Evgeny Sedov
When hands grow from the right place, life is more fun :)
Content
It's perennial root plant belongs to the Mirsinov family and is common in Iran and African countries. The flower has other names - alpine violet or dryakva. When buying, many do not know how to care for cyclamen at home, and caring for it has some features. Alpine violet loves good lighting and humid air. This beautiful indoor flower with red flowers is showing up more and more often in greenhouses as it blooms in winter, creating a pleasant and joyful atmosphere with its bright petals.
Cyclamen Care
Many beginning flower growers have a question - how to care for cyclamen flowers at home? There is an opinion that this plant is finicky and demanding, and it is very difficult to take care of it - in an apartment, a mountain plant does not bloom well, it gets sick incurable diseases. In fact, the opposite is true - cyclamen at home is unpretentious, and the problems associated with it often occur due to flower growers' ignorance of how to water, grow, propagate and protect a flower from pests.
Alpine violet has more than 20 species, but in room culture the most popular are two of them: Persian and European cyclamen. The life of the plant is in the tubers, because everything is there. nutrients, which help dryakva survive in the dormant period. The growth and flowering of cyclamen falls at the time from October to March, and the rest of the time it rests. Therefore, it is very important to know the nuances of proper care for alpine violets: how often to water, where it is better to put, what temperature is needed.
During flowering
During this period, the plant needs a room with bright lighting and moderate watering. The flower prefers coolness (12 - 15 degrees Celsius), so florists do not recommend placing cyclamen in a pot close to batteries or lamps. Alpine violet loves bright, diffused lighting, but not sunny - burns may appear on the leaves, and they will begin to turn yellow. clean air and optimal humidity(50%) will help the plant to keep flowering and healthy look and avoid disease.
Watering cyclamen should be moderate and regular, with water at room temperature. When carrying out this procedure, it is advisable not to spray the leaves and tubers, since excessive moisture leads to rotting of the plant. The best option- Gently pour water into the rim of the pot. Cyclamen European or Persian during flowering must be fertilized every two to three weeks. Top dressing should not contain a lot of nitrogen, as this leads to the growth of leaves, not buds and flowers.
After flowering
Behind the cycle active growth and blooming (3-4 months) followed by a dormant period. At this stage, cyclamen "sheds" the flowers and leaves, which begin to turn yellow, and die off after the next two months. Throughout this period, it is necessary to gradually reduce the watering of the plant to a minimum - excessive moisture leads to rotting of the tuber. During the dormant period, the alpine violet is moved to a cool place with low light.
How to transplant cyclamen
Toward the end of summer, it is advisable to transplant alpine violet into fresh soil. This procedure has its own characteristics. Before transplanting cyclamen, it is necessary to prepare the soil, which contains: two parts of peat, leaf and sod land, one part of sand. It is necessary to transplant into a flowerpot carefully so that the roots are not damaged. It is desirable to treat the earth with a solution of potassium permanganate and steam it, since this houseplant is easily affected by various pests. The tuber is not completely buried - the roots are at the bottom of the cyclamen - they need a place to grow.
Reproduction of cyclamen
It is really possible to carry out this procedure on your own at home, but in order for it to work correctly, you should know how cyclamen reproduces. There are two ways - by seeds or vegetatively (tuber division). Alpine violet is very sensitive to all sorts of interference, so both breeding processes should be carried out carefully. Florists advise beginner gardeners to buy cyclamen mini mix and experiment. This set includes plants with two or three tubers, which will allow several propagation operations.
tubers
The vegetative method of division is traumatic for the plant, therefore, in room conditions rarely used. The root crop of cyclamen does not give shoots - you have to cut the mother tuber, which threatens to rot the entire flower. For this procedure, old plants are taken, which are several years old. In order for the division process to be successful, it is necessary to carry out a number of operations:
- Wait until the leaves of the plant have completely died.
- Carefully remove the tuber from the pot and free from the soil.
- Propagate the tuber with a clean knife from top to bottom so that each part has roots.
- Treat with fungicides (antifungal chemical substances) and let dry.
- Plant in different pots.
Growing cyclamen from seeds
How to grow this plant from seeds? Very simple. This method of reproduction alpine violet more common and not as complex as vegetative. To obtain cyclamen seeds at home, it is necessary to artificially pollinate the plant. To do this, you need a soft brush, which gently applies pollen from one flower to another. After some time, seeds are born. Their cyclamen hides in a small box under the leaves closer to the ground. It is desirable to get the fruits before the moment when they fall into the ground - ripening occurs before the start of flowering of the alpine violet.
It is best to sow cyclamen seeds when spring comes, after soaking them with a preparation that accelerates the growth of flowers (for example, Epin). Place the fruits in sterile fresh soil to prevent rot. The first shoots will appear 30-40 days after sowing, under conditions suitable for germination and flowering: temperature 18-20 degrees above zero, dark space and moist soil.
Diseases of cyclamen
Alpine violet - gentle home flower, so it is subject to various diseases. Plant care requires a person to have the skills and knowledge of how to revive a cyclamen if it has begun to wither, or what to do if its leaves have begun to turn yellow. Rot, aphids and mites are one of the main enemies of alpine violets. There are a number of symptoms by which one or another disease of cyclamen is distinguished.
Leaves turn yellow
If this happens, the plant does not have enough light, clean air or he's hot. When the leaves turn yellow, you should move the flower to a brighter room, but not under direct sunlight. It is better to let the cyclamen “breathe” with fresh air by placing it on the windowsill at open window. Another reason for the yellowing of the leaves may be insufficient watering of the plant - you should moisten the soil, but do not overdo it. Due to an excess of water, alpine violet will begin to rot.
Leaves are curling
In the process of damage to the flower by pests or external environment cyclamen leaves may curl. This negative effect can be caused by several reasons:
- The presence of pests (mites, aphids, thrips).
- Home flowers are affected by bacteria or fungus.
- Infection of the soil or its waterlogging.
- High air temperature in the room.
Why is it not blooming
Slow growth and flowering of cyclamen may be due to different reasons. One of the main ones is fusarium. This disease causes damage to the tissues of the alpine violet. With Fusarium, the vessels of the plant are filled with toxic substances. This leads to the fact that cyclamen ceases to bloom, and the leaves turn yellow. The initial lesion is difficult to determine by eye, since the cause of the disease is in the soil or seeds. It is desirable to fight Fusarium with the help of fungicides (for example, Agat-25K), which have a detrimental effect on the source of the disease.
Beautiful cyclamen has several folk names. It is called "alpine violet" and "dryak". They eat cyclamen roots wild boars, hence the interesting folk nickname "pork bread". He has a beneficial effect on the atmosphere in the house, this determines the high popularity of the plant among flower growers. What should be home conditions for proper flower care?
Cyclamen is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Mirsinov family. AT vivo it is found in the Mediterranean region, in Spain, Iran, in northeast Africa.
Cyclamen grows in Syria, Greece, about ten species live in the Caucasus and Crimea. The place of natural habitat becomes clear from the name of the variety: there are Persian, African, Cypriot, Colchis cyclamen. We provide a description below.
Persian cyclamen is very common among flower growers.
The leathery emerald leaves, located at the roots, take an oval shape with a heart-like base. They are bloom on long petioles of brown-red color, reaching thirty centimeters, and are distinguished by an unusual gray pattern with a silver sheen.
Flowers look exotic. Their interesting appearance misleads so that it seems as if butterflies are hovering over the plant with fancy pattern on wings.
The flowers are curved back, pointed at the tip, reaching eight centimeters in size. They can be dyed in different colors: white, pink, red, purple, burgundy, magenta, lilac, dark and light. Delicate flowers emit an exquisite aroma, which is used during the creation of elite perfumes.
cyclamen blooms from mid-autumn to the end of March. Specific terms depend on the type of plant and the conditions of detention. Flowering lasts for three and a half months.
The most common types of cyclomenia: European, Alpine, etc.
There are about fifty varieties indoor cyclamen. There are several groups that differ from each other in appearance:
- undersized (reach fifteen centimeters);
- medium-sized (reach from fifteen to twenty-five centimeters);
- standard (reach from twenty-five to thirty-five centimeters).
European cyclamen is distinguished by leathery emerald-colored leaves with silvery patterns resembling a heart. They reach a size of four centimeters. European cyclamen blooms from early spring to autumn.
It blooms two-centimeter pink flowers with a delicate aroma. European cyclamen is native to southern and central Europe.
Cyclamen "Alpine violet" grows naturally on the Greek island of Crete. He prefers to settle in dark places where the bright sun does not penetrate.
If you have an alpine violet at home, shade the place where it stands This variety is heat tolerant., so you should not place it in hot places. The flower grows actively at the end of March.
"Mix" is not the name of a particular variety. it industrial name, which unites cyclamens different varieties and colours.
How to care at home in summer and winter
Cyclamen actively blooms and develops in autumn winter time. Recommendations on how to care are given precisely for this period.
Proper lighting and temperature
A comfortable place for the location of cyclamen are window sills of windows of western and eastern orientation. He loves diffused light. On the north window he will be missed sun rays, and when located on the southern windowsill, the plant will have to be shaded so that the sultry sun does not burn it.
How to water, humidity
Cyclamen needs moderate watering.
You can not overdry or waterlog the substrate.
Cyclomenia roots are prone to rotting, so they only moisten the bottom layer of earth in a pot. When watering cyclamen, you should be extremely careful. Do not get on the organs of the plant and in the center of the outlet. You can water by immersing the pot in a container of water for fifteen minutes.
When watering, make sure that the flower does not rot due to residual water in the leaves. When cyclamen blooms (autumn-winter), it watered with distilled water. At the end of flowering, the amount of water is reduced, and during dormancy, watering is stopped.
Cyclamen thrive in cool and humid environments. It is not placed near heating appliances, otherwise the flower will get rid of the leaves and hibernate.
To increase the humidity of the air, a container filled with wet pebbles is placed near the flower. Before the buds appear, cyclamen is sometimes sprayed.
How to feed a plant for flowering
Feed cyclamen during flowering and active growth. Comprehensive mineral fertilizer helps to grow leaves during the period of active development.
You can feed twice a month. With the appearance of a bud, the amount of nitrogen is reduced and potassium and phosphorus are added.
Choosing a pot for planting and soil
For cyclamen, prepare the soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. To obtain the necessary substrate, mix sheet, sod land, sand and humus in equal proportions. The soil must be well drained.
The pot is plastic or ceramic. The average diameter of the pot is fifteen centimeters. When transplanting, choose a pot two centimeters larger in diameter than the previous one.
Why rest is important for care
The dormant period for cyclamen begins in summer. It lasts for about two to three months. With the onset of the dormant period, cyclamen stops growing. His leaves wither, which are removed completely dried. Water less, the plant is not sprayed or fertilized. It is placed in a place with penumbra.
At rest, the cyclamen tuber sheds all leaves. During the dormant period the tuber gets rid of all the leaves, but may leave multiple instances that cannot be deleted. Cyclamen is placed in a dark and cool room with a temperature not exceeding twelve degrees.
They do not refuse watering: the tuber is watered twice a month.
Avoid waterlogging, which will lead to root rot. As soon as the plant releases new leaves and buds, the dormant period will end. Cyclamen is returned to a bright place and watering is increased.
Time and instructions for transplant
Cyclamens difficult to tolerate transplant, so the plant is better to transplant after the flowering period. right time- August or early autumn.
The procedure for transplantation is as follows:
Reproduction of indoor cyclomen
In the conditions of the apartment cyclamen not easy to breed. It is often grown from seeds or propagated by dividing the tuber.
Reproduction of cyclamen by dividing the tuber at home is possible Growing by tuber division
During the dormant period, the tuber is dug up and cut. Each new part of the tuber should be with a kidney and roots. Places of cuts are dried, sprinkled with crushed coal. Delenki are placed in different containers and organize a greenhouse.
How to grow cyclamen from seeds
Seeds are bought at a gardening store or collected on their own if there is one at home. blooming cyclamen. Store-bought seeds have a shelf life of up to two years, so be sure to look at the date of manufacture seed lots.
In order to independently collect the seeds, the plant is first pollinated: using a cotton swab or brush, the pollen of one plant is transferred to another. It is better to repeat the manipulations several times. The time for them is chosen in the morning.
Before planting, do not forget to check the expiration date of purchased seeds. Mature seeds are stored for two months, then they are sown in the substrate, having been soaked in Zircon beforehand. The substrate is prepared by mixing leafy soil, peat and vermiculite in equal proportions. Seeds are placed on the surface, sprinkled with a thin layer of earth and placed in a room with a temperature of twenty degrees.
If temperatures are higher, planting material will go into hibernation, and if lower, it may rot. Seed containers regularly ventilate and moisturize.
In about a month, the first sprouts will appear. The container with the plant is transferred to a well-lit place with temperature indicators fifteen or seventeen degrees.
Cyclamen is attacked by thrips, cyclamen mites and aphids. To get rid of pests, use products sold in garden stores.
If a cyclamen mite has attacked a plant, insecticidal agents will help When growing cyclamen, you may encounter a problem when the leaves of the plant turn yellow.
Then it is worth reviewing the conditions of detention. Leaves turn yellow due to dry and warm air, improper watering, burns due to direct sunlight, lack of top dressing.
Diseases
| Disease | Causes / Symptoms | Treatment |
| wet rot | The disease is bacterial and manifests itself in the form of withering leaves and flower stalks hanging from the pot. The flower grower smells putrid. This disease appears in conditions of warmth and humidity. |
Not amenable to treatment the plant is destroyed |
| Gray rot | Appears in damp and cold conditions. Botrytis spores are spread by wind and water. The plant becomes ill in case of violation of the conditions of detention. Mold appears on leaves and buds gray shade. Leaves and flower stalks turn yellow and die Cyclamen renders beneficial effect for emotional people. It fills the room with positive energy, which helps to maintain a favorable atmosphere in the house. People have a desire to do good to others. Cyclamen looks beautiful and worth it to give him a place on the windowsill. He bring peace and tranquility to your home. |
Alpine violet is a perennial flowering herb that actually has nothing to do with the violet genus. This is a tuberous plant that belongs to the genus Primrose.
The correct name for this plant is Cyclamen. There are few species - only 22 and some of them are on the verge of extinction. Also among the people, this beautiful little indoor flower is called Dryavka.
The ancestor of cyclamens is, whose homeland is Turkey and the Middle East. All his hybrids need similar growing conditions.
What is an alpine violet? This is a cute compact flower that varies in height from 15 to 30 centimeters. The main advantage of indoor cyclamen - delicate flowers blooming in winter. They come in a variety of colors - from white and pale pink to rich red and purple. The leaves are heart-shaped. not pure green, but decorated with a marble pattern.
Content Rules
Lighting
Alpine violet perceives summer heat as a period of rest. At this time, it is better to place a pot with a plant near the eastern or western windows. With the advent of autumn, when the flower begins to grow actively and prepares for flowering, it can also be transferred to windows facing the south side. However, the plant must be protected from direct sunlight.
Air temperature
Although cyclamen is perennial grass, often presented in winter blooming alpine violet, up to next bloom does not survive. The most common reason is not maintaining the desired temperature. environment. Although this plant is considered to be heat-loving, you should not take it so literally and leave the pots in hot and stuffy conditions next to the batteries. Thermophilicity is expressed in the fact that, unlike their garden counterparts, home cyclamen cannot be kept at a temperature lower than plus 10. In order for the flower to be comfortable, it is necessary to provide a moderate and even slightly cool temperature - about 17 degrees Celsius.
Overheating can cause the leaves to turn yellow, while flowering will be normal. Also non-compliance temperature regime can greatly reduce the flowering period of cyclamen. Elevated temperature is also favorable for the main enemies of cyclamen - ticks. The cyclamen mite likes hot, wet conditions. For spider mite best friends- warm and dry.
During the dormant period - in the summer months, cyclamen should also try to protect from the heat, without exposing it to scorching sun and keep cool fresh air in the shadow.
Soil Requirements
The soil should be slightly acidic or neutral. You can make the mixture yourself according to the following recipe: 3 parts leaf ground and 1 part of peat, humus and sand. Can add coconut fiber, or rotted bark. There must be a layer of drainage at the bottom.
Watering mode
Watering alpine violets should occur at such intervals that the top ball of soil has time to dry out. Like any other tuberous plant, cyclamen does not tolerate waterlogging.
In the matter of watering very important point is exactly how this procedure takes place.
You can water cyclamen by arranging a dive for it. A pot with a houseplant should be immersed in a tank of water and let it stand there for up to a quarter of an hour. The water should be tepid, and before returning the flowerpot to its place, it is also necessary to allow time for the excess liquid to drain.
Alpine violet should also be sprayed according to the rules. The main thing is not to do this when the plant is flowering. Spraying should be stopped as soon as the buds appear.
The fact that the watering is uneven and the earthy ball dries up periodically, the flower will signal premature or uneven flowering. In this case, the buds will open at different levels, sometimes even from under the leaves.
Falling leaves will indicate excessive watering.
Feeding
Top dressing is necessary during the bud setting phase. It is also not recommended to fertilize immediately after transplantation; it is necessary to wait at least a month.
A suitable fertilizer should be nitrogen-free. Excess nitrogen will negatively affect the condition of the buds, they may not even bloom or fall off. Top dressing should be applied through watering.
Transfer
Alpine violets may need to be repotted every two years. It is necessary to focus on the growth of tubers and on the saturation of the soil. The favorable transplant period is in the fall.
It is necessary to choose the moment after the dormant period, when new shoots appear on the plant.
When transplanting an alpine violet, it is important to know which variety you are the owner of.
The differences are such that the Persian cyclamen is planted so that its tubers are half covered with soil, but the European one should be completely in the ground.
reproduction
Reproduction of alpine violet is possible. Their germination time is a month and a half. Seeds can be obtained by artificial pollination. Moreover, the procedure should be carried out several times in a row. After the flower withers, it should not be torn off, as is usually done with. You have to wait for it to dry on its own.
Also, an amateur gardener can try the method of dividing a bush.
Diseases and pests
it herbaceous plant afraid of cyclamen mites. The fact that cyclamen is infected with it will show the condition of the leaves. They acquire a collapsed state, the stems can twist, the plant stops growing.
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Cyclamen flowers are representatives of the primrose family, this perennial with tuber roots. Their homeland is the South and Central Europe. In the wild, it can be found in the Caucasus and Crimea. The population includes approximately 60 species. In stores, hybrids and European are mainly found.
Both species are very popular with flower growers who know everything about cyclamens. Some ignorant people consider these flowers rather capricious, but this is a deep delusion. It is enough to properly water and maintain the optimum temperature, then they will delight with their flowering for many years.
Cyclamens are shaped like a flock of butterflies that flutter over a bush. The color palette is very diverse. The plant blooms with small, up to 5 cm long velvet flowers. The height of peduncles can reach 30 cm, there are also dwarf species, growing up to 15 cm. The flowers have and (bisexual).
variety variety
Cyclamen flowers have long been grown as ornamental plant, therefore, over a fairly long period of time, many different varieties have been bred: small, medium and large. With a pleasant aroma and without it, of different colors and sizes. For example, the Persian variety begins to bloom in the winter season, and in the summer it is dormant.
Usually the flowers are odorless, but there are compact forms (Kaori and Puppet) with a strong fragrance. The rhizome has processes only from below, without child tubers.
The European hybrid, on the contrary, "comes to life" in the summer. The flowers are smaller and have a pleasant aroma. The root is also in the form of a large rounded tuber, from which the roots grow. Unlike the Persian variety, the European one produces daughter tubers, they are used for propagation.
Care and reproduction
Cyclamen flowers grow for a long time and abundantly with proper care. The plant loves cool rooms with a temperature not exceeding + 17C. If the temperature is higher, flowering is reduced, the leaves begin to fade and turn yellow. During the flowering period, the room should be light, the plant requires abundant watering (without falling on the buds and leaves), when the cyclamen stops blooming, it is removed in the shade, laying the pot on its side and not watering for some time. It is only necessary to protect the earthen ball from drought.
Sometimes a flower needs to be fed with special fertilizer and watered with settled water. If you strictly follow all the rules, then the flowering period lasts about 2 months. At rest, watering is significantly reduced, at the same time, not allowing it to dry out. In the shade, the plant should be until July, from the end of the month it gradually begins to be watered and sprayed.
In September, when young leaves appear, it is better to transplant the flower into a mixture of peat, sand, turf and leafy soil. The tuber is deeply buried in the soil, covering with moss (1/3 of the top should be bare). After that, the pot is moved to shady place until autumn, when flowering begins. It must be remembered that cyclamen flowers need sunlight in the winter.
It is carried out in several ways: in summer - by seeds, in spring - by tubers. The flower is overly sensitive to dry, warm climates, this can even lead to death. If it is impossible to provide the optimum temperature, it is better to put the pot in slightly damp peat.
Waterlogging also negatively affects the leaves, they begin to wither, turn yellow and rot. When watering the plant, the main thing is not to get on the tuber, for this you need to water it from the edge of the pot or by immersing it in water. Flowers can be affected by various pests, in such cases, the leaves must be sprayed special solution and treat the soil with pesticides.
In addition to creating beauty, cyclamen is widely used in traditional medicine in diseases of the eyes, migraines, women's diseases and purulent lesions. Usually use the juice of the plant, which is extracted from the tubers. They even treat sinusitis, colds, runny nose. Juice is diluted with ordinary water in a ratio of 1:6.
Do not forget that this plant is very poisonous, so they need to be treated with extreme caution and under the supervision of a specialist.
Plant cyclamen (lat. Cyclamen) belongs to the genus of herbaceous perennials of the Mirsinov family, although some scientists classify it as a primrose family. The name of the plant comes from the Latin root, denoting the concept of "round", as the shape of cyclamen tubers. The genus includes about 20 species. In nature, the cyclamen flower is common in the Mediterranean, in Iran and Northeast Africa, but most of all in Turkey. Some types of cyclamen are successfully grown as indoor plants. Diluted cyclamen juice is used to treat sinusitis, but care should be taken as it can burn the mucosa.
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Planting and caring for cyclamen (in brief)
- Bloom: in early spring autumn, sometimes all year round.
- Lighting: bright diffused light, light partial shade.
- Temperature: 6-12˚C.
- Watering: in the period of active growth, regular, moderate, bottom watering.
- Air humidity: above normal.
- Top dressing: once every two weeks with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer for flowering indoor plants in low concentration.
- rest period: within 2-2.5 months after flowering.
- Transfer: once every two years at the end of the dormant period.
- Reproduction: seeds and tuber division if it has more than one growth point.
- Pests: spider mites, aphids, thrips, cyclamen mites.
- Diseases: gray rot, rhizoctoniosis, late blight, fusarium wilt.
Read more about growing cyclamen below.
Home cyclamen - growing features
Cyclamen root is a flattened round corm up to 15 cm in diameter with a single growth point. Damage it - destroy the bulb. The leaves of cyclamen are basal, leathery, heart-shaped, growing on petioles up to 30 cm long, dark green in color with a grayish-silver pattern. The flowers of the original form are similar to outlandish butterflies - the petals are bent and pointed, sometimes they have a fringed shape, and color palette incredibly wide - boiling white, pink, all shades of red, burgundy and purple. Cyclamen blooms for more than three months.
There is an opinion that indoor cyclamen - capricious plant. Don't believe! Cyclamen is unpretentious, just in its agricultural technology, as in the agricultural technology of any other plant, there are certain requirements, the mandatory implementation of which will allow you to easily cope with its cultivation. So:
- in no case do not store tubers of faded cyclamen in the refrigerator - after such storage, the bulb will not wake up;
- the cyclamen flower does not tolerate heat and stuffiness, but lives perfectly in a cool room at a temperature that is uncomfortable for humans - only 6-12 ºC;
- direct sunlight may cause burns to beautiful leaves cyclamen;
- do not bury the cyclamen tuber in the ground: at least a third of the bulb should remain on the surface;
- cyclamen does not tolerate an excess of mineral salts in the soil, so be careful with fertilizers;
- a pot for cyclamen needs a small one, so that from the bulb to the wall of the pot there is a layer of soil no thicker than 2-3 cm.
And they often look for cyclomen, instead of cyclamen. It's nothing. We will tell you how to grow both that and that flower.
In the photo: White cyclamens in a pot
Growing cyclamen from seeds
How to grow cyclamen
A species such as Persian cyclamen propagates by seeds. Cyclamen seeds are sown in February or March, although indoor growing cyclamen can be propagated at any time of the year. On the eve of planting, soak the seeds for 12 hours in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate or in Epin or Zircon prepared according to the instructions. Then sow the seeds in a cyclamen potting mix consisting of two parts pre-steamed soil, one part tulip or terra vita potting mix, and half river sand for loosening the soil.
It will be better if you make a groove 1 cm deep in the soil, spill it well with water and place the seeds in it 2-3 cm apart. Sprinkle the seeds on top with a layer of soil and cover the container with glass or film.
At a temperature of 18-20 ºC, the seeds germinate in 30-60 days, although there are slow-growing varieties that germinate in five months or more!
Planting cyclamen
When sprouts appear, remove the shelter and move the container with them to a more lit place, but away from direct sunlight! When two true leaves appear, seedlings dive 2-3 seedlings into one pot, completely covering the nodules with soil. The soil should be loose, such as a tulip mixture or the same mixture in which you sowed the seeds. After 6-7 months, you can transplant the grown cyclamen into pots with a diameter of 6-7 cm with the same soil mixture. Planting cyclamen in this case requires the corm to be buried no more than two-thirds of its size so that the growth point rises above the soil surface. If home care for cyclamen is correct, you will be able to see its flowering in a year and a half after sowing the seeds.
In the photo: Growing cyclamen outdoors
home cyclamen care
How to care for cyclamen at home
Cyclamen is a flower that requires bright diffused light and cool (6-12 ºC) temperatures. In addition, you will often have to ventilate the room, but in no case do not arrange drafts in it- for cyclamen, this is unacceptable. Frequent spraying will increase the humidity in the room, which cyclamen likes a lot, in addition, it can reduce the temperature by a couple of degrees in the summer heat. The plant also needs top dressing with complex fertilizer for flowering plants, but be careful with the consistency - this is a plant Better to underfeed than overfeed.
How to water cyclamen
During the period of active growth, cyclamen needs regular watering, but try to do without fanaticism in this matter: watering should be sufficient, but not excessive.
To be sure that the plant has enough moisture, use the method of bottom watering - put the pot of cyclamen in a container of water and keep it in it until it gets wet upper layer soil, then remove the pot from the water and let the excess drain. This method, by the way, will not allow moisture to get to the top of the tuber, where the growth point is located, thereby minimizing the risk of plant rotting.
Reproduction of cyclamen
Cyclamens reproduce by seed, which we described in detail in the previous section, and vegetatively by tuber division. But only those corms that have more than one growth point can be divided, and this happens very rarely. In addition, the process of dividing and rooting a part of a tuber for an amateur often ends in failure, so we can assume that the seed method of propagation of cyclamen is the only possible one.
In the photo: Cyclamen in a pot on the street
Cyclamen after purchase
How to care for cyclamen immediately after purchase? Sometimes the next day after you brought the purchased cyclamen home, it drops flowers and even leaves. Do not panic - for cyclamen this is quite natural behavior. He needs to get used to your environment, and you try to create conditions for him in which he will be comfortable. The cyclamen flower should occupy the brightest and coolest place at home.
Check the substrate, and if it is dry, let the plant drink, using bottom watering or watering in a pan - in these cases, the plant will receive exactly as much moisture as it needs. Be sure to spray the plant. Do not feed cyclamen for two or three months after purchase - the plants that go on sale are well and permanently seasoned with fertilizers.
cyclamen bloom
Cyclamen blooms either in summer or in winter, and the time, that is, the duration of the flowering of the plant, directly depends on how you follow the rules for caring for cyclamen. Recall that optimal conditions, at which cyclamen will bloom for a long time and profusely, are as follows: a lot of light, but without direct sunlight; optimum temperature for flowering - not lower than 10 ºC and not higher than 20 ºC. Watering either the bottom or in the pan so that moisture does not get either on the growth point or on the leaves with flowers. Cut off faded flowers.
Cyclamen transplant
How to transplant cyclamen
Transplant cyclamen into a new substrate about once every two years if the pot has become too small for the bulb. This should be done at the end of the dormant period before the start of active vegetation.
But remember that cyclamen does not need a spacious pot, it blooms well only in a tight one, when the layer of earth from the bulb to the wall of the pot is no thicker than 2-3 cm. For example, for a bulb aged 1-1.5 years, a pot with a diameter of 7-8 cm is suitable , and for a two-three-year-old bulb - with a diameter of 14-15 cm.
AT new pot put expanded clay for drainage, a layer of fresh substrate, then the bulb, along with an earthen clod and roots, and add the substrate so that the tuber is two-thirds immersed in it. Compact the soil well. A transplanted cyclamen will need fertilizer no earlier than a month later.
In the photo: Cyclamen bloom
Cyclamen transplant after purchase
After purchase, cyclamen is transplanted only if it is in a dormant period, which is strange in itself - well, who buys a bulb buried in the soil? If you bought a flowering cyclamen, wait until it blooms and rests, and then, at the very beginning of the growing season, if the bulb is crowded or you want to change the technical plastic pot on a beautiful one, transplant cyclamen in the described way. Or, if the plant does well in an old pot, it's better to put an ugly cyclamen pot in a beautiful planter.
Pests and diseases of cyclamen
Enemies of cyclamen
Subject to the rules for caring for cyclamen, neither insects, nor viral or bacterial diseases your flower is not threatened, but improper care of cyclamen at home can lead to rotting of the bulb with chronic waterlogging of the soil or the appearance of a spider mite with insufficient watering. Correct your mistakes as quickly as possible and do not make them again, and then neither cyclamen nor you will have problems with it.
Cyclamen turns yellow
If you follow the rules for watering the plant, and the cyclamen flower still turns yellow, then it may just be hot. Spray it as often as possible and, if possible, find a cooler place for it, otherwise cyclamen flowers may begin to dry from the heat.
If the leaves began to turn yellow after the cyclamen has faded, then it is just preparing for a dormant period, and your concern is in vain.
In the photo: Blooming cyclamens in the open field
Cyclamen does not bloom
If cyclamen gets little moisture when watering or if you do not take care of required level humidity in the room, you are unlikely to see cyclamen bloom. Cyclamen does not bloom in a too warm room, especially if he is not used to such a temperature. Sometimes, over time, the plant gets used to high temperature in the dwelling and, if all other conditions are met by you, cyclamen eventually begins to bloom.
Cyclamen after flowering
When flowering ends, cyclamen leaves gradually turn yellow, indicating that it is preparing for a dormant period. Yellow leaves it is better to remove, but not cut, but twist until they separate from the bulb. Watering is gradually reduced and the tuber resting in the ground is watered only occasionally, moving the plant to a shaded place until the cyclamen again shows signs of life.
Types of cyclamen
In culture, mainly two types of cyclamen are grown - Persian and European, as well as their derivatives.
European cyclamen, or alpine violet
This is a tuberous plant with medium-sized leaves and fragrant pink-lilac flowers, but it has cultivars of white, carmine and other colors. In culture since 1607. European cyclamen is much more tolerant of normal home temperature than other species, but also prefers cool air to stuffiness. This species does not have a pronounced dormant period, in addition, daughter bulbs sometimes grow in its tubers, which can be used for reproduction. European cyclamen blooms from late spring to almost winter, feels great in summer on a balcony or in a garden, but under mandatory protection from sunlight and from penetration of slugs and earthworms into the pot, for which the pot is covered with an ordinary nylon stocking.
In the photo: European cyclamen, or alpine violet
Persian cyclamen, or dryakva
It is most popular in culture than all other species, because of the incredible beauty of its flowers, which, having blossomed, seem to turn inside out and grow petals down until the plant sheds them without any signs of wilting. The color of the flowers is pink, dark purple, lilac, white, hot pink, and in most cases the pharynx of the flower is in a different shade. Leaves Persian cyclamen larger and more beautiful than European, they are not inferior in decorativeness to flowers. AT recent times became very popular dwarf varieties Persian cyclamen, which tolerate room temperature much better than specimens large varieties. Persian cyclamen blooms late autumn until early spring, and then comes a 9-month dormant period. In culture since 1731.
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