Saving tubers

Hi FC

With Begonias from plugs you need to keep them growing as long as possible ie put them in the greenhouse to make sure the tubers can grow a bit bigger (size matters the bigger you get them the better) slowly cut down on the watering and let them die down then totaly stop the water and let them dry out so all the foliage dies down cut this all off and tip the pot out/basket sort through and clean all the soil off (this helps with vine weevil grubs as well to get rid) I use fresh compost to store them place them in a seed tray sitting on the top just slightly underneath but leave a space in between a dusting of sulphur helps to stop rot then keep in a cool frost free place until late March , check them all over for rot slightly dampen the compost then put in the airing cupboard to start them into growth , as soon as the shoots appear take them out keep them somwhere warm and out of the miday sun. Pot up into own pot and grow them on in the greenhouse put some fleece over them at night time to keep warm . DONT OVER WATER THEY WILL ROT

Spruce

 

Hi FC

I am in the same boat as you as these picture's are plugs as well and they are still in full flower, I just need to keep a eye on frost and I will keep in the greenhouse and let them grow as long as I can .
I would say sooner rather than later plus will look great in your new Greenhouse as soon as you see they are stopping to flower start cutting down on the water

E bay sells Flowers of Sulphur diffrent prices cheapest £2.65 without P&P

Also known as Brimstone , you can use this on the dahlias as well , keeps for ages in a closed tin/jar out of the sun and cool.
Dropped out of fashion with gardeners I dont know why to be honest as I always use in the Autumn tubers , corms etc


Spruce

 

Yes Crackling fire (just hope I do have tubers time will tell) , with trailing Nepeta .

Thanks FC glad you like them they are bigger than this now and still covered in blossom
Bit of a competition around here who has the best !! I think the GC member is still winning

Spruce

 

I bought some from a local nursery last yr for black rot on the cacti,i think it cost me £2.45 for 225g,vitax yellow sulphur i didnt realise it can be used for bulbs as i dint read the label till now so thanks spruce

 

Its a pleasure Joolz

Spruce

 

Lovely thread this and good posts worthy of reading. I hope to nuture my Begonia Sutherlandii thru' Winter. Still looking good and appreciating today's rain. It is a lot warmer down South so I will hold off moving them until the really cold weather threatens damage,
Jenny

 

FC, no they put all the growth into flowers thats why we need to extend the season with them (modern varieties)
Spruce

 

FC I have grown B. Illuminations ( apricot shades ) for a few years now. Spruces advice is spot on . I tend to lift my tubers in mid November , let the stems die back , then remove stems and as much soil as possible. I dust in sulpher powder , wrap in shreded paper and store in onion bags, hanging in the garage. Sulpher is not essential but I did have maggots coming out of them one year when starting them. I had to make sure Mrs H never saw them ! I repot them end of Feb and start them in the house. I find about two thirds of the tubers regrow.
Photos are from 2008 , B. Bonfire , same family as Crackling fire , and B. Illumination red white and orange.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/500-grms-...Equipment_Lab_Supplies_ET&hash=item416b025e47

 

I agree with what has been said, regarding begonias, but one word of warning I would like to give is to not wait too long.
Its difficult to dry things out well by November, and you can end up with stems still attached for a long time, I dont like to remove the stems from the tubers until they fall away on their own.

Dahlias are a bit different, can be left until the frost kills the top growth, then dig up and cut away the dead stems, and stand upside down for a couple of weeks.

I find both types of tubers store ok in net bags hanging in a shady part of the greenhouse frost free.