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Garden Begonias still occupy an insignificant place in the garden plots of Russians. This is most likely due to the difficulties of growing. Begonia is a whimsical plant that requires special care rules. But beautiful, unusual colors of buds are able to conquer the most fastidious gardeners. Tuberous Begonia Grandiflora is not a cultivar, it is a plant with large flowers. The features of plants, the rules of agricultural technology will be discussed below.
A bit of history
The flower received its name in honor of the scientist Michel Begon, who conducted scientific research back in the 17th century. Already at this time, the plant attracted with its uniqueness.
Indoor Begonia was the first to be cultivated by the British at the end of the 19th century. Greenhouses were used to plant a heat-loving flower. The people of England were happy to buy beautiful plants with buds of various colors.
A native of Belgium, Louis Van Hutt decided to start growing Begonias in the open field. It is to him that gardeners owe the discovery of 200 forms and varieties of garden Begonia. Hutt created the terry Begonia shapes and first exhibited them at an exhibition in 1870 in Belgium. Plants with tubers are now very popular.
Tuberous Begonia also came to Russia in the 19th century and got its name: "Napoleon's ear". This is due to the events of 1812, when the French wanted to conquer freedom-loving Russia. According to historians, the emperor, fleeing from the battlefield, could not protect his ears from the Russian frost. His ear became like Begonia flowers.
Description
Tuberous Begonias of Grandiflora are herbaceous plants. They have a well-developed root system, represented by underground rhizomes-nodules. The culture has different heights, depending on the variety - from 20 to 80 cm. It differs in juicy thin and translucent stems.
The arrangement of leaves in tuberous begonias is asymmetric, this characteristic also applies to the heart-shaped form. Leaf blades are whole or dissected, consisting of several lobes. The edges of the leaf may have waves or denticles.
Underneath, Begonia leaves are reddish, brown, or even dark purple. The top surface of the leaf plate can be green or some other color. In addition, there are leaves with a geometric pattern, strokes, splashes. This can be clearly seen in the photo.
Flowers are bisexual in all species and varieties, but the sizes and colors are different. By the number of petals, Begonias are divided into double, semi-double and simple. The color of the petals of tuberous begonia is monochromatic or with edging along the edges. Flowering is continuous, from three weeks to five months. It depends on the species and variety. In indoor culture, enjoy the beautiful inflorescences of Begonia until the New Year.
Varieties
As already noted, Begonia Grandiflora is not a variety name, but a feature of plants. This group includes tuberous begonias with large double flowers. Inflorescences in appearance resemble camellias. The height of such plants is up to 30 centimeters. We present a description of the most common varieties.
Orange
Tuberous Begonia Grandiflora Orange is an ideal plant for pot and pot cultivation. The flower is low, from 25 to 30 centimeters. The leaves are collected in a rosette, they are dark green, shiny. Inflorescences are large, 10 to 15 cm in diameter, with dense terry. Coloring of all shades of orange. The flowering of Orange begonia is continuous, long-lasting.
Rose
Tuberous Begonia Rose is a low compact plant with large buds up to 18 cm in diameter. Dense double flowers with white or pale pink petals. They are very similar to roses. Leaf blades are green, large, with wavy edges.
White
This variety of Tuberous Begonia Grandiflora belongs to the terry varieties. Three buds are formed in one inflorescence. Each is about 12 cm in diameter. The petals are snow-white, which is why the flowering bush looks elegant and spectacular. On the tips of the delicate petals, which are about 9 cm in size, slight wrinkling is noticeable.
You can grow Begonia White varieties as a pot culture or in flower beds. Although the flowering is short, only 2-3 weeks, gardeners love Tuberous Begonia for its sweet, wondrous aroma that spreads far beyond the site.
Bushes of Begonia are low, no more than 30 cm. Leaves are light green, with a pattern. The qualities of the plant are best revealed in diffused light or in partial shade.
Yellow
By planting Yellow Begonia with yellow flowers in your garden, you will be able to enjoy the sweet scent of the flowers for two to three weeks. Depending on the variety, the buds can be yellow or lemon yellow. The diameter of double flowers with wavy edges is from 10 to 12 centimeters. The lower inflorescences are much larger than the upper ones, but due to the abundant flowering, the difference is practically not noticeable.
The height of the Begonia bushes is 20-25 cm. Plants attract attention not only with fragrant flowers, but also with bronze-colored leaves with an exquisite pattern. Begonia Yellow is grown to decorate flower beds, rabatok. Can be grown in pots and flowerpots, on loggias and verandas.
Pink
One of the spectacular representatives of the Begonia Grandiflora variety, it stands out for its huge buds reaching a diameter of 20 cm. Double flowers are pale pink, can have the shape of a peony, rose, camellia, daffodil. Flowering is profuse and long lasting. Bush about 20 cm high. Pink Begonia is suitable for growing in flower beds and pots.
Planting and leaving
Tuberous Begonias can be propagated in different ways:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- tubers.
We will analyze the last breeding method in detail.
Material preparation
Planting tubers of large-flowered Begonia Grandiflora in open ground is possible only in the southern regions. In the rest of Russia, flowers are grown through seedlings in separate pots or in a common container at a sufficient distance.
Before planting tubers, you must:
- Consider from all sides to understand if he died during storage. Healthy planting material should be firm, with no signs of rot or parasites. Sometimes the kidneys are already waking up.
- Remove old roots and scales.
- Disinfect. To do this, use special preparations that can be purchased at a flower shop. Dilute the fungicides in warm water according to the instructions. The Begonia tubers are lowered for 40 minutes only on the shoulders.
Planting in a container
When it comes to soil, it is best to purchase it from a store. You need to choose the composition that is intended for growing Begonias. If this is not possible, then the soil is prepared independently. In addition to sod land, compost, sand and wood ash are added to it.
Begonia nodules are planted without deepening, the upper part should be located above the ground.Often, inexperienced gardeners make mistakes when planting, especially if the buds have not yet woken up. You need to plant the nodule with the convex part down into wet soil, and the notch should be on top!
Pots for tuberous Begonia Grandiflora are chosen shallow, since the roots are located close to the surface. Drainage must be placed on the bottom to avoid stagnant water and the development of putrefactive processes. Plants are grown in a bright place, but direct sunlight should not hit the leaves, otherwise burns will appear on them.
How to plant tubers correctly:
If the tubers of Begonia Grandiflora were planted in a common container, then after the appearance of 3-4 leaves, it must be dived.
Care after planting nodules consists in watering, shallow loosening.
Bedding
Hardening is carried out two weeks before the transfer of plants to open ground. The containers are taken out into the shade, gradually increasing the residence time.
Large-flowered begonias are planted in a place protected from the sun and winds at a distance of at least 30 cm in fertile soil. Compost and wood ash are added to each hole. Immediately after planting, mulch the surface to retain moisture.
In-ground care
After the plants take over, they need to be watered regularly (do not wet the leaves!), Remove weeds and feed. Sometimes plants do not develop well. This may be due to insufficient soil acidity.
Fertilizer
Top dressing is carried out several times per season:
- In the spring, when tuberous begonias are supposed to grow green mass, they need complete complex fertilizers.
- When the first buds appear, and in the future, feeding is carried out once every 14 days. You can use special fertilizers for Begonias or potash and phosphate fertilizers for flowers.
Fragile stems must be tied to a support so that they do not break and spoil the decor of the site. Withered flowers and drying leaves are also removed. Only in this case the large-flowered terry Begonias of Grandiflora will look like a real bouquet.
Harvesting tubers for the winter
At the beginning of autumn, all species of Begonias begin a dormant period. It is necessary to stop watering and feeding. But you do not need to cut off the yellowing shoots until they are completely dry. This will allow the nodules to accumulate nutrients necessary for the next growing season.
When not a single leaf remains, the stems are cut off. After 14 days, the rhizomes are dug up, dried. The soil must be cleaned and the nodules must be removed in a bag with sphagnum, since it has strong bactericidal properties. Such storage will save the planting material of tuberous begonias from the decay process. You need to store the tubers at a temperature not higher than 8 degrees and from time to time monitor their condition.
Instead of a conclusion
Beautiful and delicate Begonias with large double flowers are widely used in landscape design.
They can serve as a frame for flower beds and ridges, borders, alpine hills, and carpet monoclumba can be created from plants.
If you want your flowers not to get lost among other garden plants, plant them under trees or shrubs. They will feel comfortable in the openwork shade of the branches.
Begonias Grandiflora with double flowers look great on lawns with lawn grass, as well as among annuals: Lobularia, Lobelia, Surfinia and Iberis.
