I'm no where near an expert... in fact far from - yellow usually means too much water to me, but what do I know? Black sounds bad to me. Very bad. But again, what do I know! But I think I remember reading that the least amount of water you start your cuttings in the better - so a water bottle might not be a good choice to start your begonias in...? I'm doing mine into soil-less mix and using root hormone (because I was afraid I waited too long to take the cuttings - mine are all outside and got hit by 50 degree weather). It appears to be going well in there - I have them covered with domes and such that I'm afraid to lift - it's only been a few days. But I will keep this forum updated on my progress. Which doesn't help you - I'm off on a tangent now. Anyway, I'd try and use the least amount of water to start your cuttings - I think they're prone to rot if there's too much water. Good luck and hopefully an expert will get back to you! :)

Wisteria: that's fine about posting on someone else's post, and if the post is very active you may likely receive an answer, but the most effective way is to keep your question separate, as you now did, so when posters come on they can view the headings and choose what they want based on that and not find something unrelated within.

So sorry your Dragon Wings are failing you, it is the end of the season, so growth is slowing because of reduced sunlight (as a rule in most areas with shorter days, and less sun intensity). If they are not looking so well anyway, I would tip them out of the pots they are in, and study the roots to see if they are healthy, depending on the pot size, maybe they are rootbound?

I've rooted my cuttings in water, make sure to change the water every 3 or 4 days, keep it somewhere bright and sunny AND warm, not sure where you live but if you are placing it on your windowsill and it gets cool at night then your cutting gets too cool also. I have a heating pad that's supposed to be used on humanoids, but I put my cuttings on it on the low setting and have checked with a thermometer, it'll be about 75 or 78 F, whereas my windowsill would be at say 63 or 65 F, and the plant table with no heating pad might be sitting at 71-ish, so that extra warmth can promote rooting. And some plants just root better come spring, they seem to recognize that the days are getting longer and seem more 'inspired' to grow.

The yellow leaves certainly can mean too much water, or dried yellow can mean not enough. You need to give more info for us to go on, plant size, pot size etc. If you want to repot and try to grow in the window for winter, I would loosen soil around the rootball and repot into soil with extra perlite added, so when you do water the soil does not remain as wet for as long. Good luck!

Here is an update on the patients.

They are not root bound. They did start getting bad when we had a couple cool nights and less sunlight. I took some water out of the bottle with the cutting and so far that has dropped a leaf and doesn't look too hot either. Where I had cut the begonia down, the stem formed brownish seal. Some stems look like water droplets are coming out of the top. The pot size is about 6 inches deep. I haven't had a chance yet to get the perlite... but I haven't had to water in a while. It used to dry out rapidly, to the point where it was being watered every day because the soil was bone dry.

Any new thoughts? Thanks for your help!!

It's about that time of year that they will drop leaves and stop growing. Just keep the soil watered when dry or plants are wilting; give the best light you can; pick off ratty, yellow leaves; and don't worry too much about them through the winter months.

Cut them back some and root the cuttings in good potting soil or water (keep covered for best results). Personally I treat Dragon Wings as annuals but you can get them through winter if you give them some good growing conditions.

Check my previous posts for growing begonias. It applies here. Since your location is not posted, it is difficult to assist. EVERYONE should mention where they are from, because it makes a huge difference. "Lower" light in NY is different than mine in Tampa Bay! You get sunburn here in January. I grow tomatoes during winter. I just planted my winter crop...you get the idea. Greg Sytch ABS Horticultural Correspondent

I too have a dragon wing Begonia whose leaves are turning yellow. Mine is in a reception area with florescent lighting, no windows. Also, some of the leaf edges are dry and crackly. I've had it for almost 9 months and it was doing great until a couple months ago. BTW I keep the temperature around 70 degrees. Weekends I leave one florescent on directly above the plant instead of the whole room.

This is not a Dragon Wings begonia - this is a cane and probably Sophie Cecile or maybe Lana (hard to tell from the picture). Anyway the same principle applies - a lot of new growth will be coming on and the old leaves will be dropping off anyway. Don't let it dry out completely and it should do fine.

Here is a picture of a Sophie I bought last year for $15.

Thank you very much