How to plant cyclamen seeds
Do you know about this? The knowledge about how to plant cyclamen seeds and the correct method of watering cyclamen, detailed information is as follows:
【Common Questions】When to plant cyclamen seeds? How to plant cyclamen seeds?
【Expert Answer】
Image: Cyclamen sowing
(1) Cyclamen sowing substrate
Choose yellow peat soil that is loose, breathable, low in salt, and slightly acidic (pH 5.8-6.2) as the sowing substrate. Mix 15% of vermiculite into the substrate. To prevent the occurrence of ground flies and root nematodes, 1.5 kilograms of insecticides (Miral or furadan) can be added to each cubic meter of substrate. Generally, when filling the tray, the sowing substrate only needs to be moderately moist to make it more compact.
Image: Cyclamen
(2) Cyclamen seed treatment
The seed coat of cyclamen is thick, and it usually needs to be soaked in warm water at about 40°C for 24 hours before sowing, then soaked in an 800-fold liquid fungicide for 1 hour. After removing the water, it can be sown.
Image: Cyclamen
(3) Cyclamen sowing time
The sowing time is determined by the genetic characteristics of the seeds, the climatic conditions of the planting area, and the time of the finished product to be marketed. Large-flowered varieties are generally sown from December to January of the following year; medium-flowered varieties can be delayed by 15-30 days; mini varieties should be sown between January and March.
Image: Cyclamen
(4) Cyclamen sowing
Pre-wet the trays filled with substrate in the greenhouse and use a pressing plate to make a small pit 0.5 cm deep in the center of each hole. Hand sow the treated cyclamen seeds in the center of the pit, then use vermiculite with a diameter of 1.5-2.5 mm as the covering material, and water thoroughly with a fine喷头. The suitable germination temperature for cyclamen is 18°C, humidity should be controlled at around 95%, and maintain total darkness. Generally, a small number of cyclamen seeds will emerge from the soil surface after 4 weeks. When the seedling emergence rate is 50%-60% and the cotyledon length is 1-3 cm, the temperature should be controlled between 15-25°C. After 9-10 weeks of sowing, the tray often shows seedling crowding, at which time the seedlings can be transplanted. The substrate for transplanting is a mixture of peat soil and 30% perlite, with a tray size of 72# or 50#. When lifting the seedlings, care should be taken not to damage the roots, but the moss soil on the cyclamen bulb should be removed. When planting, slightly compact the soil, and the bulb should be exposed by 1/3-1/2. To have good roots for transplanting, water-saving root promotion cultivation should be carried out 2 weeks in advance. After transplanting, water thoroughly once, shade for 7-10 days, and stop fertilizing for 10 days.
How to plant cyclamen seeds
Image: Cyclamen
(5) Cyclamen potting
When the leaves of the plug seedlings touch each other (about 16 weeks), potting should be done, otherwise the petioles will become elongated. The size of the pot is determined by the variety and the potting time. Terra cotta or plastic pots can be used, as long as they have good drainage and have 5 holes or legs for support. Terra cotta pots need to be treated to prevent moss or green algae from growing on the surface, which is unsightly and affects the pot's breathability. Generally, a standard round multi-hole plastic pot with a diameter of 15-16 cm is used in production, while mini varieties use standard pots of 10-12 cm.
The substrate used for potting can be selected based on the climate of the planting area, the type of greenhouse, and the supporting equipment. First, the substrate must be new and have good drainage, be loose, which is beneficial for rooting, initial growth, and subsequent development and flowering, and also helps prevent diseases and pests. Second, the substrate should also have good water retention, not losing water too fast or retaining it for too long, otherwise it will harm the seedlings, especially when the temperature fluctuates greatly. Watering can be controlled to adjust the temperature. In production, the potting substrate can be a mixture of peat soil and perlite in a 4:1 ratio, with a pH of 5.6-5.8. Organic compound fertilizer can be used as a base fertilizer, but the amount should be determined based on the size of the plant and the substrate used.
When potting, the root ball should be slightly dry and easy to remove from the tray. First, dig a hole in the center of the pot filled with cultivation substrate, gently place the bulb in the center of the pot, and during this process, minimize mechanical damage to the cyclamen roots and leaves, as it is prone to bacterial diseases. When potting, the bulb should be exposed by 1/3-1/2, otherwise it will affect its normal growth, and for mini varieties, half should be exposed. After potting, place the plants densely, water thoroughly once, shade for 10 days, and stop fertilizing for 1 week.
Image: Cyclamen
【Green Plant Enthusiast Editor's Summary】
Cyclamen, also known as radish begonia, rabbit ear flower, rabbit flower, first-rate crown, etc., is a common greenhouse flower in winter and spring. The propagation methods of cyclamen include播种 and vegetative propagation, but mainly rely on播种 propagation. The editor of Green Plant Enthusiast has introduced to you how to plant cyclamen seeds in this article, hoping it is helpful to you.
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