How to grow cyclamen from a tuber. Necessary conditions for young plants

Cyclamen – herbaceous perennial from the Mirsinov family. The plant comes from warm regions: East Africa, Turkey, Iran, the Mediterranean. There he can be found in natural conditions, in temperate latitudes the flower has become an ornamental houseplant. Among the many varieties bred by breeders, Persian and European cyclamen are the most widespread. Vitality The tuber gives the flower. The leaves of the perennial are dark green with white or silver pattern. Their lower parts are red-violet. The main decoration of the plant is the magnificent buds on long peduncles.

European cyclamen

The shape of the flowers resembles exotic butterflies; their colors can be white, pink, purple and many other shades. The perennial blooms in autumn and blooms all winter, creating a special mood in the apartment. The flower is unpretentious in care, loves coolness and diffused light. Even a novice gardener can grow cyclamen from seeds at home. The seed material has good germination, and professional advice planting and care will add confidence in their abilities.

Reproduction methods

Owners of an adult plant are wondering how to propagate cyclamen at home? You can do this in several ways:

• dividing the tuber;
• daughter processes;
• seeds.

In the first case, the onion is cut in half and each part is planted in the substrate. The tuber is divided in August, when the dormant stage ends. Each piece must have a kidney and root system. The cut is lubricated with brilliant green. The tubers are buried 2/3, the initial watering is carried out from the pan. If you lack experience, it is better to abandon this method.

Propagation by tubers

Daughter shoots (rosettes) appear on tubers of European varieties. To reproduce, they are torn off and planted in moist, light soil. The wounds on the mother bulb are sprinkled with crushed charcoal. The young rosette is covered with a jar or plastic bottle. In greenhouse conditions it will take root more quickly. Persian cyclamen does not produce daughter shoots; it is propagated by tubers or seeds.

The most common option for propagating a flower is to grow a seed pod and collect the ripened grains. Seedlings from your own planting material grow and develop faster, but to increase the number of cyclamen varieties you will have to buy seeds in the store. Their germination rate is quite high, 80-100%. The stores have a huge selection selection varieties Persian and European cyclamen.

Where can I get the seeds?

The easiest way is to buy seeds in a store. There is a huge assortment of cyclamens of various varieties and colors on sale. This option is optimal for beginner gardeners or for those who want to expand their collection of indoor flowers. If there are any at home mature plant, then the seeds can be collected from it. In order for the propagation of cyclamen at home to be successful, the flowers must be pollinated. There are no flying insects or wind in the apartment, so you will have to transfer the pollen yourself.

Seeds from a ripe cyclamen capsule

Pollination

During the flowering period (December-February), each bud is carefully struck with a finger every morning for a week. Ripe pollen envelops the plant in a cloud and falls on neighboring flowers. Another method requires the use of a brush. A small diameter watercolor brush with soft bristles will do. It is necessary to go over all the flowers, applying pollen to the pistil. This is called cross pollination. Performing the procedure multiple times increases the chances of fertilization. You'll know the results pretty soon. When pollination is successful, the flower sheds its petals, then bends over under the weight of the fruit.

Pollination of cyclamen

The seed capsule ripens in late spring. The readiness of the fruit is determined by yellow color, drying out and cracking of the shell. Do not wait until the box is completely opened, otherwise the seeds will fall to the ground. It is torn off a little earlier and left until completely dry. Small brown cyclamen seeds are poured out of the box and collected in a paper bag. Information about the collection time is written on it. The material is stored in the refrigerator until autumn.

Information. After a year of storage, the similarity of the seeds does not change. After two years, it decreases by 10%, but the sprouted seedlings grow into cyclamens with abundant flowering.

Preparing for landing

Most favorable period For growing cyclamen from seeds, the beginning of spring is considered, but they are also planted at other times. The collected seed material should be sorted - separate viable grains from empty shells. To do this you will need:

• glass of water;
• tsp Sahara.

Sugar is dissolved in a glass of water, then cyclamen seeds are poured. After 5 minutes, the husk will float on the surface, and the grains will remain at the bottom.

A package of purchased material usually contains only 3 seeds, less often – 5. The products of the Gavrish company are popular. They offer hundreds various types cyclamen. The cost depends on the variety, prices range from 40 to 200 rubles.
Seeds from the company "Gavrish"

For good germination of seedlings, you must first soak the seeds for a day. They are placed on a cotton pad, abundantly moistened with water. If necessary, add liquid.

Advice. Soak the seeds not in water, but in the Zircon solution. It is enough to add 4 drops of growth stimulator per 0.5 liter of liquid. The drug accelerates the development of plants, improves their immunity and adaptation to the environment.

Planting seed material in the ground

Swollen cyclamen seeds are planted in a container for growing seedlings. There should be holes at the bottom of the container through which excess water will drain. A special substrate is prepared for seedlings:

• leaf soil;
• peat;
• vermiculite or perlite.

Attention. If the soil is collected from a forest, park or plot, it must be disinfected - doused with boiling water and calcined in the oven.

Drainage made of expanded clay or foam balls is poured into the bottom of the container. The height of the layer is 2-2.5 cm, it will prevent rotting of the bark system of the seedlings. The prepared soil is poured to a depth of 6-7 cm. The substrate is watered generously until the excess flows out of the holes. Wet seeds are laid out on the surface, the distance between them is 2-3 cm. Soil is poured on top in a layer of 0.5-1 cm. The soil is moistened with a spray bottle. The container with seeds is covered with glass or plastic film to make it work greenhouse conditions – constant temperature and humidity.

Place the container in a cool, dark place. There should be no drafts or sudden temperature changes. You will have to wait at least 1 month for seedlings; in some cases, seedlings appear after 2-3 months. It is recommended to keep the container or other container in a room with a temperature no higher than +18°C. In warm weather, seed germination is delayed. The soil is watered periodically, but excessive moisture should not be allowed. Once every two days the greenhouse is opened and ventilated.

A sprout loop appeared in the cups

Seedling care

A month later, the first pinkish-violet loops appear on the surface. This is a cyclamen tuber with a root. It appears before the leaves. The container must be moved to a place with good lighting. Particles of the seed coat remain at the top of the sprouts. If there is sufficient moisture, they will fall off on their own. If the scale interferes with the leaf, you can wrap it in damp cotton wool for several hours. After this procedure it will disappear.

The first cyclamen nodules

After 2-4 leaves appear, you can transplant the plants into separate containers. Commonly used plastic cups per 100 ml. This volume is optimal for growing cyclamen seedlings. Holes are made at the bottom of the cup for drainage. Further cultivation cyclamen planted by seed occurs in soil with the same composition as that used in the container. The cup is filled with soil up to half the volume, then the sprout with a nodule is placed and covered with soil. The surface is carefully crushed, trying not to damage the fragile seedling. The top soil is watered abundantly.

Plants with 2-4 leaves are planted in cups

If the flowers grow slightly in three months, don't worry. During this period, they intensively build up the root system. You can verify this by looking through the transparent walls of the glass. Grown-up cyclamens can be transplanted into pots with a diameter of 5-6 cm. Purchased universal soil for flowering plants is suitable. There should be a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot, occupying ¼ of the volume. The nodule should not be completely buried in the soil; a third of it should be on the surface. It is recommended to water through a tray. This will prevent the tuber from rotting.

The first feeding is performed at the age of six months. A complex mineral fertilizer is used, the concentration of the solution is halved.

Rules for caring for cyclamen

A seedling older than 6 months switches to the conditions of keeping an adult plant. In order for it to grow well and please you with the first flowers in a year, you must follow the following rules:

1. The perennial loves coolness: in summer the optimal temperature is 18-20°, in winter – 14-16°. Higher temperatures reduce flowering time.
2. It is recommended to use bottom watering, when the pot is immersed in water for 15-20 minutes. Top watering is carried out carefully, moistening occurs at the edge of the pot. There must be water room temperature, clean and settled. After flowering, watering is reduced, and in the summer at rest it reaches a minimum.

   Bottom watering - the pot is lowered into water for a few minutes

3. Flower loves good lighting, but does not tolerate direct rays. It is placed on western or eastern windows. If there is insufficient lighting, cyclamen may not bloom, so it is worth considering the lighting. He needs good humidity in the room. IN summer heat Periodically spray water near the plant.

   The flower prefers diffused light

4. When transplanting a perennial into a new pot, choose a container with a diameter of 2-3 cm larger size tuber In a spacious pot, the plant grows leaves and roots, but blooms sparingly. For a two-year-old flower the container size is 8 cm, a three-year-old will need 12-14 cm.
   

   Important. The tuber of European cyclamen takes root entirely on the surface, so it is buried completely. The Persian cyclamen bulb should be one third of the way out of the ground. Its roots are located at the bottom.

5. Feeding is carried out only during the period of activity. Young plants that are growing green mass require more nitrogen. Before flowering, they are fed with a special fertilizer that stimulates the formation of buds. Experienced flower growers Those who know how to grow cyclamen from seeds and take care of it in the future recommend the drug “Kemira Lux”. This is a water-soluble powder that is applied along with watering. Fertilize the flower no more than once every two weeks.

Attention. Excess minerals harms the plant. Its flower stalks become shorter, the buds become smaller, and the color fades.

After flowering, cyclamen enters a dormant phase. Yellowing and falling leaves are a natural process that should not cause concern. The tuber is placed in a cool, dark place. By autumn it will come to life again.

Growing your own plant from seed material allows him to initially adapt to environmental conditions. The risk of getting a diseased flower or losing it due to differences in maintenance conditions is eliminated. You will have to wait a year for the first buds, but the beautiful flowers will be worth all the effort.

Cyclamen is a plant that pleases the eye. Bright large flowers will decorate the windowsill at a time when it is frosty outside, because winter is the time for this beauty to bloom. Delicate inflorescences weird shape differ in color depending on the variety. The most popular varieties of cyclamen, Persian and European, can be successfully grown directly on the windowsill, with only seeds and suitable materials. And within a year the plant will reward you with its first flowers.

A little about the plant

A bright flower with delicate, intricately shaped petals is cyclamen, a perennial tuberous plant of the primrose family. Soft pink, lilac, burgundy or snow-white - it is a real find for lovers of flowering plants. The big plus is that cyclamen is unpretentious, is not afraid of cold weather and does not need long daylight hours, since wildlife it grows in fairly harsh conditions. Therefore, a cool windowsill and regular watering is all it will require of you. Another name for cyclamen is alpine violet, but again, it can be credited with the fact that cyclamen suffers from diseases and pests less often than traditional violets. Therefore, it is definitely worth taking on the cultivation of cyclamen. There are dozens of shades of cyclamen.

Cyclamen - perennial flowering plant for your home

There are two options: buy a ready-made plant in a store or try to grow it from seeds yourself. The second method will require more effort from you, but will also increase the likelihood that the plant will take root and delight you with flowering for more than one season. Keep in mind that adapting a store-bought plant for home use is also a science. And a flower grown from seeds with your own hands will literally feel at home, since it will fit perfectly into its living conditions.

It is possible and necessary to grow cyclamen at home: it will not require any special effort on your part. You just have to be patient, as the period of germination, first shoots, transplanting seedlings and the formation of a separate plant will take about six months.

The color, size, and doubleness of a flower depend on its variety. For home grown fit:

• European cyclamen - has small pink flowers with a pleasant smell; less popular among home gardeners.
• Persian cyclamen - has many varieties (Scarlet Moth, Charlie, Sylphide, Topaz, Flamingo, etc.), each of which differs in shade, size or shape of the flower.

Important! Some varieties of Persian cyclamen, for example, Barbarossa, are difficult to germinate and require preliminary contrasting heat treatment before sowing.

Photo gallery: cyclamen varieties

Rococo Rose Charlie

What is needed for growing

The most important point counts right choice seeds Store-bought seeds from reputable manufacturers show a germination rate of about 80%. It is believed that the highest percentage of germination is inherent in homemade seeds. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to borrow seeds from owners of homemade cyclamens, do not neglect it. The cyclamen fruit is a capsule filled with ripened seeds. All you have to do is release the grains from the box, dry them for two - three days, and they will be ready to use.

Keep in mind: in order for the seeds to germinate, it is necessary to pollinate the plant several times with a brush during the flowering period. Only then will the ripening box be filled with fruitful seeds.

In addition to the seeds you will need:

You can start sowing cyclamen at any time of the year, but the most suitable season is spring.

1. Soak the seeds. To speed up seed germination, you must first soak them in warm water for 1–3 days. If you want to additionally nourish the plant or protect it from diseases, you can soak it in a solution of Epin, Zircon or ordinary potassium permanganate. The best way soaking seeds - placing them in damp gauze or a cotton pad. It is important not to forget to periodically add water so that the fabric does not dry out.

   Soak the seeds for 1–3 days by placing them in a damp cloth

2. Prepare the landing container. Choose containers with drainage holes to avoid water stagnation and waterlogging. Place a drainage layer up to 2 cm at the bottom of the container. Then fill it with prepared, pre-disinfected soil. For primary sowing, a soil layer of 7 cm is sufficient.

   Pour a layer of drainage and soil into the container

3. Make shallow grooves in the soil, spill with water and place the soaked seeds in them at a distance of about 3 cm. Sprinkle soil on top. The optimal seed placement depth is 1.5–2 cm.

   Sow seeds 2–3 cm apart

4. Place the crops in a cool, shady location. Optimal temperature for growing cyclamen +10 - +18°C. At temperatures above +20°C, the plant is in dormant mode, which means that germination time is delayed. Subject to optimal temperature conditions Cyclamen germinates within 4 weeks. But if seedlings do not appear during this time, do not panic: the plant may hatch only after three months, and this will be normal. Certain varieties of cyclamens are long-germinating (Apple, Kiss and others).
5. Provide the plantings with regular watering and ventilation. Watering seedlings should be moderate. Moist but not wet soil is what you should strive for.
6. When cyclamen sprouts, purple loops appear on the surface, then a tiny tuber is formed, which takes root in the soil and loops with leaves grow from it. Usually the first leaf appears with the skin from the seed. It should reset on its own. If this does not happen, help the plant get rid of it with tweezers. Be careful: if you damage a single shoot, the seedling will die.

   The first shoots of cyclamen

7. As the seedling grows, pay attention to the tuber: it should protrude 1/3 out of the ground to avoid rotting of the growing point. If the plant was planted deep, remove some of the soil from the surface of the nodule.
8. When 3-4 leaves appear on the plant, it is time to transplant it into a separate pot. It will take at least three months, since cyclamen grows slowly. Carefully remove the seedling along with a lump of earth and transplant it into a small pot. The soil type and drainage layer are the same as above.

   Seedling with three leaves ready for transplanting

Video: growing cyclamen at home

Aftercare

Now the hardest part is over. All that remains is to water the plant and make sure that it is away from heat sources and direct sunlight.

Important: when watering, do not pour water on the tuber; it is better to water along the edge of the pot.

At the age of 9 months, the first buds can be found on the plant, and by 1 year it is quite capable of blooming with its first flowers. Usually in summer period cyclamens are in the dormant stage, but modern varieties Persian cyclamens often bloom all year round.

Cyclamen does not require frequent fertilization. However, from the age of 9 months, you can feed it with a weakly concentrated solution for flowering plants.

If the flower begins to shed its leaves, this indicates a transition to a dormant period. In this case, limit watering to a minimum and move the plant to a shaded area.

Growing cyclamen can turn into an exciting hobby. The variety of varieties allows you to endlessly experiment with interior floristry. Bright and delicate cyclamens will fill your home with colors and blooms all year round.

Cyclamen is a house flower that is popular due to beautiful flowering. In the photo and in real life, its petals resemble the wings of butterflies. The plant is not difficult to grow with your own hands. However, to propagate or transplant it, you need special conditions. The flower is most often grown from seeds. How to cultivate cyclamen, photos and step-by-step recommendations flower growers.

Description and features of cyclamen

In order for this indoor plant formed and produced flowers, it will require a year of painstaking care and attention. But the colorful flowering of cyclamen will last about 3 months. Plant characteristics:

• height - 30 cm;
• leaves grow from the root, are heart-shaped, leathery to the touch;
• color - dark green, with a silver tint;
• root - a rounded bulb with a diameter of 15 cm, having a single growth point;
• flowers consist of oval bent petals, pointed at one end;
• color - from white to rich lilac.

Cyclamen flowering

Selection of seeds for propagation of cyclamen

Planting this crop begins with a choice seed material. Seeds can be purchased at a specialty store or collected from flowering plants yourself.

The first option is preferable for those who are going to grow a certain variety and get the expected result in terms of size and color of flowers. Flower growers advise choosing famous manufacturers. The germination rate of such seeds is approximately 80%. If you use several varieties at the same time, you can get a colorful flower garden on your windowsill.

Attention! The shelf life of purchased seeds is 2 years.

If you still decide to collect the seed with your own hands, the flower needs to be pollinated. Manipulations are recommended to be carried out in the morning:

1. Using a regular brush, transfer pollen from one flower to another. Different varieties of plants pollinate better. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times.
2. After pollination, you need to add potassium sulfate to the soil in the pot.
3. Wait for the end of flowering and the appearance of boxes with seeds. Pluck them before they burst.
4. There is no need to dry out the boxes. Wrap them in napkins and wait until they crack. Collect and use the seeds.

Pre-sowing seed preparation: ways to strengthen seedlings

Any seeds must be pre-treated in order to germinate better. The first way is to omit planting material into a container with cold water. Dishwashing detergent should be dissolved in water, at the rate of 2 drops per 150-200 ml. You need to soak the seeds for 3 days, while changing the solution daily. The water should neither warm up nor freeze. The second treatment option is soaking in slightly pink potassium permanganate for 13-14 hours.

Cyclamen seeds

Another way is to use special preparations Zircon or Epin. They should be diluted in a ratio of 3 drops per 300 ml of water and soak the seeds for 16 hours. To correctly carry out any of these procedures, dip several layers of gauze or a cotton pad into the liquid. Place the seeds on one edge of the material and cover with the other.

Soil preparation and planting cyclamen

Light substrate from a specialty store is perfect for filling pots. However, you can make it yourself, using the same ingredients. To do this, mix peat and leaf humus (or vermiculite) in equal parts. The container where the flower will grow needs holes for drainage. Place a layer of expanded clay, pebbles or foam at the bottom of the container to protect the tubers from rotting.

Seeds can be planted in two ways:

1. Dig shallow grooves and place the material in them.
2. Place them on the surface of moist soil.

The distance between the seeds should be 3-4 cm. In both cases, the seed should be sprinkled thin layer substrate.

Cyclamen care

To allow the seeds to germinate, place the pot in a cool, dark room. It has been noticed that seedlings appear faster at +15°C (1 month) than even at +18°C (2 months or longer). The flower does not tolerate drying out of the soil. Monitor regular watering at any stage of growth.

Cyclamen shoots

Features of caring for cyclamen:

1. Avoid exposing the plant to direct sunlight. However, the room should still be well lit.
2. Optimal temperature regime for a plant: +10°С in winter, about +20…+23°С in summer.
3. The young flower will need feeding. Until the cyclamen begins to form buds, mineral fertilizers can be applied to the soil.

Before flowering, the buds of the plant should be sprayed. With the onset of flowering, the need for water in cyclamen increases sharply; spraying should be stopped. When the crop fades, watering gradually stops. It is better to pluck yellowed leaves. Faded corollas should be cut off along with the peduncle. The plant gradually goes into a dormant state.

Cyclamen is replanted at the end of summer or beginning of autumn, when young leaves appear on the plant:

• choose a pot that is not very spacious;
• organize drainage;
• disinfect the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Young cyclamen

The plant is usually carried with a ball of earth. The root tuber should be buried no more than 2/3 deep.
Cyclamen is sensitive to pests and quite gentle to care for. Therefore, in order for the plant to delight you with bright blooms every year, perform all manipulations with it carefully.

Instructions

Before sowing, the seeds must be soaked for 24 hours in warm water, then plant them in the soil for seedlings at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other, sprinkle with a 1.5-2 cm layer of soil and water. Cyclamen germinates better if the air temperature does not exceed 10-15 degrees. The seedlings need to be covered with film and ventilated periodically.

The first loops of seedlings appear after 4-6 weeks and grow very slowly: during the first 3 months, the cyclamen tuber actively develops. At this time, it is necessary to maintain soil moisture, preventing it from becoming waterlogged. When the third true leaf appears, the seedlings need to be pruned, after which growth will accelerate. At 9-10 months, cyclamens already have flower buds, so you need to feed them mineral fertilizer.

If the plant was purchased in a store, you need to transplant it into another soil after flowering. In all other cases, the transplant is done at a time when the plant begins to emerge from summer hibernation. When replanting, you should not bury the tuber - cyclamen blooms better when a third of the tuber is above the soil surface. The pot must have drainage holes and only slightly exceed the size of the tuber - this is necessary for the cyclamen to feel better and bloom more luxuriantly.

At good care flowering is very lush and long-lasting, from October to the end of March. At this time you need to provide cyclamen optimal conditions. The air temperature should be between 12-20 degrees, bright diffused light and good air circulation are important. A north-facing window or an insulated loggia would be ideal. As the soil dries, the plant needs to be watered, trying to prevent water from getting on the tuber and leaves; it is better to pour water into the pan. Once a month you need to add liquid flower fertilizer to the soil.

After flowering has finished, you should cut off the fading leaves and move the cyclamen to a cool, dark place. Watering should be reduced to a minimum, but the earthen clod should not be allowed to dry out.