Begonia flower - reproduction at home

Begonia (from Lat. Begonia) is a genus of plants traditionally used in ornamental gardening. There are hundreds of varieties of begonias, which are divided into deciduous and ornamental and flowering. Begonias are deservedly popular with gardeners due to their external beauty and relative ease of care. Below in the article we will talk about the reproduction of this flower.

Description of the flower

There are four groups of begonias:

• decorative deciduous - without an aerial stem, with long leaves and an ornate root;
• bushy - with branched, dense stems and many side shoots;
• flowering - they are distinguished by shiny, bright leaves and a long flowering period. They are considered the easiest to grow and care for;
• tuberous - have high (up to 70-80 cm) translucent stems and tuberous rhizome. Planting and caring for tuberous begonias from seeds is also pretty straightforward.

Reproduction of begonias

How to propagate begonia

A flower can be grown in different ways:

• dividing the rhizome - used for tuberous begonias;
• stem cuttings (cuttings) - a relatively easy way;
• leaf fragments - usually used for plants without a stem;
• seeds - suitable for any species except flowering. This method is distinguished by the length and complexity of the process.

This article will cover all four of these breeding methods.

Plant propagation by dividing the rhizome: a description of the process

Reproduction in this way is suitable for tuberous varieties of begonias. To begin with, you should pull the bush out of the pot, cut the elongated stems, leaves and flower stalks. Next, you need to wash the roots in water.

After such preparation, using a sharp knife, cut the lobes of the rhizome so that each of them has at least one bud. Then they are sprinkled with crushed charcoal and treated with a root stimulator, heteroauxin or root is suitable. Now they can be planted in pots, watered and grown.

Propagation by stem cuttings: a step-by-step guide

Propagation of begonias by cuttings at home is quite possible and suitable for absolutely any species with a stem. In the case of indoor plants, it is best to start planting in March, when grown outdoors, you can cuttings in June. The temperature should not be colder than 20-25 ° С.

Cuttings

First you need to cut a stalk with two or three leaves and a height of about 10 cm. The lower leaves can be cut off completely, large ones can be cut in half. Then these sections must be dried. After the surface is completely dry, you can start rooting.

Now you can prepare a pot for growing begonias. It is necessary to mix in identical volumes of sand and soil for begonias. The soil must have high moisture and air permeability; peat is well suited for this. It is also necessary to water the soil with water and wait until it is saturated with moisture.

Often gardeners have a question: how to root begonia - in the ground or in water. There is not much difference between these methods, any can be used.

For rooting in water, you need to pour clean water into a transparent container and plant cuttings in it. The water level should be set so that the leaves are not immersed in it. It is important not to overload the container with a large number of cuttings. Further, this container should be placed in a warm and bright place and observe the growth. As soon as the roots reach a length of 1-2 cm, they can be transplanted into the ground.

It is better to cover the resulting crops. A horizontally cropped plastic bottle is suitable for this. After 1-2 months, you can begin to accustom the plant to fresh air, removing this stump of the bottle for a while, and then permanently. Flowering can be enjoyed in three to four months.

Leaf propagation instructions

This method is especially good for plants with creeping stems or drooping leaves. For its application, one leaf is usually sufficient.

Propagation by leaves

First you need to cut a large and healthy leaf with a sharp knife. Then it should be cut so that one or two veins pass through each lobule. Now you can place these layers on wet sand (you can vertically with the bottom cut into the soil) and cover with a plastic bag.

Further, it is necessary to maintain high humidity in this area. Spray humidifiers are perfect for this.

When the time comes to plant the grown plants in a permanent place, you should not place them in heavily compacted soil. Also, it should be well soaked in water.

Growing from seeds

Growing from seed is the most versatile method for producing strong begonia seedlings. It is suitable for all flowering begonias, but slower in relation to other methods.

Seeds and soil can be purchased at many flower shops. The procedure for growing begonias may differ depending on the species. Usually it consists in mixing soil with sand, moistening it and evenly arranging seeds in it. The container should be placed in a warm, light and ventilated place, for which a window sill is well suited.

Growing from seeds

It usually takes about six months to grow begonias in this way.

Sapling care tips

Despite the relative unpretentiousness of begonias, planting and growing them requires a certain accuracy and skill. Since these plants belong to a tropical culture, they need to create conditions close to their natural habitat.

Although the begonia flower can reproduce in different ways, the basic principles of care remain the same. Regardless of how the begonia is propagated and used, care is mainly about moisturizing regularly and applying various fertilizers.

At home, the begonia pot should be placed in the area of ​​the window facing west or east. Natural light is important for the plant, but too much exposure to the sun's rays can cause burns. Therefore, shading in particularly bright light should also be considered.For this, roller blinds, sunscreens or floral films are suitable.

Watering should be most active in the summer months; in the winter and autumn, the need for water decreases. Water should be used purified, at room temperature, it must be poured carefully, avoiding overflow.

Selection and preparation of soil for replanting

Begonia requires careful soil preparation. An incorrectly selected composition and illiterate watering have a detrimental effect on the plant. Quite often, such problems arise when transplanting plants, when gardeners forget about the specifics of certain plants and carry out the procedure illiterately.

Early spring is the optimal time for transplanting, in which the plant tolerates acclimatization better and recovers faster. When growing begonias, they are usually transplanted when the roots no longer fit in the pot. In no case should you transplant on dry soil or immediately after watering, it is best to do this after abundant moisture.

Priming

Begonia requires light, nutritious, and water- and air-permeable soil. Some gardeners prefer to cook it on their own; for this, river sand with coarse grains, peat and leaf humus are mixed in a 1: 2: 2 ratio. But if there is no desire or opportunity to prepare the soil yourself, you can use ready-made soils suitable for begonias:

• "Respect Begonia";
• Begonia's Garden of Wonders;
• "Fasco for Begonias";
• "Vermion for begonias".

Any soil, whether it is self-made or purchased, needs to be decontaminated. In a pot or container, this can be done by heat.

The most affordable way of disinfection is soil freezing. To do this, it must be placed in fabric bags, placed in the cold or in the freezer and wait about five days. Then these bags must be returned to heat for about a week and this freezing cycle repeated.

Another simple way of disinfection is heat treatment. Pour the soil into a container and pour a small portion of boiling water over it. Next, you need to gently, in tight gloves, mix the soil to evenly moisturize it. Then it must be placed on a baking sheet with a thin layer of 3-4 cm, loaded into the oven and turned on. It is necessary to choose a temperature of 70-90 °, a higher one will harm the soil. The soil should be ignited for about half an hour.

Begonias are traditionally considered indoor plants, and some varieties are also grown outdoors. In this case, disinfection is much more difficult and almost always requires special means.

For transplanting, you must carefully remove the begonia along with the ground and gently release its roots. The root part of the plant must be kept for about half an hour in a weak manganese solution for disinfection. If there are rotten root sections, they should be trimmed with a sharp knife and sprinkled with charcoal.

Transfer

Then you can place the begonias in a new place, sprinkle the soil tightly and water abundantly. During the next week after the initial watering, you should carefully monitor the condition of the soil and use spraying instead of regular watering.

This article looked at how begonia reproduces and how it should be monitored during growth. Despite the fact that begonia is considered relatively simple, from the point of view of a gardener, a genus of a plant, its cultivation requires accuracy, the correct choice of reproduction method and adherence to its principles.