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Begonia Corms

Carol ThomasCarol Thomas Posts: 21
in Problem solving

Despite my advance years I am a novice gardener.  I am advised to lift my begonias, wait for the foliage to die, remove the excess earth, sprinkle with BULB DUST, wrap individually and store in a cool dry place until next spring.

What is BULB DUST?  Google searches have not been much help and staring at shelves in garden centres has been equally unrewarding.

Any help or advice would be much appreciated. 

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Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,299

    I should imagine bulb dust is an anti fungal powder. 



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Carol ThomasCarol Thomas Posts: 21

    Thanks nutcullet.  So I should have found it in the garden centre?

  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    Isn't it flowers of sulphur?image-this is just from memory-can't say I have ever bothered.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,299

    You'll find some anti fungal something for storing tubers etc. I've never used it but I don't grow anything I'd have to lift for winter.

    http://www.bonide.com/lbonide/backlabels/l981.pdf

    This is the only reference that came up when I did a search so I wouldn't think it's much used.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Carol ThomasCarol Thomas Posts: 21

    So what do you do then Ernie (why do I have a mental picture of Benny Hill?)?

  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    Halloween nameimage

    I would just dry them off as you have been doing and store -dry peat -newspaper-as long as they don't get damp-cool,dry, and frost free

    Watch out for the dreaded weevil grubimage

  • Carol ThomasCarol Thomas Posts: 21

    Is that the horrible red thing which tries to kill my lilies?

    I'm tempted to add a mothball to the box where they are going to be stored.

    Do I have to check them through this dormant period?

    Thanks so much both of you. 

  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    That is lily beetle

    Vine weevil grubs-small creamy things with brown heads -often found in containers-they eat roots and have a tendency to burrow into begonia corms

    An occasional inspection is always a good idea-can you still get mothballs?

  • Matty2Matty2 Posts: 4,817

    JUst dry them off, When they are dry and the foliage ahs wilted it will break off at the corm. I then get as much compost as possible off, check for grubs. To prevent fungus infection you can shake a little yellow sulphur on them. I line a box/seed tray with newspaper, space them out on tray , then tuck them up with more newspaper and keep them in a frost free place - garage shelf. Usually i forget about them, based on fact less I interfere the more likely they are to grow!!

     

    The horrible red thing is lily beetle, its griubs also lodge in the lily bulbs.

  • Carol ThomasCarol Thomas Posts: 21

    I enjoy every aspect of gardening, even the hard work bits, but wish it didn't have to involve the creepy crawly things!

    Yes I have bought them fairly recently, but my husband just told me to google Derris dust and I'm now not sure whether they should still be available.  I have several friends who have retired in the last few years and have discovered that their old work suits have been totally invaded.

    Don't want to tempt fate but haven't had a spider in the bathroom since I undid the bath panel and threw a couple underneath!  .... and now you are all going to hate me!

     

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