Plant
Begonia tubers in a flat box in a mixture of potting compost and sand. Place the tubers in a 2-3 inch layer and keep them moist and moderate warm (60 -65 degrees), at a sunny location. This will enhance early sprouting and rooting of the tubers, harden the
plants off by the end of April - early May and transplant the
plants around second week of May into
planters or the border. Be careful that a late night frost doesn't damage the tender
plants. If night frost is expected, cover the
plants for the night with an old newspaper.
Begonia plants like a lot of water, feed them regularly with a summer plant fertiliser.
Hippeastrum is commonly known as
Amaryllis but is not to be confused with the true (garden)
Amaryllis Bella Donna. Hippeastrum is less hardy and mostly used for
indoor growing, although, if you plant
Amaryllis hippeastrum outdoors from May onwards they will grow and regain strength for a new season. They like to be planted outside on a sheltered position with semi shade in fertile soil. Take them
indoors by end of September but no later than mid October. Store them dry and cool for about 10 weeks, repot them around end of December and place them in a warm room. Give modest water, and they will quickly regrow and bloom again. All
Amaryllis offered on this page are Hippeastrum.
