silly question from a newbie (sorry)

Hi,

Is it possible to make leaf cuttings of cane begonias? What about rhizome begonias? If so, do i do the ones just like african violet leaf cuttings (leaf with a bit of stalk) or do I cuti the leave in sections and pin it down at the surface of the compost mix. So, is it possible to make leaf cuttings from any types of begonias?

I am starting a collection and do not have enough canes or rhizomes to make some back up cuttings as my plants are still small.

Thank you and sorry for the silly question

Hey Spider,

Come to the Atlanta Chapter of the ABS and get lots of information and maybe some begonias. Next meeting is Sept 20th and is the begonia "dig" which is usually the best meeting of the year. Okay, enough of a plug on that issue.

Almost all canes cannot be grown from a leaf. I've seen many posts that say they can get the leaf to root but that is it - no new plants. That being said, there are probably exceptions such as B. amphioxus but is that a cane or something else?

For canes, take stem cuttings with 3 nodes or more; trim bottom leaves leaving the top 2 or 3 and bigger leaf canes may have the top leaves trimmed in half as well; remove blooms; push into good potting mix; water in; and set in a semi-shady area - they should root in a week or two. Water rooting works too. You can also use bare stems but make sure the bottom portion goes into the soil and not the top. You can also lay the stems horizontally on top of potting soil and water in - all the nodes should send up new shoots at which point you can cut these and start new plants as well.

All rhizomatous begonias can be started from a leaf cutting but there are degrees of difficulty depending on the plant. Rexes are very easy and so are a lot of rhizomatous but some of the bigger, succulent varieties are more difficult (at least to me).

There are many methods to accomplish this. The easiest is with the petiole pushed in a fast draining medium such as straight Perlite (I've done gravel, sand, Nature's Helper, water, etc.). Other methods are wedge cuttings, cone, tissue culture (if you are so inclined to set up this high tech lab) for some or most, severing main veins and laying the leaf flat on the medium. The safest method is using the petiole to anchor the leaf and provide some kind of humidity cover if doing this indoors but if you do it outdoors and with our present conditions you can dispense of the humidity cover.

Here is one of my favorite ways to propagate leaves now - a roasting pan with a clear lid that I can buy at any grocery store in a two pack. I poke holes in the pan with my pocketknife, add good potting soil, moisten the soil, stick my cuttings in, cover, set in a semi-shady area, and leave the rest to Mother Nature. The leaves here are B. 'Virginia Jens' and 'Raven'. I started VJ early this month and they are rooted. I started Raven a bit later but the leaf still looks good and healthy.

Hi Butch,

Great to see you.

Thank you very much for the info. I use those roasting pans for strep cuttings. They are very good.

Is this ABS chapter called Greater Atlanta Begonia Society or are they different groups? I went to a plant sale at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and met these peeps. They were lovely.

I will go tot he sale. Will you be there?

Butch, where is the ABS meeting?

Spider,

That is the only group that I am aware of in the Atlanta area. It is "The Greater Atlanta..." which is kind of silly but it's only semantics.

When did you come to the sale? I left around 1:30 PM and was the one who went to Orlando to pick some plants up for that sale.

The next meeting is in Acworth at one of the member's home. They are a wonderful inspiration for growing and propagating begonias. Their other passion is gesneriads but I leave that group alone for the most part.

Here are some cane cuttings. B. 'Cracklin Rosie' was started 2 or 3 days before this picture and B. 'Lucerna' in the back was started a couple weeks before.

Hi Butch,

I was there about 10:30 and stayed to about 12:00.

Were you the gentleman who gave the talk and demonstration about the begonias? I watched it and asked some questions.

I got a membership form from them. i will send it to the treasurer before the next meeting.

Thank you!

Yeah, that was me. I sure didn't want to do it but no one else was stepping forward.

Butch,

I was the one with the weird/funny/strange foreign accent who talked to you at the end. I asked about Midnight Twist as one of the ladies wanted to know its name.

Do you remember me? Skinny, hair pulled back in a pony tail...

thank you for the picutre of your cuttings. They are cute!

I remember you vaguely. I probably had 3 hours of sleep the night before so you will have to forgive me.

Here is my B. 'Midnight Twist' and 'Wild Pony' in the same pot.

Well, I didn't get the start of your lecture but I really liked what I saw and heard. You know a lot and you were great at explaining things. I enjoyed that!

Your plants are lovely!

Did you get to buy any plants or were they all gone? By the time I dropped off the 6 inch pots, parked my truck, and came into the hall, I'd say half were gone and that was 9:30. Hopefully we will do this again next year.

Butch,

I got 5 begonias. One trailer, one big cane and three small rhizome ones. It wasn't much left but they are beautiful.

Did you get any AVs? I got some and two irises. I don't like day lilies.

I'm glad you got some then. You should come to the meeting and get some more.

I have 5 AV's on our garden tub and that is plenty. I did get some episcias when I was in Orlando though (I can't believe I did that).

Here is E. 'Cleopatra Sport' which I splurged on.

LOL! Don't you like gesneriads? I love streps and I have just discovered micro mini sinningias. They are the cuttest littlest plants ever.

Will there be plants for sale? If so I will certainly get some!

Hi Butch,

I just sent my check for the begonia club membership. See you at the next meeting!!!

Spider,

No gesneriads for me - well a couple never hurt anyone, right?

Everyone will get several turns to be able to dig a begonia. The price was $1 per plant last year.

Glad to hear you joined. I will see you there with bells on my toes. Well maybe not on my toes.

Boy I want to join too! I want to dig a begonia for $1. Lucky you, Spider!

So how much was your E. 'Cleopatra Sport, Butch? I have been talking about getting a few real pink ones for 2 years. Lali told me how to do my glass bowl I bought just for them. But I still have not jumped. If I walked in some where and they had them, I sure would buy them.