My New Angel By Diane Cleland of Red Bluff Garden Club Red Bluff Garden Club has numerous events throughout the year, some to earn money to defer costs of our community enhancement projects; scholarship program and some to promote informational and educational programs. There are many other events but in June the club holds its annual Potluck/Picnic ending another busy but successful year. This event is always looked forward to because it allows members be able to sit back and relax and enjoy each other’s company. The highlight, besides the yummy food, is the plant exchange, this is where members bring a plant to participate in the swap. This brings me to the topic of this article. When my number was called to pick out the plant of my choice, I was in a quandary. My eye kept going to a beautiful Angelwing Begonia which kept saying “pick me” “pick me”. My hesitation was due to the fact that my tract history of successfully growing any begonia was dismal; in fact I seemed to have the kiss of death for these plants. Well I flung caution to the wind and picked up the plant of my choice, turning to the member who brought it, and gave her my fervent hope that it would survive and apologizes if it didn’t. This was due to the fact that the donor grows magnificent begonias, winner of multiple awards at flower shows, envy of other members of the club, need I go on. The pressure was on, I was determined to learn all I could to help my Angelwing Begonia grow up not only to be a survivor but as a source of pride to its owner. My research has given me the following knowledge and the belief that “I Can Do This”. First, according to all my research, Angelwing begonias are ridiculously easy to grow. Ha, we shall see. They are mainly grown as a house plant in our area for their large attractive, bronze and variegated foliage and flowers that hang in clusters of orange, pink or red flowers. They may grow to be two to four feet tall with canes that can grow up to twenty-four inches long. They prefer to be placed in bright indirect sunlight, with air temperatures between 50 to 75 degrees F. Water once or twice each week to keep the soil evenly moistened, allowing the water to drain through the pot so that the pot does not sit in excess water. They require moderate humidity levels which can be maintained by misting it once a week with warm water and setting the pot in a pebble-lined saucer filled with water. Make sure the pot is sitting on top of the gravel and not in the water. You may feed your Angelwing with a 20-20-20 fertilizer at half the normal dosage rate once every two weeks, do not fertilize when it is in bloom. Also do not be in a hurry to move your plant into a larger container, they bloom best when their roots are just a bit crowded in the pot. Most begonias are easily propagated from leaf, stem or rhizome cutting which is where my angel came from. Well now you know what I have learned and my success is on the horizon. Red Bluff Garden Club is a member of Cascade District, California Garden Clubs, Inc. and Pacific Region, National Garden Clubs, Inc.
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 03:47:20 +0000
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