Repotting Begonias
I have long loved begonias - with their bold, beautiful foliage and delicate flowers, it’s hard to resist such an amazing family of plants.
There are thousands of species and varieties of begonias. Some are classified as tuberous, and others as fibrous, but it’s the rhizomatous begonias that make beautiful houseplants all year long because of the amazing colors, shapes, sizes, and textures of their foliage. Regular maintenance keeps the plants full and in excellent condition. This includes repotting them every couple of years to maintain soil quality and drainage.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- I have a large collection of beautiful begonias. I keep them on a long, sliding table where they can be watched closely and maintained in a temperature and humidity-controlled space. My head gardener, Ryan McCallister, pulled these begonias to be repotted.
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- Some of my begonias were purchased from various nurseries over the years, but many were also grown from leaf cuttings right here in my greenhouse.
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- Begonia leaves root easily – just push its stem into potting soil, and keep it moist. After a few weeks, new leaves emerge.
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- We store many of the empty pots underneath the sliding tables where they can be accessed quickly. Clay and terra cotta containers can be stored anywhere where the temperatures will not fall below freezing.
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- I like to use clay pots for my begonias. They allow proper aeration and moisture to penetrate through the sides and to the plant.
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- For growing begonias indoors, use a soil-less mix – one that is mostly peat-moss based with additional perlite and/or vermiculite to improve aeration around the roots. For repotting, Ryan combines three different kinds from Miracle-Gro – Moisture Control to prevent under and over watering, one made especially for African Violets, and an Orchid Potting Mix – both of which are well-draining, coarse formulas.
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- Ryan combines all three potting mixes in one large trug bucket.
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- He also adds a hefty scoop of perlite. Perlite is a lightweight, white, granular material often used to improve soil structure and promote healthy plant growth.
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- And he adds a generous amount of Osmocote fertilizer, which will provide a good supply of nutrients to the plant for several months.
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- Because there are so many plants to repot, Ryan adds another three bags of each potting mix to the bucket.
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- And then using his hands, Ryan mixes everything together.
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- When repotting any plant, always place a clay shard over the hole in the bottom of the pot to help with drainage and to prevent any soil from falling out.
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- It does not happen often, but pots do occasionally break. I save all the shards in a pot, ready to use.
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- Here, Ryan begins to fill the pot with the appropriate mixed medium. Just a scoop to cover the bottom is sufficient.
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- Ryan gently removes the begonia from its previous pot. This is a good root ball – neither rotted nor root bound.
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- Because the root ball is healthy, Ryan doesn’t have to do any excessive scarifying. He just teases and loosens the roots with his hands and places it into the new vessel.
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- Select a new pot that’s only one or two inches larger in diameter than the old one. This pot is a good size up for this plant.
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- More potting mix is added around the plant until just under the rim of the pot.
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- Ryan presses down slightly on the soil to ensure there is good contact between the plant and the potting mix.
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- Here are three begonias all potted up in their new containers. It’s good to repot or change the soil every couple of years – potting mix elements break down over time and lose draining qualities and airspaces to hold oxygen.
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- But the project has only just begun. There are so many more to do… Repotting begonias regularly to keep them in the best condition – it’s a good thing.
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