If you live in zones 7 and lower here is how to keep your begonias alive during winter.
Here are some general rules for overwintering plants.
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Tuberous Begonias
Tuberous begonias are sensitive to hard frost and don’t tolerate temperatures below 45F.
Freezing kills the entire plant so you should probably dig, cure, and store the tubers overwinter.
The first light frost causes leaves to die back.
Bring themindoorsif overnight temperatures drop to 32F.
When tubers are dry, stems fall off or are easily removed.
Shake off excess soil and discard any damaged tubers.
Treating with anti-fungal powder is an option.
Keep the container in a coolnot colddark, dry location until outdoor temperatures remain above 50F.
Wax Begonias
Wax begonia cultivars are slightly more tolerant of frost but won’t survive freezing.
The exception isRex varietieswhich should be reacclimated to indoor climates before temperatures drop below 50F.
Remove spent flowers and foliage and trim back leggy growth.
Place pots in a location that receives bright indirect light.
If your potting mix includes fertilizer, do not feed the plants.
Continue to deadhead spent flowers and foliage.
Place them in a cool, dark location until outdoor temperatures stay above 50F.
If foliage starts to turn brown and dry, it’s time to winterize plants.
If plants remain green as temperatures begin to fall, here are general rules to go by.
Before temperatures drop below 45F, dig tuberous begonias, dry, and store the tubers.
When temperatures approach freezing, dig up and prune wax begonia plants.
Transplant them into pots or bring potted plants indoors.
How to Care For Begonias in Winter
Stored tubers need to be kept dry throughout winter.
Check them occasionally to remove and discard any with insect damage or rot.
attempt to keep temperatures consistent between 60F and 73F and a little cooler at night.
Continue to water when the top inch of soil gets dry.
Mist plants if indoor air is particularly dry orplace a small humidifier nearby.
Fertilize no more than once a month and only if leaves start to yellow.
Dig small holes about 1 inch deep and cover tubers lightly.
If growing in containers use a well-draining, quality potting mix.
Place them 1-inch deep in a shallow, soil-filled container.
Water lightly to keep the soil moist until new sprouts appear.
Slowly reacclimate potted begonias overwintered indoors to outside weather conditions.
After several weeks, it’s safe to move pots to their permanent summer locations.
Container-grown wax begonias can be treated as houseplants or moved into an unheated garage where temperatures remain above 32F.
Prune begonias in autumn prior to overwintering.
Cut main stems back to 3 to 4 inches tall with two or three sets of leaves.
Wax begonias treated as houseplants can be trimmed back as needed to curtail leggy growth.
Lifespan of a Cultivar.The American Begonia Society
