Repotting guide

When & how to repot Begonia 'Corbeille de Feu' (Begonia 'Corbeille de Feu')

Also called basket of fire begonia, Corbeille de Feu.

More about begonia 'corbeille de feu'

About Begonia 'Corbeille de Feu'

Begonia 'Corbeille de Feu' · also called basket of fire begonia, Corbeille de Feu · flowering

Begonia 'Corbeille de Feu', meaning 'basket of fire', is a trailing tuberous begonia smothered in masses of small coral-to-fiery-red pendent flowers all summer. Its cascading stems make it a star of hanging baskets and window boxes. Grown from a winter-dormant tuber, it needs bright-indirect light, even moisture, warmth, and frost-free overwintering to flower year after year.

Mature size: Stems trail 30-50 cm, forming a basket spread of about 40-60 cm in a single season.

Watch for — Brittle stem breakage: The succulent stems snap easily in wind or handling. Site baskets in a sheltered spot and handle gently; broken tips can sometimes be rooted as cuttings.

How to tell begonia 'corbeille de feu' needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For begonia 'corbeille de feu', watch for these signs:

Flowering has tailed off year on year and the clump has become congested and overcrowded.
Lots of leaf and few flowers — a classic sign that begonia 'corbeille de feu' bulbs or tubers need lifting and dividing.
Bulbs visibly bursting the pot or pushing each other to the surface.
It is the natural dormancy window (foliage yellowed and died back) — the only safe time to lift and split.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot begonia 'corbeille de feu'

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest. Rather than a true repot, begonia 'corbeille de feu' is lifted and divided once the clump congests and flowering drops off. Trailing tuberous begonia; soft, brittle stems cascade from a winter-dormant tuber, carrying near-continuous pendent flower clusters through summer..

What size pot to step begonia 'corbeille de feu' up to

Pot size matters less than depth and spacing here. When you replant begonia 'corbeille de feu', set the bulbs or tubers at the correct depth (a rough guide: two to three times their own height of soil over the top) and space them so they are not touching. A wide, shallow pot suits a clump better than a tall narrow one.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot begonia 'corbeille de feu'

The only safe window is dormancy: wait until the foliage has yellowed and died back naturally, lift and divide then, and replant before or at the start of the next growing season. Disturbing begonia 'corbeille de feu' in full growth or flower sets it back badly.

Step-by-step: repotting begonia 'corbeille de feu'

Wait for dormancy. Let begonia 'corbeille de feu' foliage yellow and die back completely. Lifting while it is in growth wastes the energy it is storing for next year.
Lift carefully. Loosen the soil well away from the bulbs/tubers with a fork and ease the whole clump out without spearing them.
Separate the offsets. Gently pull the clump apart into individual bulbs or tubers. Keep only firm, healthy, blemish-free ones.
Replant at the right depth. Reset them in fresh rich, free-draining basket or potting mix at the correct depth and spacing — not touching — so each has room to bulk up.
Water in and rest. Water once to settle them, then keep on the dry side until growth resumes. Do not feed until leaves are actively growing.

Aftercare

After replanting begonia 'corbeille de feu', keep the soil barely moist — not wet — until shoots appear; bulbs and tubers rot in cold, saturated soil. Once leaves are growing strongly, resume normal watering. Hold off feeding until the plant is in active growth again.

The right soil mix for begonia 'corbeille de feu'

Begonia 'Corbeille de Feu' wants rich, free-draining basket or potting mix. A humus-rich peat-free compost lightened with perlite holds summer moisture while draining freely. Tuberous begonias rot if the tuber sits wet, so good drainage is essential; a quality multipurpose basket mix gives the fertility for heavy bloom. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting begonia 'corbeille de feu' — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot begonia 'corbeille de feu'?

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest for begonia 'corbeille de feu'. Begonia 'Corbeille de Feu' is lifted and divided, not "repotted". Every 3–4 years, once the foliage has died back and it is dormant, lift the clump, separate the offsets, and replant at the correct depth in rich, free-draining basket or potting mix. Crowding, not pot size, is what reduces flowering over time.

What size pot does begonia 'corbeille de feu' need?

When is the best time of year to repot begonia 'corbeille de feu'?

Do you "repot" begonia 'corbeille de feu', or lift and divide it?

You lift and divide it. Begonia 'Corbeille de Feu' grows from bulbs or tubers, so instead of repotting you wait for dormancy, lift the congested clump, separate the healthy offsets, and replant them at the right depth and spacing. Doing this every 3–4 years restores flowering.

Should you fertilise begonia 'corbeille de feu' after repotting?

Hold off feeding begonia 'corbeille de feu' until it is in active growth again. Fresh soil already carries enough nutrients to get it re-established, and feeding disturbed roots too soon does more harm than good.