[Eblana]

I just got a pressie of 15 begonia corms/tubers (trailing variety for hanging baskets).  I haven't a clue what to do with them.  There are buds in the middle of the concave side of two of them but other than that no signs of life.  Do they need special treatment to get them started before I plant then? Should I start them off in pots and do they need heat (I have a heated bench but if they don't need it I don't want to waste precious seeds sowing space).  Or Could I put them in the baskets now and hang the baskets in my unheated PT? 

[mumofstig]

I'd start them in small pots for now, they don't really need much heat, just need to be frost free - have you got spare window ledges for them, rather than the heated bench?

Last resort would be cold greenhouse with fleece over at night - but bring them in if a very cold night is forecast.

[Trikidiki]

Plant them so the corm is just proud of the surface, mind you don't fill the 'bowl' of the tuber when watering.

[Eblana]

The heated bench keeps the greenhouse it is in frost free so I will pot them up and pop then on the bench in there I will take the Comfrey that is in there at the moment and move it to the PT to start hardening off and to make room.

[sunshineband]

Once the shoots are a couple of inches long you can pot them up properly.

I keep the corms from year to year, taking off any remaining growth after the first frost and keeping them indoors  in slightly damp old compost until mid March, when I set them out in trays in the way MoS suggests. Some of the corms get really big after a few years.

I hope that is helpful