I have the non-stop large red begonias in a pot. Would it work if I brought them inside and had a lamp with a flourescsent bulb over them?
What about New Guinea impataiens ? (darn! I lost my spell check!)
Coleus?
They are all just coming into their prime, and I would love to have them inside this winter.
Can I winter these over?
Coleus, they winter over well http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/892831/
I thought begonia (tuberous) had a dormant season. Aren't non-stop types tuberous? Not sure about them.
New Guinea impatiens will do fine, but, they tend to get mites when they are inside.
Dale, that is the nicest grouping of coleus I have seen! How much pinching did you have to do to get them all the correct height? Can you share some tips?
Wow! your coleus bed is extraordinary! What wonderful colors.
Thanks for the information. I may try to keep the begonias going until Thanksgiving or Christmas then let them go dormant for a rest. Can I root the Non-stops from cuttings?
That would be fun! I know I can root the impatiens and the coleus. I was amazed at how little our local nursery was selling these for, but they were probably on sale/clearance.
I have never had containers look so good.
Lady Gardener, if you pinch coleus when they are small, 3 sets of leaves and then again when they get 2 more sets of leaves you only have to pinch them a little over the summer.
Gloria, I don't think you can root non-stops, but, I am the wrong person to ask. It is just easier to buy new ones (for me). Here in FL we use them in the winter because of the hot weather (night temps are the critical factor for most begonias).
We have our best luck with the cane and rhizome types, Pink Dragon>
Gloriag,
I've overwintered cane begonias successfully last year. I just sprayed them with insecticidal soap and put them next to a southern window. They did just fine. You can easily root your cuttings in water and replant them in the same pot for a fuller look.
truonger, thank you so much! They are so pretty, I can hardly stand to lose them. I will try that.
Gloria, the non stop begonias are tuberous, and should get a dormant period. They can be propagated by cuttings, but that is best done in spring to allow enough growing season for them to form baby tubers. This site gives suggestions on winter storage and propagation:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h119begonias.html
gemini,
That is a great link; I put it on my favorites list. Thanks.
I may try seeds. I don't have anyplace 50 degrees to store the tubers.
Gloria,
You could store your tuberous begonias in a garage or basement. Do not water anymore when they start falling over else you may rot the tuber. You can try propagating the tops when this happens or any time before. Through the winter you might give the pot a few drops of water so it doesn't dry out completely. Sometimes it is best to treat them as annuals since they can be hard to keep them from rotting or drying out during the dormant period.
There is a English or Scottish web site that shows how to propagate a lot of tuberous begonias by "log cuttings".
Seems I read somewhere that you can cut/split the tubers when they first start to show buds in the spring?
Just a photo>
Dale, You can cut the tuber in sections as long as you have at least one eye - just like a seed potato. You should treat the cuts to prevent disease when doing this method. I usually didn't have a lot of luck with this method when I was playing with tuberous begonias so many years ago.
I had some coleus planted outside in a flower bed.They took over my bed when i put some rotten cotton from a cotton gin in my bed they grow big and tall.