There are more than 2,000 different species of begonia, with the most popular garden types being fibrous wax begonias and tuberous begonias with showy blooms that last from spring to fall. Come October, any begonias growing outdoors need a bit of attention to prepare for the coldest months ahead.

Whether you grow begonias that are tuberous or fibrous, there are a few action points this month. The former will need to be lifted and stored in frost-free location, while the latter can be relocated indoors. Of course, your hardiness zone does need to be taken into consideration, but generally speaking begonias are hardy across USDA zones 9-11.

That's why it's safer to winterize your begonias to ensure they can be enjoyed once again next year – and the best winterizing tools (like this pop-up frost plant tent from Walmart) will come in handy for this. Here, alongside insights from a gardening expert, we talk through what to do with begonias in October.

1. Lift Tubers for Storage

Tuberous begonias can be identified by gently lifting them and checking for firm tubers that look similar to potatoes. The foliage also tends to be softer than a wax begonia.

'Let them die back on their own. Once the leaves start to yellow, cut the watering down and stop feeding,' describes Mirela Bajic, Senior Garden Designer at House Designer. This will trigger dormancy.

'Then, cut the stems back to a few inches above the tuber, lift them, and let them dry off,' she continues.

You can use sharp pruning tools, like these Fiskars bypass pruning shears from Amazon to cut the stems down. Then, use a hori hori knife (like this from Amazon) or a garden fork to lift the tubers. Take care to dig a few inches away from the base of the begonia to avoid damaging the tubers.

You should give the tubers a gentle squeeze and remove any that are soft and mushy.

As Mirela notes, you then want to dry the tubers before storing. You can do this by laying the tubers in a single layer on a tray in a frost-free, well-ventilated environment for a couple of weeks.

After this, use wooden crates (like this pack from Amazon) or a cardboard box filled with shredded paper or sawdust to store the tubers until spring.

'Store them somewhere cool, dark, and frost-free. A shed or garage works fine, around 40-50°F is ideal. Check the tubers regularly and dispose of any that have gone soft,' Mirela advises.

2. Bring Wax Begonias Indoors

If you have a fibrous wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens), rather than a tuberous begonia, October calls for bringing it indoors.

You can identify this by gently lifting it from its pot and checking its root system – look for a mass of thin stringy roots. The foliage will also give this away, with wax begonias having round, waxy leaves.

Mirela says these plants should be grown as indoor plants for fall and winter.

'I’d bring wax begonias indoors as a houseplant, choosing in a bright, cool windowsill,' she says.

It's best to overwinter your tender begonias indoors because they cannot survive freezing temperatures. Come spring (after late frosts) you can reintroduce it to your garden.

If needed, you can use a plant caddy (like these wooden ones from Wayfair) to move potted begonias in heavy containers with ease.

3. Remove Damaged Foliage

When overwintering begonias indoors, it's worth giving them a bit of a spruce before settling in for fall and winter. Any damaged foliage should be removed, so it doesn't drain the plant's energy or make your begonia susceptible to pest and disease damage.

With tender wax begonias in particular, you should look for any mushy, rotting foliage and remove it. As evergreens, their foliage should remain firm and glossy year-round.

Avoid hard pruning your begonia now, as it's slowing down and won't be actively growing through winter. This could encourage weak new growth. Instead use sharp pruning snips (like these Fiskars micro-tip pruning snips from Lowe's) to make clean cuts and remove any damaged and diseased plant material.

You should also follow the one third pruning rule to prevent sending your begonia into shock.

4. Monitor for Pests

Just like checking for pests when bringing houseplants back indoors, take care to check for pests on your begonias.

Many indoor plant pests retreat into our homes in the colder months, seeking warmth and thriving in oversaturated indoor plant soil, dusty foliage, and more. For overwintering begonias, mealybugs and spider mites are among the most common.

By checking underneath your begonia's leaves and cleaning houseplant leaves regularly, you can discourage pest activity. This will also keep any houseplants safe by reducing the risk of pests spreading.

You can use fall houseplant care rules for your begonia to prevent pests. This includes providing good airflow and avoiding splashing the foliage which may encourage fungal issues as well as pests.

These houseplant dusting gloves from Amazon make it easy to clean houseplant foliage, and you can use diluted neem oil for plants (available from Walmart) to gently wipe the leaves as a precaution against pests – though you should do this sparingly as begonias have sensitive leaves.

5. Reduce Watering

Your overwintering begonias shouldn't be ignored through winter, but you should pull back on watering.

While they aren't actively growing, they don't need lots of water – too much could risk root rot and kill off your begonias before you get the chance to bring them back outdoors next spring.

'Overwatering does more harm than too little, they store water in their waxy stems and leaves,' Mirela says.

You can use a soil moisture meter (which you can find on Amazon) to identify when the top couple of inches dry out, but bear in mind this will be a lot less frequently than in summer.

What to Shop

There are lots of things to tick off on the fall gardening checklist alongside overwintering begonias, but if you're short on time there are a handful of gardening tasks you can delay until spring. This includes cutting back perennials and clearing up fallen leaves – in fact leaving both can support wildlife through winter.

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