The National Begonia Society

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The  Secretary's Page
Alan Harris  (NBS Secretary 2002 - 2013)

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  In addition to being Secretary I am a National Begonia Society Judge, having been a member of the Society for 25 years.  I come from near Cambridge and am an active member of the East Anglian Area, showing cut-blooms each year at the Area and National Shows.  I grow about 250 plants and these are mostly grown for cut-blooms.

This is my main greenhouse which is about 30' by 8' in total.
The right end is the propagation area which is about 8' square.
The site is east - west and only 150' above sea level.

This is my shade house which is about 18' by 12'.  It has a corrugated plastic roof and rokolene sides, double thickness on the south side.
It also faces east - west and houses the plants for the next show.  East Anglia in early August and then the ones for the National a few weeks later.

This is a view of one side of my propagation area taken in early April.
The benches are down both sides with soil warming cables and controlled to about 65ºF.  The main heating is electricity using a Parwin heater and the air is kept at about 45ºF.
The propagation end is clear polycarbonate and the main greenhouse glass.

THE CULTIVATION OF CUT-BLOOMS
GROWING FOR EXHIBITION
There are classes at begonia shows where only the bloom is entered, and this has obvious advantages when it comes to transporting.
The blooms are taken to the Show in boxes and staged on special boards containing paper cups.