Cyclamen is a charming, beloved by many plant with characteristic inverted petals of nodding flowers. These elegant flowers of shades of pink, purple, red and white, resembling a flock of fluttering butterflies, can bloom for up to two months, delighting their owners. Flowers stand high above the patterned leaves in the shape of hearts, which makes the plant simply amazing. Some varieties of cyclamen are even fragrant! And although caring for indoor cyclamen differs from caring for other green residents of our houses, having mastered the necessary knowledge and having made little effort, it will be possible to enjoy their flowering from year to year.
Cyclamens need a rest
Cyclamens have a completely different vegetation period than other indoor plants. Flowers "come back to life" in the fall and actively grow in the winter. By the time the summer heat sets in, the plant is gradually “falling asleep” - this is a natural process. The biggest mistake is to make the plant bloom all year round. Many do not realize that it needs a period of rest in order to survive. Once you understand how cyclamens grow, it will be much easier to take care of them!
Another feature of cyclamen that is worth remembering is a poisonous plant, which can be dangerous for pets and humans.
Lighting
The key to making cyclamen happy and healthy is to accurately reproduce its natural environment. Cyclamens love bright but not direct light. It will be good for the plant in a bright room with a window facing east or west. The plants on the southern window will be uncomfortable, the dropped leaves will prompt them immediately.
Temperature
Caring for cyclamen begins with the right temperature. Cyclamens come from the Mediterranean countries, where winters are mild and summers are very dry. If the leaves start to turn yellow in cyclamen as summer approaches, this means that the plant is preparing for summer rest.
Between autumn and spring, the most comfortable temperature for cyclamen is +15 ... 18 ° C during the day and +10 ° C at night. Too high temperatures will cause the leaves to turn yellow and the flowers to fade quickly. Flowering will last longer if the plant is cool. Indoor cyclamens are tropical plants, so temperatures below + 4 ° C are fatal for them.
The plant is very sensitive to drafts. To ensure ideal growing conditions, simply place the cyclamen in the coolest room at home away from any heat sources - central heating is disastrous for it. If the temperature allows, you can take cyclamen to a covered balcony or terrace at night.
Watering
Watering cyclamen is also slightly different from most indoor plants. When watering, try to ensure that water does not fall on the leaves and stems. If this is difficult, dip the plant pot into the water. As soon as the soil becomes wet, pour out any remaining water in the sump. Do not let the plant "sit" in the water for a long period of time, 15 minutes will be enough.
Cyclamens love that the soil remains uniformly moist during the active period of their life, but in no case is boggy. The soil should be moist to the touch, but not wet. Allow it to dry slightly between watering, but do not let the soil dry completely or remain dry for too long.
Potted plants should have well-drained soil and several holes at the bottom of the tank. In cyclamens in excessively moist soil, leaves droop and rot, which leads to the development of fungal diseases and possible death of the plant. Cyclamen loves spraying the leaves, but you need to provide good ventilation so that the leaves can dry quickly and not rot.
Rest period
The temperature naturally rises in the spring, so cyclamen slowly turns yellow and fades away. This is a signal to reduce watering to prevent rotting of the roots. No need to rush, let the leaves fall off themselves - this will give the roots the opportunity to absorb nutrients from the leaves. In the summer months, potted plants can be placed on the balcony in the shaded area or in the coolest room in the apartment, where they can remain dry until next fall. In autumn, when a new sprout appears on the tuber, it is time to start watering the flower again and wait for a new flowering.
Transfer
If cyclamen has outgrown its house-pot, it is necessary to transplant it into a larger container. The best time to transplant cyclamen is the time when the plant is “resting”. When transplanting, do not bury cyclamen tubers too deeply; they should be planted slightly above the soil level. The cyclamen in the new pot should be at the same depth as in the old. These plants are quite viable, unless you, of course, drown the poor. The diseased cyclamen should be urgently transplanted into new soil, regardless of what period this happened. The plant must be saved, otherwise the tubers in the swampy soil will begin to rot!
Firstly, you need to prepare the soil for transplantation, and secondly - carefully remove the roots from the soil, shake off the old soil, but in no case do not wet or rinse it. Check each for damage. Take fresh, sterile, prepared for transplant soil, and root cyclamen.
What soil is needed for cyclamen
The main condition when choosing a soil mixture is that when it dries, it should not dry out, and the water should not stagnate. In specialized stores, you can ask the seller-consultant what soil is suitable for cyclamen. You can just buy a ready-made soil mixture for violets in the store, which in its composition is perfect for cyclamens. You can use the usual ready-made soil for indoor plants, for example, begonias and geraniums. Adding peat moss and vermiculite to it to help the soil retain moisture, we get excellent soil for transplanting cyclamen.
Prepare the soil for transplanting
If you prefer a ready-mixed mixture from the store prepared independently at home for cyclamen soil, the composition can be advised as follows:
- 2 parts of sheet land;
- 1 part of sand;
- 1 often humus;
- drainage layer.
Ground and sand must first be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Mix all the ingredients. After the mixture is ready, it is baked in the oven for an hour. Calcination is necessary to prevent infection of the plant with fungi and other pathogenic microorganisms. The quality of the prepared soil for cyclamen will largely determine the speed of plant acclimatization in a new place. The size of the new pot should not be too large, otherwise the water will stagnate in it. Pay attention to the holes in the new pot to create drainage from pebbles or expanded clay.
The transplant is over. Lightly pour the soil in which the cyclamen was transplanted in a pot until the leaves begin to appear. Next, keep the soil slightly moist. In which soil to transplant cyclamen - you choose. If the soil for transplantation is chosen correctly and all the nuances are met, it remains only to wait for the appearance of foliage and new flowering.
Fertilizers
Water-soluble fertilizers are applied to the soil for cyclamens only once every two months. It's enough. When a plant receives too many fertilizers, this affects their ability to re-bloom. If cyclamen has yellowed leaves, add fertilizer containing iron to the cyclamen soil. To stimulate or prolong flowering, feed the plant with high phosphorus fertilizers at the beginning of winter as soon as the buds begin to appear. Cyclamens love slightly acidic soil, so it is useful to apply acidic fertilizers once a year. Remember that too much fertilizer provokes the growth of lush foliage, but low color - why do you need a green bush?
Perhaps you received a beautiful cyclamen as a gift - this is a traditional European Christmas plant, because its delicate, orchid-like flowers bloom in all its glory in mid-winter. Do not dispose of it immediately after flowering. Patience, a little effort - and cyclamen will delight you next winter, painting winter days with bright colors of amazing colors.