Begonias have won me over!

For years I've grown a couple of cane begonias that were given to me as cuttings, but other than that and some bedding varieties, I've tried to content myself by just drooling over the many amazing varieties out there. Since I'm new to some of these varieties that require more precise growing conditions, I've just picked up some inexpensive No IDs from box stores and some cuttings (some rooted, some not) from the RU to try my hand at before really investing much. I realize that winter will be the telling factor, but I am SO enjoying these wonderful Rex Begonias this summer!

I used a leafy compost mix that is very porous and they seem to really like it.

This and the 2 above came from Walmart in 4" pots. They were about $4 each, which is what seduced me, lol.

This came from the Secret Swap we had at the RU.

This rooted cutting from the RU is growing nicely!

And this one too :)

These cuttings all appear to have rooted and a couple are starting to bud at the center!

All look great! Looks like you are hooked. :-)

Tami

This No ID rooted cutting is getting some nice new leaves. Feel free to speak up if any of you know the ID of any of these :)

Thanks Tami! They are certainly worth some extra attention.

I love the sweet little leaves on this one.

My 2 old stand by cane begonias; for most of the year I prefer the one with jagged leaves, but in early fall the one on the right gets huge panicles of pendulous bloom.

Last week I found 2 hanging baskets at Walmart for $6.96 and could'nt pass them up. I'm assuming this one is a Rex.

No idea what kind this one is, but it sure is cool!

Tuberous types have also captured my attention, so to try my hand at them I picked up 3 of each in the Amerihybrid Lace series offered in the bloomingbulb co op. This is Salmon Lace, but I don't see much of a white picotee edge on this first of the 3 to bloom. Still pretty though :)

Apricot Lace is about to open her first bloom!

Really beautiful. Post #3723450 may be fireworks.

JoAnn

Thanks JoAnn, you just jogged my memory and are absolutely correct! Actually, I knew one was Fireworks, but could'nt remember which, lol.

Red Lace had this pretty bloom, but for some reason something has attacked its leaves and left the others alone.

Ruh-roh. Looks like you got bit by the begonia-bug. Too late to turn back now. Oh well, join the rest of us addicts. Well, addict may be a little strong. We just love them a lot and can't live without them.

The canes/shrubs in #3500 is 'Medora' (common name is Trout Leaf Angelwing). #3509 looks like 'Sophie Cecile' on the left and 'Lucerna' on the right - both are "must have" begonias for anybody collecting begonias.

Rexes are real attention grabbers - once you get sucked in by their alluring colors, it's hard to pass up more as they come along.

Last one, Pink Lace just budding with Red Dragon above it.

Thanks for looking, and may we all be blessed with big begonias!
Neal

hcmcdole, thanks! Will enter in my records :)

p.s. with me, addiction is not really too strong- I have many, lol. At this point, why not add another!

You may end up like me - hundreds of them without space to put them in winter but they sure are fun to grow in summer.

You're right Butch, I was just looking at mine yesterday and thinking how small and cute they were when they went outside and where on earth I'll put these now very big plants when cold weather comes. I guess the humidity and filtered light outside are the perfect environment.

Winter housing has been the biggy that has kept me from getting into Rexs before now. Just moved this spring to a house with my own plant room and have lots of lights to install in there (yipeeee!). Keeping my fingers crossed that I can give them enough humidity to keep them happy. The canes have always been very forgiving; often reaching a point of looking really cruddy before going back outside to plump right back up. The sad part is just as the canes are blooming nicely its time to bring them in and "raking" the floor becomes a daily chore, lol. At least in that respect the Rexs will be easier to deal with.

If 3723444 is one from me, Neal, it's 'Color Vision'. I gave you fireworks too didn't I? Nice collection! Wish I had my own plant room :~( I keep hoping to get the porch of the old house converted into a greenhouse but that takes money LOL. Maybe by winter...

Lana

Susan, you are right on the money for growing outdoors. If it weren't for the fact that begonias (and other houseplants) do so great during these times, I wouldn't even bother growing them.

Gemini, I hear you on the new house (I moved to a much bigger house 3 years ago but you will find that what seemed big when you moved in is soon used up). I have 4 rooms in the basement with shelves and am using one bay in the garage. I run around 70 shop lights about 15 hours a day during winter but watering takes time and there is never enough humidity (or proper light) like the great outdoors.

To alleviate my problem, I should pick my favorite X number of begonias, ditch the rest, and devote my time to growing the selected ones to become specimen plants. Now the big question is what should X be? 10, 25, 100? And then which ones to ditch after X is chosen? It is a moral dilemma.

At least I eliminated some extra large plants this past winter or two because the plants keep growing and I'm not getting any younger (white bird of paradise was the first to go). I put several large containers under a tarp below my deck this past winter. Rubber tree didn't make it, but ferns, tibouchina, variegated ginger, mandevilla, some ti plants, and pony tail palm came through without much damage.

I like the way you put that Gemini - 'raking the floor' - only a begonia lover would know what you were talking about. They are lovely to look at but, oh my, what a mess.

Lana, yes, Color Vision is from you and I forgot which one it was, lol. And Fireworks is from you too. They seem very happy :) Hope that greenhouse room becomes a reality for you soon; that would be heaven!

Yep, I finally have enough self awareness to know there will never be "enough" room for plants, lol.

Susan, I got into Brugs last year and when time came to bring them in I got really used to having to rake, lol.

darn, late to the party again! What fun begonias Gemini!
I feel that we'll all be in the same boat come winter. Where oh where to put all these begonias.