Let’s begin with Begonias

It’s recommended to sow these varieties six to eight weeks before the last frost date, which is traditionally the second or third week in May.

However, if you want to get a head start on one of the best summer-flowering bulbs, then plunk a begonia tuber in a pot in mid-March to see some action.

Big-blossomed tuberous begonias offer something irresistible – big color in dim light from flamboyant flowers that bloom non-stop mid-summer till frost. Generally, they take 12 to 15 weeks to bloom and then bloom and bloom, till the season ends.

Begonias require soil that drains well and shaded locations out of the wind. They can be planted in full sunlight but expect an adjustment period in those areas, with some dieback on foliage (crisp, burned edges on leaves).

When choosing a location, it’s handy to know that their leaves all tend to grow in one direction, and that their flowers will face in the same direction as the leaves.

Ideally, begonias perform best where daytime temperatures are warm, no more than 30 degrees Celsius and nighttime temperatures are cool, around 12-15 degrees C with average humidity 69 per cent or above. This makes them the perfect plant for the Maritimes.

Plant tubers with their convex (rounded out) side pressed gently onto the surface of the soil. Cover with about half an inch of soil. Keep soil moist but not wet. Never let soil dry out completely. For sturdier plants, pinch off extra or too long stems when the plants are developing.

In mid to late May start hardening plants off outside, exposing them to longer lengths of time outdoors over several days. Space plants one per square foot. Depending on the size of the plant, an 8-inch pot is plenty big for one plant. Three begonias fit nicely into a 15-inch pot. Fertilize with a water-soluble fertilizer bi-weekly.

Begonias can be divided into several groups: There is Begonia bertinii (pendulous flower), Begonia crispa (single flower), Begonia double, Begonia pendula, Begonia fimbriata (ruffled and double flower), Begonia marmorata (double flower) and Begonia multiflora maxima (small flowering).

An interesting fact about begonia blooms is that the large, flashy, full ones are male. The small, insignificant single flowers are female. Pinch both off when they finish flowering to encourage repeats and to prevent botrytis from developing.

Begonias are known to drop their flowers in particularly warm weather.