I think there is confusion re BIG Begonia and bedding Begonia you can grow from seeds, but it's too late in the season for growing bedding type as there is not enough time left for seeds to sprout then grow large enough to reach flowering.
As for the Large begonia or giants, these are grown from very LARGE tubers, NOT seeds, to increase the amount of Giant plants, you have to get the tuber to sprout several tiny sprouting buds, normally starting this prosses around Jan / Feb time, and then you have to CUT these sprouted parts off the main tuber WITH roots attached ( pot up on top of the soil in pot) and grow on as for the giant tubers, these cuttings will flower this year maybe and will increase in size every year there after.
I have to say that between Gardenworm2, Ecrane, Altagarden and Flowerjen along with a few others, are speeking more sense than any other info you could get from all the internet ramblings put together.
Ask yourself this, how has the planet survived with plants / trees/ and food crops for centuries without Peroxide, Vinigar poured onto seeds / plants,
or hands up who knows any gardeners who starts seeds on blotting paper, kitchen towels etc instead of what's on the seed packet, not many I bet, all you need is namely good old fashioned garden soil that has either had manures / organics, composts or peats added, not for just food, but to help break up the soil in the garden into a workable / pliable aerated soil that holds nutrients, water, heat and everything else any plant could ever need for the first year or more of it's life.
When you buy your seeds there is enough info on the packet re soil, temp, planting seed season, and for veg, when to start sowing / harvesting. Thats how it has been done through the ages and to be fare, IF people like my late father who had a wonderful growing knowledge had to read as much info as it appears on this thread and is required to be able to grow food / flowers/ fruit trees ect all those years ago, Britain / USA would have lost the 2nd world war as the countries would have starved to death.
Just get outside and plant your seeds, give the shelter or shade, water when required, look out for insects / grubs that will eat the germinating seeds, prick out the seeds and transplant where recomended ON SEED PACKET, that way you will eventually get a garden to be proud of.
I honestly cant even begin to understand how seeds that are growing good one minute and are dead 30 minutes later can have happened and I've gardened for 50 odd years, had many failings with seeds, had many plants set out in the wrong situation and had to move them, made several mistakes re plants that looked good but became rampant the following year but, never witnessed plant death in 30 minutes, I learned from all the mistakes, never did the same mistakes again and have to admit, had I had to learn my gardening skills the way some of you go about it then my life would be one dreadful empty place, gardening would have been way out of anything my head would have wanted to understand, nor would I have had the time to understand what it was all about. All I wanted to know was how and when to plant or germinate indoors my seeds, how to care for them and when to harvest, cut, move, prune, and thats what gardening is all about.
I have always said to beginners that gardening is NOT a science and should be done for enjoyment, and as a hobby, it should also be therapeutic, I therefor cant see how BlakeInCanada is getting any pleasure with the kind of intence science you are talking about but also like another writer's have hinted, it takes all kinds but what you have to be careful on this site for beginners is you dont put other new gardeners off starting gardening by throwing too much science at them as believe me, just plane old gardening practices would suit Most new gardeners and given in plane English thats easy to understand.
I do understand that everyone has their own way of doing things and life is also like that but, as far as gardening goes, the very basics are all that seeds require, soil in most areas needs feeding, weeding and tending by digging, adding organic's, nothing more nothing less.
I hope this is not taken as a critic's rant but please, if you have to go to all the trouble you are talking about may I suggest another hobby more suitable to meet your scientific minds, seeds are NOT man made, nature has done the work for us, all we have to do is take advantage of this fact and the pleasure is ours for the taking without having to learn how science can be introduced for a pastime that does not require it.
Also Do remember that some seeds are truly difficult to germinate for a beginner so practice is more benificial, there are some seeds that even experienced gardeners can not have any luck with, take into account temp, soil, water, light can differ from one garden to next doors garden so, there are many reasons for not having good germoination,
I do hope this helps to remind other gardeners that there is an easy way to learn about growing plants and a degree in science is not something that is required, but just go out and give it a go, you dont have to sow seeds then stand over them every wakening moment or they will die, sometimes they just die anyway, but most important enjoy your garden, dont start big, start with what you can manage and remember the more seeds you plant, the more area of ground you require to grow them and the more time you have to spend caring for them.
Good luck. WeeNel.
