Overwintering Double Tuberous Begonias safely.
Overwintering Double Tuberous Begonias safely.
See the article from Ian Rhys Williams below
Re: Caring for Begonias during the winter
Overwintering Double Tuberous Begonias safely.
By following the following tips, your tubers should overwinter without any problems, so long as the following steps are adhered to.
This is particularly relevant, as I write this, on 12th., December, 2022, when temperatures across the U K., have reached, -15 Centigrade in Northern Scotland, and -10, being the norm in many other regions of Scotland, with - 8 C., in South Wales.
Firstly, preparation is the key.
Tubers, need to have been prepared correctly, prior to dormancy.
Use Nematodes.
Combat Vine Weevil Grubs.
At the end of August, beginning of September, I apply, V/W., Nematodes, to all pots, including cutting tubers, hanging baskets and Multiflorens, that are outside, by watering in as instructed. The pots are drenched and thereafter, need to be kept moist, for two weeks, for the Nematodes to survive and do their job, seeking and eliminating any V/W., grubs that may be present, hidden in the tubers, or root system, out of sight.
Reduce amount of water.
At this time after two weeks, watering should have been reduced, during the middle of September, with just a trickle of water applied and at the beginning of October, then, withheld completely so that the compost in pots and tubers begin to dry slowly.
Although, the surface of the compost, will seems to be dry, beneath the surface, there will be sufficient moisture provided, to stop leaves wilting.
Daylight hours reduce.
As Autumn quickly approaches and daylight hours reduce, stems and leaves will begin to fall away naturally and yellow.
DON'T be tempted to snap stems, as the 'green' chlorophyll, is fed back as a sugary starch, and is stored in the tuber, helping to sustain the tuber as a food substance, when they begin the following Spring.
Knocking tubers out.
When all stems and leaves have fallen, leave pots for a week, so that tubers harden.
Knock out, remove most of the compost by hand. Using a stiff soft brush carefully, gently brush any loose compost off. If tuber skin shows signs of damage, stop, return tuber back into pot, with the label and try again in a few days to brush remainder of compost away.
If you have followed the above, the skin of most tubers, will have hardened sufficiently.
Use a strong., NEW elastic band, around the tuber to secure a name label ( don't be tempted to use cheap thin labels, or indeed old labels, as they have a habit of breaking in the box during winter, thus, you'll have several tubers with no labels attached in Spring.
Some pots take longer to dry out.
If you have a few pots, that do not dry out as quickly as others, knock out and place on top of the up-turned pot. They will dry out quicker.
Where and how, to store tubers.
Critical.
Tubers, MUST., be totally dry on the outside, free from damage and V/W., damage. Stem scabs, must be removed using a sharp knife and are firm to the touch.
Use plastic, meshed mushroom/fruit containers, that can be sought from a fruiterer shop.
Line the bottom with newspaper. Place tubers, with labels attached, with a space between each for air circulation. Depending on size of tubers, up to ten largeish , tubers in each, without touching.
Where to store tubers.
Firstly, I keep mine in a back lounge, with an old large blanket spread over the floor for a week or so, until I'm sure, they have dried sufficiently.
Then the majority of mine are moved to the back of a frost- free garage, with the mushroom containers, stacked high. There's a freezer next to the bench, this gives off, a slight heat, that keeps temperatures just right to store them.
At hand, I have 37-gram, horticultural fleece, in case a hard frost is forecast. If required, I drape the fleece over, making sure there are no gaps, so that frost can't get at the tubers.
Fleece, allows air circulation, but keeps frost at bay. 37 gr, fleece keeps frost away, down to -5, C, outside temperatures. Farmers', use it to cover produce in Spring.
Where else can Tubers be overwintered?
A spare, unused, unheated bedroom.
A frost-free outbuilding, stored as above.
DON'T use an unheated glasshouse, unless you store them on a hotbed, temperature, set at + 5 C, with fleece covering as described above.
However, don't be caught out with overnight, power cuts. You could very well lose them, during a hard frost, if the electric goes off un-noticed.
Following the above tips, will help to overwinter, your tubers safely.
Ian Rhys Williams.
By following the following tips, your tubers should overwinter without any problems, so long as the following steps are adhered to.
This is particularly relevant, as I write this, on 12th., December, 2022, when temperatures across the U K., have reached, -15 Centigrade in Northern Scotland, and -10, being the norm in many other regions of Scotland, with - 8 C., in South Wales.
Firstly, preparation is the key.
Tubers, need to have been prepared correctly, prior to dormancy.
Use Nematodes.
Combat Vine Weevil Grubs.
At the end of August, beginning of September, I apply, V/W., Nematodes, to all pots, including cutting tubers, hanging baskets and Multiflorens, that are outside, by watering in as instructed. The pots are drenched and thereafter, need to be kept moist, for two weeks, for the Nematodes to survive and do their job, seeking and eliminating any V/W., grubs that may be present, hidden in the tubers, or root system, out of sight.
Reduce amount of water.
At this time after two weeks, watering should have been reduced, during the middle of September, with just a trickle of water applied and at the beginning of October, then, withheld completely so that the compost in pots and tubers begin to dry slowly.
Although, the surface of the compost, will seems to be dry, beneath the surface, there will be sufficient moisture provided, to stop leaves wilting.
Daylight hours reduce.
As Autumn quickly approaches and daylight hours reduce, stems and leaves will begin to fall away naturally and yellow.
DON'T be tempted to snap stems, as the 'green' chlorophyll, is fed back as a sugary starch, and is stored in the tuber, helping to sustain the tuber as a food substance, when they begin the following Spring.
Knocking tubers out.
When all stems and leaves have fallen, leave pots for a week, so that tubers harden.
Knock out, remove most of the compost by hand. Using a stiff soft brush carefully, gently brush any loose compost off. If tuber skin shows signs of damage, stop, return tuber back into pot, with the label and try again in a few days to brush remainder of compost away.
If you have followed the above, the skin of most tubers, will have hardened sufficiently.
Use a strong., NEW elastic band, around the tuber to secure a name label ( don't be tempted to use cheap thin labels, or indeed old labels, as they have a habit of breaking in the box during winter, thus, you'll have several tubers with no labels attached in Spring.
Some pots take longer to dry out.
If you have a few pots, that do not dry out as quickly as others, knock out and place on top of the up-turned pot. They will dry out quicker.
Where and how, to store tubers.
Critical.
Tubers, MUST., be totally dry on the outside, free from damage and V/W., damage. Stem scabs, must be removed using a sharp knife and are firm to the touch.
Use plastic, meshed mushroom/fruit containers, that can be sought from a fruiterer shop.
Line the bottom with newspaper. Place tubers, with labels attached, with a space between each for air circulation. Depending on size of tubers, up to ten largeish , tubers in each, without touching.
Where to store tubers.
Firstly, I keep mine in a back lounge, with an old large blanket spread over the floor for a week or so, until I'm sure, they have dried sufficiently.
Then the majority of mine are moved to the back of a frost- free garage, with the mushroom containers, stacked high. There's a freezer next to the bench, this gives off, a slight heat, that keeps temperatures just right to store them.
At hand, I have 37-gram, horticultural fleece, in case a hard frost is forecast. If required, I drape the fleece over, making sure there are no gaps, so that frost can't get at the tubers.
Fleece, allows air circulation, but keeps frost at bay. 37 gr, fleece keeps frost away, down to -5, C, outside temperatures. Farmers', use it to cover produce in Spring.
Where else can Tubers be overwintered?
A spare, unused, unheated bedroom.
A frost-free outbuilding, stored as above.
DON'T use an unheated glasshouse, unless you store them on a hotbed, temperature, set at + 5 C, with fleece covering as described above.
However, don't be caught out with overnight, power cuts. You could very well lose them, during a hard frost, if the electric goes off un-noticed.
Following the above tips, will help to overwinter, your tubers safely.
Ian Rhys Williams.
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Re: Overwintering Double Tuberous Begonias safely.
Thank You for this very helpful advice