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begonias

Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2005
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by Tessa on June 09, 2005 10:54 PM
Hi,

I am sort-of new to begonias (my new love!) and I think I just made a big boo-boo. I have an Iron Cross, and an Escargot http://www.ogr-botaniczny.strefa.pl/galeria_palm/begonia_rexEscargot.JPG

I just repotted and then read that they need shallow pots! They didn't come in shallow pots! So, are they in trouble? I've looked for shallow pots before and can't seem to find any easily.

Tessa [flower]
by njoynit on June 10, 2005 12:06 AM
Let me see if can say this right.
Shallow pots make some begonias happy& some larger pots will retard their growth.If some are given roomy pots they may not bloom as often even with fertilizer as they bloom when pot bound.I have an angelwing begonia a cane type& it does BETTER in large pot than smaller pot.I have another Rex in hanging basket& it does good cause is small sized basket(plus is fiber lined)
your Iron cross is a rizome type.I don't have one,but is on my list as I liked the foliage.I hear the flowers are worth much to look at& the one I seen they pinched it alot and was under florecent light 14 hours a day.
I have a wax begonia grown inground& they say it grows best pot bound,but the best one I have is the one in ground,the one in pot looks leggy actually.I grow my begonias in african violet mix with peat added& most get AM sun for about 4 hours.I don't fertilze when the temps are below 50(christmas till March)Wax will tolerate more sun actually,but if I give them morning sun....when it gets hot...they will still bloom,but if in full sun would not.
you will really enjoy begonias.I just [Cool] my angelwing.Its over 7 ft tall right now.

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by Will Creed on June 10, 2005 03:27 AM
Hi Tessa,

I suggest that you move them back to the pots they came in. New plants rarely need repotting. Most plants do best when kept potbound. Growers usually have plants growing in the right sized pot.
by Tessa on June 10, 2005 03:38 AM
Thanks Will,

I would do that, but they really outgrew the pots they came in, which is why I repotted. I've have had them for a while, so they are not technically "new". I guess I've figured out most of their requirements or they wouldn't have been doing so well. My question really was about the shallow pot thing. Are shallow pots really needed? They came in standard 6in. plastic pots to begin with. Thanks.

Tessa [flower]
by Will Creed on June 11, 2005 06:58 PM
Hi Tessa,

A good general rule is to keep pots on the same type in which they were grown. Shallow pots are commonly known as Azalea pots and their height is 3/4's of their diameter.

As long as the new pots are no larger than 8", then I wouldn't worry about their being in standard pots.

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