Begonia Solenia Red over winter

JoeX

Hi all,

I’m not sure if these have corms or are tender perennial.  If it’s the latter, I can either put them in the shed (some light) or by the boiler in the garage (no light, but warmer).

Thoughts?

Cheers,

TP

Buttercupdays

They are all tender perennials,  but some have corms and some don't. If you are not sure what you have, a gentle investigation with a plant label or an old blunt knife might help you decide. Corms are usually quite close to the surface.

I have both - a cormous one in the greenhouse, which is kept just frost free,  and a non-cormous one called Glowing Embers which lives in the house.

They both die back somewhat over winter, but the one with the corm more so and it then puts out new growth in the spring.

The other one I treat as a house plant as it has attractive foliage and still the odd flower even in winter. You could keep a corm somewhere dark and cool (not freezing) and it would die back completely, to be restarted in spring, but the other sort would need light as well as some warmth.

Lyn

This type of begonia is an annual you may be able to keep it going as a house plant for a while.  I doubt it will make a corm.

JoeX

Ah ok, annual you say.

I might have to make a cold frame and take a cutting then, it’s been excellent all summer.

Lyn

Needs to be warmer than a cold frame, warm windowsill will do.  You can get them to last over, but usually treated as an annual if you haven’t got room inside for them. 
My mum used to grow a lot of this type but never outdoors. 

JoeX

Not sure I can get a windowsill, the Mrs hates anything to do with my hobbies 😬 Compist it is then, Ill try to find a cheaper source for next year.  Think they were £16 each from dobbies, but they are glorious.

Lyn

What’s her hobby TinPot?  Maybe a compromise? 
You could try this.
Quote from net
“Propagate Begonias from a Single Leaf For the larger leaved plants, begonia propagation can begin with a single leaf. With a sharp knife, cut a mature leaf from the plant where the leaf meets the stem. Now clip the cut end into a point. Follow the directions above only bury the petiole (leaf stem), not the leaf. Rooting begonias this way will give you a whole new plant grown from the roots that develop at the end of the petiole.”
My mum used to take leaf cuttings. 

Read more at Gardening Know How: Tip On Propagating Begonias From Cuttings https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/begonia/begonia-propagation.htm

JoeX

Yeah I was considering leaf cuttings but with nowhere warm, I’d have to go the grow lamp route which got zero support here when I posted about it.

Lyn

Ask her nicely if you can put a little tray on her windowsill.