HOW TO GROW TUBEROUS 
Tuberous Begonias grow from seed 
and from tubers. They may be pur- 
chased in either of these forms or 
they may be secured as plants pro- 
duced from seeds, tubers, or cut- 
tings. They are easy to grow, and 
with reasonable care will thrive in 
most climates. 
FROM TUBERS 
The size of the tuber does not indi- 
cate the size or quality of the flower; 
however, the large tuber starts eas- 
ier 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 is 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. Placing tubers on damp 
soil or peat moss is not advisable as 
they will sprout without this damp- 
ness and with less danger of loss. 
Tubers in 
shallow container 
PLANTING 
The sprouted tubers should be 
placed in shallow containers (nur- 
sery flats are ideal) of a mixture of 
leaf mold and sand, or of finely di- 
vided reed peat. They should be 
completely covered, leaving only 
the tips of the sprouts showing, as 
the roots develop from the top and 
flat until the roots are well devel- 
oped. The plant may attain four or 
five inches of growth before they 
are moved. 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 seed- 
ling 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 ferti- 
lizer 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 is not watered again 
until the soil shows dryness. Too 
much watering may cause the soil to 
sour and cause the loss of the tuber. 
As the plant develops, the water- 
ing will become more frequent. A 
repeated simple rule is to “water 
only when the soil shows dryness.” 
For a longer blooming season with 
When the plant has reached 4 
to 5 inches of growth, its root 
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 De- 
cember until March, but the best 
results are obtained from _ those 
planted in February. This should be 
done in well-drained flats contain- 
ing an inch and a half of well-de- 
cayed leaf mold. The seeds are 
watered with a light spray, covered 
with glass, and darkened with paper 
until germination. In a tempera- 
ture of 60 to 70 degrees germina- 
tion will take eight to ten days. As 
soon as the seed shows small white 
specks, the paper should be re- 
moved. Two or three days later 
small plants will show. The glass 
Pots may be placed in 
or moved about in shad- 
ed locations or planted 
right into the ground. 
See detailed potting in- 
structions above. 
system is strong enough to allow 
transplanting or potting. Pots may 
be placed or moved about in 
shaded locations or planted right 
into the ground. See potting in- 
structions above. 
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 
