Begonia Growing Guide
Begonia is a great next step in your growing journey. Follow this guide from planting to harvest and you'll do great.
At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Flower
Sun Exposure
Partial Shade
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to 5°C
Plant Family
Begoniaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
Also grows well as
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Press tubers hollow-side up into trays of moist mix in late winter/early spring, keep warm and bright, then pot on and plant out after the last frost.
One of the best flowers for SHADE and containers, blooming all summer in rich colours. Tuberous types grow from frost-tender tubers started indoors in late winter (set them hollow/dished side up — that's where the shoots come from) and planted out after frost; they're lifted and stored over winter. Fibrous and rhizomatous types (like the bedding 'wax' begonia and foliage Rex begonias) are grown the same way outdoors but are often kept as houseplants. All dislike frost and soggy soil.
When To Start
First Chance to Plant
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Last Chance to Plant
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When should you plant Begonia?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Begonia Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
The Journey Ahead
Begonia's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
25 cm
Plant Spacing
30 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Begonias are the answer for a shady spot or north-facing pot — give them bright, indirect light or dappled shade (hot direct sun scorches them), rich free-draining soil, and even moisture.
- 2Don't overwater, and keep water off the foliage.
- 3Feed lightly through summer for continuous bloom.
- 4The yearly rhythm for tuberous types is start indoors → plant out after frost → lift before frost.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
35 cm
Mature Height
30 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
When to Pick
Blooms all summer into autumn; thrives where many flowers won't (shade)
How to Harvest
- 1Deadhead spent blooms to keep them coming, and pinch out the small single female flowers if you want bigger showy male ones.
- 2Keep the soil lightly moist but never waterlogged, and avoid wetting the leaves (it invites mildew).
- 3After the first frost in cold climates, lift tuberous types, dry them, and store the tubers cool and frost-free for winter; restart them in late winter.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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