Expert: C.L. Fornari - 9/17/2006

Question
Early this summer I bought a potted plant for my patio called a Betunia which I suspect is a mixture of a petunia and a begonia.  It had beautiful red flowers all summer which have now died back completely.  Do you know whether I should cut this back and whether it will grow again next year.  I live in York and as you can probably tell, I am completely new to gardening.

Answer
Lynn,
Well, you have me stumped on this one.  I have never heard of a Betunia, nor a cross of a petunia and a begonia.  My guess is that it is a begonia, with a strange name.  Did the flowers or growth in any way resemble a petunia?  

In any case, you could do the following: water it well and bring it indoors - put it in a cool place with light, but no direct sun.  Water it when the soil looks like it's gone completely dry, but let it dry out between waterings.  In February or March, put the pot in a brighter place (sunny window) and begin to water regularly.  If the plant has gone dorment, as begonias do, it will spring to life.  If the plant has died, as petunias do, it won't come back.

No matter what it is, it's worth a shot at keeping it this way.  (and being a new gardener let me tell you this: we ALL kill plants, or have them die...lots of them, all the time. The fun comes when something lives against all odds, and in trying something new every year. Enjoy!)
C.L.