I just purchased 3 beautiful Reiger begonias (for some reason, our store had some for sale....never can tell just what we might get). I can't seem to find any info on how to care for them in our hot, humid climate. Right after I bought them we had 3 days of rain....naturally....I'm convinced that the rains came because I had just read that my new babies don't like wet feet, so I worried about them all through the rains. Anyway, does anyone have any advise for the care and feeding of these pretties out here? I want them to be outdoor plants, and I don't want to treat them as annuals - I'm in for the long haul.
Begonias in the tropics
A bit of info you can read through. Marshall Islands! WOW! how cool is that!
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/692221/
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/582734/
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/greenhouse/nursery/guides/ornamentals/flowers/reigerbegonia.html
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/55110/index.html
http://www.denverplants.com/flower/html/begon_rie.htm
Thanks crazii - I see I have my afternoon set for reading! Appreciate the help....and yeah - we think its pretty cool too. :)
Shari, your Reiger begonias are plants that love the cool/high elevation tropics or greenhouse conditions in N. California. I have seen one nursery grow them here, with success. They were in a greenhouse tho. I think they are a high maintenance plant in hot, humid climates. I had a hard time with them, but, I am a low maint. gardener.
We grow cane begonias.
This message was edited Apr 18, 2007 6:34 AM
Most should thrive in the tropics since that is where most are from. I saw several wild ones in Belize and Guatemala last year, and beautifully grown ones at Fairchild Tropical Gardens in Miami, FL and the Florida Keys. I also saw some great looking ones in Thailand but they were the same ones we see here. The nice thing is being able to grow them outdoors year round where they may become weeds (heaven forbid).
Here was a big one at Fairchild last March. It must've been six foot tall easily.
Dale, Low maintenance!!??!! Once again you have thrilled me with pix of an absolutely gorgeous plant! You give my garden so much to aspire to.
hcmc - Thanks for the info....gives me some confidence that my little beauties will do well here. That is if I can keep the rains from pushing all the dirt out of the pots!
Shari, Containers are low maintenance. Time released fertilizer and water, my kind of job!
I would think that you could grow incredible Rex begonias, ever tried them? They love warm weather and being a rhizome type would make a great ground cover.
Haven't tried them - I'm very limited in the plants I have access to - I am going to see if I can find some, thanks for the tip!
You can try this forum to get trades (you get US Mail?) or Plant Trading.
Dale... My mom (shari) has been telling me about your amazing pics, and they are! Both of those are beautiful and would look so much better than the coral rock and slimey moss I have as ground cover now! Thank you for sharing your pics!
This one is attractive, not showy, wild type.
This wild one has to be one of the parents of many modern hybrids. I have seen it growing wild in gardens here, in greenhouses and it grows all over the Hawaiian Islands.
Dale - thank you for so much encouragement regarding begonias.....I am sure going to try to help my little guys "be all that they can be"....(a little army humor there - this IS a base ha ha).