Expert: C.L. Fornari - 9/22/2010

Question
I live in Milton Keynes Bucks & have a Betulia in a large pot. I would like to know how to look after it in the frosty winters. Do I protect it by moving it into the garage etc or can I leave it outside.

Answer
Christopher,
Like most begonias, this plant doesn't live through very cold weather. Once your temperatures are about to go below 50 degrees fahrenheit/10 degrees Celcius at night, it's time to bring the plant in.

The easiest way to overwinter these plants is to put them in an eastern facing window for the winter. Water them when dry, and don't fertilize until after New Years. Most begonias can go pretty dormant (looking rather pathetic...) for the winter. Some people even let theirs die back and keep them in a cool garage, bringing them out in March or April and starting to water again. This method is usually successful, but not as reliable as keeping the plant indoors; there is a chance if you let it go completely dormant that it won't come back.

In the spring you can cut off the ragged leaves etc, fertilize and put it back outside. After two years give it some new potting soil/compost either in the same pot or a fresh one.

I hope this helps,
C.L.