September 13, 2019 The secret to beautiful begonias, Caspar Wistar, Roald Dahl, Beverley Nichols, English Cottage Gardening by Margaret Hensel, Dividing Bearded Irises, and for the Love of Toads
Subscribe
Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart
Support The Daily Gardener
Connect for FREE!
The Friday Newsletter | Daily Gardener Community
Monologue
What's the secret to beautiful begonias?
I asked this to a friend recently who has gorgeous begonias every single year.
Her answer was simple: fish emulsion.
This means you should feed your begonias with fertilizer.
Since we love begonias' flowers and they flower their hearts out, begonias are heavy feeders. Fish emulsion (5-1-1) is a low-intensity, all-purpose fertilizer that promotes large, healthy, beautiful begonias. Just feed every 3-4 weeks and follow the label directions.
And remember, most begonias do best with plenty of filtered light but little or no direct hot sun. So don't fry them.
At the same time, water and begonias don't play nice together in the sense that begonias can rot pretty quickly. They need soil that drains quickly. They need to be in pots - like terra cotta- that breathe.
Add perlite or leaf mold to your soil mix to create a very coarse, quick-draining potting mix that adds more air pockets to the soil. Then, don't forget that those air pockets mean you need to water more frequently - especially during warm weather. One thing you can also do is mist begonias. They like humidity, but too much can invite fungus or powdery mildew, so keep an eye on them.
Botanical History On This Day
1761 Caspar Wistar the Younger, American anatomist and celebrated host of Philadelphia’s most illustrious intellectual salons, was born on this day. He was later immortalized (misspelling and all) in the beloved genus Wisteria.
1916 Roald Dahl, British author and devoted gardener, was born—now celebrated worldwide as Roald Dahl Day, in honor of a man who wrote among roses, snowdrops, and the quiet magic of his garden shed.
Unearthed Words
All week long, The Daily Gardener has honored the lyrical gardener-author Beverley Nichols. Today’s selections come from his beloved book Forty Favourite Flowers, where beauty bows, petals glow by moonlight, and gardens offer refuge from the tyranny of speed.
Grow That Garden Library™
Read The Daily Gardener review of English Cottage Gardening by Margaret Hensel
Buy the book on Amazon: English Cottage Gardening by Margaret Hensel
Today's Garden Chore
September is still a fine time to divide bearded irises. Lift, trim, discard the unworthy bits, and replant those rhizomes high and proud—never buried deep, no matter how persuasive the soil may seem.
Today's Botanic Spark
1843 On this day, the New England Farmer offered a gentle reminder from the past: toads, humble and solitary, are among the garden’s greatest allies. Never destroy the toad—for he asks little, and gives much.
Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener
And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.
Featured Book
