Your Rieger Begonia dies after the Chinese New Year, but hers blooms all year round. What is the secret?

The flowers of bulbous begonia are large, colorful, and beautiful in shape. They also have high requirements for the environmental temperature. Generally, after dormancy, it is difficult for them to germinate and bloom again if the temperature is not suitable. Compared with bulbous begonias, Reieger Begonia is much easier to grow and is relatively easy to propagate by cuttings. It has a long flowering period and rich colors. It is worthy of being the queen of potted flowers and is therefore very popular among flower growers in Mulei. In particular, people living in bungalows have large windows, good sunlight, and the temperature and humidity are very suitable for Rieger Begonias. Therefore, the best Rieger Begonias are all in rural homes.

Although the Regis Begonia is delicate, it cannot withstand the unremitting pursuit of people who are obsessed with it. Nowadays, the Regis Begonias on the windowsills of the aunties and daughters-in-law living in high-rise buildings in the city are so delicate and gorgeous that they cannot be described. More and more people are poisoned by this beauty and cannot extricate themselves. In order to enable these obsessed people to make their own antidote, I will share the experience of flower friends in the same city with you. If there are any inappropriateness, please correct me and continue to write.

Habits of Rieger Begonia

1. Begonia has the same temperament as other ornamental flowers such as geranium, fuchsia, cyclamen, etc. They prefer a low temperature and cool environment. Growing Reie Begonia in Mulei is not a problem in spring, summer and autumn. The only difference is the heating period in winter, when the indoor temperature is above 25 degrees and the windows cannot be opened for good ventilation. These flowers are difficult to grow or cannot be grown well. Many flower lovers say that their begonias die after blooming once, and this is the reason. In the countryside or in a bungalow, the Rieger Begonia can live for three to four years or even longer.

2. The flowering period of Rieger Begonia is not restricted by seasons. Seedlings are planted in March and April, and the flowers bloom in October, with a flowering period of half a year. After flowering, cut off the dead branches and let it dormant for about two or three months. It will start to sprout again and grow in June and July, and the cycle will repeat over and over again. This cycle can start from any starting point. It usually takes six or seven months from transplanting seedlings to flowering. If a seedling is transplanted in January, it will bloom in July or August.

3. Many flower lovers will buy ready-made Begonias in early summer. The finished products are basically propagated through tissue culture and can be mass-produced. Most of them will die after one season of blooming. Even if they are still alive, they will linger on and will not bloom again. During the peak season in Mulei, a pot of Rieger Begonia costs about 30 yuan, which is a bit high to buy a pot of flowers for one-time viewing. Therefore, many flower lovers who are fascinated by Begonia try to find ways to propagate it by cuttings in an effort to have more flowers.

Cutting propagation

1. March and April are the best seasons for cuttings of Begonia, and the indoor temperature is around 20 degrees. Choose a healthy side branch that has never bloomed, or a new shoot that grows after flowering, with a length of five to ten centimeters. It is best to carefully break off the selected side branches from the connection with the main stem, where there are usually round protrusions that are easy to take root. Cutting branches with a knife or scissors will damage this tissue and affect the survival rate of the cuttings.

2. Insert the broken branches directly into the soil. The flowerpot for cuttings should not be too large. It is best to choose a pot with a diameter of less than 15 cm. If the soil is dry, you can water it thoroughly. If it is wet soil, just water around the flower branches. Cut a Coke bottle into two pieces and use them to hold the branches for cuttings. Its main function is to keep them moist.

3. After that, observe the soil in the pot every three to five days and keep it slightly moist. Do not water thoroughly each time you water. The permeable soil in the pot is not easy to dry out, and the new seedlings will easily rot. For Begonia cuttings, it is generally not suitable for survival when the temperature is higher than 25 degrees. It is not suitable for cuttings in the high temperature in summer. At other times, it is fine as long as the temperature is controlled between 18 and 22 degrees. It’s just that the survival rate is slightly lower than in March and April.

4. In addition to branch cuttings, Begonia can also be planted by leaf cuttings. Select a healthy and strong leaf and cut it off from the petiole. The leaves cannot be broken off. Insert it in water, and it will grow fibrous roots after a month. Keep waiting, and many leaf buds will grow near the cut. When they grow to the size of a fingernail, you can put them in a pot. When potting, be careful to cover the fibrous roots with soil, so that the fibrous roots are buried but the small buds are not buried. Do not water too much, and cover the bottle to keep it moist.

5. Leaf cuttings are suitable for rare varieties with no branches, and should only be used when there is no other choice. Leaf cuttings are time-consuming and laborious, and test your patience and skills. The leaves in water will most likely rot, and those that have grown roots will die after being potted due to inappropriate temperature and humidity. Those who like to tinker can give it a try.

Lighting for Rieger Begonia

The leaves of Rieger Begonia are bright green and shiny. Strong light will burn the leaves and affect its ornamental value. Diffused light is best. Begonia can be placed on the south windowsill of a building in late spring, summer, and early autumn when there is no direct sunlight coming in.

In winter, the temperature is very high and the light is very strong, so you must never place it on the south windowsill, as it will be damaged by the sun in minutes. For those varieties that do not require sunlight for coloring, it is best to place them on the north windowsill all year round and they do not need to be moved from cuttings to flowering. The leaves are verdant and tender green, the branches are multi-branched, the flowering period is long, and it is easy to bloom.

Temperature of Rieger Begonia

Muli, Xinjiang is located in a mountainous and hilly area, with more periods of cool temperatures, and the environment is suitable for the growth of crabapples. Generally, the room temperature of 18 to 22 degrees is the most favorable state for Begonia. People who live on windowsills should pay attention to opening windows for ventilation.

If the temperature is below 18 degrees, the crabapple will at most grow slowly, and if it is above 25 degrees, the crabapple will have many problems. The edges of the leaves became soft as if they were scalded by boiling water, and gradually spread to the entire leaf.

Brown mildew spots appear on the back of the leaves and gradually expand. Sections of the branches also turn brown, including the roots. For all these situations, there is basically no hope. Reluctantly pull it out. If you want to take cuttings, choose branches that are not infected with the disease. If you are lucky, they will survive.

Soil for Rieger Begonia

Flower lovers in Mulei, Xinjiang usually use mountain soil directly to grow flowers, and the same is true for Begonia. The special thing is that the mountain soil is only used once, that is: new soil is used for cuttings, and after the flowering period, all the new branches are used for reproduction, and the rest of the pot is thrown away.

Mountain soil cannot be reused, firstly because it has no nutrition and secondly because it is prone to disease. When growing Reiger Begonia in mountain soil, it does not need fertilizer and can grow lush branches and leaves and colorful flowers.

At this time, outside the window, it was covered with ice and snow, but inside the room it was warm like spring, with green waves rippling. Clivia, tiger skin orchid, asparagus fern, water lily, green ivy, Schefflera, money tree, and dieffenbachia are full of vitality. Tiger thorns, bougainvillea, and geranium are in full bloom. Amaryllis and spider orchid are ready to bloom. The most beautiful is the Begonia, which is in its prime, with red, yellow, and pink flowers blooming in a swarm, so beautiful that it is beyond words. Because of the Regis Begonia, I can be proud of growing flowers. It is also because of the Regis Begonia that the winter in Muli is so colorful.