Taking care of a cyclamen properly is essential, if you wish to keep your plant lasting year-after-year.
Their vibrant flowers and interesting leaves make it a popular houseplant.
Basic cyclamen plant care starts with the correct temperature, as in their natural habitat they grow in cool, humid environments.
If the temperature of your house is over 20C. during the day and above 10C. at night, it will slowly start to die.
Too high a temperature will cause the plant to begin to yellow, and the flowers will fade rapidly.
Cyclamen that are sold as houseplants are tropical and cannot tolerate temperatures below 4C.
Hardy cyclamen, which are sold in garden nurseries, are specific for outside use.
The next essential part of care is to make sure it’s properly watered. Cyclamen are sensitive, to both over and under watering, so make sure the plant has excellent drainage.
Water your cyclamen plant, only when the soil is dry to the touch, but do not leave it too long, otherwise you’ll have droopy leaves and flowers.
Water from below the leaves so that the water doesn’t touch the stems or leaves, as water on the stems and leaves can cause them to rot. Soak the soil thoroughly and let any excess water drain away.
Fertilise once every one to two months with water soluble fertiliser, mixed at half strength. If cyclamen get too much fertiliser, it can affect their ability to rebloom.
After your cyclamen blooms, it will go into a dormant state, which looks like the plant is dying, as the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. Don’t worry it isn’t dead, it’s just sleeping.
Allow the leaves to die and remove any dead foliage. Stop watering, once you see signs the leaves are dying.
Once a cyclamen has finished its dormant period, start to water again when you see new leaf growth.
If you plant in outside containers, check the tuber to make sure it has not outgrown the pot. If the tuber seems crowded, re-pot to a larger pot.
