Topic: Begonias

[rosebud]

 Can anyone tell me if it is Ok to cut begonia tubers in half without using flowers of sulphur please, thank you.

Also I have put my Dahlias on top of soil in trays to start them off, how long before they show any signs of  shooting  only did it today.

[goodlife]

Yes you can....but until the cut surface it dried out a bit.."skinned" again..you have to be VERY careful with watering and keep the cut surface slightly raised so that it doesn't sit in wet compost.
I tend to use wood ash instead of 'sulphur'..that's because I have so much of ash..and it works fine for similar reason, to protect the surface against fungal problems etc.
As for dahlias..it all depends of growing conditions and how keen the tubers are to get going...you might see some development in  a week...or it might take longer. Little bit help from warmth would result quicker growth.

[rosebud]

 Hi Goodlife,    thank you for your reply we have wood ash so I shall use that I shall be cutting a couple over the weekend they are enormous so I feel they will be better for cutting them.

[laurieuk]

I cover all my begonia corms with about half inch of compost so that roots can form from the whole surface of the corm apart from cut edges corms. Blackmore and Langdon who are the specialists with begonia now say it is essential to do this. Some of my corms are over 25 years old but I prefer to take cuttings rather that cut them up as you gat better plants.

[goodlife]

Laurie...yes, you are right..you do tend to get better plants from cuttings rather than chopping tubers up.  I've only used tuber cutting method when multiplying some 'cheaper' corms that are just for bedding or when I need bulking up the plant quantity in a 'hurry'. Any more 'precious' corms are worth of effort doing proper cuttings...saying that..there is hardly any difference in quality of the plants/blooms once you get over the the first year.

[rosebud]

 Hi Laurie, would you tell me how you do your cuttings please, I think I shall chose that route they are beautiful begonias & I would hate to loose them.  Thank you  .

[laurieuk]

Hi Rosebud,
If you look on my BlogSpot and go right down to "older posts" it does show you how I do cuttings. I am happy to repeat if needed.

[rosebud]

Hi Laurie, I have just spent the best part of 40 mins on your blog how very interesting, I shall be back again & again an absolute mine of information.
Thank you for that  I know now how to manage my begonias & I shall look if I need any help for other things as well,    I have lots of dahlias so I shall
 do my best with instructions to get the best I can , I shall post pictures over the summer/Autumn to show you.
Thank you again.

[laurieuk]

Many thanks Rosebud for your kind remarks, I do emphasise that it is my way of doing things and may be different to other peoples way , so if you are happy the way you do things please carry on your way. I have no bits of paper to qualify me.

[Garden Manager]

I have just had to rescue a tuber that had partially rotted. A section of it was still healthy so i cut away the bad bits and have left the rest to dry/callous over before planting up. Not sure if it will survive but it seemed worth a go, especialy as i had already lost several of my overwintered tubers.

Good luck

[laurieuk]

Provided you have cut all the decayed material away  and have used a good sandy mixture, I do not see why it should not get away . I would not have bothered about drying the cut surface but then that is me.

[GrannieAnnie]

Many thanks Rosebud for your kind remarks, I do emphasise that it is my way of doing things and may be different to other peoples way , so if you are happy the way you do things please carry on your way. I have no bits of paper to qualify me.

Laurie, I learned a lot from your blog posts and good photography Especially liked how you planted your begonias under the tree. And your parsnips in a trashcan. Clever one, you.

[raisedbedted]

Many thanks Rosebud for your kind remarks, I do emphasise that it is my way of doing things and may be different to other peoples way , so if you are happy the way you do things please carry on your way. I have no bits of paper to qualify me.

Laurie, I learned a lot from your blog posts and good photography Especially liked how you planted your begonias under the tree. And your parsnips in a trashcan. Clever one, you.

Agreed!
I am fortunate in that I live reasonably close to Laurie and have been to one of his talks that he gives to Gardening clubs, he is a goldmine of information and a brilliant speaker, cant wait for the next one he is giving us later in the year.

[laurieuk]

Hi raisedbedted, many thanks for your good comments maybe we had better meet and you could be my Agent. 

[raisedbedted]

Hi raisedbedted, many thanks for your good comments maybe we had better meet and you could be my Agent. 

I'm thinking of the commission, the round the world cruises...  I would say 'I'm going make you a big star'!

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi raisedbedted, many thanks for your good comments maybe we had better meet and you could be my Agent. 

I'm thinking of the commission, the round the world cruises...  I would say 'I'm going make you a big star'!

And you could film his talks and put them on YouTube for the rest of us  Oh Yes!

[laurieuk]

Hi raisedbedted, many thanks for your good comments maybe we had better meet and you could be my Agent. 

I'm thinking of the commission, the round the world cruises...  I would say 'I'm going make you a big star'!

I was once offered talks on cruises but you get very little notice and I know of one chap who had to cancel 3  other bookings and I will not do this. It is the same with radio you  are not expected to say  " I do not know" and again I cannot say that. I have recorded on disc most of my talk "Memories of a garden boy" which is about how I started in 1948.

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi raisedbedted, many thanks for your good comments maybe we had better meet and you could be my Agent. 

I'm thinking of the commission, the round the world cruises...  I would say 'I'm going make you a big star'!

I was once offered talks on cruises but you get very little notice and I know of one chap who had to cancel 3  other bookings and I will not do this. It is the same with radio you  are not expected to say  " I do not know" and again I cannot say that. I have recorded on disc most of my talk "Memories of a garden boy" which is about how I started in 1948.

Not knowing an answer never seems to bother politicians. You could always try their "Current thinking on that seems to be.....or generally people think a good course of action might be...."