I T LIVES, AFTER A WINTER IN THE BASEMENT, a winter with no care (the way the cannas get no care and just sit there, except this guy stayed in his pot, soil and all). Begonia ‘Bonfire,’ a selection of B. boliviensis that we all wondered out loud together how to successfully carry over last year, lives. Proof:
Tada! (That’s it, waking up.) It wasn’t a cheap plant; I had bought two hanging baskets, and feared they’d be throwaways. But B. boliviensis and its descendants make tubers, and as commenters Peter, Ed, Amy and Manny guessed last June during our discussion, you just let them rest in a cool but not anywhere near freezing place, if you don’t have a greenhouse. (You may recall that another one I bought, not in a hanging basket but dormant, just sat and sat there…and sat there…and then decided to awaken just as winter was about to start. Not nice behavior, and actually terribly inconvenient, but it, too, is growing just fine now. They are tough.)
That unearthly thing below is another outcropping from the pancake-like ‘Bonfire’ tuber, an even-later riser waking up across the pot from the livelier eyes above. I think a key is not to overwater, and to let them show you when they want what, and when they want to get going. I never let them go so dry for prolonged periods that they shriveled, but I never really watered much, either, except then they were in active growth, so the tubers stayed firm and healthy. I just kept checking each month through the winter with my finger: Were the tubers still firm? Yes. And like I said, tada!
I look forward to ‘Bonfire’ returning to its glory state (top) as the season heats up here. And one more thought: You have to love a plant that resurrects in a recession; so thrifty, such an unexpected bonus.
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Mine survived too. It’s about 2 feet tall and flowering. It isn’t hanging down, it’s growing straight up. Maybe I should cut it back?
I bought a ‘Bonfire’ last weekend. I’m definitely going to try to store it over the winter.
@Melanie: I notice that for now the growth looks more vertical than pendulous, but I am not cutting back anything at the moment. Stay tuned. :)
Looks lovely! Anyone know if it comes in any other colors? I have a great place for it, but the red would clash. Where do you buy them?
Welcome, Keri. It is actually a very vivid orange in person, not red, if that helps (probably not). This species doesn’t come in other colors, but another begonia I like a lot, ‘Dragon Wing,’ does (pink, I think, besides the true red I grow). Nice to see you, and do come again soon to see us.
I LOVE begonia Bonfire! I had two last year, but they perished about halfway through the summer — I suspect that it was a combination of hot, humid weather and the gardener’s over-zealous use of the watering can. I saw them yesterday at the nursery though, and I plan to try again because they are lovely. Definitely eyecatching in colour!
I suspect the reason that Tesselaar’s doesn’t give any instructions for over-wintering is that there is very little winter in Australia (where I come from), and they can be left out under a bush along with the cymbidium orchids and suchlike during what passes for cold weather.
Margaret, may I just say thank you for this wonderful site — I do enjoy coming here and reading everything — both your articles and the comments. I like to begin my day here.
Hi, Rosella, and thank you for your encouraging words. I think the overwatering thing, especially with tuberous plants, is always trouble…but we all screw up now and then on that front. By the way, I like the idea that when I am winding down you are winding up over on your side of the Earth. See you soon again.
Mine’s up and blooming too. It spent the winter dormant, in a pot, in the living room. When it started to bud in March I watered and moved it to more sun. Flowers came by the end of April.
Shall I tell you where I live? The Bonfires are abundant here. I saw some just the other day at The Barn. A food products place with a large greenhouse. The were stocky and had thick stems and about five inches high for $2.99. I had to buy one even if I have six large plants around the patio. I saw two large baskets at Bi-Mart with large plants in basket with other plants and then there is a wholesale place near here that had a couple thousand of small plants ready to go. I could hardly contain myself. Some of my plants are in the full sun and others are in the part shade. The folage of the ones that are in the part shade have nicer folige that the ones in the full sun. We had a few days here at 95 plus with three days at 100 to 108 degrees. Almost too much for them. I plan to dig a few tubers and keep the others in the pots to see which is better. Oh yes, I live near Portland Oregon.
Welcome Mahlon M. Isn’t it amazing how ‘Bonfire’ went from new to mass in minutes? Such a great plant. Love your story (and hate hearing about your weather out there…the inverse of here, so sorry). See you soon!
Thanks for all the info about overwintering the Bonfire Begonia. I got one for the first time this spring and it is blooming profusely in a hanging basket on my deck. I was thinking about whether I could overwinter it and decided to check online. Your’s is one of the only sites I found that talks about this. I was wondering whether you had light in your basement? It’s cool and fairly dry in our basement in winter, but no light to speak of unless I use my grow lights. If I try to overwinter it upstairs, it will definitely be too warm. Also, can you just stop watering it entirely and leave the tubers in the soil in the pot until spring? I know some folks dig up their tuberous begonias in fall and keep them in fairly dry potting soil in bags. (It would be easier not to dig these up if possible). Anyway…thanks for the lovely website!
Welcome, Marge. The plant will go dormant I suspect even on its own; my older large ones are already doing so, because we have had such a wet year, and I have carried them under cover so they can dry off and rest. There was no significant light in the basement, no; a little, but the plants were totally dormant, no growth at all. And yes, leave int he pot….just carry it inside, stash it and cut it back once the foliage withers.
I found out what happened to one of my plants. The branches started to fall off and I realized that it had been planted in moisture retaining soil. I dug out most of the soil around it and replaced the soil. It is coming back now.
It is said that the plant is easy to grow! I am begining to wonder~~~
Welcome, Mahlon M. Mine “told me” that it wanted to go dormant two weeks ago by starting to droop, so I carried them inside (away from any more rain) and am going to dry them off for an early dormancy. I think the extra-wet year was enough already; they need a break.
I bought my first bonfire begonia this year and want to try to winter it over. I get the part about letting it go dormant and not watering it, but how far should I cut it back and what would be “too” warm? Don’t have a basement but do have an attached garage that things don’t freeze in. I live in Northern Michigan (not the UP) but it does get cold here. Any suggestions? Thanks for your help.
Welcome, Janet. I don’t think the garage is going to be right; I am talking closer to high-40s consistently or 50ish, not possibly just above freezing, which I suspect your garage might get close to, no, in bad weather? Any mudroom closet that’s cool or some such?
As for cutbacks, it will start to get soft and topple over (the stems I mean) when it goes to sleep, and the parts will hopefully just dry up and fall off, with a little help at the very end. Unfortunately we had so much rain here this year that mine got tired early, so I got them out of the rain, under shelter, and let them start to dry last month, but some decay was happening in the softening stems so I had to cut it back forcibly rather than let it wither. Not sure what will happen next.
My largest plant was the worst; the younger, smaller ones seem to be drying off nicely.
I think you just watch and wait. If you cannot figure out a place that’s cooler, just try the house, but no water and not a baking-hot spot. Can’t hurt to try.
Thanks for all the information re overwintering the Begonia Bonfires. It is just the information I needed. My plants are outside and still have some flowers. It is a lovely plant and has great colour throughout the summer and autumn.
Welcome, Declan, and you are welcome. What a great plant; I look forward to seeing them in bloom again next year, but for now they are all tucked away. Hope to see you here soon again.
Well, my Bonfires are just about wilted. Stems are falling off. I have them in a cool semi dark area indoors. I have left them in the pots.
fingers crossed.
Mahlon
Welcome, Mahlon. Exactly: Do your best, then hope for the best. I leave mine in the pots, too. This year some got so overwatered in our torrential summer weather that they rotted, but others went into storage and wilted gradually as you describe, and look fine. Crossing my fingers here, too. See you soon!
Hi again. My Bonfires, in pots, look good and firm They have been in the garage since they went dorment. The high and low temperatures outside are running between 35 and 50 degrees.
I brought them out and placed them in a small green house and the temperatures are now running between 40 and 70, being in the greenhouse and if the sun is out or not.
When do you suppose I can expect them to start sprouting and should I add a little water and fertiiizer to them now or later? Can’t wait for the blooms!!
Thanks
@Mahlon: Mine started to get these tiny growth points (many of them) In about March last year, so keep an eye out. I would not water or feed till they show signs of life, and then water sparingly (not sure I’d feed until they are really in active growth, but I am conservative about that).
Thanks loads. I scraped a very small piece off the part sticking out of the ground on one of them with my finger nail. It was green so now comes the waiting.