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Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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Posted by boca_joe 6b/7a (My Page) on Mon, Nov 5, 07 at 21:51
| Hi,
this is my 1st year with this plant. It outperformed any begonia (other than Dragon Wing Red). I grew it in a hanging basket and it cascaded down 5' in spite of our heat and drought this summer.
It produced a massive tuber the size of a baked potato. Can i just store it dry and cool over the winter like my cannas?
here is a recent photo (see link)
thanks
Boca Joe |
Here is a link that might be useful: Boca Joe's photos
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you, but MAN-O-MAN, what a beautiful plant! thank you for posting the photo!! I had some generic tuberous begonias planted outside that didn't do well this summer with the heat and drought. Once the weather changed, and started cool a bit, they started to leaf out again. So just now dug them up and potted them, to see I can get them to bloom again inside. I'm curious to see how they'll do |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| Boca Joe, how did your Bonfire do over winter and how did you end up storing it? Anita |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| hi- they did fantastic! I saved 3 big tubers. I stored them in fairly dry potting mix in a cool (55-60) room, in a zip lock bag. I potted them up about 2 weeks a go- they each haver from 3-5 eyes sprouting! I can;t wait to see how they do this summer from these BIG tubers. Boca Joe |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| Thanks for the update. I saw yours and went out to buy some. Did you have more than one tuber in the basket that trailed 5 feet? I know I'm nosey, but I want mine to look like yours did last year. Anita |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| Anita- I bought three plants in 4" pots last spring. Not more than 4-5" high. I put one plant in that hanging basket. The basket is about 14" diameter- nice and big. I am going to try growing some this year in pots on the deck and see if they will trail down even further- a curtain of Bonfire! Boca Joe |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| Wow, that plant is spectacular! I am going right out to see if I can find one at any of the local nurseries. I have only grown regular tuberous begonias so far. I assume the Bonfire begonia also likes a shady area. What king of fertilizer did you give it? I love the pictures of your yard. That is the look I am trying to achieve this year. That totem pole is really cool!!! I think I need one of those too! |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| Don't baby the plant! They are bred for growing in hot sun and humidity unlike the tuberous ones. You can use any fert -it's not picky. I had them in partial shade and full sun, they loved both. Boca Joe |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| Hi Boca Joe!What beautiful pictures! In the garden center where I work they are failing to thrive. We have ran them dry, moist, more shade less shade, nothing seem to work. Any ideas??? Thanks, Janice |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| 5/15/08 - Milwaukee - Just bought one of these in full bloom, trailing about 15" below bottom of 12" pot. My plant guru was pinching the ones for sale and gave me the 6" bits with instructions to "Put them in soil...they root easily!" So far so good, after 2 days in the shade. They should tolerate full sun in Wisconsin. (My Non-stop begonias prefer full sun.) Not sure about high winds. |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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Oh, my!
Where can I find these babies? They are gorgeous and I have to have one.
Linda |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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I found one on Ebay not too long ago. I looked at all my local nurseries and didn't see any. I planted it in a hanging basket and it is already doing well! I can't wait to see how big it will get!
Linda |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| Springhill Nursery has these for sale. Search for 'bonfire' in their search box. You can also search online for 'springhill coupon' on google and find a code for $25 off of $50. This is the only place I know of online to purchase them. I have seen them locally just recently, at Home Depot and Lowe's. I hope this helps. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Begonia bonfire boliviensis
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| Hey, Boca Joe--just have to tell you, you sent a friend of mine some cuttings of your gorgeous 'Bonfire' and she gave me one. It's growing well, and already starting to bloom, and I just have to say how thankful I am to both of you. You have a gorgeous plant there, and I hope mine does half as well! Thank you! |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| hey Greenelbows- I can't any credit for those cuttings- they weren't mine. Good luck with them! Boca Joe |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| Hi, I'm new on this forum. I grew Bonfire last summer and it was fantastic. I didn't try to save it. I got a new one this year, it's also doing very well. I'm wondering if I can just leave it in the pot, let the soil dry and store it in my root cellar? Boca Joe, if you're out there, did you leave it out through a frost or take it in before a frost? Any advice would be appreciated. |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| hi Hostaholic- I dug the tuber before frost hit it. It should be fine in your root cellar as long as it is cool and dry... good luck Boca Joe |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| Thanks, I'll give it a try. |
RE: Begonia Bonfire Winter Care
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| Hey boca joe, How are your overwintered plants looking this year? Any new pics you can share? |
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