“How do you “root” begonias?” Question from Judy of Louisville, Mississippi
Answer: Good timing! I root begonia cuttings from my favorite begonia to give to friends, and they just rooted (see photo)! You will be glad to learn that they are one of the easiest plants to root. There are two ways to do it–the easy way and the surefire way. I choose the easy way, which usually works for most begonias. (See the video below for the surefire way!)
The easy method involves few tools. You just need some sharp shears, a begonia, and a glass of clean water. Take healthy, actively growing tip cuttings of about 4-5 inches from your begonia. (Tip cuttings are taken from the branch tips where new growth appears.) Place cuttings in a glass of fresh water, and keep the water clean and the glass replenished. In about two weeks, your cuttings should start to root. Once cuttings have substantial roots of 1-2 inches, you can plant them in potting mix. I suggest planting them in a rich, porous potting mix like Black Gold All Purpose Mix. The process is a snap!
Faster, surefire rooting will happen if you use the method in the video below, but for begonias it is not always necessary.
Happy begonia growing,
Jessie Keith
Black Gold Horticulturist