Cyclamen Growing

Cyclamen A Mediterranean plant. In nature it goes dormant during the summer months, comes into growth as cooler, damper weather starts, flowers in autumn, winter or spring, and goes dormant again as summer becomes warm.

Choose a growing cyclamen with only a few flowers open. The flower stems should stand straight up, and there should be lots of buds tucked underneath the foliage that will develop and bloom later.

After you have purchased or received a growing cyclamen, it is important to keep it cool and to water it correctly, making sure not to under or over water it. To prevent disease problems, it is also a good idea to maintain good air movement around the plant.

From late autumn to early spring, provide your plant with as much light as possible. Sun burn is usually not an issue this time of year. Although you may want to avoid placing your growing cyclamen directly in front of a south facing window.

Keep the night time temperatures between forty and fifty degrees and day time temperatures less than sixty eight degrees. Your growing cyclamen won't be happy in a house heated much above sixty eight degrees. If you are unable to provide cool enough conditions for growing cyclamen, the plant will survive for a while, but will have foliage that turns yellow and blooms will be cut short. A growing cyclamen will tolerate a less than ideal location for a day or two as long as you return it to a better place soon after. A growing cyclamen will take to indoor conditions better if you move it to a cool spot at night. Be sure to give it as much light as possible during the day time hours.

If you water your growing cyclamen incorrectly, this can cause problems, especially if to much water was given. Always water only when the surface soil is dry to the touch, but don't let the growing cyclamen become limp. Don't water the center of the plant or this may cause it to rot. Give your plant a good watering then let it dry before watering again.

After watering your plant wait a few minutes than dump the water out of the collection tray, this will keep the roots from being to wet and rotting.

Fertilize your growing cyclamen with a water soluble fertilizer for indoor plants. A good one is miracle grow, feed every three to four weeks, starting about a month after you receive the plant. If you over feed it will cause the growing cyclamen to produce more foliage than blooms.

Flower and leaves should be removed after dying.

Growing cyclamen after done blooming, the leaves will turn yellow and the plant will enter a dormant state. You may be able to force it to bloom again. Stop watering when the leaves turn yellow an wither. Keep it in a cool dry place, and allow the soil to dry. After all the leaves have died, a process that can take up to two months. The tuber may be re- potted into a pot that is a little larger than the old pot.

Use a good peaty soil mix package, the top half of the tuber should protrude above the soil to assure good drainage and avoid tuber rot. Don't water, this could cause new growth prematurely.

Growing cyclamen will start to grow new leaves in fall at this time water well. When new leaves appear from the tuber move to a well lite spot. If all go's well your plant will bloom again, this will take time.