Cane Begonia and miscellaneous species - Care Information

Cane Begonia and miscellaneous species- Care Information

Important: Please read carefully and keep for future reference

Cane Begonias are distinguished by their stiff upright, bamboo-like stems which can become woody with age. They are usually evergreen and bear clusters of white, red or pink flowers in summer. The leaves can be glossy or spotted. They are relatively easy to care for as long as you adhere to the following growing instructions.

Position: Begonias require natural but indirect sunlight. They will scorch on a sunny windowsill. They need to be kept at a minimum temperature of 10°C (50°F) but are best kept above 15°C. It is best to keep them in the house for most of the year but they can be put outside in a warm summer. During the winter in a centrally heated house the air can become very dry. Most house plants will benefit from a daily spritz of water to increase humidity. This can be done with a small handheld spray bottle.

Watering: Water sparingly, particularly in winter as they do not like sitting in very wet compost. Before watering test the moisture level of the compost with your finger. Water only when the surface of the compost is dry. If the plant is standing inside a container/ saucer without drainage holes ensure that there is no standing water in the bottom. It is a good idea to put some pebbles or grit in the bottom. Never plant into a pot without drainage holes. If you accidentally over-water the plant there will be no way for the water to drain away and this will kill it. We also suggest removing it every time you water and leave on a draining board or similar to drain thoroughly.

Feeding:  Feed begonias with a balanced liquid fertiliser such as liquid growmore or seaweed extract. Do this once at alternate waterings between late spring and late summer.

Potting on:  It is important not to over pot these plants as they do not like a lot of compost around the roots. Before you pot on turn the plant out of its current pot and inspect the rootball. If you can see lots of roots which have formed in the shape of the pot then it can be potted on but if not then leave it for a bit longer.  Do this between May and August when the plant is in active growth and not in winter when the growth rate will have slowed down.

Compost: Begonias like a free draining compost. We recommend mixing 3 parts John Innes No. 2, loam based compost with 1 parts horticultural bark/ grit or sharp sand (not builder’s sand). This creates a mix with a nice open structure with good drainage.