Indoor flower cyclamen has incorporated all the charm and grace that a decorative plant can possess. He is able to rivet a person’s eyes for a long time and become the most luxurious decoration on your windowsill. Some amateur gardeners managed to reveal secrets for caring for the plant, allowing them to constantly admire the beauty of this fabulous flower. The article will detail the recommendations for growing, transplanting and propagating cyclamen.
Brief information
In its wild form, cyclamen is widely popular all over the world and is found under the names "scum" and "alpine violet." According to scientists, there are up to 20 varieties of herbaceous perennials. The range of its growth is Turkey, Iran, Kenya, Asia Minor, Ethiopia, Central Europe, Egypt and many other countries of the Mediterranean. Presumably it belongs to the family of Primrose or Mersinov. Some species of this plant have been cultivated and successfully grown in greenhouses and apartment conditions. The most common of them: European and Persian. Plant roots have long been used in medicine for the treatment of sinusitis and other diseases.
Description
The cyclamen indoor flower pleases with its bloom in the autumn-winter time, which is a rarity for decorative plants. The rich color scheme of perennials is simply amazing. They are white, red, pink and two-tone. Sometimes alpine violets exude an enticing, elusive aroma.
Each separate bush represents a certain composition from motley butterflies. Arrows with exotic flowers elegantly emerge from the thick heart-shaped leaves. Thin peduncles rise 12-14 cm above the dark green mass. The foliage itself is also very beautiful. Its shape varies slightly depending on the species. On sheet plates, you can see a peculiar white pattern with a silver coating. The cuttings on which they are located have a fleshy structure.
In order for the incredible beauty of an exotic plant to light up your home for as long as possible, you need to gain knowledge and learn some practical care skills. Cyclamen - a plant unpretentious, but having some requirements.
The importance of the right approach
Once, having brought such a curiosity into your home, you can get two chances for the period of its existence: admire the flowers for three months and forget about them or increase their stay on the windowsill for several years. Unfortunately, many had to observe the fast withering of the plant. Because of this, it was believed that it is too demanding and it is not possible to maintain cyclamen at home for a long time.
However, the failures that some flower lovers had to experience were due to their ignorance of the botanical features of alpine violets. The vitality of a plant lies in its tubers. In shape, they are similar to a round, flattened bulb and have one growth point. It cannot be damaged, so the task of the grower is to carefully and competently handle it.
The scum has several life cycles. During the active period, the plant roots accumulate nutrients, which subsequently help the plant survive the dormant state. From this it follows that when growing cyclamen, you need to observe some subtleties in the care.
Seat selection
At the place of permanent residence, indoor perennial should create comfortable conditions. The room in which it will be located should be bright and well ventilated. Meanwhile, good lighting eliminates direct sunlight, since diffused light is much preferable for a plant. A cyclamen in a pot will feel better on a windowsill overlooking the west or east side. If, nevertheless, the flower is left in a sunny place, it should somehow pritenit.
Alpine violet requires high humidity. To meet the needs of the plants, regular spraying is necessary in the room. The moistening process must be carried out carefully so that water does not remain on the leaves and tubers. Hard water is best avoided. To adjust humidity, the pot with the tuber in it is placed on expanded clay balls for indoor flowers. Cyclamen must not be kept in wet soil.
Moisturizing
In the fall, until the flowers appear, you need to spray the foliage. As soon as the plant releases the first buds, manipulations with spraying water should be stopped. To maintain the required level of moisture, wet pebbles are placed around the pots with gibberish or a humidifier is used.
How to water cyclamen? Water should be used with a temperature 2 degrees lower than in a room. Moderation is an important factor for the normal development of alpine violets. Often watered, distributing water in a circle, in small volumes. After the formation of the peduncles, water can only be poured into the pan.
To minimize the risk of tuber degradation (in the area of the growth point), it is better to use lower watering. A flowerpot with a plant is placed in a plastic container with water to absorb the desired amount of moisture. When the topsoil becomes wet, the pot is pulled out and allowed to drain a little water.
Top dressing
Increase the flowering time will help additional dressing. They need to be combined with regular watering. Perennial is demanding on such an element as potassium. Therefore, it is necessary to apply complex mineral fertilizers with the presence of this substance. Plants should receive this kind of nutrition once every 14 days. In this case, the calculated dosage indicated on the package must be observed.
When growing by seed, fertilizers begin to be applied to the soil immediately after the sowing process. This should be done within 6 months. To complex dressings, it is necessary to add organic matter. But the content of the amount of nitrogen should be limited so that this does not lead to excessive foliage growth. Excess mineral salts are also dangerous for cyclamens.
Rest period
After the plant gives all its energy to flowering, it goes on a well-deserved rest, which lasts no more than 4 months. The appearance of the flower shows that it is preparing for a period of passivity. This is primarily reflected in the yellowing of the leaves. They must be removed immediately, but cutting them off the bulb is strongly discouraged. This is done carefully, with the help of gradual, twisting movements. In particular, perennial discards them independently.
Let's see how to water cyclamen at this stage? The resting tuber no longer needs regular hydration. However, in order to prevent his death, it should occasionally be remembered. Humidification in this case is reduced gradually. If the watering is more than expected, the tuber can rot. Care should be taken about the location beneficial to the plant. Alpine violet is carried in a shaded, cool and dry place until the moment of revival.
Why do leaves turn yellow?
Withering of the plant towards the end of the flowering period is considered normal. But when such a phenomenon occurs in the middle of winter, beginning flower growers are at a loss as to why cyclamen is turning yellow. What to do?
The container with the plant should be kept away from fireplaces and incandescent batteries. In contact with such objects, the perennial will begin to turn yellow prematurely.
In winter, cyclamen blooms profusely due to coolness. The optimum temperature for normal development is 10-12 ° C, with a higher elevation, the plant discards leaves and fades. This is another reason for their yellowing. To avoid this trouble, for a perennial you need to immediately take the coolest room.
Due to lack of light, leaf color may also change. Sometimes a plant simply does not have enough air. When ventilating the room, drafts should not be allowed.
Basically, yellowing of the foliage occurs due to improper conditions. Alpine violet is extremely rare for diseases and infections. Occasionally, a tick can be found on it. Waterlogging of the soil contributes to the development of fungi and soil contamination.
Transfer
Cyclamen transplantation is too often not necessary. This is done as the bulbs grow. It is worth considering that perennial tubers do not like space and in a close flowerpot they bloom better. Depending on their size, the period of transplantation may vary. Sometimes this time falls on May when there is no foliage on the tuber.
After flowering, lumps with cyclamen roots are transferred to a more spacious pot. The root bulb cannot be deepened. It must be ensured that it is just above the substrate or at its level. Under the tuber, you need to leave room for the growth of small roots. Persian cyclamen deepen into 2/3 of the part, and the remaining species - almost completely.
It will be better if the cyclamen transplant is postponed until the plant shows signs of life - August-September. After a state of rest, the perennial actively releases leaves.
Soil requirements
A mixture for planting flowers can be purchased at a garden store or prepared independently. This will require peat, dry foliage and humus. To make the soil nutritious, individual components of the substrate must be taken in equal proportions. It will not be superfluous to mix a little sand into the soil.
You can prepare a mixture of perlite, sheet earth and sand. It would be good to check the acidity of the substrate, which should not be higher than 7.
Immediately before dipping the bulb, the soil is spilled with a solution of fungicide or potassium permanganate. The new flowerpot is selected a little wider than the old. The presence of a drainage layer is mandatory. It is created from small particles of rubble and expanded clay.
Breeding
There are two main methods of reproduction: division of tubers and seed. Each of them has features. Some practice leaf transplantation and propagation using rosettes. However, they are used less often, since they have a number of disadvantages.
The advantage of seed propagation is that the plant will be adapted from the very beginning to the atmosphere of your apartment. Such flowers are less vulnerable and moody. During germination, the seeds need to ensure complete darkness, high humidity and a temperature of no higher than 18 ° C. After the first 3 leaves appear, the seedlings dive.
The most popular breeding method is the division of tubers. According to this method, the cyclamen planting material requires specific and consistent care. It includes the following tricks:
- The bulb is carefully removed from the ground (do not forget about the growth point).
- High-quality drying of the tuber is carried out.
- With a knife, the onion is cut into pieces. Each of them should have one kidney and several roots.
- The next step is the drying of the slices. It is important that they dry well and not be wet.
- Further, the places of cuts are powdered with charcoal or activated carbon. This preventive procedure will not allow pathogens and various infections to enter the tuber.
- Bulb is planted in the prepared container. Then, without fail, you need to monitor the soil moisture. If we allow drying out, then there is a chance that the tuber may not take root. It is desirable that the flowerpot was with the presence of holes on the bottom, for the release of excess moisture.
- The optimum temperature for reproduction is 14-16 ° C. Further, cyclamen is looked after in the same way as described above.
Conclusion
After we familiarized ourselves with the original representative of the flora, we can begin to grow it on our windowsill. The nuances of caring for him are already known to you, you just have to go to the greenhouse and choose your favorite color. Creating a flowering corner in the winter is a great alternative to wildlife, which allows you to delight the eye before the onset of heat. Indoor flower cyclamen will make a rainbow tone in your home!