Terrarium anyone? I don't know how big a pot you have it in but if it is small I would probably go with a terrarium. I have Peridot (probably the smallest leaf begonia) in two 6oz drinking cups (one inverted for the lid) and the two halves wrapped with plastic wrap. An occasional drizzle keeps it going and going and..

The wrap is a bit ugly but I don't want to take a chance of the lid falling off. One day I may have to put this in a better container but this has been working for the last two years very nicely..

Humidity makes a big difference. These are some of the plants I got back in January from The Violet Barn. They've increased size two fold since then. I use two large lettuce/kale/spinach containers - one for the lid under lights.

lid off

other side - about time for a larger container.

I think I will do the same. I have 2 clear cups to use like you did. Makes a perfect terarrium! But do they always have to grow completely covered? What about just a nice, loose soil/perlite mix and a wick? With no cover? Rosie

You could always give it a try, Rosie. If the plant was used to growing in. Dry high humidity, just remember that slowly acclimating it to lower humidity will be crucial.

Paul, I think I am going to keep it in the 2 plastic cups setup. It was sold to me like that and I don't want to rock the boat.

Hc, here is what I did with my little Begonia "Smidgens". Like you, I used the two plastic cups but the bottom cup was a larger size than the top. That means the top plastic cup fit down into the bottom cup. I dont have to worry about it falling over because it is balanced down into the bottom cup! No plastic wrap,,,no nothing. Rosie

what a great idea Rosie, using two different sized cups!

It does work rather well for me! Rosie

You can also try it the other way - a bigger cup for the lid to give them more room to grow...

even a lid that just gives a bit of humidity helps

Those were all back in 2008 and probably all gone by now.

Here is my point about anything to help humidity helps. This is March 28 this year.

The young plants I started back months ago are pushing the lid off this container.

Lid off

I don't even put the lid on anymore and here is the last shot of it on 4/10.

Oh, you grow the way I do! Yep the large on top small on bottom is another great idea. For now, Begonia Smidgens isn't that big yet. And when I was grooming her today, a little piece fell off and I (of course! ) put it in a 5.5oz condiment cup, 1/2inch of soil, and snapped on the lid. Her own mini terarrium to root and grow in! She can stay in there until she pushes the lid off or uses up all the soil!!! Your plants are lovely ha mcdole! I love that begonia in the last picture! Your plants are lookin' good !!!!! Rosie

you have beautiful begonias and lots of good ideas with the new starts! Thanks!

Do you start all of your begonias from a single leaf? I was trying to see but I couldn't tell.

I actually had very good luck starting my Gryphon Begonia from single leaves. I amazed myself that I could do it!!!! I also took stem cuts because it got sooo large and out of hand. Then I gave the starts away. I love that begonia! It kind of took a beating over this past winter due to inattention (had my knee replaced and a few complications), so I pulled it out of the pot, gave it fresh soil and I do think it will recover but it sure is taking a long time.

Must say though you have a nice variety of begonias! Do you have the "lettuce leaf" begonia? That one is beautiful! Had one years ago and I am looking for it again. Rosie

I do start a lot by leaf cuttings but also will do stem cuttings. Canes can only be done by stem cuttings (not necessarily true for all cane like begonias though since some Asian species cane like can be started by leaf too).

That sounds great on your Gryphon (for some reason this one gives me mediocre results but I am trying different things on it this year).

Ouch on the knee replacement - my sister had both of hers done (one at a time though). I wince even thinking about it.

Had the lettuce leaf years ago but lost it eventually. Would love to try again. It is 'Bunchii' if you go looking for it. Very succulent so I probably killed it by over-watering.

Try the Jiffy pellet method - most start very easily in a pellet. The mesh is a double edge sword - keeps the peat inside but never ever disintegrates (at least the roots grow through it).

Bashful Bandit in pellets

I pulled the mesh apart on this pellet so the new growth could come out.

Ahhhhh, never thought of the peat pellet pots! I don't like the fact that they don't disappear. Many times a plant died and when I emptied the pot I found those darn things and the poor little roots didn't branch the way they should have.

Thanks for the name of "lettuce leaf begonia" ! I have to say that Gryphon was amazing. I could take leaf cuts, stem cuts and unpot it and pull it apart. It grew at a phenomenal rate. I did summer it outdoors on my deck and I didn't let it get "leggy". If it did,,,,out came the trimmers. For winter, all I asked it to do was barely survive in my very cool laundry room. She did very well. Until this past winter. But I hope she makes it. Rosie

i thought the same thing on the pellets myself when I discovered it many years ago used on a tuberous begonia. But as time passed by, I noticed more and more growers use them, so why not me? Works very good. I wished the mesh would rot away after a few months, but alas it does not.

I've seen big Gryphon plants at the nurseries and one of our members had a good sized one. So something I was doing wrong - probably over-watering or maybe it is a heavy feeder? Anyway it seems to be a mainstream plant nowadays. In the past there were similar looking begonias that were quite finicky (to me at least). One was Nancy Cummings and I don't remember the other name. I think Australia has a similar one too - Aussie Star.

The first time I saw a Gryphon was about 4 years ago at our local nursery. They are only in business from spring thru Halloween, but in the spring sometimes they have very unusual plants. I bought a 4x4 pot, plopped it in a 12inch hanging basket pot and away it went. Man that thing grew. If it needed fertilizer it never said so. lol I had it on my deck in a shady but bright spot and it just GREW. As I said , I took cuts and leaves etc and propagated that like crazy. It just got bushier the more I cut it. When I brought the plants in for winter I cut back on watering because it was in a very cool laundry room, but it was in front of an unobstructed north window. Very bright light. And it did well and even bloomed! This went on for four years. When I couldn't get around well because of the knee etc, all my plants suffered. Some permanently. But, that is the way it goes sometimes. As I said mine is 3 stems, back in the 4x4 size pot with fresh soil. It hasn't died and the stems look pretty good so I will try to be hopeful. I don't see signs of new sprouting just yet.

Oh and another thing, once I planted it in the 12 inch hanging basket pot I never transplanted it again. Never changed the soil. Only time it got fresh soil is when the actual soil level was being depleted and then I just threw more on top to bring up the level. That's it.

I would like to get a couple other types of begonias this spring. I hope our greenhouse has some different ones!

I just love "Smidgens". Sooooo tiny. I love small! Rosie

It sounds like you have the knack for growing Gryphon. Post some photos when you get the chance!

I saw this Gryphon at a nursery in Chattanooga a couple of years ago. Think it was $35 which was too much for my cheap ways. It was probably 2.5 to 3 feet tall.

Then our youngest member's Gryphon in mid November 2015. A bit lopsided but he did a good job on growing this and many other canes I gave him some starts of.

I have never attempted to grow this from leaf since stem cuttings are very easy. Now I just need to coax it to some big sizes this summer. It sounds like you had excellent drainage or location to grow yours?

These are the sizes I normally buy at the same nursery in Chattanooga. About $6 for four inch pot.

tuberous sizes aren't too bad on the wallet either

I did find a photo with the price of those rexes above after all.

For some reason I have better luck at growing Escargot as an annual since I have such difficulty getting these through the winter in the basement. Putting 3 of them together makes a big impact. This was Sep 11, 2015

But they pale in comparison to the big Hosta 'Climax' mid-July

I wish we had as wide a variety as you seem to have. Escargot does look like a snail!

I am not much for online shopping, I can either afford the price of the plant or the shipping but not both together so it is rare for me to do it.

I love the contrast of Escargot and the beautiful hosta! Rosie

PS. I "followed" you so I can message you privately

I try to buy more than one plant if I do online shopping to keep the shipping costs spread among many plants. Taylor Greenhouses used to have a nice bonus if you bought 10 plants or more than X dollars to give you free shipping. Amazon sure has gotten a lot of business from us due to the free shipping on most things (prime member).

Call me ignorant, but I didn't know Amazon had plants! Can you tell I don't do much online? lol Yeah it would make sense to buy more than one if that would change shipping. Rosie

I haven't bought any plants from Amazon but wouldn't be surprised if they sold them (as a middle man).

I got ripped off on an order from eBay (seeds no less). The seller charged $3.30 per packet of seeds for shipping and I bought 3 different types of seed. Think the seeds were cheaper than the shipping. Guess I won't be buying from that vendor in the future.

Yeah, I found you really have to watch no matter where. Is it possible for you to message me privately? Thanks Rosie

I grow 'Pegasus'. Isn't it the exact same plant as Gryphon?

Kyle, I think they are one and the same. Depends on the marketing company.

http://catalog.millcreekplants.com/begonia-pegasus-gryphon

Not that the link is definite proof but you can do some searches to find out more.

Thought you might know for sure, hc. I think of you as the go-to guy for all things begonia.