[Goosegirl]

I dug up all my begonias after our first frost made them go flop-bot and they're now in the greenhouse drying out on wire shelves. I want to get as much soil off them so I can see if they produced any tubers. Do I cut the stems off now or is it safe to just leave them as they are? If I scuffle the dry soil off will I damage any potential tuber and how do I know there is one underneath?

[mrs bouquet]

I just gently tease off the soil with my fingers (no gloves).   I also use a 2 inch paint brush to clean when the worst of the soil has gone.     It really won't matter if you leave the soil on though.  Because next spring when you are ready to plant, as you clean them, any new tubers can be planted straight up.  Good Luck.   Mrs Bouquet

[mumofstig]

Being a lazy gardener, I just dig them out soil as well and put them in a pot n the greenhouse. When they look fully dry, I top the pot up with new compost. Then in the spring I just start watering to bring them back to life.
I've only ever had 1 that rotted away, rather than dried out .

[Debz]

I break the stem off and take as much of the compost off as possible then I bring them in to the kitchen to let them dry a bit and i keep taking the drying compost and root off over a week or so until I get to a bare corm.
We have quite an issue with weevil grubs and I've no desire to bring out my corms in February to find they're full of fat bugs and the corms beyond saving.

[Goosegirl]

Thanks all. They're out of the greenhouse and in the shed where I'll get any top growth and soil off, dry them out on racks then bring them inside over winter.