[Flowers and ornamentals](https://dunger.ua/en/blog/categories/flowers-and-ornamentals) # Tuberous begonia after flowering: how to save the tuber Published 2026-11-09 Updated 2026-11-09 To read 7 min Recognize dormancy, dry the tuber and store it in a cool, frost-free place. After a tuberous begonia finishes flowering, let the leaves yellow gradually. Stop feeding and water less as growth slows. If a hard frost is forecast, move the pot to shelter or lift the tuber before the ground freezes. Store the dried tuber in a dark, frost-free place and check it from time to time. This method is for tuberous begonias. Check the plant type first if the label is missing. ## Make sure you have a tuberous begonia The label may say tuberous begonia or Begonia × tuberhybrida. If the plant grew from a tuber you bought, you already know what to save. Large double flowers or trailing stems can give a clue, but they cannot confirm the type on their own. Several kinds of begonia, for example, can be grown in hanging baskets. Wax begonias, also called semperflorens begonias, have fibrous roots. Cane and rhizomatous types have different structures too. Avoid drying an unidentified begonia just because its flowers have faded. Look for the name on the pot or in the order. Use the [care guide for different types of begonias](https://dunger.ua/en/blog/begonia-care-guide) to compare their features and winter needs. If some stems are still green and there is no immediate risk of frost, leave the root ball intact while you check. ## From flowering to dormancy ### While the leaves are still green The last faded flower does not mean the plant has stopped growing. Compare several stems. If the leaves are green and firm, check the soil before you water. When growth clearly slows, gradually reduce watering and stop feeding. Leave the green leaves in place. Let the plant enter dormancy gradually while the weather allows. Frost can reach different parts of the same Ukrainian garden at different times. A balcony pot may cool faster than the ground in a sheltered bed. In a low part of an open garden, cold air can linger even when the ground near the house is warmer. Check your local forecast before waiting for all the leaves to turn yellow. A pot is easier to move without disturbing the roots. For a bed, choose a time when you can lift the tuber while the soil is unfrozen. ### When leaves yellow or are touched by frost Gradually slowing growth and yellowing leaves at the end of the season are consistent with dormancy. If the plant suddenly wilts in a wet pot, check drainage and look at the base of the stems. Sudden wilting in saturated soil needs a separate inspection. If a light frost has already damaged the tips, move the pot to shelter or lift the tuber as soon as you can do so safely. Do not wait for a harder frost to blacken every leaf. ## Lift the tuber and let it dry - **Prepare a space.** Find a dry surface under cover, out of direct sunlight. Have a label ready with the cultivar or flower colour. - **Loosen the soil around the plant.** Start away from the stem to avoid piercing the tuber. Support the root ball as you lift it from below, without pulling on the stems. Slide the root ball gently out of a container. - **Leave short pieces of stem during drying.** Avoid pulling a moist stem out of the hollow. When the pieces dry and loosen, remove them and let any loose soil fall away. - **Check the tuber before packing.** Set damaged tubers aside. Keep any with wet soft spots, obvious rot or an unpleasant smell away from healthy ones. Avoid washing tubers before storage. If soil clings to them, let it dry and take off what comes away easily. Rubbing hard can damage the surface. Lay the tubers apart where air can move around them and you can inspect each one. How long drying takes depends on the moisture in the soil and the room. Look for a dry surface and pieces of stem that detach easily. ### Handle pots and beds separately If bed soil is sticky after rain, set up the drying area before lifting the tubers. Loosen the outside of the root ball. Leave the soil that grips the tuber firmly until it dries. A pot under cover may be much drier. Tip the container and support the root ball with your hand as it comes out. If several begonias grew together, label each one before removing the stems. The cleaned tubers give little clue to the colour of the flowers. ### Make space for tubers you are unsure about Set a firm tuber scratched during lifting apart while it dries. Check whether the damaged patch dries or turns soft and wet before deciding to keep it. Remove anything that shows rot. Keeping tubers in separate rows lets you check them without shifting the entire box. Put the box somewhere you can reach easily. ## Store tubers until growth can resume Choose a cool, dark, frost-free place at roughly 5 to 10 °C. Set a thermometer where the box will stand. The temperature on an enclosed balcony can drop sharply at night, and a heated room near a radiator can dry tubers out. If you are considering a storage room, check it at night and after a weather change. Keep the box where condensation will not make it wet. Use a ventilated box with dry packing material such as vermiculite or peat. Separate the tubers so they are not touching. Label them and avoid sealing a damp box. If you find condensation or the packing material gets wet, open the box, inspect every tuber, let healthy ones dry and replace the damp material. ### What to check over winter - **Temperature.** Check the reading next to the box after a cold snap or thaw. - **Firmness.** A firm dry tuber and a wet soft spot need different decisions. Remove rotting tubers from the box. - **Labels.** Replace a fading label while you can still tell the cultivars apart. - **Sprouts.** If shoots appear, check whether the storage spot is too warm. Avoid breaking them off to delay planting. If you move the box during a cold snap, check the new location after the first night. A floor beside an outside wall can be colder than a shelf. After a thaw, see whether the packing has become damp. If a tuber has wrinkled slightly but is still firm, check whether the spot is too warm and dry. Avoid soaking it to replace moisture before putting it back. If a tuber sprouts well before you can take it outdoors, check the storage temperature again. For starting growth indoors, prepare a pot where there will be enough light and room until the weather warms. A sprout does not make the plant ready for cold weather outside. Keep the storage box away from pots you have begun watering. ## What to do in spring after storage Before planting, check that the tuber is still firm and find its upper side with the hollow. Set it hollow side up in a loose growing medium. Keep the medium moderately moist and avoid letting water collect in the hollow. When stems appear, provide light without moving the plant abruptly into full sun. Move it outdoors permanently once the local frost risk has passed. Acclimatize it gradually first. Compare [growing mixes for flower beds and pots](https://dunger.ua/en/blog/soil-for-flower-beds-and-pots) when you prepare the next growing place. Once the plant has established, check drainage and plan its [outdoor begonia care](https://dunger.ua/en/blog/outdoor-bedding-begonia-care). Consider adding nutrients only while the plant is growing and the site conditions are suitable. Stored tubers do not need feeding. ## Feeding the flower bed after growth resumes  ### [Complex fertilizer universal granular](https://dunger.ua/en/mineral-fertilizers/small-packaging/for-garden-crops/dobrivo-kompleksne-universalne) Once begonia is established and growing outdoors, compare the bed's needs with the formulation. Use this ornamental group row for a flower bed. It is separate from tuber storage and does not give a container rate. Floral and decorative crops 30-40 gr/m² The product page lists 3, 4 and 5 kg packs. Measure only the part of the flower bed that needs this formulation. Check the full application directions before ordering. [Add your flower bed in My Garden](https://dunger.ua/en/my-garden) ## Frequently asked questions ### Let living leaves yellow gradually if frost is not a threat. Reduce watering as growth slows and prepare a safe storage place in advance. Lift the tuber before the ground freezes. ### ### ## Rate this article No ratings yet. Be the first! 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