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Storing Tuberous Begonias
for the Winter
by Brad Thompson
I've received many requests from begonia
growers asking what to do with their tuberous
begonias for the winter. I figured it would
simplify things if I just gave you a page of
the information.
Tuberous begonias have a winter dormant
period that is determined by the day length
and, in cold climates, by the weather. This
dormancy is a normal part of the life cycle of
the tuberous begonia. Many people inquired
whether they could be brought indoors and
grown on through the winter. The answer is
that it is possible with perfect conditions
but the best course is to just let them follow
their natural cycle and restart them next
year. The following are the steps for storage.
The time to ready your tuberous begonias for
storage depends on what climate you live in so
I'm going to give you both.
When
Northern/Cold climates: In areas
that freeze during the winter, tuberous
begonias must be dug up and the tubers stored
indoors for the winter. The time to do this is
after you've had that first light frost that
ruins the foliage. This is a type of forced
dormancy by the weather. A light frost won't
damage the tuber under the ground but a hard
one will.
Southern/Warm climates: In areas
that don't have frost or rarely have frost,
tuberous begonias go dormant on their own
according to the day length. They usually
reach that point in October or November. When
they start turning yellow and dropping leaves
and stems you need to stop watering.
What to Do
Northern/Cold climates: In cold
climates, after the foliage has been ruined by
the first light frost, dig up the entire plant
with its tuber. Gently remove all the soil
from the tuber and any loose roots. Check for
pests or for rotted areas. Rotted areas can be
removed with a sharp knife and dusted with a
fungal powder. Lay the entire plant in a warm
dry area for several days to thoroughly dry
the tuber. Make sure to bring them indoors at
night if it's going to freeze. Once the tuber
is dry the stem/stems should detach easily. If
they don't, it isn't dry enough yet, wait a
while longer. (Don't be overly concerned if
you broke the tops off while digging or by
accident, they should still be fine, it's just
better if they come off naturally because
there will be less chance of rotting.)
Southern/Warm Climates: In warm
areas your main worry is keeping the tubers
dry during the winter. If you are growing them
in the ground it will be difficult to stop
them from being watered by rain so you will
need to follow the directions for northern
climates and dig the tubers to store them. If
you are growing them in pots, however, all you
need to do is put the pots where they won't
get wet or turn them on their sides so they
can't be watered.
How to Store
Northern/Cold Climates: Once your
tubers are thoroughly dry, place each tuber
into a separate paper bag and place the bags
into a cardboard box for storage. The reason
for the individual bags is so that pests or
disease can't spread easily to the entire
collection and because they will allow the
tubers to breathe. Keep the box in a dark,
dry, cool place for the winter (cool, not
cold, slightly below room temp). Check the
tubers periodically to make sure none are
rotting and that no pests have gotten into
them. Again rotted spots can be removed and
the tuber redried and dusted if they aren't
too bad.
Southern/Warm Climates: Like stated
above, if they are in pots they can be stored
right in the pots by either tipping the pots
on their sides or storing them in a cool, dry,
dark area where they won't get wet. Follow the
cold area directions for tubers that are dug
out of beds.
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