Begonia plug plants not doing well

Hi everyone,

Purchased some Alan Titchmarsh Begonia plug plants Apricot Shades improved, but they aren't doing too well. I've just done a bit of research and realised that i did the completely wrong thing with them. I've moved them into larger plug trays, but I sat them in water, and put the on the top shelf of the greenhouse, as I was in a rush, and I've been working quite far away, so didn't want them to dry out during the day. Some have shrivvled up, and they're looking a bit sorry for themselves. What do you reckon to get them back good, re-do the tray with some dryer compost, and put them on the middle shelf in part shade??

Help please :-)

Thanks
Mike

 

Sorry to hear i'm not alone with these things Mike. I've bought these from those long plug display stands inside garden centres for the last few years after an impressive display 4 years ago with the Million Kisses Romance, but each year since then other Begonias have done nothing. I've been putting mine in trays in the kitchen window , same as the first lot, until the frosts pass, hardening them off for the last week, then planting out.

Mind you we've not had the weather this year but that doesn't excuse last year and the year before. All the other plugs are ok, just not the Begonias. They seem to stay the same size and have one tiny flower at best. They're not cheap either and aren't covered by the garden centres 2-5 year plant guarantee as they're not hardy.

 

same problem here bought the Crackling Fire (Million kisses type ) from T and M and they are growing very slowly. My begonia illumination are doing fine . I know Spruce and Bilbo have the Crackling Fire , wonder how they are doing ?

 

Hello Mike , replant in drycompost may help . I overwatered some I had earlier this year , and once they start to go downhill its difficult to bring them back . But you never know you may be able to save a few ! They do like part shade as well.

 

Research this before you try it, and make sure you get the dilution right!!, but I have read that Hydrogen peroxide can help plants that have been over-watered. I guess the H2O2 releases oxygen around the roots, and that makes up for the fact that the waterlogged compost would not, otherwise, have any air in it for the roots to "breathe"

 

Hi Mike.I had exactly the same problem last year with 100 begonias from Gardening Direct but in the end they were excellent.I even popped a "one Leaf" baby into ground and it grew lovely.
I agree with HarryS and I found through research & trial & error that begonias do well in more dryish compost.I was overwatering the plugs and when I let them dry out they started to respond.I also read that Begonias do not like their feet being wet,so water during the day and not last thing at night as they will be too wet.
Once in H/baskets and growing well they did not mind a good watering.Funny enough when all the baskets were going over or gone over I left plants in baskets just to squeeze the last flower out of them.
One of the baskets with begonias in I stopped watering and I suppose it must of been 2-3 weeks later that although the compost was like dust they were still flowering.
Last year being a novice with hanging baskets I experimented and crammed a basket full of Super patio Mix begonias on the top and must of had around 15 Illuminating mix around the sides.Talk about a begonia ball it looked terrific.Got a photo somewhere and if I find it I will post.

This year I have crammed a basket with single Petunias and Surfina so hoping it will look good as I have never done that before.Started to think about something different for next summer already!!!

 

Mine are slugish as well FC , keep the watering down . Try and keep them a touch on the dry side . My illumination are doing Okish , but my million kisses are struggling.

 

I've put them in a fresh tray of dryish compost, and i've taken to watering purely with a mist sprayer to keep liquid input down. They seem to be moving a little bit, but very very slowly, at this rate, its going to be july before I can transplant them into a basket. Thanks for the help, will see how it goes

 

I bought some of these also and mine are struggling,only 1 has made some attempt of growing in the 3 months i've had them....

On another note my million kisses are thriving

 

I used to try and grow begonias every year, now I think they are more trouble than what they are worth, perhaps they like a warmer climate!!

Val

 

I have just read this thread from top to bottom and it is clear that begonias are poor performers this yearso far. If I remember last year they were late to dispay (August) but still pretty amazing (October) when all the summer bedding had finished. Maybe we need to get our heads around this.
Like Michaelmas daisies, they come later...

 

My Mum used to grow Begonias (from Tubers), and had them in the tubs by the front door. She liked the big show-off blooms ... my Wife hates them (but then she tells me she hates most flowers that I want to grow, until I grow them and then up-close-and-personal she tells me she likes them). Anyways, I'm growing some this year, from tubers, they seem to be doing really well - but they have been in my poly-tunnel inside my unheated conservatory, which is both warm and humid (light levels lower of course). Proof of the pudding will be in the ... warm reception they get from my wife Could put them in the tubs we have out-front? or possibly just some planters by the front door (they could come in-and-out whenever we entertain [house-front faces East, and is a bit exposed])