Kinda growing

Published on by bushboy

Day sixteen of Becky’s Square Photo Challenge for October: Kindasquare

I was chatting to Becky the other day and I said I was going to do a bit of Begonia propagation the next day. One thing lead to another and Becky asked if I would do a blog about how I do the propagation and grow Begonias. I remembered to take my camera and here is a bit about how I go about getting more plants for little effort.

All you need is:
1 A tray of some sort which drains. I use a foam tray from the green grocer.
2 A very sharp knife
3 Seed raising soil mix
4 Some Begonia leaves. These can be obtained from friends with Begonias if you don’t have any of your own, or somewhere where you can pinch off a leaf or two. Ask at the Nursery and sometimes they may let you take one.

Here is the tray of soil. Smooth out the ridges to make the soil level.

Get a selection of leaves or just one or two to start. Leaves from Tree Begonias don’t seem to work with leaf cuttings. They are better getting a piece of the underground part of the root system which can look like a Ginger plant.

Make sure your knife is sharp and select a leaf to start.

Make a cut into the main vein of the leaf making sure you don’t cut all the way through the leaf.

Or alternatively you can cut a slice from the stem

Making a couple of slices in the leaf can result in a number of plants

I also get leaf cuttings from my favourite Peperomia, the Emerald Ripple, Peperomia caperata using the same method.

Give the soil a bit of a watering to make it damp not soggy. Place the leaves on the soil using a bit of the soil or a small stone to ensure the leaf where the cuts have been made are in contact with the soil.

Here is some plants from last seasons leaf cuttings. The large group in the middle yielded three new plants and the one at the bottom two plants from one leaf.

Out of the tray and into small pots to grow

Soon they will be a lovely show of flowers in Spring

and you’ll have a lot of plants

Here’s some squares so I won’t get into trouble

32 thoughts on “Kinda growing”

    1. Glad you enjoyed it Jo 🙂 It shall be I reckon. My bestie is coming here for the weekend. Not seen each other for over two weeks. What are you doing now Rafa is done and dusted once again 😀

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      3. No, the answer to what I’m doing while Rafa has hung up his rakket 🙂 🙂 Your begonia flowers are lovely. Doing a fair bit of walking too 🙂 Day off today. Well, you have to change beds and wash floors sometime…. 😦 But then we’ll probably go to the beach later. Have fun!

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      4. Yes….I mopped floors yesterday will change “crusty” sheets tomorrow and make sure there are flowers in the vase and have a sweet smelling home. Will venture up the mountains to see the regeneration of the bush after the fires up there almost 12 months ago. Will sit in our favourite spots and repel the tourists who want to invade our place lol

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      6. Just jesting Jo 🙂 but yes they have been on the bed for a short while. A huge bed with only one where I can swap sides and pillows with ease 🙂

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  2. I was so fascinated i was going to forgive you the lack of squares, especially as you spotted a non squarer elsewhere for me!!! I am though very happy you have included squares, think might keep this one for the next gallery as it is so wonderful

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  3. Pingback: Cee’s Friday Funny Finds – Week of October 16 – Cee's Photo Challenges

    1. Usually in Spring but can be done in early Autumn as well as I don’t have many cold Winter days. They can be potted up as soon as the leaf has died down a bit. The ones in the blog I have left for a bit longer than normal and the leaf has gone altogether. Once they sprout means there are roots and can be lifted and potted up. I have lost some when they were too small so now I wait a bit longer.
      Thanks for taking an interest Graham 🙂

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      1. I haven’t done much propagating myself, but it’s such an interesting process and how it’s done seems to vary a bit from plant to plant. A panax hedge grows on the edge of my yard. It’s a tall, leafy looking plant that makes a great barrier and windbreak. One day a neighbor asked to cut some sticks off it to start a new hedge. They took a bunch away and just stuck them in the ground. Keep them watered and, voila, new hedge.

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