To make the seeds easier to sow, tuberous begonia seeds are usually coated with inert materials. The process of coating seeds with inert materials is referred to as pelleting. Pelleted seeds of many flowers and vegetables are available to commercial growers and home gardeners. Tuberous begonia seeds should be started indoors 14 to 16 weeks before the intended outdoor planting date.
Seeds should be pressed into the germination medium, but not covered with material as the seeds need light for germination. After the seeds have been sown, carefully moisten the germination medium and then cover the container with clear plastic wrap or a plastic dome to keep the medium evenly moist. The temperature of the germination medium should be 75 F.
The seeds should germinate in two to three weeks. When the seeds germinate, immediately remove the plastic wrap or dome and place the seedlings under fluorescent lights.
The lights should be positioned within 4 to 6 inches of the seedlings and left on for 12 to 14 hours each day. The growing temperature should be 60 to 65 F. The seedlings should be ready to transplant into individual containers four to five weeks after germination. Water the compost carefully before you sow the seeds or you will wash them away , then sprinkle the seed and sand mix sparingly over the compost.
However, you can put a piece of glass over the top if you have any handy old glass bathroom shelves or the glass from a picture frame would work , then you need to keep them warm and humid so the seed can germinate.
They start as pinpricks of green, but if you keep the seedlings warm and light they will continue to grow until they are big enough to be transferred to small pots or individual modules. Do not cover the seeds. Put heat mats under the trays to improve and speed germination. Remove the plastic or humidity dome as soon as the seeds start to germinate. Raise the lights as the plants grow.
Use a spoon or spatula to lift a section of young plants up out of the tray and then use your fingers to gently tease them apart. Once separated, replant the begonia seedlings into nursery 4 packs or small plastic pots of new sterile potting soil. Keep the pots or nursery packs well watered and continue to keep them under the grow lights for hours per day.
Next spray the surface with lukewarm water and place the seed container in a clear plastic bag or mini-greenhouse to ensure the high humidity necessary for good germination. Move the container to a spot about 6 to 12 inches cm below a fluorescent lamp.
Its gentle warmth will be beneficial for germination and will help keep the container warm. In 7 to 14 days, sometimes a bit longer, you should see very tiny green leaves appear. When the leaves are large enough to make out them out clearly without a magnifying glass, remove the covering to increase air circulation.
Maintain good lighting and water when the soil starts to dry out: it should remain slightly moist at all times. When the seedlings have two or three leaves, move them into individual small pots or plug trays. Since they are still very small and fragile at this stage, it may be wise to cover them with a clear plastic dome or bag again for a few days until they recover from any transplant shock.
Afterwards, as the seedlings grow, keep the soil slightly moist and fertilize occasionally with a dilute soluble fertilizer.
Even so, always keep the soil at least slightly moist at all times: it should never dry out completely, nor should it soak in water for hours on end. Most begonias prefer partial shade, but some can tolerate full sun or shade.
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