Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Begonia tubers - getting them started

The Bird LadyThe Bird Lady Posts: 225
in Plants
I've received a pack of Begonia tubers and the leaflet that comes with them is suggesting putting them in a bag of moist compost in the airing cupboard to start them off.  I've grown Begonias for years but have never heard of this, has anyone else tried it?

Posts

  • Fran IOMFran IOM Posts: 2,872
    @The Bird Lady Just bumping up your thread for you, although you only posted yesterday, as it has now moved off the front page and may get missed.  :)
  • The Bird LadyThe Bird Lady Posts: 225
    Cheers!   :D:D
  • Arthur1Arthur1 Posts: 542
    I am always worried about giving heat to start things early because I have nowhere to move them to. Apart from my already densely packed windowsills. Airing cupboard to unheated glasshouse would be too big a step...
  • The Bird LadyThe Bird Lady Posts: 225
    Well, I am amazed at how well this has worked!  As instructed, I put the tubers in a bag of compost and then into the airing cupboard.  I had a quick check today and 8 out of 10 tubers have decent shoots on already!  I've potted those up and put the others back in the airing cupboard for a while longer.  The potted ones are staying in the house until the weather warms up.  I'm so pleased because I purchased some tubers last year (online, different supplier) and not one of them sprouted.  
  • Jenny_AsterJenny_Aster Posts: 945
    That's good! Forgive my ignorance, but was your compost dry or damp?
    Trying to be the person my dog thinks I am! 

    Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
  • The Bird LadyThe Bird Lady Posts: 225
    Slightly damp.  :)
  • The Bird LadyThe Bird Lady Posts: 225
    Sorry  Jenny_Aster, I should have explained further - I put the corms into a plastic bag with some moist compost and tied the top which helped stop the compost from drying out. Then I left it at the bottom of the airing cupboard.  I have grown Begonias for many years and this is the first time I've tried this method, I was very pleased with the result!
Sign In or Register to comment.