How to care for indoor cyclamen flower. Plant life span. Growing cyclamen from seeds

Cyclamen(cyclamen) - a plant of the primrose family, charming with its large, bright, exotic flowers. Its origin is not exactly known: the Mediterranean, Central Europe, Asia Minor, Iran and Greece equally claim to become the patrimony of this magnificent plant.

Given that cyclamen known since prehistoric times, it is unlikely that this dispute will now be resolved.

If the legend is to be believed...

The ancients called cyclamen King Solomon's flower. And this is no coincidence. They say that the royal sage and philosopher hesitated for a long time what form to choose for his crown. For him, this issue was very important, because the crown is the main symbol of royal power.

By chance, a wonderful cyclamen flower appeared before his eyes, which enchanted Solomon. And then the king ordered to pour himself a gold crown in the shape of a cyclamen flower.

Another mention of this plant is associated with the name of the ancient the healer Hippocrates. According to legend, it was he who discovered medicinal properties cyclamen, the tubers of which have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and soothing effects.

Varieties

Biologists know 20 varieties cyclamen. We will consider only two of them, most often grown by our amateur flower growers in room conditions: European and Persian.

If you want the house to be almost all year round fragrant flowers - choose Persian cyclamen if you like its greens - heart-shaped decorative leaves dark green- prioritize European cyclamen.

Another name for the Persian cyclamen, the progenitor of many modern varieties - alpine violet. The plant is quite tall up to 30 cm), blooming with large white, pink or purple flowers almost continuously from autumn to spring and fading into the summer.

European cyclamen is simpler. He does not shed his beautiful leaves, continuing to delight with lush greenery. Its flowers are much smaller, painted in pale pink color and have a delicate aroma. This variety ideal for beginner growers- unpretentious, tenacious and does not require daily care.

Choice of location and lighting

The main thing is to try and create conditions for cyclamen that are close to his natural habitat.

What are they categorically do not take- these are scorching sun rays, so the southern windows cannot be considered as a place of residence, only eastern or western window sills or shelving in a slightly darkened place.

One of main features / problems of care and cultivation cyclamen flowers is their exactingness to the air temperature in the room.

In summer, permissible fluctuations of the thermometer - from 18° to 25° WITH. The most favorable winter temperature is +10°C. If you cannot provide the flower with such a regime, cyclamen will first stop blooming, and then simply die.

Watering and feeding

Proper water regime- 50% success in growing this capricious handsome man. in winter, at a temperature 10-12 °С watering and spraying is minimized, because the plant already feels great.

In warm weather not the bush itself is sprayed, and the air around it so that water droplets do not fall on flowers, leaves and tubers protruding from under the soil.

Another way- put a pot of cyclamen on moistened expanded clay or crushed stone.

The first thing about must be remembered- intolerance of the plant to an excess of moisture. During flowering, water the substrate gently in a pot, preventing it from drying out.

Direct a jet of water to the edges of the container, around the perimeter, so that water does not fall on the tubers - because of this the root can quickly rot. Before watering, defend the water for at least 12 hours.

feed the plant needed only when active. Use liquid fertilizers for this in a low concentration (half the amount indicated on the package).

Excess feeding stimulates the growth of the plant, but not the formation of flower buds. During the growing season fertilizers are applied once a month, with the onset of a period of rest they are stopped.

Transfer

At the end of summer, when out of the ground young leaves sprout, you can start transplanting.

Don't choose pot "for growth"- in this case, the plant will bloom ahead of time, the flowers will be small and quickly fade.

Check the status of the root. If you notice diseased or rotten fragments of the root system, carefully remove them.

For growing cyclamen is taken in equal parts:

sheet soil;
soddy soil (can be replaced with peat);
humus;
sand.

Tips for caring for cyclamen after purchase, correct transplant and watering, you will find all this in the video below:

Features of caring for cyclamen in winter, see the video:

reproduction

Most often, cyclamens reproduce seeds. The collected seeds are sown in a room greenhouse, after preparing a mixture of peat and sand.

If you have not yet purchased a greenhouse for seedlings, cover a regular container with glass or film. Ventilate once a day, maintaining the temperature in the room from 20 to 25°C.

You will receive the first beautiful flowers from seeds no earlier than across 1-1.5 years.

European cyclamen is propagated by tuber division, which takes place in February. Fragment with an eye cut with a clean knife and transplant into a separate pot.

How to get seeds from cyclamen flowers and propagate this plant at home, see the video:

Diseases and pests

Delicate and fragile cyclamens very susceptible to various misfortunes. The main insect enemies of this plant are three: aphids, thrips and cyclamen mites.

The most dangerous diseases of cyclamen are botrytis- gray mold fusarium, ramularia- brown rot rhizoctonia and pythium – root rot, and especially wet rot- a bacterial disease against which there are no methods of struggle.

The diseased plant must be destroyed to avoid infection of other flowers.

Precautionary measures

In Persian cyclamen tubers contains toxic substances that can cause diarrhea, vomiting, convulsions. Surprisingly, ancient doctors used them as strong antidote from snake bites.

How many more secrets does this magnificent flower keep? Only the one who solves them all can master the difficult art- growing cyclamen.

dryakva, alpine violet) many consider it a seasonal houseplant, like. It is usually bought as a gift instead of a bouquet or for yourself to admire. beautiful flowering during the autumn and winter months and in early spring. Only admirers of cyclamen, to whom I also belong, fiddle with it, create right conditions during the dormant period, they rejoice at the appearance of new leaves and flowers and carefully plant seedlings in tiny pots.

Cyclamen is a perennial tuberous plant, two species of which have been grown as houseplants. The flowering period falls on a gloomy time of the year, when many people suffer from autumn depression.

Blooming cyclamen is one of the most beautiful indoor plants.

Description of cyclamen

Cyclamen) belongs to the Primrose family. In nature, this plant is common in Europe, Asia and Africa. The genus includes dozens of species wild plants. Only a part of them became room culture.

Leaves. The shape of the leaves resembles a green heart, which in most species and varieties is decorated with silver stains, strokes and spots. The leaves are collected in a basal rosette. After flowering, they dry up.

At cyclamen beautiful flowers and leaves

tubers. The diameter of rounded flattened tubers depends on the age of the plant. Usually it is 4 - 5 cm, there are adult plants with a tuber diameter of more than 10 cm. On its surface there are buds from which leaves and peduncles grow.

After flowering, the tuber goes into a dormant state.

Cyclamens are an ephemeroid. It grows, blooms, bears fruit in the cool period of the year, then life processes stop, the aerial part dies off. vernacular name cyclamen " pork bread”was due to wild boars, who dig and eat tubers with pleasure in European forests.

Cyclamen on French soil

Flower. Charming flowers rise above the foliage on tall strong peduncles. They have an original structure. Many people find similarities with a fluttering butterfly.

The height of the pedicels is from 12 cm (at dwarf varieties) up to 30 cm (in large plants). Flowers can be one or more colors. They are bisexual, have a pistil and stamens.

I have been growing this cyclamen for several years. Every year, flower stalks with red and pink flowers rose from its tuber at the same time.

Cyclamen Care

Place. Indoor cyclamens grow and bloom well, if some important conditions for their cultivation are not violated. First of all, it is worth remembering that this plant does not like heat. He will be comfortable only in cool rooms, on frost-free verandas and loggias. Sunlight should not fall on the flower, although the place is chosen bright.

In our house, cyclamens feel best on a glazed loggia

The soil. The soil must be loose. I mix peat, sand, vermiculite and sifted compost (leaf). It turns out a soil mixture of a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.

Watering and spraying. It is dangerous to overmoisten the soil, because. excess moisture causes rotting of tubers, bases of leaves and peduncles. It is better to pour water into the pan. When watering and spraying, they try not to get on the tuber and above-ground part plants. Watering "on the run" often leads to gray rot. Regular waterlogging of the soil should be avoided.

Air humidity. Optimum humidity can be maintained by placing moist peat on the tray. It is convenient to humidify the air by spraying from a fine atomizer.

Bloom. Fading flowers should not be cut. It is better to carefully twist them or break them off at the base without damaging the growth points.

Once I saw such an unusual peduncle on a completely normal cyclamen

top dressing. I only use ready-made liquid fertilizers for flowering houseplants. I reduce the dosage during the flowering period. I do not fertilize cyclamen before the rest period and at the moment of rest.

Resting state. After the end of flowering, they reduce, and then stop watering for a while and wait for the complete loss of leaves. This means the plant is ready to go into a dormant state. The pot in which the tuber with the earth is located is placed in a cool dark place. It can be tilted or laid on one side. Do not leave in a hot place, so as not to overdry the tuber. From time to time I lightly moisten the soil.

From the middle of summer, the pot is taken out and watering is resumed (without soaking the tuber).

Landing and transplant. After the appearance of the first leaves of cyclamen, they are transplanted into a container with fresh soil. I prefer to transfer such a plant to a slightly larger pot, allowing you to add new land. The size of the pot should match the tuber. If you take the container "for growth", then there will be more foliage, fewer flowers. A small pot is fraught with starvation of the plant.

Pot for cyclamen should not be too spacious

When planting or transplanting, the top of the tuber should be visible. It is often advised to leave one third of its height on top. In my experience, this leads to a number of problems and does not strengthen the plant.

Cyclic development. In autumn, new leaves appear, buds are laid, flowering begins. Winter is a period of lush flowering. From the end of winter to mid-spring, preparations are underway for a dormant period (gradual loss of foliage and exposure of tubers). From the end of spring and summer, cyclamens are in a state of sleep, or dormancy. This schedule is conditional, because. there are deviations from it in individual hybrids. The development cycle is also influenced by various growth and flowering stimulants, which are often used not only in industrial floriculture, but also in amateur.

The flowering of this cyclamen is just beginning, which can be seen from the large number of buds.

Some Growing Problems

1. Rotting of the tuber, roots and base of the petioles occurs due to inaccurate watering or too warm air temperature in the room.

2. The leaves turn yellow, but there are no problems with flowering. This happens when the air is too dry in a warm room. The reason may also be insufficient watering or a sunny place.

3. Short flowering may be due to irregular watering, poor soil or dry and warm air.

4. Flowers have short stems in damp or cold areas. It happens that weakened plants that suffer from irregular watering or lack of nutrition bloom this way.

5. Cyclamen can drop buds if you move the pot with it from cold to warm at the time of laying the flower stalks. change places with different temperatures air is better gradually.

6. Curled leaf edges most often indicate insufficient watering.

reproduction

seed method. Sowing seeds is done in autumn or spring. My cyclamens ripen and sprout beautifully own seeds. Often self-sowing appears in a pot next to the mother plant. Cyclamen seeds can also be purchased in stores.

Cyclamen seeds

When sowing, the seeds are placed on the surface of moist soil at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other, slightly pressed in and lightly sprinkled on top with an air mixture of peat and sand. The container is covered with a film, glass or transparent plastic and placed on a windowsill so that this place is not under direct sunlight. It should be cool with an air temperature of about plus 15 - 17 ° C. The first shoots appear in about a month. Sometimes later.

The first pick (after the appearance of the first leaves) can be omitted if the seedlings do not crowd each other. The nodules remain underground all this time. As soon as young cyclamenchiks get stronger, they need to be seated in individual pots so that top part the tuber remained at the very surface, i.e. the "crown" should be visible. Lush flowering usually occurs in the second year.

tubers. Child growths appear on the mother tuber, which can be carefully separated and planted in a separate pot. It is important to keep the soil moist. Such cyclamens bloom faster. This is a fairly simple option using tubers.

Subsidiary nodules-growths appear on the tuber, which are suitable for cyclamen propagation.

Another option is to divide the tuber into parts during the dormant period. Each piece should have a growth bud and roots. Dried slices are sprinkled or crushed pharmacy activated carbon.

Diseases and pests

Indoor cyclamen should not be attributed to unpretentious plants. It has a lot of pests. That is why regular inspection of plants is so important.

elephant beetle can be recognized by gnawed leaves. The larvae feed on the tissue of the tubers. The plant needs to be transplanted new ground and treat it with insecticides.

thrips. Often purchased plants are infected with thrips. It is active in warm and moist soil. Traces of thrips work are clearly visible on the mutilated leaves. On the upper side of the sheet, a grayish-brown shade with a silvery sheen and light spots and dots appear. The edges of the sheet have twisted edges or are slightly arched. Flowers are deformed. It is difficult to notice thrips larvae up to 1 mm long, which first feed on plant sap, then go into the soil. An adult pest has wings, so it freely flies from one plant to another. Colorless eggs are found on the underside of the leaf. Biological preparations "Inta-Vir" and "Fitoverm" help.

Cyclamen leaves heavily damaged by thrips

Shchitovka usually noticed on the pedicel, petioles of leaves or on their reverse side. Pests are washed off with a wet cotton swab or removed with a toothpick wrapped in a damp cotton swab.

Mite(especially the cyclamen mite) is clearly visible under a microscope, because the size of an adult pest is 0.1 - 0.3 mm. He usually lives on the underside of the leaf, but manages to spoil the whole plant. A single use of the drug "Sunmite" (active active ingredient pyridaben) helps well, which affects different ticks at any stage of their development. Its action is enhanced by "Fitoverm". After five days, it is worth treating the leaves with Akarin, Kleschevit or Oberon. Before processing, the plant is inspected in order to find a dust-like coating on the underside of the leaf. On the early stages Reproduction of multi-claw mites is helped by the treatment of each leaflet with green soap diluted in water.

Types of cyclamen

It makes no sense to list all types and varieties of cyclamen. Usually they are named after the habitat of the species in nature. For example, African, Persian, Cypriot cyclamen, etc. Serious selection began only in the 19th century.

Blooming cyclamens in the store

Two types are massively used in indoor floriculture. It's luxurious cyclamen persian and European cyclamen. Other interesting views more demanding on the conditions of detention. V Lately I often see European cyclamen for sale than Persian. Most likely, this is justified by the fact that it blooms longer. It is easier for him to organize a shorter period of rest.

Undersized plants are up to 15 cm high, medium tall - 15 - 25 cm, large (standard) - 25 - 35 cm. It is worth highlighting the very rare Kuznetsov's cyclamen, which begins flowering in spring. It is listed in the Red Book.

I would advise everyone to buy a flowering cyclamen in autumn or winter (preferably a few), so that this elegant indoor plant will cheer you up, prevent and decorate life. Add to this the delicate aroma of some varieties.

Cyclamen flowers uplift the mood

At the time of buying blooming cyclamen we rarely pay attention to the name of the variety or belonging to certain kind. Yes, and sellers can not always name them. There is a way out of this situation. You have to trust the plant and watch it. Cyclamen himself will tell you when one period of its development comes to an end and the next one begins.

Cyclamen should be cool

And one more thing: cyclamen loves coolness. He doesn't feel well in heat.

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And varieties. It is a perennial herbaceous plant. The growth rate is average.

Used in traditional medicine, as well as in the manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations.

ATTENTION! The tubers are poisonous. Be careful!

Widely used for both indoor cultivation, and for breeding in open field.

Cyclamen grows 10-15 years. Flowering - annual, occurs in winter period. It can produce up to 70 flowers per year.

Cyclamen is native to Asia and the Mediterranean. Cyclamen has always been considered the patron saint of women., being a symbol of motherhood and love. Ancient priests claimed that the plant brings happiness to the house. Cyclamen flowers are used in magical rites and decorate wedding ceremonies with them. Cyclamen was also credited with the properties of a love potion.

It was brought to Europe in the 17th century. But due to the fact that pigs were fed with its tubers, it was nicknamed "pork turnip". Two centuries later, it began to be grown as a houseplant in England.

Appearance description

The root of this flower is a thickened tuber. The leaves are basal, oblong, green in color, with gray and golden patterns. Flowers solitary, on powerful peduncles. The color of this species always changes smoothly from one color to another.

Popular varieties

If you are new to growing cyclamen, we recommend starting with mini cyclamen. He less whimsical in care than other varieties. More compact. The height of its flowering stems grows up to 10-15 cm. They are ideal for growing in the house, in flower beds, in the garden, on terraces.

This variety of cyclamen is one of the smallest. Its height is about 10 cm. The flowers are small, bright colors, from white to carmine. With proper care, it blooms from late autumn and all winter.

Where and how to plant it?

Cyclamen mix should be planted in August-September. During this period, the phase of its active growth begins.

ADVICE. Pick up a small pot. Its size should be slightly larger than the tubers.

The order of planting cyclamen is as follows:

Put a layer of drainage in the selected pot at the bottom. It can be expanded clay or crushed stone.
Before planting, water the prepared soil with a solution of potassium permanganate. This must be done in advance so that it dries out a little.
Fill the pot with earth and plant the tubers.
Tubers do not need to be deeply deepened.
Water the flower. Increase the amount of water as leaves appear.

Lighting and location

This flower is not a fan of bright light. He feels great on the western and eastern windows. We do not recommend placing it on the north window, because due to lack of light, it can wither. Direct sunlight is strictly unacceptable. Under their influence, burns are formed on the leaves. The plant dies.

Soil Requirements

An important requirement for the soil is the level of its acidity. Cyclamen mix needs a medium of neutral acidity (pH 5.5-6). This is determined using special strips that can be purchased at flower shops.

If there are none, the study can be carried out using table vinegar. So, a little vinegar is poured onto a handful of earth: if nothing happens, then the environment is acidic; if there are a lot of bubbles, then the medium is alkaline; if there are few bubbles, then the medium is neutral. To prepare the soil, you need to take leafy and soddy soil, sand and humus in different parts.

Caring for this flower will give you enough worries. It is important to follow the rules of each stage of flower development:

IMPORTANT! During the summer months, do not fertilize, hardly water, and place in a cool, shady spot.

Common Problems

Like all plants, cyclamen mix is also subject to attack by pests and diseases. Among them can be identified.

PESTS

spider mite(leaves are affected, discolored dry areas appear on them).
Aphid(leaves curl, turn yellow, sticky secretions of aphids are observed).
Multi-claw mites(young leaves are deformed, coarsen. White seals are observed on the flowers).

DISEASES

non-infectious rot(leaves wither and turn yellow, tubers are rotten and soft).
Leaf bronze virus(brown pattern on the leaves, deformation, abnormal growth, necrosis of leaf veins).
Annular mosaic virus(Fingerprint-like patterns are observed on the leaves).
Anthracnose(neither new leaves nor new flowers grow).
Fusarium wilt(the leaves wither, turn yellow, fall off. After that, the plant dies. The root vessels become brown).
Gray rot(fabrics become soft, covered with white rot).
Root-knot nematodes(there are swellings on the roots, similar to beads, the plant stops growing).

Reproduction features

Frankly, cyclamen is difficult to propagate at home. But that doesn't mean it's impossible. Our plant can be propagated in 2 ways: seeds and tubers.

They can be bought at the store. Please check the expiration date. They retain their sprout properties for only 2 years. You can also collect the seeds yourself, but for this you will have to pollinate the flowers several times. To do this, with a cotton swab in the morning, you need to spread pollen from one flower to another. After harvesting, they need to be set aside for 2 months for their final ripening.

Before sowing, the seeds must be soaked in Zircon for 24 hours. The optimal time for sowing is August.

As a substrate, peat is mixed with vermiculite or leafy soil in equal parts. Seeds do not need to be deeply buried in the ground: spreading them on the surface, sprinkle with a thin layer of soil. Optimum temperature for germination will be +20 degrees Celsius (with more high value the seeds will hibernate, and at less than +18 degrees Celsius, there is a high probability of their decay). Landings must be periodically moistened and ventilated.

Shoots begin to appear after about 4-6 weeks. From this moment, the bowl with seedlings is placed in a well-lit place (but without direct sun) with a temperature of +15 - +17 degrees Celsius.

When the seedlings have small nodules and 2-3 leaves, they dive into separate containers. A week after this, the plants are fed with mineral fertilizers (the dose is reduced by 2 times from that indicated on the package). Cyclamens bloom 12-18 months after planting. It happens that flowering begins even later (after 3-4 years).

REMEMBER! Cyclamen mix is a hybrid, so the collected seeds on their own may not convey the characteristics of the mother bush.

TUBERS

This must be done during the dormant period of the flower. In spring and summer, tubers can be removed from the ground. The tubers are cut so that each part has roots and buds.

Necessarily cuts must be treated with fungicide or crushed coal. After drying, the tubers can be planted in separate pots. The pot should be covered with a jar or glass. It is important to create a greenhouse effect. If you buy tubers in a store, pay attention to their condition. They should be firm, not wrinkled, free of stains or rot. You can find out more about the reproduction of cyclamen by dividing the tuber.

Although cyclamen mix is capricious, it is very beautiful. Knowledgeable flower growers will always note the presence of such a flower in a house or flower bed, and will appreciate your efforts. Moreover, having acquired such a plant, your eyes will be provided with beauty even in the winter.

Very beautiful flower! I tried to grow it, but my first experience was unsuccessful - cyclamen disappeared. How difficult is home care? Is it possible to make it bloom all year round? One of my good friends is fond of cyclamens. I love being at her house. All window sills are lined with these flowers. And they bloom almost all year round. Some stop blooming, others start. By the way, this flower has another name - cyclomenia.

Cyclamen (cyclomenia) on the windowsill

Among its neighbors on the windowsill, this plant stands out for its bright beauty and abundant flowering. How to grow cyclamen, how to transplant it, what is behind it - let's look at it in detail. This representative is notable for the fact that it blooms in autumn and winter. If you are interested in the process self-cultivation cyclamen, you can buy seeds. It is also quite possible to get new plants by dividing the root. It should be borne in mind that the process of growing this flower from seeds is quite long, until it grows a tuber and blooms, it can take a long time.

Cyclamen (cyclomenia), photo:

The flowering process of a houseplant begins around November and ends by March. The five-petalled cyclomenia flowers on an elegant thin stem are very beautiful - unusual shape with folded petals. The leaves are also very decorative - they are somewhat similar to a heart, an openwork white (or silver) pattern adorns the dark green "canvas". Thanks to the efforts of breeders, hybrids of this flower are periodically born, which differ in shades and patterns on the leaves.

Photo of cyclamen flowers:

Features of cyclamen, varieties

The most remarkable quality of hybrids is the ability year-round flowering. Individual varieties can be planted in open ground, used as garden flowers. There are approximately 20 varieties of this plant, however, for home growing the most commonly used Persian, European, Neapolitan (ivy) variety.

The most common, popular representative is the Persian cyclamen. The flowers of this species can be the most different shades: white, pink, dark red, lilac. The plant usually reaches 30 cm in height, has a large tuber with a diameter of 10-15 cm. The Persian variety can be grown both at home and in garden plots. If you want to plant it in your country house, then choose a place protected from the wind and direct sunlight, for example, near trees or shrubs.

Persian cyclamen, photo:

The purple variety has characteristic, which distinguishes it from its counterparts - from below, the color of the sheet has a purple hue. Also, in this species, the tuber does not protrude above the soil; upon closer examination, the entire tuber is covered with roots. Purple cyclamen retains its leaves all year round (there is no dormant period). The color of the flowers varies from white to all shades of red, the leaves have notches along the edges. The plant gives color mainly in summer (June / early October), its other name is European cyclamen. The flowers of this variety have a very pleasant aroma.

European cyclamen (purple):

Cyclamen Neapolitan (Ivy):

Among the varieties of cyclamen, you can even find those that grow on mossy tree trunks. In this case, the tree does not suffer, since the root system of the plant does not go deep under the bark. In summer, wild cyclamen blooms and smells (the aroma is somewhat reminiscent of lilies of the valley), and with the onset of autumn it “falls asleep”. The height of wild representatives does not exceed 10 cm, they reproduce by seeds, and insects help them. Caucasian cyclamen grows wild, can be grown at home, propagated by seeds, dividing tubers. It can also be planted in a summer cottage.

Wild cyclamen, photo:

We decided to buy cyclamen - what to look for in the store

It is difficult to resist the charm of cyclamen and not buy a blooming specimen! Even if it does not bloom, the head of leaves with gray-blue spots looks very decorative.

The question arises: where and when is it better to buy this plant? I would like to note that the most common type of cyclamen - Persian - they begin to sell in late autumn.

When choosing, I advise you to pay attention to those plants that have more unblown buds - the more of these, the better. Naturally, your new flower should not have damaged leaves. They should be located low relative to the peduncles. It is also not superfluous to pay attention to the tuber. A properly positioned tuber should peek halfway out of the ground. This is important, since it will depend on how your cyclamen will develop further.

When buying, pay attention to the soil. Usually plants from a flower shop are sold in a poor peat substrate, unsuitable for normal cultivation for a long period. Such plants should be transplanted immediately, but only after the end of the flowering period.

For this:

carefully remove the plant from the pot, holding it close to the root by the leaves;
shake off the peat from the roots of the flower;
we check what condition they are in - if we see rotten ones - we boldly cut them to a healthy tissue;
soak the roots for 10-15 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate - this procedure will disinfect the root system of cyclamen;
after disinfection, sprinkle the places of root cuts with activated carbon powder;
before planting, be sure to pour a small layer of expanded clay on the bottom of a clean pot;
as a substrate, any universal soil for indoor or flowering plants is suitable.

An experienced friend always tells me that cyclamen (cyclomenia) unpretentious flower but you need to know some secrets.

Firstly, cyclamens do not like large containers. They like the corms to be cramped rather than spacious. That is, the distance between the nodules and the walls of the pot should be no more than 2-3 cm.
Secondly, cyclamen refers to plants that periodically "hibernate", that is, they need a dormant period that lasts about three months. At this time, the pot with the dormant cyclamen is placed in a cool place. It can be, for example, some kind of pantry, toilet room, even the bottom shelf of the refrigerator will do if the temperature there does not rise above 11 ° C. During the dormant period, cyclamen is not watered, except perhaps only when the soil in the pot is completely dry. One tablespoon of water per week will be more than enough.
Thirdly, this is perhaps one of the few plants that does not like bright sunlight. Be sure to shade the cyclamen pot, or better yet, keep it in a north window.

How to grow cyclamen at home, care for him

To this bright flower pleased you lush bloom, certain rules must be followed. The plant should feel comfortable: acceptable air temperature, no drafts, proper lighting, timely watering - all these requirements must be observed.

How to care for cyclamen at home:

The ambient temperature should not be higher than +12..15°C, if the mercury column rises above +20°C or falls below +10°C, the plant will not like it. There should be no drafts where it will be located flower pot. The presence of a heating radiator (or battery) near the flowers is also highly undesirable.
This flower needs diffused light, light shade, since direct sunlight on the leaves is fraught with burns. The plant needs bright light only when it blooms, the flower reacts to excessive lighting by wilting the leaves and the appearance of brown spots on them.
How to water cyclamen? This plant needs to be watered only through the pan! It is impossible to pour water from above, it should not fall on the tuber, flowers, foliage and other parts. The tray or saucer on which the pot stands is recommended to be filled with drainage expanded clay (thin layer).
This plant prefers moist air. Here, again, expanded clay or small pebbles poured into the pan will help you. You can not irrigate the flower with water from a spray bottle. With the onset of a dormant period, it needs to be watered, but not as often as during active growth and flowering. If you notice that the leaves of the plant are turning yellow, this may also be an indicator of excessive dryness of the air.
The soil for the flower should consist of equal parts of rotted foliage (leaf humus), peat, soddy soil, coarse sand, vermiculite and clay. You can also buy ready-made substrate for cyclamen (the cactus option is also suitable).

Cyclamen - how to transplant

It is best to transplant in the summer. In late spring, the plant ceases to bloom, a dormant period sets in, at which time it is no longer watered, and the pot itself is laid on its side. Around July, slowly, in small doses, watering begins again, when the first leaves appear, you can begin to transplant the flower.

It has already been said that the feature of cyclamen is a minimum of land in a pot! But it will not be superfluous to repeat that the tuber should be a little crowded, it should be buried only partially - about a third of the tuber should rise above the soil level in the pot. After transplanting cyclamen, do not pour abundant water on the flower, the earth should only be slightly moistened. Only when the plant comes to life, actively leafing out, adapting to a new place, you can proceed to normal watering, fertilizing.

How to grow cyclamen from seeds

If buying a ready-made potted flower does not appeal to you, you are interested in going through this whole process yourself, then try to purchase quality seeds. Of course, you can select planting material from existing flowers, but you will have to first carry out the pollination process (with a brush or cotton swab). Pollination must be done repeatedly, from flower to flower, while the presence different varieties only welcome. When the plant has faded and the seed pods are ripe, pick them off without waiting for cracking. Wrap the boxes in a clean cloth or paper, when dry they will open on their own - this way the seeds will be preserved.

Seed box, photo:

For sowing seeds, you should choose a suitable soil. Substrates that are sold in flower shops are also suitable. Such soil most often contains peat, leafy soil, vermiculite. If you want to make such a substrate yourself, then you only have to mix equal proportional parts of these components. Do not forget about drainage (large foam balls or small gravel), there must be holes at the bottom of the tank.

The most commonly used two methods of sowing seeds:

The seed is pre-soaked cold water(for two or three days), to which a couple of drops should be added every day detergent for dishes. This water should be changed daily, its temperature should be quite low.
The second option is more familiar to flower growers and gardeners - Preliminary processing(soaking) with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate or Epin (2 drops per 200 ml of water). For seeds, 15 hours of such a “bath” is enough; after such treatment, even the old seed gets a “shake” and sprouts.

You can try these two methods at the same time, subsequently choose the one that is more effective and convenient for you.

Next, to grow cyclamen from seeds, prepare a container with holes at the bottom, lay a layer of drainage, pour soil on top. Make grooves on the soil, lay the seeds there, or moisten the soil, spread the seed on top, sprinkle 2-3 cm on top with a layer of earth. Please note that there should be about 3 cm of free space between the seeds.

Further care for the crops is to cover the containers with plastic wrap, place them in a cool place. As mentioned above, the air temperature should not exceed +20°C.

Compliance with the temperature regime is extremely important for cyclamen, since when the degree rises, the transition to a dormant period is triggered, and when lowered, the seed may simply rot.

Every day, you should raise the film for a short time - air the seedlings, if you follow these simple rules, you can see shoots approximately - it depends on the variety. After the appearance of pinkish sprouts, the temperature should be reduced to + 8..15 ° C. From the moment of germination, the growth of young livestock seems to slow down, this is due to the fact that the plants are actively growing roots. After about 4 months, they can begin to be planted in separate containers, by this time each seedling should have 2 or 3 leaves.

Subsequent transplantation of cyclamen on permanent place residence is carried out by transshipment along with a clod of earth. A pot with drainage holes, drainage material, appropriate soil - everything must be in order. Young tubers need to be completely buried, adult representatives, as mentioned above, should rise above the ground by half or a third.

You can start feeding after 6 months, complex formulations for flowering houseplants, they are optimally suited for this. Do not forget about high-quality regular watering of cyclamen.

Reproduction of cyclamen

The most convenient and uncomplicated method of reproduction is the division of tubers during transplantation. Well, if your flower has already grown a child tuber by this time. With the onset of a dormant period, you can independently cut such a tuber into pieces, the main thing is that roots + a kidney are present on each fragment. The cut surfaces must be treated with brilliant green or powdered well with crushed activated carbon. The tuber division method really works, try it and see. Another method of plant propagation by seeds is described above.

If you notice that your cyclamen is starting to fade, the leaves are turning yellow, what should I do? Most likely, the reason is excessive lighting. Move the container with the flower to a shady place or hang thick curtains on the window. Heat, dry air can also cause yellowing of the foliage.

A lack of iron can also affect the well-being of the plant: the leaves turn yellow in the same way, begin to fall down. This phenomenon is called chlorosis, however, adding the drug "Mikrovit K-1" (iron chelate) to the water for irrigation helps to cope with the problem.

Sometimes yellowing of the foliage may be due to the appearance spider mite- It is recommended to irrigate the flower with an insecticide. Make sure that the soil is moderately moist, too dry or too wet earth also leads to yellowing of the leaves of the plant.

Cyclamen has faded - what to do next?

With the onset of the dormant phase, the foliage of the plant fades and dries. The remains of leaves and flowers should be cut or cut off by hand, while making sure that the tuber is not damaged. By this time, as mentioned above, watering should be minimized, but the earthen ball near the tuber should not be too dry. If you have the opportunity to take a flower to Fresh air, do it. The plant should always be in a cool shaded place, if you notice new leaves pecking, this will mean that the dormant period is over.

The beginning of the dormant period, photo:

Sometimes a flower, together with a pot, is added dropwise in a shady place on the site, transplantation is carried out when the plant “wakes up” from hibernation. At the same time, the soil and earthen clod are completely replaced, the tuber is inspected, damaged fragments are removed, a month after transplantation, top dressing is introduced during irrigation. You can buy ready-made earthen mix for cyclamen.

Another option for preserving tubers is described above - laying the pot on its side, transplanting in July or August.

Why doesn't cyclamen bloom? On the relevant forums, you can sometimes see a similar question. The answer to it is proper care, compliance with the rules when sowing seeds, transplanting, dividing tubers. It is very important to provide the plant with the required temperature and acceptable humidity. Proper watering of cyclamen, timely fertilization - these are the basic needs of the plant, the key to its future lush flowering.

Separately, mention should be made of diseases and pests that threaten the plant and can affect its flowering. Timely treatment with insecticides and supportive drugs is very important. Regularly inspect the flower from all sides, take action at the slightest suspicion of the presence of intruders or a deterioration in appearance.

Cyclamen drops

It is worth mentioning one interesting and healing feature of this decorative flower- he is medicinal plant, whose anti-inflammatory effect was already known to Hippocrates. Today, with its help, sinusitis is successfully treated, drops, ointments, tinctures are made. As with any other herbal gifts of nature, cyclamen should be treated with caution, not too zealous with doses and frequency of treatment.

Cyclamen root, also known as a tuber, contains biologically active cyclamine (a substance of the saponide group), which provokes an increase in the secretion of mucous membranes and thereby helps the natural cleansing of inflamed ("clogged") sinuses. To prepare medicinal homemade drops based on the root of the plant, you need to take part of the tuber, grate it on a fine grater (or squeeze hand press for garlic). The resulting pulp should be filtered through a layer of clean cloth, and the resulting juice should be diluted with boiled (or distilled) water 1:4. Thus, you will receive a natural remedy for sinusitis and runny nose, instill it daily, 2 drops in each nostril for 7-10 days.

You can also grind 2 g of the root, pour 100 ml of boiling water over it, insist for about 1 hour, then dilute one teaspoon of the infusion with a liter of boiled water, drip into the nose.

An oil extract based on the root helps very well with overdried nasal mucosa. The squeezed juice of the tuber is mixed with the same amount of olive or sunflower oil, insist for about a day, after which they drip 3 drops into the nose for 7 days.

With all the information in mind, you will now know how to care for cyclamen, how to grow flowers from seeds, how to transplant the plant and propagate it by dividing the roots.

Its flowers resemble bright summer butterflies perched on a thin stalk, but the most amazing and valuable thing is that we can enjoy this splendor during winter snowstorms and cold weather.

In order for cyclamen to bloom in winter, home care for it should include quality summer rest. The root should not waste energy and nutrients on growing foliage. Despite the fact that this flower requires the same approach as most indoor plants, it is considered capricious, but the result fully justifies the investment of time and effort.

Cyclamen belongs to the Primrose family and includes about 20 types of flowers, of which only European, Neapolitan and Persian have gained popularity for growing at home. Today we will tell you how to care for cyclamen at home.

Growing such a flowering specimen on your own is quite difficult. To admire hybrids that have snow-white, pink, burgundy and purple colors, it is necessary to observe the principles of their content.

After acquiring a finished plant or its tuber, you should choose a place in the room without drafts, but also without air stagnation. The first important condition is to choose a place with good lighting, that is, on the east or west windowsill. If an indoor flower grows on a south window, it must be protected from direct sunlight.

It is recommended to allocate a place for the culture in a regularly ventilated room. Good lighting is especially relevant for such a handsome man during the budding period and when flowering occurs. Then the culture will fade, and then rest, and at this time lighting does not play a significant role.

Video "Secrets of caring for cyclamen"

Florist Nelly Murashkina will reveal three secrets that will help keep cyclamen in a state of bloom all year round, as well as talk about how to rejuvenate the plant.

Temperature

Also, home care for cyclamen involves monitoring the temperature in the room. Normally, your pet needs + 12-15 ° C. It is undesirable to increase the indicator to +20 °C or decrease it to +10 °C. Also, the neighborhood with a radiator or battery is harmful for the culture, especially in winter.

The grower needs to create an artificial temperature regime, since it is not easy to achieve an indicator of +15 ° C in a room in a natural way. Wintering is usually carried out at + 12–14 ° C, in summer it is recommended to achieve + 18–25 ° C. With the advent of the warm season, the container can be taken out to a shady place and buried.

Humidity

Another care for the handsome cyclamen includes checking the level of humidity in the air and the earth. achieve high humidity soil in a pot is possible if you place it on a pallet with wet expanded clay or small pebbles, and also place containers with water next to it. The soil in which the bulb lives should consist of peat, soddy soil, coarse sand, leafy humus, clay and vermiculite.

Do not spray with a spray bottle, especially when flowers appear. The minimum allowable irrigation interval may coincide with intensive leaf growth. A signal of dry air will be the yellowing of the surface of the foliage. To increase the humidity index, you can create a water mist near the windowsill.

Watering

Talking about how to care for cyclamen, one cannot ignore its proper watering. The peculiarity of the procedure is that it should be carried out often, but the amount of moisture should be moderate. When beautiful flowers appear, watering is carried out with soft and settled water, avoiding either overdrying or waterlogging of the earthy coma.

It is necessary to water the culture carefully so as not to soak the tubers and buds. The optimal solution for home care will be watering through the pan. It is impossible for moisture to get on the cores, otherwise the tubers may rot.

For irrigation, it is customary to use water from temperature indicator 2-4 ° C below room temperature, pre-settled, filtered or rain.

After a couple of hours after the procedure, excess water must be drained. By the time the culture is about to bloom and hibernate, watering is gradually reduced. At the beginning of summer, when the foliage turns yellow and dries, the tubers become bare, you need to water your pet very rarely.

Depending on the variety, the culture is able to bloom from the second half of October to the end of March. When the flowers begin to wake up, at the end of summer - in the fall, they are returned from the garden or balcony to a bright, cool place in the room, gradually increasing watering.

top dressing

When growing cyclamen, additional dressings are required to be added to the ground. It is necessary to fertilize with active growth of the crop, the frequency of application is 1 time in 2 weeks. Common ones are a good choice mineral fertilizers designed for indoor flowers. They are usually purchased ready-made in a specialized store. If you have acquired a culture recently, then you will need to feed it only after 2-4 months. How many top dressings to make, you will be prompted by the instructions for each drug.

Transfer

At the end of summer, when heart-shaped leaves appear, it is necessary to grow cyclamens indoors. The transplantation procedure is carried out in a wide container, where a mixture of loose fresh soil, leafy soil, humus, peat and sand is placed in a ratio of 2: 3: 1: 1: 1. It is permissible to use a substrate of 2 parts of sheet, 1 part of decomposed humus soil, and 0.5 parts of sand. The acidity level of such a mixture should not exceed 6 pH.

When transplanting, it is necessary to carefully handle the roots, and the rotten parts must be cut off. Also, you should not completely deepen the tubers, then everything will go, as they say, super. Therefore, it should be planted so that about half is above the surface. You can take about 0.4 g of ammonium nitrate, 1 g of superphosphate and up to 4 g of phosphorus flour per 1 kg of substrate.

High-quality drainage is necessarily placed at the bottom of the tank. To get a new sprout of such a crop, it can be done by sowing seeds or dividing tubers.

Fight against diseases and viruses

In order for your flowers to look great and be healthy, they should be properly cared for for more than one year. But even if all conditions are met, it is not always possible to keep a pet from diseases. The most common ailments include Fusarium wilt, wet and gray rot, root rot, anthracnose, and soot fungus.

You can determine that your plants have such as Fusarium wilt by yellowing the tops of the leaves, followed by a complete change in their color and wilting. The fungus penetrates the structure through young roots and infects the tubers. To combat it, watering with "Fundazol" is carried out, as well as spraying the aerial part with the drug "Topsin-M".

A dangerous bacterial infection is wet rot. It is characterized by the beginning of the withering of the culture, sagging foliage and peduncles, and the putrid smell of tubers. The source of the disease is water or diseased plants. Treatment is not carried out, the affected specimen is destroyed.

When cyclamen is affected by gray rot, the fungus provokes the appearance of mold on the surface of the stem and leaves, which causes darkening and death of parts of the culture. The foliage turns yellow, which leads to its death. For treatment, it is necessary to remove diseased parts, reduce watering, ventilate the room, but avoid drafts. Flowers are treated with a systemic fungicide.

Infection with root rot is possible when planting in ordinary garden soil, which has not been previously steamed. The causative agents of the infection are fungi that provoke the appearance of dark areas on the roots of the flowers and cause the leaves to turn pale. For treatment, the earth is shed with a systemic fungicide.

The development of anthracnose occurs in warm and humid conditions. Affected flower stalks stop developing and become distorted, then the disease causes the foliage to dry out and die. Pruning the affected parts and treating the culture with fungicides will help.

Soot fungus attacks plants by growing on the sweet secretions left by aphid colonies. The disease not only affects the foliage, which soon dries up, but also disrupts the growth of the entire culture. A characteristic coating from the surface is well removed with a solution of green soap. Then the plants are advised to treat with a copper-soap solution and rinse with warm water. Treatment can be carried out with a modern fungicide.