I have this wonderful plant but it is not happy with me at the moment. I puchased it a couple of years ago and last summer it did well outside. I overwintered it inside and it survived but wasn't very happy. Now it is lanquishing and I don't know how to make cuttings. I haven't had luck getting them to root in water(they rotted). And I don't know what would be the best way to get them to root. What would be the best medium? Inside or out? The stems are stretched out and the leaves are getting smaller and it isn't blooming. It's been so hot I kept it inside but am beginning to wonder if that is why it isn't doing well. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I love this plant when it is in bloom! Thanks!
B. bolivensis 'Bonfire' help needed ASAP
I haven't had any luck with this plant either. Great for a while and through the summer then it rots.
For cuttings, I'd suggest not putting it in anything until the cut callouses over. This is a very succulent plant so I'd treat it like a succulent.
You might lay the cut stems on damp Perlite just to keep the leaves and stems hydrated but I would not stick the cut end into anything until it heals. Then try putting it in some moistened medium.
Mine wasn't happy till I found just the right place in the yard for it. I would move it out if I were you, and make sure its feet don't stay wet. Nothing ventured... I have had no luck with cutting either so can't help you there
It can be done by cuttings (probably the way they are mass produced anyway) as evidenced in this photo from a grower I visit once in a while. If I see him in the future I will see how he grew his from cuttings.
In late June, I put about a dozen cuttings in my propagation tank (aka old fish tank with a 50/50 mix of moistened perlite and vermiculite) which has a seed heating mat under it set at 70º more or less. I dropped one of my 'Bonfire' on it's head and decided to just stick the broken pieces in the tank. I had about 50% take, those that didn't turn to mush, I let the roots develop for a few weeks before I transplanted. So far so good.
the trick this time of year is to keep it going long enough to develop the tuber before it goes dormant. You may be able to keep it going indoors in a warm terrarium type environment long enough to form a tuber. Without the tuber it wont survive over the winter season if left in a cold area. I've heard of folks keeping them going all year without a dormancy period but have not tried this myself.
(photo below is the tank I mentioned)
What a shame yours is not doing well. I have had great luck with mine. It has flowered nonstop since I found it hiding behind other pots a couple of months ago. It had survived and thrived on its own with no water over winter (went dormant) into spring and then regrew out of sight. I was thrilled when I found it again all in bloom.
It seems to like being on the dry side with no babying. Mine is very root bound now and is still going strong. I more or less ignore it. It has gotten foliar fed when I do my whole courtyard and watered when its neighbors are watered.
I have had great luck rooting them by just sticking it in a cup with dirt. Watering it once and then more or less ignoring it. It got water only on occasion. They have rooted just fine.
I now have it in purple, Begonia bolivensis Bellfire, and just love that one more. The sun shines thru the leaves and is just spectacular. I am about to cut that one way back and make a new pot of them.
I also find these will take some direct sun. Mine are in sun at least half of the day. Here it does not get real hot so maybe that is the difference from where you are.
I just ran out and took this picture of my Bonfire. It really needs to be cut back. It has 3 foot branches on it now. The sun got in my way. LOL
Good luck with yours! I hope it rebounds.
begoniacrazii,
I am curious about your propagation tank. Is your seedling mat under or inside the tank? Do you water just once when you started the tank or repeat as needed to keep the warm humid environment?
I have my tank set up with some aquarium gravel at the bottom which I have kept moist. I have some leaf cutting inside a dixie cup filled with perlite. A new plantlet has sprouted but the dixie cup has some mold on it... I have sprayed with neem on two occasion. I am thinking about repotting the planlet in real dirt and keeping it inside the tank . What do you think?
Rosalie
I have the mat under the tank (outside) and I have a plexiglass lid that I had cut at our local Ace Hardware that fits just inside the lip of the plastic top edging. Since I keep my mat set with a thermostat, there is a temp gauge that sits buried in the perlite/vermiculite media. You can see the black wire on the top right side of the photo. This wire keeps the lid from closing completely so the moisture escapes a bit. Every week or 10 days I double check the moisture and add water as needed. Since I just go by 'feel', I can best describe it as evenly moist but not soggy.
I've had some green mold buildup but just change the mix every so often, it currently needs to be refreshed.
It sounds like your cutting is ready to be replanted. I'd leave it in the tank for a while after re-potting since it's acclimated to the level of humidity inside. Removing it too soon may cause some leaf damage. Hope this helps.
thanks begoniacrazii I'll give it a try
Thank you all for the responses. I am beginning to wonder if maybe the problem could be it is just trying to go dormant. It has had leaves ever since I have had it but no flowers for quite a while and the stems have gotten longer and the leaves, like I said, smaller. Could that be what is happening? I think it most likely would have a tuber as it has been with me a couple of years but I haven't repotted it but once and wasn't looking for a tuber when I did. I repotted it last fall when I brought it inside. Should I just let it go dormant? What exactly does that mean? Will it die back totally? I am going to try to make some cuttings off the stems I have left as suggested.
I actually think it needs more light. These take more sun than regular begonias do. I think it is stretching to find the sun. It also likes to be fed. If you are getting cold there it may be going dormant, but if still hot, I doubt it. More light should stimulate flowering too.
You got me to go out today and cut back my Bellfire. I made 2 pots which I will just leave under a tree as is to root. I also did 2 containers of leaves which I will bag and see if I can get some extra plants to share like that.
Good luck Wyldeflwr! Take your cuttings soon so they have time to form their tuber which by the way holds water for them to survive in dry times. I am sure your regular pot has tubers already. Do you regularly fertilize it? It likes being fed too.
Kell, I will try taking it outside and take some cuttings. Do you use any sort of rooting hormone? Do you just make the cuttings and put them in the pots?
Hey Kell,
Watch out for the plant police on propagating Patented or PPAF plants. The gist I got from the commercial growers is you're okay for yourself only or growing from seed found on Patented plants but cuttings are a strict no-no.
There goes your Christmas gift, Butch. Would you visit me in jail? I forgot it was patented. Is it patented? I bet it is. Though my Bellfire did not even have a name tag on it. So how does that work?
Wyldeflwr do not sunburn it, go slow if it has not been in any sun. Start with dappled sun in early morning sun the move up from there.
No, I do not use any rooting hormones but only because once open, they lose their potency so fast I find it hard to keep good stuff in stock. I am sure it would not hurt. I just cut and put in the soil and then in total shade.
PS the trick is to start with a well hydrated cutting and then to keep that cutting from drying out before it gets some roots to get a drink. That is why people put them in humidity chambers. If I am afraid of that I use a plastic bag. Here where I live it is not that hot so I can usually get away without bagging them. I do like to bag them at times though because then I do not have to even look at them for 6 weeks or even longer for they stay well hydrated in the bag.
Here is one I forgot to take out of the bag. It loved all the humidity.
OK, I just bagged the leaves I did up. I always bag leaves because they do not have enough water in them to sustain them long enough to root.
I buy my clear bags by the thousand. For me it is easier than an elaborate system because I do only a few every once in a while. They are small and take up little room on my seedling table. When done, I just toss the bag. No having to clean or store.
By tonight the bag will be foggy with humidity. I pour water in bag then dump it all out so only a few drops left on walls to fog it up.
Kell do you treat at all for fungi? I notice you use a soil mix not perlite.
No, I never have had a fungus problem with my begonias. I use rockwool for seeds so fungus is not a problem with that either.
I do not think I have ever used just perlite. The one I am using above is a cactus mix actually. I am in the midst of a huge succulent immersion, my latest heavy duty crush so I have plenty around. I figured it would be fast draining. Of course the containers I have those leaves in does not have holes so fast draining does not help. LOL. But I will not water those 2 containers until the plants are well developed for I will keep it tightly closed for at least 6 weeks if not longer. That too helps keep fungus spores out.
I use clean technique but not sterile. And since I do not reuse my plastic bags maybe that helps too in cutting down thier possible exposure. I also do not use heat under mine mainly because I always forget to turn on my mats. LOL. But I bet the medium being less warm helps discourage fungus too. Of course I do not propagate as fancy cuttings as Lali probably does in her aquarium. Her cuttings may be more difficult.