How to Sow Cyclamen Seeds
If you want to understand how to sow cyclamen seeds and the knowledge of cyclamen seed cultivation and maintenance, related experience in flower planting is welcome for correction!
Compared to sturdy indoor plants like snake plant, money tree, or aloe vera, cyclamen is a bit more difficult to care for, and leaves can turn yellow easily if not attended to properly, and the flowers are hard to bloom neatly. If encountered with cloudy and rainy days, it is easy to cause stem and leaf rot.
I. Basic Conditions for Cyclamen Maintenance
1. Light:
Cyclamen prefers ample diffused light (3-6 hours or more), can be given bright, refracted, or mottled sunlight, can be grown under outdoor tree shade or near indoor windowsills, especially on east or north-facing balconies. Do not let the sunlight shine directly unless the temperature is below 24 degrees and the light is not strong.
2. Watering:
When watering cyclamen, try to choose the method of immersion, avoiding frequent moisture on the stems and leaves, which means preparing a basin of clear water, immersing the pot about half in the water for about 15 minutes, allowing the soil to absorb water, and then draining the excess water promptly. Avoid spraying water on cyclamen, and do not spray mist on the flowers and leaves unless the environment is well-ventilated and the water on the leaves can evaporate quickly.
Before each watering or immersion, wait at least until the potting soil is almost completely dry, then water slowly around the pot edge.
Too much water will make the stems and leaves wilt, and excessive water can cause rot.
3. Potting Soil:
It is not recommended to repot cyclamen in the first year, especially during the blooming period, keep the original pot until all the flowers have faded, and you can repot in late spring.
When planting cyclamen, try to choose a smaller container with good ventilation and drainage, such as a red clay pot or a plastic pot with many drainage holes.
The soil should be rich in organic matter and well-draining, slightly acidic, such as using leaf mold, peat soil (or fine coconut fiber), coarse coconut fiber (or pine bark), perlite, and you can mix in a little sheep manure fertilizer. After repotting, you can bury some slow-release fertilizer shallowly under the soil surface.
How to Sow Cyclamen Seeds
4. Fertilization:
Care for cyclamen with caution when fertilizing to avoid damage. During the growing season (temperatures between 12-24 degrees) you can supplement with a water-soluble fertilizer every 2-4 weeks, such as alternating between Flower多多1 and Flower多多2, using it every two weeks, which can be directly poured into the potting soil, with the concentration halved. After forming flower buds, you can supplement with some monopotassium phosphate, every 10-15 days, with a low concentration.
5. Temperature:
The best temperature for cyclamen maintenance is between 10-24 degrees. If the temperature is below 10 degrees, water should be controlled appropriately, and below 2 degrees, it is prone to frostbite (avoid frost).
If the temperature is above 25 degrees, gradually increase shading. High temperatures can cause the leaves to turn yellow and wither, and the plant will gradually enter a dormant state, at which point watering and fertilizing should be stopped.
If it is a cyclamen that has just been grown for about a year and has not developed much corm, if not well cared for in the first year, it may be lost.
6. Diseases and Pests:
Cyclamen is not easily affected by diseases and pests. If the environment is poorly ventilated and the potting soil is continuously moist, it can lead to stem and root rot. Stems and leaves that are often in a moist state can easily breed mold, causing the stems and leaves to rot and turn black.
Cyclamen may occasionally be infected by aphids, thrips, or whitefly. Regularly inspect and spray insecticides promptly upon detecting pests,喷两三次 (once a week) basically can clear up, and you can use common pyrethroids or pymetrozine.
7. Pruning:
Caring for potted cyclamen does not require much pruning. Yellow and withered leaves and flowers should be cleared promptly, including the stems of the leaves and flowers. You can grab the bottom of the stem and not just pinch off the残花 or leaves, as the remaining stem can also turn black and rot.
Remove from the base of the stem to avoid rotting of the remaining part.
Tips:
Cyclamen is generally considered toxic, so be careful to prevent children or pets from ingesting it. The toxins in the corm under the soil are the highest, including saponins, alkaloids, and glycosides, which can easily stimulate the digestive system or cause inflammation. Ingestion can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain, and different cyclamen varieties have different levels of toxicity.
II. Cyclamen Growing Environment
Cyclamen belongs to the primrose family, most of which bloom in winter and spring, with over 20 species and countless hybrid garden varieties. Cyclamen is mostly native to Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East regions (preferring cool summers and warm winters).
Cyclamen has colorful heart-shaped leaves and bright rabbit ear-shaped flowers in white, pink, and purple colors. Properly cared for, it can become a perennial plant, fearing extreme heat and cold.