Jazzy, your begonias will have corms. As soon as the first frost blackens the stems, remove them from the compost and remove the stems from the corms (round slightly flat bulbs). Let them dry thoroughly and dust off any soil, then wrap them in newspaper and store them in a paper bag or carton box in a dry, cool place. Check them occasionally and remove any soft/rotting ones. Late March or April pot them up again and put them outside after the last frost, usually mid May.
This week I have put them under cover in the compost. I let it dry out completely. as the begonias wilt the stem s will break off near the corms.
When this has happened then clear them(corms) of as much compost as possible and either wrap them in newspaper or do what I do which is put a layer of newspaper in a cardboard box, then the corms then cover with more newspaper,(making sure they are not touching)
Then store in a frost free place (garage). Every now and again check the corms and discard any that are soft.
You will find the corms get bigger by the year and the display from the trailing ones gets better and better.
I'm new this year to growing begonias (from tiny plugs) so I may have left this too late. .
Here's a photo of one of them which I dug up after my begonias succumbed to the frost to see if a corm had formed. (That is a corm, isn't it?)
The top growth has clearly started to rot after standing out in the rain, frost and then rain again. I have 80 -100 of these in tubs doing the same.
My questions are:
Is it too late to save them for next year? The corm (in this one) looks healthy and feels firm so I thought it must have stored quite a lot of food during its season.
Should they all be dug up now and brought inside to dry off?
Or should they be brought inside still in their containers to dry before lifting?
I put two containers in the greenhouse before the frost and the plants in those are 'dying down gracefully' - some still have blooms. I'm wondering how best save all the others outside whose foliage has (only just) started to rot.
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Jazzy, your begonias will have corms. As soon as the first frost blackens the stems, remove them from the compost and remove the stems from the corms (round slightly flat bulbs). Let them dry thoroughly and dust off any soil, then wrap them in newspaper and store them in a paper bag or carton box in a dry, cool place. Check them occasionally and remove any soft/rotting ones. Late March or April pot them up again and put them outside after the last frost, usually mid May.
I found this method to be the best way to dig and store them. Very informative.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAGffhd2vTc
Thanks for the link Mattbeer87
I save ny begonias every year
This week I have put them under cover in the compost. I let it dry out completely. as the begonias wilt the stem s will break off near the corms.
When this has happened then clear them(corms) of as much compost as possible and either wrap them in newspaper or do what I do which is put a layer of newspaper in a cardboard box, then the corms then cover with more newspaper,(making sure they are not touching)
Then store in a frost free place (garage). Every now and again check the corms and discard any that are soft.
You will find the corms get bigger by the year and the display from the trailing ones gets better and better.
2 year old corms
Thanks -
thing is my fountain basket collapsed (old age) since photo was taken.
I'm new this year to growing begonias (from tiny plugs) so I may have left this too late.
.
Here's a photo of one of them which I dug up after my begonias succumbed to the frost to see if a corm had formed. (That is a corm, isn't it?)
The top growth has clearly started to rot after standing out in the rain, frost and then rain again. I have 80 -100 of these in tubs doing the same.
My questions are:
I put two containers in the greenhouse before the frost and the plants in those are 'dying down gracefully' - some still have blooms. I'm wondering how best save all the others outside whose foliage has (only just) started to rot.
Take off all that rotting foliage. (remove all foliage if possible
Dig them up (may be a little late)
Put the corms in a dry place on newspaper or something absorbant, not touching
Frost free - shed or garage if possible
When dry wrap in newsapaper in a cardboard box if you have one until March/April
When you should see little pinky buds put in shallow compost trays and when roots form plant them up but do not put outside until frosts have finished
You do need to check them evry now and again and then dispose of any that are squidgy
You will find that the foliage stems should snap off near to the corm
Mine have been up for some time and I hope it is not too late (mind you it has been mild)
Good luck