I just bought 50-each of the following begonia varieties (as plugs): Sinbad, Looking Glass, Lana, Torch, and Frosty.
Of these, the vendor claimed these plugs were all "cane type," but I've read several statements that "Frosty" is a hybrid that "requires terrarium humidity to survive indoors." Can anybody share their experience with this one? The vendor did admit that "Frosty," as well as "Sinbad" are more prone to powdery mildew...so I'm being careful with their watering.
I now have 200 begonias in four-inch pots in my back yard, covered with shade-cloth. I'm hoping to get these up-to-par for resale during the summer. So far, every single one is happy and healthy.
Begonia "Frosty" Question
They should do just great for summer. All of the ones you mentioned are hybrids and either are shrubs or canes. Shrubs just branch naturally compared to canes.
Sinbad and Frosty are very prone to mildew when it gets cool in fall which usually is the main reason they kick the bucket. Looking Glass is another one but maybe not as bad. I think bright light, watch the watering, and spraying for mildew in winter will help them get through.
Did you get them from NC farms?
Yes, I did. And all 200 were very healthy plugs. Fortunately, I was able to drive there and pick them up...savings some shipping costs. What's funny is that I've never had success rooting tip cuttings of a few of these myself...even with rooting hormones...but theirs did great. Of course, they have very 'controllable' environments for doing so...on a large scale. Every time I've tried to root Looking Glass, the tip cutting just rots, whether in water or peatmoss. Anyway...have you bought from them before, too?
A grower friend of mine bought the same thing last fall from NC Farms. I bought Lois Burks from him for $3 in early Feb. Shame I had the rest of the canes he was growing since he grows them to perfection in a greenhouse.
B. 'Lois Burks'
That makes a great hanging basket!
Unfortunately, the vendor was out of lots of their cane begonias. I bought what they had 'leftover,' basically. More will be available in late May / early June...but I probably won't have enough space to grow anymore. I just wanted to get a jump-start on growing the ones I could.
A neat thing about both Sinbad and Frosty...they'll branch from ANY leaf-node, unlike lots of canes...whether they've flowered there or not. That should make for easy propagation.
I hope I can get my specimens (at least the ones I keep for myself) to look like yours...
That is why Sinbad (and Frosty) are in the shrub group due to free branching.
Sinbad is such a great grower in summer but so difficult to keep in winter. I suppose it goes back to their Philippine parent which exhibited the same behavior when I had it for one summer.
I don't mind spending $5 on a gallon pot of Sinbad each year - it grows quickly and makes a nice focal point anywhere you put it.
Lovely Sinbad Butch. Lost mine to mildew yrs ago.
Me too but I already got a new one for this year. Hopefully with Milstop I can keep it through winter this time.
"Strike" is supposed to be a good product, too (recommended by the seller), but I've never tried either one myself.
With the DRYNESS of my house during winter, maybe I'll get lucky. This definitely looks like a specimen I'd want to keep. I like the changes in color as the leaves mature.
I've used a very small amount of either vinegar or baking soda in water...sprayed on the foliage...as a preventative. The baking soda admittedly leaves a slight film on the leaves, but it seems to serve the purpose. Then again, maybe I'm just lucky because I've never dealt with mildew-prone begonias. :)
I think if you have no mildew in your house (or very little) and keep your begonias indoors year round then you won't have a problem. The woman in our group only grows her begonias indoors under glass or plastic and has no mildew issues at all. When the plant gets too big she gives it to her husband to grow in a small greehhouse in winter and outdoors in summer. She starts a new plant when she hands off the bigger plant. I would hate to keep mine indoors all year round.
Baking soda is probably effective as well as diluted milk. Basically you are changing the pH of the areas of the plants so that mildew and other fungus don't find the conditions perfect for growing.
I also got some plants from NC farms through a co-op. I don't have any use for large numbers of the same cane, and I can't sell, so co-op or group buy is the only way I purchase from NC.