Cyclamen belongs to the family Primrose. In nature, there are about 15 species. The main area of growth: Mediterranean countries, Turkey, Northeast Africa, Iran.
At home, only two species are grown: Persian cyclamen or Alpine violet and European cyclamen or purple. They differ in size. Persian is much larger.
Principles of cultivation
It is believed that homemade cyclamen is very capricious in the care. But it is not. The flower is pretty unpretentious. He does not deliver much of a hassle in growing up, subject to simple rules:
- Cyclamen does not tolerate high temperatures. The optimum temperature for it during the flowering period is 8-12 C.
- Direct sunlight will cause yellowing and leaf fall.
- Tuber should not be completely buried in the ground. One third should remain on the surface.
- Planting pot should be small. The distance from the tuber to the walls of the pot should be 2-3 cm.
- Does not like an excess of salts in the soil with intensive use of fertilizers.
About how to care for cyclamen during and after flowering, we told in detail here.
A photo
See how the cyclamen looks on the photo, for which the correct care is carried out:
Competent watering: basic recommendations
In order for the flower to bloom beautifully and magnificently, you need to create the right care for it and competent watering. Cyclamen loves high humidity, but does not tolerate when it is plentiful and often watered.
Important! Excess moisture is more pernicious for this flower than its deficiency. With frequent watering, the tuber of the flower rot, and the leaves turn yellow and wither. If the soil is too dry, there is a risk of mites.
Is it often required during flowering and during dormancy?
There is no clear instruction on how often cyclamen should be watered at home. The main indicator of the need for irrigation is dry topsoil. Enough to try a finger in the potted earth. If the finger immersed in 2 phalanxes in the ground remains dry, then it is time to water.
Another sign of the need for watering is when the leaves lose elasticity. During the flowering period, 2 irrigations per week will suffice. In the summer of 1 time in two weeks.
What should be the water?
Cyclamen is watered. Water should be clean and soft. Ideal option - key, thawed or rain water. Do not use cold water. Only room temperature. Before watering, leave the water for 12 hours to settle. You can add a few drops of Fitosporin to prevent tuber rot.
What to fertilize and feed?
During the flowering period, after summer hibernation, the plant needs to grow leaves, buds and flowers for a short period. The flower actively pulls out the necessary minerals from the soil. If the soil is depleted, then further growth and flowering are impossible, and therefore need additional feeding. Get special fertilizers for violets and other indoor plants in the flower shop. These can be mineral complexes with ammonium and potassium nitrate, superphosphates.
When choosing nitrogen, potassium and complex fertilizers, priority should be given to potassium. Experienced growers recommend taking the following drugs:
- Ideal.
- Tsvetovit.
- Kemira Suite.
- Ferovit.
- Rest
Opponents of chemical fertilizers prefer to use biological supplements. As a top dressing they add to the soil:
- yeast solution;
- wood ash;
- dried banana peel as a source of potassium;
- bird droppings;
- tincture of cattle manure;
- tincture of food waste.
On a note. For the prevention of disease and mineral feed, the earth can be treated with infusion of onion peel, garlic and other herbs.
Types of watering a houseplant
Cyclamen at home growing in pots. There are 3 main ways of watering cyclamen growing in pots without causing harm to the leaves, tubers and flowers.
With a watering can
Place the spout of a small watering can or funnel gently against the inner wall of the pot and slowly drive around the circumference moistening the soil. After an hour, the excess water that is drained into the pan should be drained.
You should never water the aboveground part of the plant, leaves, stems, flowers, tubers. With such watering, the flower becomes sick with gray mold and other fungal diseases and dies.
Immersion pot in liquid
- Fill the basin with tap water.
- Let stand for at least a day.
- Immerse the flower in the water so that the edge of the pot protrudes 1 cm above the water.
- Leave until a characteristic wet luster appears on the soil surface.
So the earth absorbed the necessary amount of water. Then you can take out the pot and let the excess water flow.
Important! Do not put several pots in one basin and do not use the remaining water to water other plants. Through the liquid, diseases can be transmitted from one flower to another.
Moisturized from the pallet
Some growers install a flower in a pallet with low sides. In the pan pour a little water. From the bottom of the pallet through the hole in the pot stretch the thread reaching the surface of the soil. With the help of osmosis, water is drawn from the pallet in a string and is evenly distributed in the soil.
So that the water does not evaporate, the bottom of the pan is laid out with moss, pebbles, pieces of wood, which also serve as decorative elements.
Watch the video about watering cyclamen using a pallet:
What to do if the flower "went into hibernation"?
Some flower growers are mistaken in thinking that cyclamen “hibernates” and does not need watering in summer. Watering is necessary, but less often than during the flowering period. To the tubers are not cracked and not dead, you should water the plant no more than 1 time in 2 weeks water enriched with phytohormones. And put the flower in a shaded cool place where there are no strong temperature changes.
Learn to properly transplant
In order to competently transplant cyclamen, use the following algorithm:
- Gently shake out the contents of the pot.
- Remove rotted roots.
- Cut the rotten part of the tuber to a healthy place.
- Dry cut place with crushed activated carbon.
- Treat with Topaz or another fungicide.
- Plant in fresh, sterilized earth for cyclamen.
Alpine Violet Diseases
- If in the winter period leaves and flowers began to fade, then the cyclamen dies from too much moisture and water on the tuber. A flower can save a transplant.
If the affected area was small, then the flower survives and recovers. - If the tuber is cracked. Most likely from an overabundance of moisture. Reduce the number of waterings and add 2 drops of Fitosporin to the water.
- In case of insufficient watering or from dry warm air in the room, cyclamen may have sore leaves, but the flowers remain large and strong. You should increase the number of irrigations, humidify the air with a spray gun or move to a more humid place.
More information about the diseases of cyclamen and how to deal with them can be found here.
Watering, feeding and caring for cyclamen at home does not require daily efforts and special material costs. The plant is quite unpretentious and with proper care will delight you with beautiful flowers in the cold season, recalling the warm summer.
