I have a gorgeous yellow begonia that bloomed it's head off. I'm in zone 5b Colorado. I'm going to try to take it out of the container and store it through the winter.
I grew non stop begonias from seed and were great. When I dug them I couldn’t see a tuber just roots. I put them in an above ground root cellar as we have no where else and only one came through. The root cellar was high humidity with one vent and we added another vent, but now it may get too cool. We covered the vent on really cold days but we also had a warm winter. I wasn’t expecting any to survive because it was just roots. This year I dug the one that survived and will put in some vermiculite maybe. It’s small and not sure if it will survive and still see no tuber. I just kept bulbs loose and open in a bin-dahlias, glads. Used paper bag for begonias and geraniums. Because the humidity was high many geraniums molded. The begonias may have been too dry-just dried root balls in spring. I should have just left the begonia in the pot and stored it. Maybe I will replant it and do that. The experimental root cellar did get to upper 30s. Oh no, the tubers that sprouted may not have enough energy. I’d be tempted to plant inside. Good luck. Z5a, WI.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I am storing tuberous begonias and bareroot geraniums for the first time this year...hoping for the best...my garage gets too cold and my basement is too warm. Taking my chances in the beasment, but better than not trying! I have also saved impatiens seeds. THANK YOU!!!
You're very welcome! I'm so glad you'll be overwintering some plants this year. The key with the bare root geraniums is to check them once a month and to spritz the roots. I hope you have great luck this winter. Also, be sure to follow along when I start my Impatiens seeds indoors. It'll be fun to grow along this winter. 🥰💐
Thanks for all your GREAT info. I just started watching all your videos. Question, have you ever started allium from seed? I have some seeds from 'Star of Persia' didn't know they created seeds. I have been searching for info and want to try, realizing they may never flower for 2 years. Let me know if you have any info or video that you may have. Thanks , and I will let you know next year how it goes.
Thank you for your helpful information about overwintering tuberous begonias. Would you be able to advise me on overwintering my yellow mistal begonia? Living in Zone 6 in Southeastern Mass, I overwintered this plant last year in its pot after bringing it in late October before any frosts. When all the foliage had died back and the soil was thoroughly dry, I placed it in a cool, dark closet still in its pot. Then, in mid-March of this year, as the tubers began to sprout. I sparsely watered the plant and brought it outside in mid-May. // Throughout the summer it grew as hanging, trailing plant. BUT, it wasn't until mid-September that it started to bloom. Now in mid-October, it is loaded with flowers and looks very healthy. // I don't want to force it into dormancy at this stage, but think this late blooming is due to putting it into dormancy too late last year. // Any suggestions to have this plant fully bloom from late Spring through the Summer? Thank you.
Hi there. I'm so glad to hear that you had success in overwintering your Mistral Begonia. You should be able to bring your potted plant in just after a light frost hits it. How warm is the space where you are overwintering your plant? Also, for begonias to reach full flowering potential, you want to wake them up 8-12 weeks before they go outside. That means putting them under grow lights and start giving them water and fertilizer. I hope that helps. 😊🌸
@@budgetgardeningvita Thank you for taking the time to reply. // I'll make adjustments to my overwintering as you suggest and look forward to better results accelerating the flowering period. 🙂
