One cool plant but it is getting pretty big. I have read to prune back hard all but one stem. Would you?
angel wing begonia prune or not to prune
Oooohhh, thats an extra gorgeous variety with all that silver in the leaves! In the winter mine get leggy sometimes and I cut them way back. They never seem to mind and come back looking better. But yours looks really nice, so I'd only cut back canes that are getting too big- just a "hair cut".
Should this also be done with canes? There are a few in the yard that only have leaves on the top and are 3-4' of ugliness. Haircut for them too?
Hap
I don't know if its "recommended", but for years I've whacked my cane begonias way back whenever they get ugly and leggy. They always bounce back quickly, especially at this time of year when the days are getting longer.
Very nice Looking Glass Begonia which is a cane. I haven't grown a Looking glass that tall and would love to. So for that reason NW I would do what Gemini says and cut
back the straggler stem on the left and the taller stem on the right for shaping
and leave the rest alone. To grow them tall or not is always a matter of
personal preference
Hap if cold weather is not a problem, you can cut them back hard. Once you
prune then, they will send out lots of new growth. You just don't want any late freezes killing off all the new growth which is more tender than the older stems.
For shaping, cut stems on the right side above a right side node. For left side of the plant, cut the stem right above a left facing growth node. JMHO
Jackie
Be sure to root your cuttings in water so you can share them! :o) I think it is beautiful just the way it is and am envious wishing mine looked that nice!!!!
And I am told the more you cut, the more growth you get, too! :)
Thanks for the tips.....Now where are my my scissors????
Hap
Thank you all for the advice! I agree with Gemini, and don't worry mistygardner, dmail me and I will send you some of the nice cuttings. It has a number of small shoots in the pot also. Hard to believe that it was a 4 inch pot just 4 months ago!
OMG a 4 inch pot 4 months ago?!!! What on earth have I been doing wrong with the one I have????? I have had mine for much longer and it looks NOTHING like yours! Now I am depressed! LOL I would LOVE a cutting of that beauty!!!! Thanks!!!! :o)
All I did was get some good soil medium from the local nursery and got a real deep pot so the roots could run deep. I have only fert. once and that was real lght, about a tenth of normal strength. Other than that I just water it once a week and try not to let it dry out. It is in a southern window so it gets good light. The cats don't play with it either!lol
Well yes, the cats do NOT help! LOL Which is why mine went to the green house. :o) I even put osmocote in mine and it hasn't done much since. I have this thing with some plants-some love me, some like me, and some hate me! HA HA HA
Plants are like kids. They all want something diffrent and they pout iof they don't get their way!
Ain't that the truth! All 3 of mine try it, usually don't work, though! HE HE HE
Mine are 19 and 17. Don't work anymore! But when my Fern was to close to the sun it sure got all droopy and pouty till I moved back a little more!
Mine are 16, 13, and 5, so I know how ya feel there! I am waiting to see if my Asparagus Fern makes it since I just kinda threw it out this Winter! LOL
I walked back into the woods and dub up some western sword fern that grows wild here. Ooh, asparagus ferns are cool! Tatting ferns is still on my list and I got a japanese painted fern for my shade garden just a few weeks ago. Your fern should do just fine as long as it didn't freeze down into the baby fronds.
My brunneras are coming up though! Looking Glass and Jack Frost!
Well, I was serious when I said I just tossed it out, though! I threw it into the corner between the wood shop and garage and it looked great for the longest time, but yesterday it was all brown looking. I have some Japanese Holly and Korean Rock Fern! :)
Good Morning All. I am new at DG, so please bear with me if I ask a question that's been answered before. I tried to read the old threads, but they are numerous (to say the least!)
This is my angelwing. It is 20 years old (I winter it in the house). Anyway, I would like to divide it and repot but am scared to do it. I know this is probably basic, kindergarten stuff to some of you, but any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.
Happy weekend. Our weather is looking pretty mild here, so planning on getting out as soon as the sun comes up.
I know whay you mean about being scared to do it. That is a great plant that looks wonderful. Why ruin it? It will thank you later with some more beauty and double the plants. I have a few questions first.
Do you ever cut it back? I cut mine down to four leaf lobes per cane except one I leave with some leaves. Looks like crap for about 4 weeks, but by the 8th week you can't even tell I did it. I have sent a division of my AW as a trade and both are doing well.
Is it inside now? You may over stress it hacking away outside unless you are in the 60-70 dgree range.So this would be a better indoor project.
Do you ever root the cuttings? I have all the cuttings rooting in water. Again I traded a lot away. Could be your ticket to that cool a little to pricey plant.
No matter what you can do anything but hack it to the ground and it will survive.
Thanks NWGordon. Yes I prune it yearly before I bring it in, but not as dramatically as you said you do, just to get it to fit the space in my kitchen where it winters. No, I have not tried rooting the cuttings. Will try that. This was a gift from a local nurseryman, who was my mentor, before he passed on, so I definitely want to keep it. This man was one of the crotchiest, gruffiest old man I had ever met at that time. Once he even refused to sell me a flower I wanted because "I didn't know how to take care of it." LOL Anyway, I learned a lot from him and miss him every year at planting time. Merpeg
I took cuttings off mine 5 weeks ago and roots are forming so I should pot it up soon. Easy as pie! Just shove in a glass of water and wait. Then you will have some to share and a back up plant in case something wee to happen to your AW. it sounds spacial and it would be nice for you to have more and think of the trades you could get?
Pruning hard for any cane begonia is best. They always come back, and bushier and fuller!
Thanks