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Show Expert tells about begonias l x - f - X - X if " l1m&$UWM0M:iMMiim . f -f 'V "Ills 1 : .-V" s I - : -x Sxx v xx s xx x X H A x v.;-- 1 , ;- r xxx- tx 4x I 1 V ix " Vx4X "A beautiful bloom can be the reward with a little effort," exclaimed ex-claimed Arch Williams as he met OTth the Pleasant Grove Garden Pub on March 19. 1 Mr. Williams, Payson is well known in Utah County for his prize winning Begonias. He has reeceived :he "Queen of the Show" award for several years at the Utah County Fair. j It was 25 years ago when Mr. Williams started planting Begonias. Continuing through the years he Claims to be a Begoniaholic and has about 60 different plants. Each year he decides his variety is sufficient but when the catalogs tarrive he ends up ordering new Rubers. He has ordered about 15 to experiment with this year. ' Begonias sprout from the tuber. Don't ever attempt to plant until you see a start. Although begonias ;an start by seed, Mr. Williams recommends staying with the tuber. About April 1, starts are planted nn individual peat moss containers. Peat Moss, perlite and vermiculite ?are all mixed in equal proportions to obtain a good porous mixture. ! The mixture is arranged and dampened a day before planting the tuber. Dampen again and place in the container, set near the top of container and cover with a small amount of mixture. ; Don't get discouraged, it may ;take two or three weeks before the start breaks through. Then it will row fast. Plants should be started in the 'house at about 60-70 degrees. Do 'not place in direct sun. Sunlight should be filtered. Begonias like shade and humidity. When transplanting in location, use the very same mixture but add potting soil to go with it. Dampen the soil the day before you plant, as it is planted, but not again until it is dry. i Mr. Williams removes the plant from the peat moss container, planting in the contaienr slows growth. Just rip the container loose, do not disturb the roots. ! The tuber is brittle, do n ot bury deep, just enough to cover the start about one quarter inch. Do not mound dirt. If Begonias are transplanted in pots, use clay, never plastic. Make sure the point of the leaf is out, the direction where you want the bloom. ' begonias like the shade and humidity, they do not like wind. Mr. Williams plants his on the north, morning sun is all right but the afternoon sun burns leaves and Arch Williams, an award winning begonia gardener from Payson, shares his success secrets with the Pleasant Grove Garden Club. blossoms. On very hot days, the plants are sprayed with a fog nozzle. Shoot water up in the air and a mist drops on the Begonias and surrounding cement. Fish emulsion is used as a fertilizer, fer-tilizer, using one tablespoon to a gallon of water. s Fertilizing every week will result in beautiful blooms. Manure should never be used on Begonias. - After frost nips the plants, Mr. Williams puts the plants in a box in the garage. When the stem falls away on its own, wash all soil from the tuber and place in the sun to dry, about three to four days. They must be firm like a potato. Tubers are placed in individual plastic bags with peat moss added.1 The bags are placed in a cardboard box and stored in the basement on a shelf, the fruit room is ideal. Mr. Williams buys most of his Begonias from Antonnalies in Santa Cruz at a cost of $2.50 to $6 a tuber. Other purchases are made through Burpees and Jackson Perkins. Local garden stores sell tubers for 50 cents but you will not get the quality bloom received from mail order outlets. Mr. Williams suggests beginners start with three, four or five tubers. Pick out tubers with short starts. If a tuber does not have a start, put in peat moss, put in a warm dark place. Watch for about two weeks and a start will appear. -The Garden Club welcomed the ; opportunity to question,. Mr,t Williams and ' he' 'complimented a,, club still running after 35 years. ' |