when nights 
are colder. 
Another factor is a poor root system. 
When plants are freshly transplanted 
they will often drop the buds and flow- 
ers 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 
14 
care should be taken to cut only the 
leaves and to leave the leaf stems on the 
plant to mature and eventually fall off. 
If cut close to the main stem they will 
mold infecting the main stem and de- 
stroying the plant. To overcome exten- 
sive, bushy growth, one should leave only 
one shoot per tuber facing in opposite di- 
rections, 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 sprout- 
ing 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. 
3. Leggy plants with sparse 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 
flowers 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. 
