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One of the great wonders to be experience in this wonderful business enterprise of get plants indoors or out is the germination of a brown , dead - front seed .
And even more heaven-sent is the sprouting of wax begonia seed ( Begonia semperflorens ) which are so tiny they can not be discerned from a speck of dust . Such is the astonishment you will experience when you plant your first semperflorens ( wax ) begonia germ .
Of all the plant life which produce dust - similar seed , wax begonia sure head the inclination as being easiest to evolve , and if you keep them growing until their first true leaf is an eighth of an column inch across , you will probably be successful in bloom your baby begonias .
related to indication : Growing Coleus From Seeds [ HOW TO ]
Begonia seeds need warmheartedness and invariant moisture to germinate . formative dishes ( from Formosan take - out ) are ideal for planting container . Start produce begonias by punching a few drainage holes in the bottom of the container with a heated shabu pick .
Over these drain maw , place some vulgar sphagnum moss , or pebbles , to a depth of about a half inch . On top of this , a intermixture of peat mos and guts should be commit to a depth of one inch . Over this , apply a third of an inch of all right vermiculite or screened sphagnum moss .
Make this top layer smooth and coiffe the container in a pan of water supply until urine soaks through the drain holes up to the top of the mixture . Allow this mixture to drain , and then dust the begonia seed over the top of the mixed bag .
Do not cover them . only place the plastic cover of the dish over them , and position the container in a tender place ( 70 - 80 degrees ) to hasten sprouting .
Light and Seed Germination
They do not need Light Within for germination . view the top of the mantrap for fall of moisture condensation . When these look , remove the top and wipe dry , and then replace .
In about ten days when the tiny green plants start to appear , move the dish to where the plants will experience good light , and perhaps some early morning sun , provided that hot sun is not allowed to shine on them at once for more than a few minutes .
As sprouting seems to be completed , allow for the top off for a few minutes each mean solar day , gradually increase the time until the chapeau does not have water soak through the drainage holes up to the top of the mixture .
Never allow the seedling dry out out . They will need plenty of sunlight to keep them from becoming leggy or spindly . A daytime temperature of 72 - 75 degrees with a ten degree drop at night is ideal .
If you planted the source thin enough , it is likely that you may wait until the baby plant have several honest leaves before you transplant them . If you planted thickly , as presently as they have one or two straight leaves , begin to transplant them .
Transplanting Time
In the greenhouse , put the seedlings in flats of soil , if possible otherwise , into individual small pots . In the window garden , inexpensive little charge plate flats are idealistic . They are light , easy to plow , and they are attractive to have on a windowsill .
Ten or twelve plants may be aggroup together in a six or eight inch community bulb goat god or mountain . This well - drained grease mixture for transplanting may be one of the skilful potting grunge obtain down at the local garden centers .
begonia like a light , but rich soil … specially one racy in organic matter . If you allowed two inch between the seedling at transplanting fourth dimension , it is likely that they may be left in these containers until May or other June when you may take them outdoors to use in your garden .
If they become crowded in these first containers , move them into single pots , or take a few from each flat , pot them , and use them in your window garden , as glasshouse specimens , or give them to your Quaker .
Light applications of house works fertilizer are worthwhile after the plants are five or six calendar week old .
Wax begonias are idealistic for use in the out-of-door garden , and some sunshine devote their leaves a shiny bronze semblance which can not be stand out . bloom come freely from well grown seedlings four months old , and a grouping of begonias will give the flowers and foliage color from June until the nights become chilly in September .
Cuttings may be taken of favorite works , or you may give the begonia plants a severe pruning both above and below the soil line and place them in flat tire of soil in which you may winter them in the greenhouse .
For the window garden , take a few cuttings and pot two or three to each six inch pot preferably a bulb pan or “ dumpy ” pot because begonia root word care to spread out or else of down .
Year after year , for role of outdoor bedding industrial plant , it is good to start from new seed each winter or very early spring . seedman offer many named varieties of semperflorens begonia , which total in three categories : dwarf , six to eight inches , intermediate , nine to eleven inches ; and tall , over twelve inch .
When plant in the margin , these tubers should be planted close together for a mass effect with up to six plants in each planting , sooner of the same variety for accent in color . These begonias combine attractively with other louche molding plants such as impatiens , caladium , summer flower oxalis , coleus and tuberous frozen begonia .
All types of tuberous begonias may be raise from seed , and the subroutine for the most difficult to grow varieties is not much unlike than the method described here .
