Cultural Information

Begonia Cultural Information for Greenhouse Growers

Immediately Upon Arrival:

Even moisture, never dry.

Water:

Keep plant liners at the same soil level as they arrived

Soil:

900 ft candles, deep shade.

Light:

Mildly warm, 65-75F nights, like a humid fern house.

Temperature:

 

Transplantation:

Rex Begonia roots are delicate, brown in color, with tan tips. 

Roots:

Level with soil height, no more than 1/8th inch below. Planted too high and the plug will wick the water, building up salts that burn the roots. Planted too low will rot the rhizome.

Plug Height:

 

Next Two Weeks:

Even moisture, never dry. Keep leaves dry to avoid disease.

Water:

900 ft candles, deep shade.

Light:

65-75F nights, like a humid fern house.

Temperature:

High, 70% RH.

Humidity:

 

When Roots are Well Established:

Move the pots to a cooler, drier, brighter production house for finishing alongside shade perennials, for example.

Environment:

Even moisture, never dry. Keep leaves dry to avoid disease.

Water:

1200 to 1500 foot candles.

Light:

Day: 70-95F. If > 80F, reduce light to 1200 ft candles.
Night: 65F+ to establish. 55-65F to finish.

Temperature:

150-180 ppm N constant feed.

Fertilizer:

Never exceed an EC of 2.4. An EC of 1.5 is ideal.

Salinity:

Aphids and mites.

Pests:

Botrytis, Xanthemonas Bacterial Leaf Spot. Apply a preventative spray of any metallic fungicide every two weeks to avoid these problems.

Diseases:

Gary Crook