How to Propagate Begonias in 4 Easy Steps

Vibrant, colourful foliage is trending within the houseplant world, with variegated leaves taking heart stage. It’s additionally helpful outdoor, offering visible curiosity throughout cooler seasons when flowering slows down. The king of colourful foliage is the Begonia, producing a spread of distinctive patterns and colours topped with cute blooms.

When you’ve discovered a favourite species among the many many to select from, the simplest option to replicate them is to save lots of your money and check out propagation. Straight-forward and straightforward, multiplying these lovely houseplants could change into your new interest.

All that you must propagate Begonias is a single leaf, making a steady provide of those attractive, low-maintenance vegetation.

About Begonias

Begonia encompasses over 2000 numerous species with distinctive foliage and flowers.

The time period begonia doesn’t describe one single species, though many gardeners in all probability think about a particular plant once they hear it. Begonia is an enormous genus of beautifully-flowering vegetation and hanging foliage containing greater than 2000 species.

This spectacular vary understandably results in much more spectacular range between vegetation in native areas, progress habits, and most popular circumstances. Distinctive foliage connects all of them, usually that includes attention-grabbing shapes and colours and lovely flowers.

Begonias are often break up into differing kinds to explain their numerous progress habits. In response to the American Begonia Society, there are 9 differing kinds, though they contend that these classes might be blurred:

Cane-like
Shrub-like
Semperflorens
Rhizomatous
Rex
Tuberous
Hybrids
Thick Stemmed
Trailing

Rex Begonias are those most frequently stored as houseplants. There are numerous cultivars in different classes, however they’re often stored as backyard or container vegetation.

Begonias originate from tropical and sub-tropical climates, rising greatest in heat and humid circumstances. They match proper in lush tropical gardens, however their potential to develop and even flower in shady areas have made them fashionable indoor vegetation.

How To Propagate Begonias From Single Leaves

Close-up of a starter tray with growing seedlings of Strawberry Begonia. The starter tray has deep square cells filled with wet potting mix. The plant produces short, pale pink stems and small, round, heart-shaped leaves with serrated edges. Leaves and stems are hairy. The leaves are bright green with gray-purple markings. — Many Begonias might be simply propagated from single leaves, yielding quite a few vegetation.

When you have a specific Begonia species you’ve fallen in love with or wish to fill extra of your property or backyard with these beautiful vegetation, you’re in luck. Many Begonias will develop a number of lovely plantlets from only a single leaf which may then be separated to develop independently.

There are different methods to propagate Begonias, however single leaves are the best methodology for the sturdy outcomes it delivers and the variety of vegetation you’ll be able to develop. It’s additionally appropriate for any Begonia you have got – huge or small – as you solely want one tiny leaf to start out.

I used this methodology to attempt to fill a complete shady mattress beneath a tree in my backyard and ended up with so many vegetation I needed to give some away to family and friends. Use your extras to fill pots indoors and out, or cowl your backyard in cute flowers and complex foliage.

What You Want

Close-up of a large wide plastic tray with growing Strawberry Begonia seedlings. The plant produces small, round, heart-shaped leaves with serrated edges. They are bright green in color with silvery purple markings. Leaves and stems are covered with fine white hairs. — You’ll want a pointy knife, clear instruments, a flat merchandise, and a well-draining tray with soil for propagation.

You don’t want many specialised instruments, however you will want to seize a couple of extra objects than you might be used to when propagating.

The primary important merchandise to propagate begonias is a pointy knife to take away the leaf and slice into the underside. I’ve a small craft knife I like to make use of for propagating duties. Guarantee it’s as sharp as potential, limiting harm to important transport methods inside the leaf. It’s additionally greatest to wash instruments totally earlier than you begin to keep away from spreading any dangerous micro organism and inspiring illness.

The following merchandise, doubtlessly inflicting some confusion, is a paper clip. You can even use hair pins or something small and flat that may be buried within the soil. When you can’t determine why, you’ll discover out later.

Lastly, you’ll want a sturdy tray or container with drain holes and a light-weight propagating or seedling combine. I exploit a mix of equal components coconut coir and perlite, which drains nicely however holds onto simply sufficient moisture to advertise root progress. Don’t fear about selecting a flowery ornamental container early on, as you’ll have to transplant as soon as plantlets have developed.

Rooting in soil delivers higher outcomes, particularly if you wish to develop a number of vegetation concurrently. However it’s also possible to root in water for those who’re keen to observe water ranges intently and ensure the leaf doesn’t fall into the glass. For this methodology, you solely want a pair of shears, a small glass, and a few faucet water.

Determine A Appropriate Leaf

Close-up of a female Begonia Maculata touching a leaf. The plant grows in a large white decorative pot, on a white background. The leaves are large, asymmetrical, wing-shaped, with pointed tips and slightly serrated edges. The leaves are dark green with white spots that resemble polka dots. — For profitable propagation, choose wholesome and undamaged leaves with ample floor space.

Step one in propagating Begonias could appear easy, nevertheless it units the stage for later progress – selecting a leaf. A big and wholesome leaf could have the very best probability of profitable root progress, and a better floor space will increase the house for plantlets to emerge.

All the time select leaves with out indicators of harm or illness. Whereas some broken leaves could root, your probabilities shall be a lot increased if they’re wholesome with no areas to deal with repairing. In illness instances, the issue will solely unfold to your new vegetation, so diseased vegetation are greatest eliminated.

Chances are you’ll wish to take a number of leaves directly to extend your inventory. If that’s the case, think about the form of the unique plant when deciding which to take away. Don’t wish to take all of the leaves from one facet, leaving the plant fully lopsided.

Trim and Slice The Leaf

Close-up of female hands cutting begonia leaves for further propagation, on a white light window sill. The girl is dressed in a striped white and blue shirt and a gray apron. The begonia plant produces dense, lush, dark green foliage. The leaves are oval, slightly asymmetrical in shape with small serrated edges. — For trimming, use a pointy knife to cleanly take away leaf parts.

When you’ve determined which components of your Begonia to trim for propagation, seize your sharp knife and prepare to take away.

You solely want a small a part of the petiole (the leaf stem), because the leaf will ultimately lie flat on the soil. However for those who don’t wish to depart lengthy and empty petioles on the plant, slice them off on the base and shorten the petiole after elimination.

Make as clear a reduce as potential, avoiding harm to the mother or father plant or the leaf.

As soon as your leaf or a number of leaves have been eliminated, flip the leaf over so the underside is seen. Then, as scary as it could appear, you’ll have to make small cuts into the central veins of the leaf. Utilizing your knife, slice about half an inch cuts into the veins near the bottom of the leaf. Hold the cuts small. You solely want to show the vein, not take away chunks of the leaves.

Pin To Soil

Close-up of female hands planting young seedlings and cuttings of begonias in a large plastic pot, in the garden. The gardener's hands are dressed in translucent gloves. Begonia plants form tufts of upright, hairy stems of red and green flowers. The stems bear beautiful asymmetrical leaves with pointed tips and serrated edges. The leaves are hairy. The leaves are dark green and purple with bright green veins. — Fill your container with a well-draining combine, premoisten, lay leaves on high, and gently anchor petioles.

Subsequent, seize your chosen container and fill it together with your propagating combine. It must be gentle and well-draining slightly than compacted, so don’t press the soil into the container too tightly. Guarantee nothing is obstructing the drainage holes. Then, add water to the container to premoisten the soil.

Flip your leaves again round and lay them on high of the soil. When you’re rooting a number of leaves directly, depart a small house between each. Press the small a part of the petiole gently into the soil to anchor it.

Now it’s time for the paper clips (or any pins you have got). Twist them so that you’re in a position to press them into the soil. Then, pin the leaves down into the soil near the cuts you made. This helps the leaf keep involved with the soil and limits any motion hindering root progress.

Even slight motion or a mild breeze can shift the fragile leaves, doubtlessly uprooting any progress attempting to determine itself. Make sure the pins are firmly in place, and don’t permit the leaf to maneuver to extend your probabilities of success.

Cowl With Plastic

Close-up of a potted plant in a small clay pot covered with a translucent plastic bag to create a mini greenhouse to create an environment for better root development. The plastic bag is tied with a green ribbon. — To encourage root progress, create a moist surroundings by overlaying the container with a plastic bag.

The ultimate step includes creating the right surroundings to encourage root progress – particularly, heat and humid. To extend humidity across the leaves and hold moisture within the soil for so long as potential, create a mini greenhouse by overlaying your container in a transparent plastic bag.

Seedling trays are simple to slip right into a plastic bag, or you’ll be able to drape the bag over a container and maintain it up with skewers. The bag must be comparatively tight however not fully closed to enhance airflow. When you have a propagator helpful, you’ll be able to skip this step and pop them in, opening the vents to stop mould progress.

Raise the bag every day to examine on the leaves and air them out. If the soil seems to be dry, mist the highest to extend moisture ranges or add water from the underside. When propagating begonias, soil must be evenly moist, not moist, as extra moisture will trigger the leaves to rot.

Propagating In Water

Close-up of a woman's hand holding cuttings of Begonia Maculata, also known as the Polka Dot Begonia, in a glass of water for rooting. The cuttings consist of green stems covered with large asymmetrical leaves that are wing-shaped. The underside of the leaves has shades of dark red. The upper side of the leaves is dark green in color, decorated with white spots resembling polka dots. — Water propagation is easier however yields fewer plantlets in comparison with soil propagation.

Propagating in water doesn’t have the potential to supply as many plantlets. When leaves are pinned to the soil, they will develop plantlets at any of the slits within the vein, whereas leaves propagated in water solely produce roots from the underside of the petiole. But it surely does take pleasure in ease, taking a lot much less time and supplies to finish.

Step one within the course of is identical – figuring out the right leaf. However once you take away that leaf, embrace an extended part of the petiole and hold it connected. A shorter petiole is tougher to maintain in a glass with out the leaf falling in.

When you’ve chosen and eliminated your leaves, seize a glass with a slim opening. When you don’t have one that allows you to hold the leaf dry and out of the water, cowl an everyday glass with plastic wrap and make a small gap within the heart to carry the leaf in place.

Fill the glass with water and drop the leaf inside so solely the underside of the petiole is beneath the water. As your purpose is to get a plantlet to emerge from the underside, it’s greatest to go away solely that small part coated so the leaves can develop above the water line.

Aftercare

Close-up of Painted-leaf begonia in a white decorative pot against a gray background. Painted-leaf begonia has amazing painted leaves. The leaves are heart-shaped, with a pointed tip and serrated edges. The leaves include a rich shade of purple and a pale grey-green ring in the center of the leaf. — Place the container or glass in a heat, vivid space with oblique gentle for profitable root progress.

Your container or glass must be in a heat and vivid space to advertise root progress. Whereas oblique gentle is important, hold the leaves out of the extraordinary direct solar to stop harm.

For leaves rooted in soil, preserve even soil moisture and change the quilt to extend humidity. For leaves rooted in water, high up the water every time the water line drops and change it fully when it will get cloudy. Clear the container to stop bacterial build-up.

Last Ideas

Plantlets can take a number of weeks to develop, requiring some persistence. However for those who preserve best circumstances and sustain with care, you must see child Begonias in beneath two months. Take care of these child vegetation till they’ve sufficient roots to face independently. Then they are often separated, transplanted into new containers, and positioned wherever you need them round your property and backyard!