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How to water cyclamen in a pot. How to water cyclamen and grow a luxurious flower How to water cyclamen to bloom

The Greeks called the flower sleeping in the summer "cyclamen". Caring for it requires knowledge about the flower itself. It is a beautiful that forms a corm of almost perfect round shape.

It is in the cyclamen tuber that the whole life of the plant is concentrated. After all, as many as 8 - 9 months. in a year, the cyclamen plant sleeps, completely getting rid of leaves and flowers.

In winter, when there are so few bright colors around, and at the same time, most plants usually do not bloom, it is cyclamen that will delight connoisseurs of beauty. The popularity of this wonderful indoor plant is only increasing every year. Many people compare cyclamen flowers to wonderful exotic butterflies that flutter over heart-shaped dark green leaves.

The flowers of the plant are curved back, pointed. There is a huge variety of their colors: white, various shades of red and pink, purple, there are also hybrids with beautiful double petals. The leaves are located on slender long petioles and bear a decorative silver pattern.

Indoor flowers bloom for a long time. It also depends on the variety and quality room conditions: the flowering of the plant can begin in the second half of October and last right up to the end of the month of March.

How to choose cyclamen

When buying, be sure to pay attention not only to the leaves of the plant, but also to the tuber itself. The leaves should not have any damage, be any degree of lethargy and at least a little dried around the edges. A round tuber must be free from any signs of rotting, and in no case should it be somehow wrinkled. for which summer is not interesting to new owners, it is best to purchase in the fall, at the beginning of its flowering. At the same time, it is desirable that the flower has a huge number of buds.

Cyclamen: care

Many people think that it will be quite difficult to care for cyclamen. But this is not so at all. The main thing is to know how often to water cyclamen. Subject to simple rules of care, it will delight for more than 20 years with its lovely flowering.

The most common mistake flower growers make is to completely bury a round tuber of a plant. This cyclamen does not like. It feels great when 1/3 of the tuber is free above the main soil surface. They do not like cyclamens and large pots. They bloom poorly in them, and sometimes they rot.

Cyclamen: care during flowering

The main condition for care during the flowering period is the optimal, cool temperature - up to 12 - 15 ° C, but not lower than 10 ° C and in no case higher than 20 ° C. Despite the fact that cyclamen needs a lot of light, protect the plant from direct sunlight.

For excellent well-being, this plant needs regular abundant watering, in which it is necessary to ensure that water does not in any way fall on the germ zone of the corm itself, flowers and leaves.

Care after the end of periodic flowering

Since late spring, cyclamens usually have a long dormant period. Flowers and leaves wither. The leaves that have not yet fallen are removed in the usual mechanical way - they are twisted carefully or lightly cut with scissors, trying not to touch the tuber itself. During this period, you need to significantly reduce the watering of the plant. And it is enough just to prevent the earthen clod from drying out in a pot. It is also recommended to move the plant to a cool, shady place. Remember, cyclamens really do not like dry air and high temperatures. The appearance of new leaves is a sure sign that the plant has already woken up and endured the “hibernation” safely.

A transplant of this plant is done at the end of the "sleepy" period and before flowering begins. At the next transplant, the entire earthen room is completely replaced. Remove unnecessary rotten roots from a tired plant. 4 weeks after such a procedure, you can begin to actively feed the soil.

They react so badly to excess moisture because their tuber is prone to rotting. Waterlogged soil combined with low temperatures leads to the development of deformed flowers. It is best to water this plant 1-2 times a week, while water should be poured into the pot pan, and not on the roots. The root of cyclamen has the appearance of a tuber and is arranged in such a way that water easily accumulates in its center, where flowers and leaves emerge from the cavity. Water lingering there will provoke tuber rot and cyclamen diseases. When planting or buying a whole plant in a pot, you need to check - the tuber should rise about 1 cm above the ground. If the purchased flower does not meet these conditions, you need to urgently transplant it according to all the rules.

The first sign of a fungal disease that is caused by waterlogging is leaves that turn yellow out of season. They should be immediately removed in a special way - taking the base, unscrewing it from the tuber with little or no effort. In no case should the affected leaves be pulled out or cut off - the leaf will not be completely removed in this way, and the remaining fragments will serve as an even greater source of infection. After all the leaves are twisted, the plant must be transferred to a drier mode. Check the soil moisture of cyclamen and its need for watering in several ways. The easiest option is to press the soil with your finger so that the finger sinks about 1-1.5 cm. If at the same time the soil at this depth is moist enough and sticks to the finger, the plant does not need watering yet. The second way is to check the pot for weight after watering and in a dry state. After several weeks of training, by lifting the pot, you can immediately tell whether you should water the cyclamen now or postpone it for two days.

The need for cyclamen in water directly depends on the temperature of the room and on the lighting in the room. As a rule, the warmer and lighter, the more the plant needs water, as it develops more actively in favorable conditions. The age of cyclamen also plays an important role. Young plants do not have a highly developed root system, so they need frequent, regular, but not very plentiful watering. A plant that is 3 years old or more has a good root system and prefers rare but plentiful watering. If the roots of cyclamen have filled the entire pot, such a plant should be watered more abundantly than one that still has a lot of room for the growth of the root system. Plants in clay pots are twice as likely to be watered compared to plastic pots. Burnt clay absorbs a lot of moisture from the soil and evaporates it through the walls of the vessel. After watering, the water in the pan should not remain longer than half an hour. This time is enough for the entire substrate to be soaked, after which all the remaining water from the pan is poured out.

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Tatiana Bobrovskaya July 28, 2014 | 10166

The popularity of this flowering plant is growing every year. But when buying cyclamen, inexperienced flower growers do not have to destroy the plant. How to properly care for this flower?

Purchase

It is better to choose a healthy specimen with a large number of buds, and in which the tuber rises above the ground. Before going out into the cold, the pot is packed in paper, and then in a plastic bag. At home, the packaging is removed after about an hour. A thorough inspection of the plant under a magnifying glass to detect diseases and pests will subsequently save you from many troubles. Transportation, change of conditions is a serious stress for a new pet, so it is advisable to treat it with some kind of adaptogen (Epin or Zircon).

Temperature

In winter, cyclamen is comfortable at 10-14 ° C. I tried to keep my plants in a wide range - from 0 ° C to 20 ° C. Cyclamen does not respond well to higher temperatures. In this case, it must be sprayed daily with water, but make sure that water does not fall on the germ zone of the corm and flowers. A sudden change in temperature can lead to a disease (botrytis).

light requirements

Cyclamen likes good lighting, but it must be protected from direct sunlight. The formation of peduncles begins with a day length of more than 10 hours. In winter, in the absence of additional lighting, the formation of buds slows down. Conducted experiments: kept on the north and east windows, as well as the glazed loggia of the southeast orientation. Didn't use backlight.

1. On the north window, at a temperature of 18 ° C, the leaf petioles were stretched, the flower stalks were fragile, the plant was falling apart. The buds were laid weakly, flowering is uneven. Nevertheless, cyclamen bloomed annually from late autumn to early March.

2. On the east window, at a temperature of 20 ° C, it bloomed for two years without rest, simultaneously opening up to 19 flowers. I think a cool east window is the best place. Contrary to popular belief, a tuber can have more than one point of growth. My fifteen-year-old specimen has three, each with rosettes of leaves and flowers.

3. On the loggia the temperature was kept in the range from 0°C to 10°C. The plant had a compact rosette of leaves and a dense bouquet of flowers. The buds opened slowly, but individual flowers lasted more than a month.

Proper watering and ventilation

Cyclamens are watered evenly, always with soft settled water, without overdrying and avoiding water stagnation. Cyclamen has a very delicate root system that needs a lot of air, so it is advisable to loosen the soil after watering. With excessive moisture in the substrate, the roots develop weakly or die. In no case should water be allowed to enter the middle of the rosette of leaves.

I do not water through the pan, because I find that it is not always possible to wet the substrate (especially peat) well if it is dry. Water preferably in the morning. High humidity in the cold season leads to diseases of gray rot, botrytis. However, during active growth and budding, the earthen ball should not be overdried - this greatly affects the quantity and quality of flowers.

Landing

The soil is loose, nutritious, breathable, slightly acidic (pH 5.5-6.5), for example, from peat, sand, leafy soil and agroperlite (it creates additional aeration and allows delicate roots to develop better). Drainage is a must.

Pots are selected depending on the size of the tuber. Cyclamens do not like large containers, the space between the tuber and the edge of the pot is preferably no more than 2-3 cm. It is important to ensure that the tuber rises 1/3 above the soil surface. Deepening leads to decay, in addition, fewer buds are formed. However, with excessive exposure, the tuber becomes woody, grows poorly and also produces few flowers.

To create optimal conditions for the development of the tuber, I cover it with a layer of sphagnum moss. When transplanting, I do not tamp the substrate, but only lightly squeeze and water it. In order to prevent fungal diseases, Fundazol (2 g per 1 liter of water) can be added to the first watering.

fertilizers

The plant is demanding on top dressing, and especially balanced fertilizers with trace elements that do not contain chlorine (Belvito, Agricola). The quality of flowering is especially affected by the lack of iron. With a deficiency of potassium, young leaves become light. The leaves turn yellow and with a lack of boron. However, excessive doses of fertilizers can cause root burns, seedlings are especially sensitive (for them I reduce the dose by half). Too much nitrogen can cause tubers to rot.

The diet depends on the growing season, soil type and stage of cyclamen development. It is important that the plants do not experience unnecessary stress. On hot sunny days, I reduce the doses of fertilizers by half. You can also use organic top dressing - an infusion of cow dung (1:10) or bird droppings (1:25).

rest period

It is traditionally believed that after flowering, leaf petioles, peduncles should be removed, and top dressing should be stopped. However, my friend, after such a procedure, new leaves grow at the time when my plants bloom.

For 15 years of cultivation, my cyclamens have never completely shed their leaves; I do not artificially send them to rest. Usually, as soon as individual leaves begin to turn yellow, I reduce watering, without bringing the earthen lump to dryness. I do not cut wilted flowers or yellowed leaves, but pull them out very carefully, trying not to damage the growth zone.

I transplant into a fresh substrate at the beginning of the dormant period. After some time, new leaves begin to grow, the roots of cyclamens do not die off, but remain viable. At this time, I keep the plants in bright diffused light.

reproduction

Persian cyclamen is often propagated by seeds. Such plants better adapt to the microclimate of the apartment. Let me remind you that seeds germinate in the dark.

I will dwell a little on pollination, which is carried out in the morning. The flowers should be fresh, and the pollen should be bright yellow, easily crumbling. Pollen ripens on the second or third day after the opening of the bud. It is desirable to pollinate several days in a row. The structure of the flower does not allow the use of a brush, so the peduncle is clicked several times with a finger. After fertilization, the corolla flies around, the peduncle bends to the edge of the pot, and the ovary hides under the leaves. The fruits are tied only in winter or autumn.

From the beginning of pollination to the collection of seeds, cyclamen is recommended to be kept in a bright place at a temperature of 18 ° C during the day and 12-14 ° C at night. Under this regime, it will take about 100 days for the seeds to ripen, and if the ovary deviates from it, there will be less ovary, and it will take about 140 days. When the fruit turns slightly yellow and the pedicel becomes lethargic, the ripe box opens from the middle to the edges (it is better to remove it a little earlier and put it to ripen). There is an opinion that it is better to sow all the seeds, since often beautiful terry forms are obtained from feeble seeds and weak seedlings.

I don’t propagate cyclamen by dividing the tuber, as it rots and dies (there was a sad experience).

The popularity of cyclamen - this lovely flowering plant - has only increased recently. In room culture, two types are more common than others: Persian cyclamen and European cyclamen. Both conquer charming original flowers. Cyclamen Persian blooms in winter, when few plants delight with bright blooms. How to care for cyclamen at home - our article.

Cyclamen. © Thomas Kohler

Description of the cyclamen plant

Rod Cyclamen ( Cyclamen), or Dryakva, or Alpine violet from the Myrsinaceae family ( Myrsinaceae), sometimes referred to the Primrose family ( Primulaceae) and includes about 20 species.

Species of the genus Cyclamen are perennial herbaceous plants, common in the Mediterranean; from Spain in the west to Iran in the east, as well as in Northeast Africa, including Somalia.

Radical dark green leathery heart-shaped leaves of cyclamen are located on petioles up to 30 cm long and have a decorative grayish silver pattern.

Cyclamen flowers are very original: pointed, curved back, sometimes fringed petals give the impression that a flock of exotic butterflies is circling over the plant.

The color palette of cyclamens is very wide: hybrids with snow-white flowers, the whole range of pink shades to dark red, burgundy, purple are bred. Cyclamen flowering lasts quite a long time, up to 3.5 months. Depending on the variety and room conditions, flowering may begin in the second half of October and last until the end of March.

Very often, cyclamens are spoken of as capricious and difficult plants in culture. In fact, cyclamen is unpretentious, and the few requirements that it makes in culture can be very easily satisfied.

Cyclamen. © Ria Baeck

Care for cyclamen at home

Lighting and temperature

Cyclamens are photophilous, but do not tolerate direct sunlight. It is better to keep them in partial shade. They grow well on the windowsills of the western and eastern windows. South windows will need shading from direct sunlight. Plants may not have enough light near northern exposure windows.

A necessary condition for the normal development of cyclamens and their abundant flowering is light and cool content in winter (about 10 ° C, not higher than 12-14 ° C). In summer, a temperature in the region of 18-25 ° C is preferable (the pot with the plant can be taken out to a shady place and buried).

Watering and spraying

During flowering, the plant is watered abundantly or moderately with soft settled water, avoiding both waterlogging and overdrying of the earthy coma. Cyclamen should be watered carefully, to the edge of the pot, trying not to soak the buds and tuber, and even better - from the pallet.

Water should not be allowed to enter the core of the plant either - tuber rot may occur. The water temperature should be 2-4°C below room temperature. After 1-2 hours, excess water is drained from the saucer so that the roots do not rot. After flowering, the watering of cyclamen is gradually reduced, and by the beginning of summer, when all the leaves turn yellow and dry, and the tubers remain bare, they are rarely watered at all.

Before the appearance of buds, the plants are sprayed from time to time. With the advent of buds, spraying of cyclamen should be stopped, otherwise they may rot. To increase humidity, the plant can be placed on a pallet with wet moss, expanded clay or pebbles. In this case, the bottom of the pot should not touch the water. Water is better to use rain, filtered or settled.

Cyclamen. © liz west

top dressing

During the period of growth of the leaf mass before flowering, the plants are fed every 2 weeks with a complete mineral fertilizer. Cyclamens respond well to organic fertilizers. You can not give a lot of nitrogen fertilizers - tuberous roots can rot.

Caring for a flowerpot at rest

Cyclamen bloom lasts quite a long time. Depending on the variety and room conditions, it can begin in the second half of October and last until the end of March. In the spring, at the end of flowering, the plants go into a dormant state (they begin to lose leaves). In this regard, watering is gradually reduced, and by the beginning of summer, when all the leaves turn yellow and dry, and the tubers remain bare, watering is rarely done at all.

The room where the plants are located is regularly ventilated. It is even better to take pots with tubers for this time into the garden or onto the balcony in a place protected from the sun. After a dormant period (end of summer - beginning of autumn), cyclamen is placed in a bright, cool place and watering is gradually increased.

Another option for preserving the tuber until the new winter season is as follows. After the end of flowering, watering is significantly reduced. Then, after the leaves fall, the cyclamen pot is laid on its side and stored in this position until the next season.

Cyclamen grows for 10-15 years and can produce up to 70 flowers annually. Faded and withered flowers are removed along with the pedicel. As the flowers fade and the leaves turn yellow, they are pinched off (but not cut off) at the tuber itself. Places of rupture should be well sprinkled with charcoal powder.

Cut (pulled out) cyclamen flowers stand well in water (1-2 weeks). The water in the vase needs to be changed every 2-3 days. After the cut, the ends of the peduncles are cut lengthwise for 2-3 days. This lengthens the standing time in the cut to 2-3 weeks.

Transfer

At the end of summer and autumn, when small heart-shaped leaves begin to sprout from the cyclamen tuber, the plants are brought into the room and transplanted into a wide dish with a fresh loose mixture of leafy soil, humus, peat and sand (2-3: 1: 1: 1).

The substrate may consist of 2 parts of leaf, 1 part of well-decomposed humus soil and 0.5 part of sand. The acidity of the substrate (pH) should be around 5.5-6. At a higher pH (about 7), plants become susceptible to various fungal diseases.

In the process of transplanting cyclamen, care is taken not to damage the roots, and rotten roots are cut out. For 1 kg of substrate, you can add 0.4 g of ammonium nitrate, 1 g of superphosphate, 4 g of phosphate rock.

Please note that when transplanting, the tuber cannot be completely buried. One third or even half of the tuber should be above the soil surface, which will favorably affect the further flowering of the plant. The bottom of the pot provides good drainage.

Cyclamen. © Andrea_44

Reproduction of cyclamen

Propagating cyclamen at home is quite difficult. Fans usually resort to dividing the tuber. You can also grow it from seeds, but flowering will take longer.

To obtain good full-fledged cyclamen seeds at home, artificial (preferably cross) pollination is necessary. With a soft brush, take pollen from the flower of one plant and transfer it to the stigma of the pistil of another. If there is one plant, then pollen from one flower is transferred to the stigma of another. This procedure is repeated 2-3 times for greater reliability.

The best time for pollination of cyclamen is the morning hours of a clear sunny day, since in this case ovaries form faster. At this time, it would be good to feed the plants with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (1 g of superphosphate and 0.5 g of potassium sulfate per 1 liter of water). Seeds should not be dried after harvest, otherwise the germination rate will be greatly reduced.

Cyclamen seeds are often on sale, but they are much less reliable than their own. Their germination strongly depends not so much on the manufacturer, but on the batch of seeds.

The optimal time for sowing Persian cyclamen seeds is August, as it has a dormant period in summer.

Before sowing, cyclamen seeds can be poured with a 5% sugar solution and only those that have sunk to the bottom can be taken (those that have surfaced are not suitable). Also, the seeds are soaked for a day in a solution of zircon.

The substrate is light, for example, leaf soil and peat are mixed in a ratio of 1: 1, or peat and vermiculite (1: 1).

Cyclamen seeds are laid out on the surface of a moistened substrate and sprinkled with a thin layer of earth (0.5 - 1 cm). Seeds do not need light to germinate, so they can be covered with an opaque film. The optimum temperature for germination is +20°C, if it is higher, then germination is inhibited and the seeds may go into hibernation. It is also impossible to lower the temperature below + 18 ° C, since the seeds will simply rot at this temperature. It is necessary to monitor the moisture content of the soil and periodically ventilate the seed container.

Usually at a temperature of +20°C, shoots of cyclamen appear in 30-40 days. After the seedlings germinate, they remove the shading, place them in a well-lit place, without direct sunlight, and lower the temperature to + 15-17 ° C.

When cyclamen seedlings form small nodules with two or three leaves (approximately in December), they dive into a container with a mixture of leafy soil, peat and sand (2: 1: 0.5). When picking, the nodules are covered with earth, while in an adult cyclamen, the top of the tuber is usually not covered.

A week after picking, they can be fed with flower fertilizers in a half-diluted dose. You can feed with 0.2% (2 g / l) ammonium sulfate solution, and after another 10 days - 0.1% (1 g / l) potassium nitrate. In April-May, they are transplanted into individual pots.

Cyclamens grown from seeds bloom 13-15 months after sowing.

Cyclamen. © Lisa Cancade Hackett

Diseases and pests of cyclamen

Fusarium wilt

Fusarium is a fungal disease caused by the fungus Fusarium; under its influence, the vascular system and tissues of the plant are affected. The disease has several names: "shrinkage", "core rot", "dry rot".

With Fusarium wilt, lesions and death of plants occur due to a sharp violation of vital functions due to blockage of vessels by the mycelium of the fungus and the release of toxic substances by it. Pathogens persist for a long time in the soil and on plant debris, enter plants through the root system and the lower part of the stem.

Symptoms: outwardly, the disease manifests itself in yellowing of the leaves, which begins with the tops. Often the yellowing and wilting of the leaves occurs on one side of the plant. The second side of cyclamen may continue to grow, but it is difficult to wait for good flowering from such a plant. The fungus enters the plant through young roots and spreads through the tuber. Affected tissues are destroyed; the general appearance of the plant deteriorates. On the section of the tuber, the affected vascular bundles are visible.

Control measures: watering plants under the root with foundationazole (0.1%), spraying the above-ground mass with topsin-M (0.1%).

wet rot

This is a very dangerous bacterial disease. Caused by the pathogen Erwinia.

Symptoms: the disease begins with the fact that the plant suddenly withers, the leaves and peduncles hang from the pot, an unpleasant putrefactive odor appears from the infected tuber. Cyclamen roots also begin to rot. The bacterium enters the plant through cracks and wounds on the tuber or vegetative organs. Often, cyclamen infection occurs in places where leaves or peduncles are torn off. The source of infection is contaminated water or a diseased plant. The appearance of the disease is facilitated by warm and humid weather in summer when cyclamens are kept in the garden, on the balcony, on the loggia.

Control measures: does not exist, cyclamen must be destroyed in order to prevent disease of other plants.

Gray rot

The fungus Botrytis cinerea infects plants that are weakened due to poor location, it is especially dangerous in damp and cold air. The spores of the fungus are spread by wind and water. Infection occurs at high humidity, high density of cyclamens and cold night content. Improper watering contributes to the development of this disease in a plant, water entering the “growth point” of leaves and buds.

Symptoms: gray mold appears on the leaves and stems of cyclamen, which takes off with strong air movement; the affected parts of the plant darken and die. Flower stalks are especially susceptible to this disease. Cyclamen leaves turn yellow and die.

Control measures: Carefully remove the affected parts of the plant. Ventilate the room, but avoid drafts. Spray cyclamen less often, water less (better - in the morning, so that the soil has time to dry out during the day). The diseased plant is treated with a systemic fungicide.

root rot

Root rots are caused by various fungi (Rhizoctonia solani, Ramularia cyclaminicola); pathogens live in the soil. The disease occurs when cyclamen is planted in ordinary garden soil that has not been steamed. The disease often attacks young cyclamens, slowing down their growth.

Symptoms: dark non-viable areas appear on the roots of young and adult cyclamen. Symptoms appear on the leaves as if they lack chlorophyll: the leaves turn pale, as they lack nutrition due to damaged roots.

Control measures: Use only sterilized soil for planting cyclamen. If cyclamen is sick, try shedding the ground with a systemic fungicide. But this measure is not always effective; most likely, it will not be possible to save a young cyclamen. You may have to separate from your pet. You can try to save an adult cyclamen. It must be removed from the pot, washed and the damaged roots removed, then treated with a fungicide and planted in a steamed earthen mixture.

Anthracnose

Caused by a fungus of the genus Gloeosporium. This is a soil fungus that harms cyclamens during flowering. The disease develops in warm and humid conditions.

Symptoms: the growth zone of leaves and peduncles is affected. The disease may go unnoticed for some time until cyclamen releases flower stalks. Affected peduncles stop developing, look distorted, the upper part of the peduncles seems to dry out. Flowering does not occur, as flower stalks do not develop. From contact with infected peduncles, infection of the leaves occurs. Young leaves dry up and curl around the edges, old leaves dry up and die.

Control measures: use steamed earth to prevent disease. When symptoms appear, try to keep the humidity levels relatively low. Remove damaged flower stalks and leaves. Treat the diseased plant with fungicides 2-3 times.

sooty fungus

Symptoms: black fungus appears on the sweetish secretions that the aphid leaves on the leaves. An ugly-looking fungus plaque in itself is not dangerous for the plant, but it clogs the stomata and closes the surface of the leaf from light, as a result of which growth slows down and the plant weakens. Affected leaves dry out over time if the necessary measures are not taken.

Control measures: soot deposits are washed off with a wet cloth moistened with a 2% solution of green soap, followed by treatment with a copper-soap solution, then the plant is washed with clean warm water. You can treat cyclamen with a fungicide.

It is believed that cyclamen is difficult to grow and maintain at home. Often after the purchase and the end of flowering, he does not live long and dies. But with proper care, cyclamen can grow for more than 10 years and bloom brightly and for a long time every year.

Conditions for growing at home

illumination

Cyclamen loves light, but not hot direct rays. On the windowsills on the south side, it needs shading, so the plant will be better near the southwestern, western or eastern windows with bright diffused light. In summer, cyclamen is transferred to a balcony or terrace in the garden, to a shaded place.