Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Begonias Anonymous - Attention Addicts and Enablers, 1 by hcmcdole

hcmcdole wrote:
Gita,

Great looking beefsteaks!

My first recollection of a big beefsteak was at a Datsun dealer when I bought my first truck ('82). It was in a 24 inch if not bigger and was completely full and dangling over the sides. I should've made it a condition of buying the truck to throw in a few cuttings from the mother plant but at the time I doubt I would've known how to start a new one.

I've bought a few beefsteaks (so many different ones) over the years and gotten some in trades. I had a huge one a couple of years ago but it was one that didn't make it through the winter. Thank goodness I prop'ed a few from it.

It's always a good idea to propagate soon after you get a plant that you definitely want to keep. I wished I had that piece of knowledge when I first started (I've lost a gazillion it seems like).

Here is Red Fred from the convention this past year. The lens cap is almost 3 inches across for size comparison. Red Fred is a sport from Freddie.