Begonia Baskets Care

Light: Tuberous Begonias do best in part shade. Morning and late afternoon sun are fine, but noonday sun may scorch the leaves. Filtered light is also excellent. Keep in mind that flowering may be reduced in deep shade.

Watering: Always water to the point of water coming out of the bottom of the pot. Begonias like to be moist but not wet. Allow the soil to dry on the surface before watering through thoroughly. Try comparing the difference in weight between the fully watered and one when it is almost dry.

Fertilizing: When you buy your basket, it is already top-dressed with a slow release fertilizer. Never the less it still likes an additional dose of a general balanced fertilizer weekly. Proven Winners 24-12-17 is a good fertilizer to use.

Caring: Begonia's are susceptible to powdery mildew, especially in damp summers or if grown in areas without any air movement. Look for mildew when you water or deadhead your plants. Mildew is a fungus that thrives in humid conditions, beginning as small white moldy spots and spreading rapidly if not treated. Caught early, it can be cured with a copper spray or one of the fungicides that we carry.
Begonias can tolerate quite cool temperatures but they can not tolerate frost.

Overwintering: If you want to over-winter your begonia, we recommend digging up the tuber, drying it and storing it in a cool, well-ventilated frost free area. 55°F is ideal. Or leave it in the pot and let it dry out completely. Tuberous begonias will get bigger every year so your plant may need another pot.