New Begonias

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I noted most of the new Double Tuberous Begonias that I have ordered for this year in my last blog, but since then I have also ordered “Jean Blair” which looks similar to “Can Can” and “Party Dress” which i already have, Can Can grows a bit too tall really for the stand, and Party Dress seems to have small blooms, Hopefully Jean Blair will be able to solve these problems and replace them both. I shall need to build up the stock and see if that one has any faults, it may not be as good as the other two (but i shall never know if i don’t try it).
To build my stock up of the double tuberous Begonias i take cuttings, it is the only way to build stock of a named variety, growing it from seed will mean it may be different from the original plant. I know that growers that are trying to create a new variety mix two varieties and use the seed to create new varieties. Once they have a plant they have to grow it on for a number of years to trial it and make sure that it does not go back to the parent plant, and remains the same each year, I think it has to be at least five years, i’m not sure, before it can be named. The one I ordered that is new for 2008 called Mia, I believe was grown for about ten years before going on the market.
At the end of last season i purchased two Spotted Angel wings Begonias, Cane Begonias i believe, they still have their leaves on at the moment. I must assume that they don’t loose their leaves in winter. These are an experiment to see what they are like, if they will make a display or not.
Today i have ordered some Begonia Luxurians seed, Palm leaved Begonia. Last year i had two palms at the top of the stand, when i saw that there is a palm leaved Begonia i decided to experiment with this to see if it would look right in place of the palms. Also i had been reading some other blogs about other growers growing from seed and decided that i would like to try to grow some Begonias from seed. I have not grown from seed before, but you never know i might manage it!

• 11 Jan, 2008
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