How to Propagate Wax Begonia? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Propagation Methods
Wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens) is mainly propagated in three ways: sowing, cuttings and division. For commercial cultivation, sowing is always used. Wax begonia seeds are tiny and short-lived; seeds that fall naturally into the potting soil often germinate quickly and grow into seedlings, but harvested seeds that are not sown in time produce very few seedlings.
Division Propagation of Wax Begonia
Old perennial wax begonia plants can be divided, and pruning can be done at the same time to encourage new side branches and form a well-shaped plant. However, division can only use mother plants from the 1st to 2nd generation of seed-propagated plants. To prevent variety degeneration, sowing is now the recommended propagation method.
Seed Propagation of Wax Begonia
1. Container and substrate: For the sowing container, choose a shallow pot with strong air permeability and water permeability. The substrate should be loose and fertile; leaf mold, rice husk ash and garden soil can be mixed together, then exposed to strong sunlight or sterilized at high temperature. After screening, separate the coarse and fine parts.
2. Pre-sowing treatment: The container used must be washed clean, and the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot should be covered with a clean tile piece to ensure smooth drainage. Put coarse-grained substrate in the lower half of the pot and fine-grained substrate in the upper half, but do not fill it too full; about 2 cm below the pot rim is best. Then place the pot in a water reservoir with the pot surface above the water, so that water seeps upward from the bottom hole. Once the potting soil is moist, sowing can begin.
3. Time and method: The best sowing times are April to May and late August to September. The seeds used for sowing should preferably be seeds harvested in the current year. Mix the seeds with fine garden soil and scatter them evenly over the pot surface; no soil covering is needed. Cover with glass to keep in moisture and place in a cool, ventilated spot. If placed in a greenhouse, shade is needed. At 15-22°C, they will germinate in one week.
Cutting Propagation of Wax Begonia
1. Cutting time: For home cuttings, it is best to do this between April and May, when the temperature rises above 20°C. At this time the air humidity is high and the temperature is warm, making management simple and suitable for the rapid rooting of wax begonia.
2. Cutting substrate: Wash river sand, dry it in the sun, and place it in a pot. River sand that has been washed and then sun-dried has basically reached the purpose of disinfection, and the sun-dried river sand helps raise the temperature under daytime sunlight, promoting healing and rooting of the cut surface of the cuttings.
3. Cutting selection: Cut strong branches, each section with 3-4 nodes, cut the top into a flat shape and the bottom into a horseshoe shape, to enlarge the contact surface with the sand and promote rooting.
4. Cutting management: Insert the cuttings into the sand pot at a spacing of 3 cm × 4 cm. Before inserting, first use a bamboo stick the same thickness as the cutting to make holes in the pot sand, then insert the wax begonia branches. Do not water within 2 days after insertion, to help the cut surface form a healing callus. On the 5th day, spray water with a temperature similar to that of the sand; water until water is seen flowing out of the bottom of the pot. Place in a cool spot and generally do not water again. After about 10 days, roots 3-4 cm long can grow. At this point, place the pot in sunlight and water according to the weather. After another 6-7 days, they can be potted for final planting.