Tropicals & Tender Perennials: The Ho-Hum dreary days of winter, 1 by begoniacrazii

begoniacrazii wrote:
**blushing** Gee thanks Lin and Tami!

Tami you are fortunate to have high enough humidity. I grew up in Houston, so I recall how tropical it can be!! Great for growing things! I can grow cane begonias outside just fine, and they do get a bit crispy on the edges if I am not diligent in watering or misting on those days when it gets to 115 with something like 20% humidity. I kept this one enclosed because the leaves (which are sooo big) were just to perfect to allow to get brown and crisp. Didn't want to take any chances. =º)

Lin, thanks for your compliments! I use NZ milled sphag that I get from an orchid supply place online. He sells it as compressed cubes (about the size of those wooden ABC play blocks we all had as kids) I put it in a Tupperware container and add very hot water and they expand to about 3 times their compressed size. Once it expands, I 'fluff' it up. I like to propagate most of my gesneriads (Kohleria, episcia, diastema etc) this way. They root like mad and then I transplant into a soil blend of 33% each peat, perlite and vermiculite.
Ahhh but I digress... (before I get back on track, here's the link for the sphag http://www.camponeorchids.com/supersphag.html I like them because I can store it in a small area vs. a bale or bag of the stuff. It's much neater too, not crumbling and loose, also Jason the owner is very good to work with!!)

The soil blend I use for begonias is different. I failed miserably many times before I learned that the soil I need for my climate and conditions needs lots of 'pockets' of air for the roots.
So I use micro orchid bark, perlite and a bit of play sand in my mix. I have a handful of vintage begonia growing books and the consensus amongst all is that they like the pockets (for lack of a better term). They like fast draining soil and don't like wet feet, so however that is achieved is great. I know everyone uses a different blend.

You are also fortunate to live in a humid growing area. I cant grow Benigo very well. It's too dry here (ok, what I mean is in the summer, we've had about 6 days of rain now! so not so dry!!LOL). I grow it, and I struggle with it and other mallet types (see bradsbegoniaworld.com for more info on what mallet types are if you're not sure) but they don't like me, I pull my hair out and then try again -total glutton for punishment. I've seen some real beauties - at the Miami convention and in Southern Cali but up here it's sooo Mediterranean they just don't like it.

Canes and rhizomatous are a different story. They do great so long as they are not the ones above! Those are terrarium species for sure!

So Lin, pull up a chair and put your feet up! It wont be long before you collection grows and grows. Especially with places like Palm Hammock in Miami and others that sell such great selections! Greg Stych is in Florida and he's a great contact for you if you really want to get going! dmail me if you are unable to find his email. I have it somewhere...
He'll sell you cuttings for a pretty good price to get you obsession...er...uh... collection going. (wink wink) Not to mention most of us here are pretty good at addiction support! =º)

(shown B. goegoensis, a Philippine species)