Content
Begonia is a houseplant with a rich history. Its wild species was first discovered by a scientific expedition led by the French botanist Plumier. In 1690, three years after completing his journey, he described this plant in his book and named it after his friend and colleague Begon. This was done in gratitude for the fact that the patron took an active part in the plans of the naturalist monk and provided this expedition with money.
Thanks to the selection work of scientists from many countries, today we have hundreds, if not thousands of varieties and hybrids of decorative begonias. Begonia and growing it from seeds at home is the topic covered in our article.
Classification
Decorative begonias for growing at home are divided into two main groups:
- Decorative blooming begonias are an indoor herb with solid green leaves and flowers of a wide variety of colors and shapes.
- Decorative deciduous begonias - a plant of the same type, but it is distinguished by the rainbow color of the leaves, flower ovaries are almost not formed.
In the photo above, you see a representative of the first group, and in the photo just below, a specimen representing the second class. As you already understood, in morphology, these two begonias differ slightly from each other. In a short description of the plant, we will note these differences.
Morphology
The main characteristic features of the structure of decorative begonia:
- roots - tuberous, fibrous or with a vertical main root, on which many processes are formed, the depth of occurrence is not more than 20-25 cm (the same type for both classes);
- begonia stems - erect, covered with fine hairs, the main color is green, but depending on the variety, it can have a different tonality, from light green tones to brown-purple shades (the same for species 1 and 2);
- leaves - you can talk about them endlessly, for each variety or hybrid of begonias, they are all different and peculiar in shape, color, structure, look at the photo:
- flowers are of an irregular asymmetric shape, unisexual and monoecious, that is, begonias cannot reproduce by self-pollination (in deciduous begonias, if inflorescences are formed, they have no decorative value, it is better to destroy them so that the plant does not spend valuable nutrients on their development).
Varieties
We have already noted that the number of begonia varieties is estimated at thousands. For example, let's make a short description of the representatives blooming and deciduous varieties of a flower.
- Decorative begonia blooming Elatior variety (for growing at home). Flowering occurs twice a year in early summer and late autumn, flowers (up to 5 cm in diameter) have different very delicate shades of yellow, pink or red. There is also a rare one for this variety. snow-white "Bouquet". The height of the bush is about 40 centimeters. Leaves are deep green in color. The stems are dense, foliage and flower ovaries are abundant.
- Mason's begonia decorative leafy - it is a squat bush (height 45-60 cm) with large leaves about 20 cm long. Stems are brownish-greenish or burgundy, covered with fine hairs.The leaves are fleshy, compressed, bright green in color with a pattern in the form of a cross in the center (highlighted by a brown spot contrasting with green), the surface of the leaves with a glossy sheen, the edges are serrated, the shape is oval, pointed at the end.
Here is a description of the most popular begonias that flower lovers grow at home. In what ways you can grow or plant this flower, we will consider further.
Reproduction
If you want to get several new plants at once, then it will come in handy for you method of propagation of begonia leaf, in this case, take 2-3 large leaves, cut them in such a way that the large veins and the petiole remain intact. These parts are placed in a container with a moist substrate. A week later, small roots appear on the handle. The plant is ready to be transplanted to a new location.
When tuber propagation there are not many new begonia sprouts, 2-3 no more. The tuber must be cut so that two viable buds remain on each. These pieces are completely buried in the ground to a depth of 3 cm. The soil must be sufficiently moist, when it dries, it must be constantly moistened. The nodules will take root quickly, so they can be planted directly into a new pot.
Florists who want to get as many plants as possible use the method growing begonias from seeds... It is easy to do it yourself at home. Let's dwell on this method and talk about it in more detail. In the video at the end of the article, you will clearly see how to do this correctly.
Growing from seeds
Seed propagation of begonias at home is used in the following cases:
- if you want to grow new variety plants;
- if there is a large area in the house or in the garden, which needs to be decorated with your favorite flowers;
- in order to obtain a large batch of seedlings with its subsequent implementation;
- or because you really enjoy giving potted plants to your friends and family.
We will not argue that the whole process of planting begonia seeds is time-consuming, as well as further care for the seedlings. Weigh the pros and cons, and decide for yourself whether it is worth spending time on such work. For those who do not consider this work burdensome, rather see it as pleasure and satisfaction, we will continue our story.
Training
Before planting begonia seeds for seedlings, it is necessary to carefully prepare all the components for this procedure, and the main thing here is the seeds. The seeds of the plant are tiny, it is difficult to work with them, but using some tricks, you can cope with this even at home.
As already mentioned, begonia seeds are very, very small, so manufacturers pack them in special capsules, several pieces in one dragee. In the photo (see below), we suggest that you consider in detail what life-size begonia seeds look like.
The usual procedure for preparing seeds for sowing includes soaking and disinfecting them, but due to the size of these seeds, it is impossible, we will disinfect the substrate. This will be discussed in the next paragraph.
The manufacturer's name also plays an important role. It is better to buy from a company that is already known to you or your friends.
Sowing
In the top photo, you see the planting of begonia seeds in peat tablets. Florists recognize this as convenient and less costly than preparing individual containers or pots for seedlings. Doing this is easy and simple, even at home, adhere to the following order:
- several peat tablets are placed in a waterproof and heat-resistant container;
- hot water is poured onto the bottom of the container up to + 50 ° C so that it does not cover the upper part of the substance;
- during the swelling, about 15-20 minutes, water can be gradually added;
- each begonia seed is placed in the center of the swollen tablet;
- the container is closed with a lid (if any) or polyethylene and placed in a warm place;
- when the plant starts up roots, and two cotyledon leaves appear on the surface (after 5-7 days), the lid can be removed, and the container can be rearranged closer to the light or add illumination in the same place;
- do not let the peat dry out, moisten the surface regularly 1-2 times a day;
- the development and vegetation of begonia seedlings in the first month after sowing the seeds is slow, to speed up the process, use chemicals that accelerate the growth of seedlings, add them in small doses when watering;
- after regrowth of 2-3 true leaves, begonia can be transplanted to a permanent place.
What is the best time to sow (or plant) begonia seeds? According to experienced florists, this should be done in December or January. They believe that the main reason is that over a longer growing season, begonia manages to form a larger, and therefore more viable root. The period of relative dormancy for the plant begins at the end of autumn. For almost a year before "hibernation", the plant will actively grow the root system and green mass, it will be ready for reproduction by tubers, leaves or cuttings.
What affects germination
Sometimes flower growers, having sown begonia seeds, wait a long time for the first shoots to appear, but for some reason they are not there, or 2-3 sprouts grow from 10 seeds. There are many explanations for the reasons, we will only cancel a few of the main ones. High-quality seeds from a reliable manufacturer should sprout in 7-10 days, some varieties - in a maximum of two weeks.
The reasons for not germinating begonia seeds are as follows:
- storage periods are violated - small flower seeds can be stored from 1 to 3 years, preference should be given to the material collected in the previous year, the longer the shelf life, the lower the germination percentage;
- the substrate should always be moist, it is very difficult to wet the peat again if it dries out;
- for germination of begonia seeds, it is very important to maintain a constant temperature of at least + 25 ° C, use additional heaters when this figure decreases;
- monitor the humidity of the air, if the room is dry and hot, you should spray the plant with water using spray guns or use special devices to humidify the air.
Moon calendar
Flower lovers who are interested in obtaining abundant flowering of begonia or its foliage, timed sowing seeds to auspicious days according to the lunar calendar. They believe that the plants planted on these days form more flower ovaries, their roots become strong, and the leaves are brighter.
We will not assure you of this, and we will not deny the influence of the Moon on plants. Such information is not scientifically substantiated, but is based only on long-term experiments of amateur gardeners and calculations of astrologers. You can do your bit with hands-on experience growing your begonias. Share the results and conclusions with family and friends, let them also be interested in this scientific process. Someday your contribution may influence agricultural scientists, they will finally create a scientific basis on the topic: "Do the Moon and Constellations Affect the Development and Growth of Plants." Good luck.
