18 rules and tips for when and how to sow begonia seeds for seedlings and grow beautiful plants – from A to Z

Begonia is a large genus of annual and perennial plants, comprising over 1,000 species. It stands out among other ornamental plants for its long flowering period, diverse coloration, and unusual leaf shape. Begonias can be propagated by leaves, cuttings, tubers, air layering, division, and seeds.

However, it's recommended to propagate long-flowering varieties only from seed. This will preserve the purity of the variety and ensure long flowering. The process is quite labor-intensive and time-consuming, but it's the most effective and productive at home, especially if you follow a step-by-step approach.

Preparation of planting material

Selecting a variety

Breeders have grouped all plant varieties into three broad varietal groups, distinguishing between deciduous, shrub, and tuberous begonias. These characteristics make it easier for gardeners to choose the right one and help ensure proper care.

Deciduous varieties are not well suited for growing from seed due to the difficulty of obtaining planting material at home. However, if you want to grow deciduous begonias from seed, planting material can be purchased at a specialty store.

Tuberous varieties differ from their relatives in their large flowers and long flowering period, making them ideal for propagation from seed. Despite this, tuberous begonias are most often propagated by tuber division and cuttings.

Among the shrub begonias, you can find ever-blooming specimens that are easy to grow from seed. Shrub begonias, unlike other cultivars, are most often propagated by this method.

Rules and terms for seed collection

The time for collecting material for planting directly depends on the type of flower and its flowering period.

For this reason, it is worth focusing on the condition of the plant's seed pods: yellowing and drying out indicates that it is time to begin collecting planting material.

The main thing is to not let them become overripe, otherwise they will start to burst and all their contents will simply spill out.

To easily collect the material, remove the dried capsules and place them on paper. After one to two weeks, they will completely dry out and burst, revealing their contents on the paper.

It is recommended to store the collected material in a paper bag placed in a cool and dry place.

Choice when purchasing

When purchasing seeds, pay attention to the time they were harvested, as fresh seedlings germinate much earlier. Properly stored seedlings have a shelf life of 5 years.

On sale you can find regular and granulated seeds; the latter are covered with a nutritious shell, which acts as a protective layer and significantly increases their size.

Florists recommend choosing granulated seeds for several reasons:

1. Planting such material is much easier due to its larger size.
2. Flowers grown from such seeds are more resistant to various diseases and pests.
3. Seeds in granules are planted in a peat tablet, which eliminates the need for further picking.
4. Begonias that sprout from seeds covered with a nutrient coating bloom significantly better.

Planting regular seeds is quite difficult, as their microscopic size does not allow the material to be distributed evenly throughout the soil.

Necessary equipment

To plant seeds in granules, you need to prepare:

• tray with water;
• peat tablets;
• spray bottle with water;
• a glass or plastic jar.

To evenly distribute the microscopic seeds throughout the soil, they are mixed with sand. When germinating untreated seedlings, the required equipment list changes slightly.

You will need:

1. Container for seedlings.
2. Glass for covering seedlings.
3. Spray bottle for watering.

You may be interested in:

Petunia: when to plant and how to grow?
Petunias can be grown at home or purchased ready-made. However, many gardeners will choose the former…Read more…

Substrate preparation

Begonias should be grown in loose, nutritious soil with a slightly acidic or neutral pH. It's important to understand that the choice of substrate affects the plant's nutrition and growth rate. Suitable soil for begonias can be purchased at a specialty store or prepared at home using leaf mold, peat, and sand in a 2:2:1 ratio. Coconut fiber or vermiculite will help loosen the prepared soil.

The prepared mixture should be passed through a sieve to remove large particles. It's also important to remember that when collecting leaf mold outdoors, you may encounter soil contaminated with various microorganisms that can harm the plant. To avoid negative consequences, it's recommended to disinfect such soil by rinsing it with boiling water. When sowing granulated seeds, the soil mixture can be replaced with peat tablets with a mesh retaining layer.

Process

You can learn all the nuances of the work using the detailed procedure and step-by-step photos.

Timing of sowing for seedlings

The appearance of the future plant and its flowering period depend on the time of sowing.

Gardeners recommend starting sowing in January to enjoy the plant's lush blooms by early summer. If you sow early, the begonia will have outgrown its original size by the time it's transplanted into an outdoor pot, significantly reducing the seedlings' ability to establish in the new soil and significantly affecting the plant's overall health.

Maintaining optimal growing conditions will be significantly easier if you sow in late February or early March. During this period, the sun's intensity increases significantly, and daylight hours are significantly longer. However, with these sowing times, you shouldn't expect flowering before July.

According to the lunar calendar:

Unfavorable days (New Moon, Full Moon, and the days before and after them):

• January: 10-12, 24-26.
• February: 9-11, 23-25.
• March: 9-11, 24-26.
• April: 7-9, 23-25.
• May: 7-9, 22-24.
• June: 5-7, 21-23.

The remaining dates are neutral.

Optimal time by region:

• Central Russia, including the Moscow region - February;
• Northwest: late February and early March;
• Urals, Siberia, Far East: during March;
• South - January.

Also pay attention to the weather forecast.

You may be interested in:

Lobularia: growing from seeds at home
Lubularia is a flower that can be used to create beautiful landscapes. It's easy to care for; even…Read more…

In peat tablets

Sowing is quite difficult, especially if untreated seed is selected. Regular seeds are practically unsuitable for spot planting, so only treated seeds are suitable for peat pellets.

Stages:

1. Place the tablets in water.

   

2. Wait until the tablets are well soaked in water.
3. Place one seed on the surface of each tablet using a skewer or toothpick.
4. When sowing the material, it is very important not to allow it to be immersed too deeply, since the seeds require a large amount of light for active rooting.

   

5. Lightly moisten the seeds with water.

   

6. Cover the seed tablets with a glass jar or plastic lid.

   

7. Place the container with seedlings in a warm place.
8. It is better to water the seedlings through a tray, since this method of moisture supply will prevent the tablets from drying out.

It's important to remember that due to the nutrient-rich coating, pelleted seeds germinate slightly later than regular seeds. If all recommendations are followed, the first shoots can appear in as little as 14 days. Once they appear, there's no need to keep the plants in a greenhouse.

Into the ground

It's best to plant regular seeds directly into the soil, as their size makes them unsuitable for spot-planting in peat pellets. They should be mixed with sand first to ensure a more even distribution over the soil surface. Granular seeds are also suitable for this method.

When planting seeds in the soil, it is recommended to follow this sequence:

1. Moisten the previously prepared soil mixture.
2. Spread the seeds over the surface of the soil without burying them.
3. Lightly spray the seedlings with water.
4. Cover the container with seedlings with plastic film or glass.
5. Move the container to a warm place.

It's best to moisten delicate begonia seedlings with a spray bottle. If all growing instructions are followed, the seeds will germinate within 10-12 days after sowing. Once the first shoots emerge, remove the glass and place the container in a well-lit area. Once a few leaves appear on the young shoots, transplant them into individual pots.

Caring for young plants and replanting at home

Caring for young begonias is quite simple; it is enough to provide regular watering and a comfortable temperature:

1. Proper care for seedlings includes hardening off. This process involves periodically airing the sprouted seeds: simply remove the plastic or glass from the container for 10-15 minutes from the moment the first leaf sprouts until transplanting. Hardening off helps the young plant acclimate to the environment and remove excess moisture.
2. To ensure vigorous growth, young begonias need to be kept in good light conditions, but not overheated by direct sunlight. The optimal temperature for young begonias is 20-22°C.

   

3. Young begonia shoots are very delicate and can be damaged even by water, so watering should be done with a spray bottle. Soft, warm water is recommended.

A plant grown in the ground should be repotted in two stages, 30 days apart. Begonias' root system is easily damaged, so repotting should be done with extreme caution.

The first picking of the plant should take place only after at least 2 leaves appear on the shoots.

A week before planting the flower in a permanent container, it is recommended to add a complex fertilizer with a low nitrogen content to its soil.

Stages of transplanting a plant into a permanent container:

1. Place a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot.
2. Fill a container with a 6-8 cm diameter soil mixture of leaf soil, peat, sand and humus.
3. Carefully place the plant in the soil and fill the voids of the container with soil.
4. Moisten the soil.

The flower will grow in this soil throughout the next year, so don't forget to feed the young plant with complex fertilizers for ornamental crops every 2 weeks.

Potential difficulties in growing and diseases

Most difficulties in growing begonias arise from improper care. Poor care reduces the flower's protective functions and diminishes its decorative appeal:

1. Begonias are demanding when it comes to soil conditions; they respond to nutrient deficiencies by completely failing to bloom. To avoid this problem, the plant should be fed with a complete fertilizer every 14 days.

   

2. Many gardeners decorate their kitchen windowsills with begonias, unaware that they react negatively to gas combustion products. In response to being in a room where a gas stove is constantly running, the plant will droop and its leaves will lose their elasticity.
3. Begonias' root systems often rot, due to the plant's sensitivity to waterlogged soil. Overwatering can lead to rotting of not only the roots but also the stem.

   

4. Keeping the plant in a cold room can cause it to lose its leaves. Moving the plant to a warm, draft-free location will help restore its foliage.

Begonia is susceptible to various diseases, including:

1. Bacterial wilt.
2. Downy mildew.
3. Botrytis.

These diseases manifest themselves as various spots on the plant's leaves. They can be controlled by treating the begonia with a systemic fungicide. Overwatering is usually the cause of all these plant diseases.

Common questions from newbies