Tropicals & Tender Perennials: begonias ordered, 1 by NancyGroutsis

NancyGroutsis wrote:
Flicker,

I don't have any experience growing those types of begonias. I've only grown the fibrous rooted wax begonias and trailing begonias (Million Kissses). What I can say is that both types thrive with any fertilizer I use.

The Million Kisses grew 2 1/2 feet in one season but it barely bloomed until I added a few spoons of greensand to the soil surface. It was growing indoors next to an opaque curtain facing bright NW sun. It required water every two days.

The wax begonias also liked to be watered every few days but in winter (zone 5b) the outdoor ones died and the indoor ones lost most of their leaves and had few flowers. In midwinter I applied a tablespoon of Jobe's Organic All Purpose Granular Fertilizer to the top of the soil which reinvigorated them dramatically. The leaves became much larger, the plants without flowers started flowering again, and the substance of the plant increased substantially so instead of a few dying stems there was a mass of greenery (see attached photograph). I later added Miracle-Gro, hydrogen peroxide, humic acid, and white vinegar to the regimen but it was the Jobe's that caused the major change.

DoGooder