Product Description

Mike Stevens presents a complete and readable guide to one of the most popular flowering plant choices: begonias. The Begoniaceae has as many as 1,000 known and identified species plus countless hundreds of hybrids. This informative and practical guide for gardeners focuses on the popular tuberous begonias, and also includes:

• history and key discoveries
• culture of non-tuberous begonias
• large-flowered tuberhybrida in containers year-round
• basket begonias
• fertilizers, soils, watering and propagation
• creating your own hybrids
• remedies for pests, diseases and disorders
• 95 beautiful full color photographs

With dozens of the author's recommended species and hybrids plus nursery sources and a bibliography, Begonias is a solid reference work.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1961924 in Books
• Published on: 2002-03-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 96 pages

Review
Clearly written with lots of photographs ... A must for the serious grower. (David Hobson Kitchener-Waterloo Record 200203)

About the Author

Mike Stevens has a specialist's knowledge of begonias and is known worldwide as a knowledgeable and generous source of expert advice. His photographs are a pictorial record of his "beauties," many of which appear in this book in luminous full color.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

It was love at first sight when I first saw Large-flowered tuberous begonias growing at a specialist begonia nursery. The vibrant range of colors and the luminosity of the mass display held me spellbound. I was also taken by the fact that begonias, unlike many other plants, have a very long flowering season of up to four months or longer.

My first attempts to grow these begonias proved to be disastrous, and I was unable to source much information to assist me. It was then I discovered and joined a local group of begonia enthusiasts and began to learn the tricks of the trade. I gradually absorbed information from this group and from my mentor, Ken Mackey, who was then president of the group. I learned there were many other types of begonias, equally wonderful in their own way.

By listening to other growers with the "Begonia Disease", it was obvious that, like myself, they were disadvantaged by a lack of a good local source of current information, particularly in relation to tuberous begonias. It was at this point that the magazine Begonia News was launched under my editorship. This bimonthly magazine featured letters and articles by both experienced and novice growers, and now has an international readership. The next step was to set up a web site, linked to those of similar enthusiasts in many other countries, to foster interest in begonias and supply the much-needed information.

My aim in this book has been to keep things simple, practical, and informative. Although some mention is made of all groups of begonias, tuberous begonias are the main focus. In some countries, these plants are frequently grown for exhibition and competition, requiring special techniques, such as limiting a plant to one bloom. However, as this is not the case everywhere, I describe the general culture that applies to the average home gardener.

To ensure the information in this book covers a range of conditions, I have consulted with experienced growers across both the United States and Canada. These people, a number of whom have been contributors to Begonia News, grow begonias in very cold zones to areas of considerable heat. In particular, I would like to acknowledge the contribution of Lyn Aegard of the Master Gardeners of Thunder Bay, and Avery Wagg, the webmaster of the Canadian Begonia Society web page for so generously sharing their knowledge of cold-climate culture.

Beware the Begonia Disease. It can be addictive, and my wife describes it as terminal. Once hooked, there is no cure, so, fellow "Begoniacs", enjoy your plants!

Customer Reviews

Very good, but not what I wanted.
This is a very good, concise book covering history, cultivation, propagation and even hybridizing methods of tuberous begonias. When I purchased this book, I didn't know the difference between tuberous and non-tuberous begonias so I was a bit disappointed to discover that begonias of my primary interest, the non-tuberous type, are barely covered. This review is mostly a warning to those who might not know the difference. The focus of the book is tuberous begonias which are primarily grown for their flowers (and are well-represented by the excellent photos). The author includes a brief chapter covering the various types of non-tuberous begonias (which interest me because of their foliage) and short propagation notes. Non-tuberous begonias include varieties which are cane-like (including the "Angel Wing" varieties), thick-stemmed, rhizomatous, trailing-scandents, Rex and semperflorens (wax leaf - common bedding begonia). If you are interested in these types, you should keep searching for another book.

Begonias
Beautiful book for tuberous begonia growers. Unfortunately, I did not realize that it was focused on mainly tuberous begonias when I ordered it, I would have preferred to have had more information about angel wing and other types of begonias.

How to handle and successfully grow a variety of begonias
North American gardeners who want to learn about begonias now receive all the information in Begonias, a book devoted to this one plant alone. From its history and key discoveries to its culture and propagation, Begonias packs in details on how to handle and successfully grow a variety of begonias.