Taking A Begonia Shoot Tip Cutting

Now is a good time to take begonia shoot tip cuttings. The plants are still young and growing quickly, the air temperatures warmer, and there's still enough time for them to grow into nice plants.

This is a plant we started early in the heated propagator. Removing it, once started, and placing in cooler conditions has helped it grow strong and healthy. If we want good-sized flowers, it's best to reduce the number of shoots to two or three.

After removing a shoot tip about 5 cm (2 inches) long, carefully tear off the scales and cut the leaf to a size which will fit within the confines of a 3 to 3.5 inch pot (do not actually remove any leaves). This is important, since we are going to cover the pot with a plastic freezer bag and we don't want any leaf to touch the plastic.

The best time to take the cutting is first thing in the morning, preferably after the plant has been watered the previous night. If you cannot do this, stand the severed cutting in water for a couple of hours or so.

The growing point of the cutting is the smaller bud-like leaf (pink). Many growers cut just below this, but as you know, I prefer to have more leaf area, because I feel this will help it root quicker.

I am therefore cutting one node lower down and leaving the lower leaf on (it would normally be removed). So, to be clear, this cutting is actually one node lower down the stem than it need be and has an extra leaf.

After dipping in hormone rooting powder and knocking off the excess, bury the cut end in multi-purpose compost (you can use added perlite or grit, if you wish) from which drops of water just appear between the fingers when squeezed, but retract into the compost when released - water should not actually run down the fingers.

Push into the compost until the small bud (containing the apical meristem) is almost completely buried (it can also be buried). The base of the stem should be in contact with the compost.

Dribble some water around the stem.



Cover with a freezer bag, into which a 2.5 cm (1 inch) 'V' has been cut, top centre. This is also very important; it helps avoid rotting.

Place in a well lit spot, out of direct sunlight.

If it starts to dry too much, dribble some more water, through the hole, around the stem.

Watch for excess condensation on the bag in the mornings. If large drops appear, open the hole further till there is no more than a mist. Also ensure that it's not too hot (preferably about 18 to 19 degrees C). This will help avoid disease.

The hole can gradually be torn further open after the first week, so that the top if fully open after about 14 days.

It should root in about 21 days, and should have started to grow.