Wax begonia plants9/11/2023 It will help to maintain high humidity, so you can prop a clear plastic bag over your containers until the seeds germinate. Use a good grow light (which should be on for 12-14 hours a day) and try and maintain temperatures in the 70-75☏ (21-24☌) range or so. Start any seeds about 12 weeks before the date of your zone’s last frost. Wax begonia seeds are very small and they need light to germinate so make sure that you don’t cover them with soil. You can also propagate these plants by seed. Once the cuttings start growing, you can give them more sun. Place in a warm area that receives some sun, but not all day. Insert a few cuttings into soil in a 4-inch pot and keep the soil moist. Remove the lower leaves so you can insert each cutting in soil. Wax begonias are easy to propagate simply by snipping stem cuttings that are 3 or 4 inches long. You can propagate by stem cuttings or by seed. Keep in mind that if you are growing them in zones colder than Zone 9, they will not survive the winter and you’ll treat them as annuals. They will keep going all growing season and well into the autumn until frost. I like to wait until nighttime minimum temperatures are consistently at least 45☏ or warmer before planting them. Wax begonias like warm temperatures and are not frost tolerant at all, so be sure to plant them when all danger of frost has passed. Wax begonias are great for mass planting in the garden. Over time, the more you dig organic matter into the soil, the better the soil structure will be, and the better the drainage will be. That being said, they will grow better if you can amend any clay soil with compost, manure, peat moss, and even pea gravel to help break up the clay. WHAT KIND OF SOIL DO WAX BEGONIAS LIKE?Ī well-drained soil is always best, but I’ve also grown wax begonias in clay soil and they will still grow. Follow the directions on the fertilizer label for frequency of application. If you don’t want to use a synthetic fertilizer, try using a good, organic, liquid fertilizer like Neptune’s Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer. It’s best to water in the morning if you can, but anytime will do. I like to mix it up in a watering can and I water the entire plant (foliage and all) and the soil. I like to apply Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food (link to Amazon) every couple weeks or so, particularly early in the season to get them going. Wax begonias don’t need a ton of fertilizer, but if you really want robust plants, I recommend regular fertilization. Wax begonias in pots (especially terra cotta) will need much more frequent watering than ones in the ground. Regardless of whether you have them in sun or shade, they should be perpetually in bloom all season long. Wax begonias that are grown in too much shade will still grow, but they won’t be as full as those that are growing in at least a few hours of direct sun. Morning sun and afternoon shade, or vice versa, is a wonderful happy medium. I’ve grown wax begonias both in full sun and full shade in my garden, so they are quite versatile! However, for best results, the plants will be more sturdy and full when given at least some sun, so partial shade/partial sun works well. There are even varieties that have double flowers. The varieties with bronze leaves are typically more sun tolerant than varieties with green leaves.įlowers come in various colors, from white, pink, and even various shades of red. There are varieties with green foliage, as well as ones with dark bronze foliage. These popular bedding plants come in different colors of both foliage and flowers. The wax begonia is a complex hybrid of at least 5 species of begonias and is marketed commercially as Begonia x semperflorens-cultorum. Keep reading to find out how to care for the wax begonia plant, including ideas on how to use them in your garden. The waxy leaves, endless blooming, and ease of care make this plant a gem in the garden. Wax begonias are among the most versatile outdoor plants for your garden. Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.
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