Bonfire® Begonia / FAQs

How do I care for my Begonia over winter?
What to do if Begonia Bonfire gets leggy?
What’s the simplest way to fertilize Begonia Bonfire?
What can go wrong with Begonia Bonfire?
How much sun and water does it need?
Can I grow Begonia Bonfire where there is frost?

How do I care for my Begonia over winter?

In zones 7 and above, these will benefit from digging and dividing every three years to remove old tubers and reinvigorate the plant.

In zone 6 or colder, you must dig up the tubers and store them indoors if you want to keep them from year to year.

What to do if Begonia Bonfire gets leggy?

Like most plants, if you pinch the growth tips, this will stimulate extra branches to form, giving you a bushier plant.

What’s the simplest way to fertilize Begonia Bonfire?

In Spring, give it some controlled release fertilizer specially designed to boost flower production – your local garden centre can help you with which one. Expect the brilliant red-orange flowers from Spring through Summer and on into Fall until the cold weather arrives.

What can go wrong with Begonia Bonfire?

Happily, not a great deal if you keep the following in mind. If your begonia is growing in heavy soils that stay wet, or you overwater your plant, there is a chance the stems could begin to rot from fungal diseases. Grow Begonia Bonfire in light crumbly soil, or quality potting mix in a pot, and you won’t have a problem.

After two to three years, if the centre of the plant looks as though it’s suffering die-back, simply divide and replant the younger tubers.

In terms of pests, this plant is generally trouble free though white fly can sometimes cause minor damage.

How much sun and water does it need?

Begonia Bonfire is one of those adaptable plants which is happy both in full sunshine through to part shade. What you may notice is that plants growing in shadier locations have a flatter more spreading growth habit, and the flowers they produce may be smaller. In the wild, this plant grows in a forest, so it prefers to be kept moist but not waterlogged.

Can I grow Begonia Bonfire where there is frost?

This plant can be left growing in the ground in mildly frosty areas though they will die back before re-emerging in spring to grow back to its former glory.