Sunny cyclamen flower: growing from seeds. Cyclamen Persiana from seeds

Cyclamen, a bright colorful flower, leaves no one indifferent. The plant's homeland is the Mediterranean and North Africa. This is a primrose belonging to the Myrsinaceae group. There are about 70 varieties of it, differing in plant size, color and flower size. Almost 20 species have been cultivated and exist well in room conditions. Spectacular luxurious look Blooming cyclamen attracts novice gardeners. Many people wonder where to buy, how to plant cyclamen, and how difficult it is to care for it. Let's consider all the questions in more detail.

Description and characteristics of the plant

Cyclamen belongs to herbaceous perennials. The most famous plant species are Persian and European. U European cyclamen the roots grow over the entire surface of the tuber, unlike the Persian, in which the roots are located in the lower part.

The peculiarity of cyclamen is abundant flowering(up to 60 buds at a time) with a long flowering period that lasts more than three months.

Its height ranges from 15 cm to 35 cm. The root of the flower is in the form of a tuber, similar to a flat, flattened onion, covered with small buds. Its size is usually 4–7 cm, but sometimes it grows up to 15 cm in diameter. The inflorescences resemble butterflies fluttering over a bush. The leaves are attractive for their decorative effect: on light or dark green sheet plates streaks and specks of silvery shades stand out with lace patterns. The underside of the leaf is red-violet tones. Many flowers open on long, strong stalks. The flowers are small, slightly inclined downwards, with petals bent upward.

Purchasing seeds or collecting seed material

Purchasing seeds in a store is the easiest way to obtain seed material. The variety offered in stores is quite diverse and will satisfy the most demanding customers. This option is suitable for beginning gardeners and those who want to add new varieties to their collection.

If an adult plant is available, seed material can be collected from it.

Hand pollination is required to obtain viable seeds. During flowering (December-March), the flowers are lightly tapped for a week, causing ripe pollen to fall on neighboring flowers, pollinating them. You can use a soft brush to transfer pollen to the pistils of flowers. Successful fertilization will be indicated by the shedding of petals and the appearance of a seed pod. The seeds will ripen at the end of spring: the box will acquire yellow, will dry out and crack. It is necessary to pick the box before cracking, so as not to lose the seeds. The resulting seed in a paper bag indicating the date of collection is stored in the refrigerator until autumn.

Seedling growing method

Cyclamens of the Persian variety are grown from seeds. This method brings good results. You can sow seeds in any season. It is better to do this in early spring, when daylight hours increase - this will provide the seedlings with sufficient lighting and prevent them from stretching.

Preparation of substrate and containers

To sow seeds you need to prepare suitable substrate. It includes:

• leaf soil;
• peat;
• sand.

Earth brought from garden plot, from a forest or park, requires disinfection. It is calcined in the oven or doused with boiling water. In addition to preparing the substrate for cyclamen, it is necessary to prepare containers. Containers for seedlings are suitable. Holes are made at the bottom of the boxes to allow excess water to drain. Lay a drainage layer of expanded clay or small pieces of polystyrene foam in a layer of 2 - 2.5 cm. Fill with the prepared substrate.

Pre-sowing seed preparation

Seed material must be sorted, separating empty capsules from viable seeds.

Some gardeners advise adding 1 teaspoon of sugar to a glass of water, stirring and pouring the seeds into the container. After 5 minutes, the empty shells will float to the surface, and the viable seeds will remain at the bottom of the glass.

To disinfect before sowing, cyclamen seeds are dipped in a solution of potassium permanganate. Pink colour. To increase germination, use a solution of a biogrowth stimulator (4 drops of Zircon per 0.5 liters of water), soaking the seeds in it for 8 hours. This procedure allows you to accelerate the development of cyclamen, leads to improved immunity and rapid adaptation of the sprout to the environment.

Sowing

On the surface of the substrate in the seedling container, make shallow holes at a distance of 2-3 cm, and then lightly water them. The swollen wet seeds are placed in the holes. 0.5 - 1 cm of soil is poured on top. Moisten with a spray bottle. The container is covered with film or glass to create greenhouse conditions: maintenance constant temperature and humidity.

Caring for crops and seedlings

The greenhouse is transferred to a cool, dark place. Carry out regular ventilation by opening the glass to a short time. If necessary, moisten the soil, making sure it does not dry out. Usually after 40-45 days, pink-violet sprouts begin to appear; this is a future tuber with a root. Leaves appear later. Sometimes a seed shell remains at the top of the sprout; it can be easily removed by wrapping it in a damp piece of cotton wool for a while. Some varieties sprout after 5 months.

Lighting, watering, temperature

Before emergence, the temperature is maintained at +18°C; at higher temperatures, seed germination is delayed. After germination, the container is placed in a well-lit place, the glass is removed, and further cultivation takes place in room conditions. It is necessary that the soil is constantly moist, but waterlogging should not be allowed. The temperature is maintained at the same level.

Picking rules

After the formation of 2-4 leaves and small tubers, they begin to pick the plants into separate cups. Suitable for these purposes plastic cups capacity 100 ml. This container is enough to plant 2-3 sprouts. Holes are made in the bottom of the cup for drainage, soil is filled in half the volume, the composition is the same as in the container. Carefully lay the sprouts, sprinkle with soil, and lightly press down. Water generously. The growth of seedlings continues for up to six months. At this time it is growing rapidly root system, the height of the sprout increases slightly.

Feeding

Complex fertilizers are used as fertilizing mineral fertilizer, while the concentration of the solution is made two times less than the norm. The first feeding is carried out on plants at six months of age.

Planting by dividing a tuber

Propagation by rhizome division is used only for adult plants with large, overgrown tubers. The cyclamen tuber is very vulnerable. To avoid rotting of the separated parts and death mother plant, the division operation must be carried out extremely carefully.

Terms and rules of division

Cyclamen can be planted from a tuber during the plant's dormant period. The sequence of actions is as follows:

• a day before the division operation, water the soil so that the tuber can be easily removed;
• dig up the tuber, wash with water room temperature, removing soil;
• take a sharp, disinfected knife with a thin blade;
• in order to avoid severe injuries, it is advisable to divide the tuber into 2 parts (the maximum allowable division is 4 parts);
• the incision is made so that in each lobe there is at least one point of growth and one place of origin of the roots;
• the separated parts of the tuber are dried for 2-4 hours;
• the sections are sprinkled with wood ash powder, having previously been treated with brilliant green;
• dry the material for 18 hours.

Features of landing

They start with preparing the soil. The soil for planting should include:

• leaf soil;
• peat;
• humus;
• sand.

Store-bought ready-made soil is suitable. The soil is disinfected by steaming over boiling water or calcining in the oven. Drainage material is also disinfected by calcination. Choose a pot 7-8 cm in size with holes at the bottom. Step-by-step instruction landings:

• Place a 1.5 cm thick drainage layer on the bottom of the pot;
• fill almost the entire volume with prepared soil from above;
• place the “division” in the center of the pot;
• add a layer of soil so that the tuber is buried 2/3 (for Persian cyclamen);
• Watering should be done through a tray to avoid rotting.

It’s easier to get a new specimen using a “baby” - a tuber formed on the mother one.

How to care for young plants

The rules for caring for young cyclamen are usual. For irrigation use settled water at room temperature. Water the plant carefully to avoid rotting of the tuber. Top and bottom watering is carried out every other time. In the first case, water is carefully poured along the edge of the pot. Bottom watering is carried out by immersing the pot in a container of water or filling the tray with moisture, and draining the excess water.

The plant does not tolerate light from direct sunlight; it needs diffused sunlight. Cyclamen likes it cool Fresh air, 14-17°C is comfortable for him. Dry air negatively affects the condition and development of the flower; direct spraying is also not suitable for it. The best option Place a container of water next to the flowerpot or humidify the surrounding air with a spray bottle. Feeding with fertilizers begins from six months during the active period. Use liquid fertilizers for indoor flowers.

Before applying fertilizer, water the soil until the water is completely absorbed. When pouring the solution, you must ensure that no drops get on the plant itself. Fertilizers are applied no more than once every 15 days.

Excess feeding harms the plant: the size of the flowers decreases, the flower stalks become shorter, and the colors of the inflorescences fade.

Care and replanting of an adult flower

The rules for caring for an adult plant apply to cyclamen from six months:

• the optimal temperature for keeping a flower in summer is 18-20°C, in winter no higher than +16°C, at higher temperatures the flowering period is shortened;
• water carefully, preferably through a tray or along the edge of the pot, avoiding water getting on the leaves and stem;
• water - settled, room temperature;
• after the end of flowering (at rest), maintain low soil moisture;
• creation indoors high degree humidity, if there is a lack of it - spraying water near the plant;
• arrangement of the flower - without hitting straight lines sun rays, sufficient diffused light.

If you follow the rules of care, cyclamen will delight you with bright blooms in a year.

At the end of flowering, the leaves begin to turn yellow and wither. Watering is reduced. Leaves are removed by twisting them without using scissors. The plant goes into a dormant state. The flowerpot is moved to a dark, cool place. Watering at this time is rare, only so that the tuber does not dry out completely.

The period of “hibernation” lasts up to 3 months; at the end of it, the flowerpot is returned to its original illuminated place and begins to be watered. One of mandatory procedures caring for cyclamen is replanting. In what cases is it necessary, how to carry out the procedure correctly and in what soil should it be planted? A flower purchased in a shipping pot with peat needs to be replanted, especially an imported one (due to the poor quality of the soil).

Cyclamen must be replanted every year until the age of three. It is advisable to replant adult specimens once every 2-3 years, replacing depleted soil and the pot with a container bigger size. For transplantation, choose the time before the buds appear or after flowering. The appearance of leaves on the tuber after the end of dormancy (usually August-September) is a signal for transplantation. If the plant “does not fall asleep,” replanting is done in the interval between flowering. If a tuber is damaged by rot, an urgent transplant is required. It is washed, the infected parts are cut off, and the sections are processed activated carbon. For any transplant it is necessary to prepare a suitable substrate. It includes:

• leaf soil;
• peat;
• sand or perlite (soil loosening agent);
• vermiculite (material containing a large number of trace elements: magnesium, potassium, iron, aluminum, silicon).

Soil brought from a garden plot, forest or public garden requires disinfection. It is calcined in the oven or doused with boiling water. The cooled soil from the fungus is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. A purchased ready-made substrate for cyclamen or a soil mixture for Saintpaulias, which are also disinfected, are also suitable. In addition to preparing the substrate for cyclamen, the volume of its pot plays a big role in the development of the plant and its flowering.

The container should be selected according to the size of the tuber. The best option- when the height is equal to its diameter. But it shouldn't be too big. The optimal value will be at which the distance from the walls of the pot to the tuber itself does not exceed 3 cm.

Holes should be made in the bottom of the pot to allow water to drain out.

Only by growing in such conditions will cyclamen give rapid, lush flowering.

1. A drainage layer (expanded clay, small pieces of polystyrene foam) up to 2.5 cm thick is poured onto the bottom of the prepared pots; it will protect the roots from rotting.
2. The prepared substrate is placed on the drainage in a layer of 6-7 cm. Water generously until the excess begins to flow out through the holes.
3. Remove the tuber from the old pot along with the earthen lump. Remove dry and rotten roots.
4. Straightening the roots, place the tuber in a new pot. Fill in the prepared mixture without compacting it.
5. Water and add soil.

Tuber Persian varieties fall asleep 2/3, European - completely. All operations are carried out extremely carefully so as not to damage the fragile roots. Removing some of the leaves (by twisting) before planting will speed up the flower's adaptation to new conditions. The presented material convinces that even novice gardeners can plant cyclamen with seeds at home or grow a flower with a tuber.

It is necessary to strictly follow the care rules and adhere to the relevant requirements during transplantation.

A well-deserved gift will be the riot of colors of the beautiful cyclamen inflorescences.

Propagation of cyclamens by seeds is the simplest and most cheap way, allowing you to easily obtain many young plants. Having flowering cyclamen specimens, collecting seeds is very easy. This propagation method is very effective and most common in indoor floriculture.

In this article you will learn in detail how to grow cyclamen from seeds at home, as well as how to plant the seeds correctly.

Planting material

Seeds can be collected from the plant some time after it has finished flowering. Usually at this time there are many seed pods on the flower.

In room conditions, cyclamen seeds ripen in 2-4 months. Planting material is also sold in flower shops.

Fresh seeds are best for sowing. It is not advisable to store them, since when they dry out they significantly lose their viability.

Having blooming cyclamen, seeds can be obtained by cross-pollination. When the box opens, you can collect the seeds and prepare them for planting.

You can see what cyclamen seeds look like in the picture above.

For sowing choose only quality material. The seeds are soaked in a zircon solution, and any that float are removed.

Germination conditions

The soil in the seed box should always be kept moist. This is done using a water spray. But if the soil is too wet, the seeds rot and do not germinate, so you should not fill the container.

Every day you need to open the container with the sprouts for ventilation, and then close it again. Ventilation will protect cyclamen seeds from rotting. The container is kept under film until shoots emerge.

The temperature for seed germination must be at least 20ºС. Under these conditions, the first seeds germinate within 1.5 months.

Temperature is one of the most important conditions for successful seed germination. If the thermometer is too high, the seeds may simply go into hibernation, and you will have to wait a very, very long time for germination. At the same time, at temperatures below 16 degrees, the likelihood of seed rotting greatly increases. In view of this optimal temperature for germination it will be 18-20 degrees.

Germination of cyclamen seeds is a long process. Even under ideal conditions for them, the first shoots appear no earlier than a month and a half later. And you have to wait up to 6 months for sprouts of some varieties!

Choosing a pot and soil for planting cyclamen

The soil for planting cyclamen should be light and loose. A slightly acidic substrate with a pH of 5.0 is suitable. You can buy a ready-made soil mixture with neutral acidity in the store. The substrate for growing tulips is also suitable. IN purchased land It is recommended to add a little vermiculite or sand, which will increase water and breathability.

If you want to prepare the earthen mixture yourself, you can choose from several options:

Sowing seeds can be done both in individual pots and in boxes. In the first case, young specimens do not need to be replanted until they grow well and the pot becomes too small for them. In the second case, seedlings are picked into separate containers when they have 3-4 leaves.

The pot for cyclamen should be selected depending on the size of the tuber. There should be no more than 3-4 cm between it and the edge of the pot. So, for young plant The diameter of the pot should not exceed 8 cm. Adult specimens, the tuber of which has grown to 13-15 cm, need a pot with a diameter of 16-17 cm.

If the pot is too small, the cyclamen will bloom very quickly without gaining enough leaf mass. If, on the contrary, the pot is too big, you will have to wait a very long time for the buds.

Sowing cyclamen seeds

A container or box with light and nutritious soil is suitable for sowing. It is necessary to make drainage in it so that the seeds, and then the young seedlings, do not rot. Peat and vermiculite can be used as soil in equal quantities.

How to plant cyclamen from seeds? The seeds are placed on the surface of the soil and sprinkled on top thin layer land. After this, the entire container is covered with an opaque film.

This promotes rapid germination, since in nature the seeds of a flower fall under its leaves and germinate in the dark.

If the seeds fall into the soil when the plant has no leaves and is at rest, the seeds remain in the light and do not germinate until summer ends and the adult cyclamen grows leaves.

After planting cyclamen seeds at home, proper care is required.

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Caring for cyclamen seedlings

As soon as the seeds have sprouted, the dark film is removed and the container is moved to a lighted place without direct sun.

Seedlings grow best at around 16ºC. But they can also be grown at normal room temperature. A flower grown in such conditions will be fully adapted to high temperatures room content.

When the seedlings have 2 leaves, you can plant them in a common container with soil for cyclamens.

When transplanting small cyclamen tubers, you need to free the upper growth point from the ground.

If the seeds were sown at the end of September, then the seedlings are transplanted into separate pots after 5-6 months. And young plants bloom 14-15 months after sowing.

Cyclamen seedlings are pink-purple small sprouts. A tiny tuber with a root appears from the loop, which first takes root in the ground. And only after this the loop unfolds and leaves appear.

Interestingly, cyclamen sprouts, like adult plants, are not afraid of temperature changes and drafts.

Sometimes, due to insufficient moisture, the leaf is not freed from the peel. You can carefully help him with this. Spray the sprout with a spray bottle for 30-40 minutes to soften the peel, and then slowly remove it with tweezers.

Cyclamen seedlings grow very slowly. This is explained by the fact that young specimens grow tubers, and only after that, after 3-4 months, they will be pleased with the appearance of new leaves.

Growing cyclamen with seeds is a long process that requires patience and attention.

Description of plants and species for indoor keeping

Cyclamen is a perennial herbaceous plant with a tuberous root system, belonging to the Primrose family. IN natural conditions grows in Asia Minor and Central Europe, in the Mediterranean and Iran.

The root system of the plant is a corm, which has one growth point and reaches a diameter of 15 cm. The leaves of the plant have a dark green color and long petioles. They are leathery and very decorative because they have an original grayish or silver pattern.

Single flowers on long stalks have five bent and pointed petals. They resemble butterflies in shape. They can reach 8 cm in diameter.

Their color varies depending on the species: it can be red, white, pink, yellow, burgundy, purple, lilac. Flowering indoors lasts about 3 months.

More than 20 species of cyclamen are known. However, only 2 of them are suitable for indoor keeping:

• – most popular look. Has very decorative leaves and flowers. Depending on the variety, it reaches a height of 15 to 30 cm. The leaves are large, velvety, heart-shaped, about 15 cm in diameter. They often have an interesting marble pattern. The flowers have 5 curved petals that can be colored various colors. During the dormant period it sheds its leaves.
• European cyclamen is similar to Persian cyclamen, but smaller in size. The round, heart-shaped leaves on top are dark green with silver pattern, and below – in purple. Their diameter does not exceed 5 cm. The flowers are small, up to 2 cm, white, red or pink. Has a weak rest period.

Caring for an adult plant

Cyclamen is quite demanding in care, so it will take a little effort to grow a beautiful flowering plant.

The flower is light-loving, but does not tolerate scorching sun rays.. That's why optimal place eastern or western window sills will be used for it. In the southern ones, shading will be needed, and in the northern ones - artificial additional lighting.

An important condition and at the same time common problem When growing cyclamen, it is necessary to maintain a favorable temperature for it. In summer it should not go beyond 18-23 degrees, and in winter – 10-14 degrees. If this regime is not followed, the plant will gradually stop blooming, begin to wither and may even die.

Cyclamen should be watered sparingly. Water should not get on the tuber and shoots, so watering should be done either along the edge of the pot or through a tray. To prevent the roots from rotting, the water should be drained from the pan an hour after watering.

It is recommended to use settled water, which is 3-4 degrees below room temperature. It is important to consider that cyclamen is very sensitive to waterlogging of the soil, so it is important not to overdo it with watering. In summer, during the dormant period, when the foliage dries out, watering is reduced to a minimum.

Cyclamen does not tolerate dry air and heat very well.. Therefore, in summer it is important to humidify the air around it with a fine-grained spray several times a day. In this case, drops of water should not fall on the tuber.

Spraying should also be stopped during flowering. Another way to increase humidity environment– place the pot in a tray with damp sphagnum moss, expanded clay or pebbles.

Fertilizing can only be done during the growing season. Their regularity is once every 3-4 weeks. You can use liquid fertilizers with a low nitrogen content. The concentration should be 2 times weaker than indicated on the package.

Other ways to propagate cyclamen

Cyclamen does not propagate by cuttings or leaves. In addition to the seed method, propagation by “children” and division of the tuber is also used. This kind of manipulation is carried out after flowering, when the plant is at rest.

The babies are carefully separated from the mother tuber. Each specimen is planted in an individual pot, half-deep into the soil. After this, moderate watering is carried out. Feeding should begin when young cyclamen have new leaves.

The advantage of propagation by dividing the tuber is that new plants can bloom in the same year. However, this is a rather dangerous method, since it is possible not only not to grow young specimens, but also to destroy the mother tuber. The reason is that a cut tuber does not heal well and can easily rot.

The tuber can be cut if it is vigorous and healthy and has several buds or “eyes.” The tuber is removed from the ground and dried a little.

Then, with a sharp, disinfected knife, it is cut into several parts so that each of them contains roots and at least one bud. The delenki should be dried for several hours and sprinkled with crushed charcoal or ash. Then they are planted in light soil.

The main thing in caring for cyclamens obtained as a result of dividing the tuber is watering. It should be sufficient for parts of the tuber to heal and begin to grow, and at the same time moderate so that they do not begin to rot.

Replanting cyclamen

The best time to replant cyclamen is late summer - early autumn, when the plant begins to grow young leaves after a dormant period. Young specimens, as a rule, are replanted every year, adults - once every 2-3 years.

In addition to the planned procedure, A transplant can be carried out if:

• The flower is sick;
• He felt very cramped in the old potty;
• There was a need to replace the old soil with new one.

Cyclamen should not be replanted during flowering.

It is better to carry out transplantation using the transshipment method.. This way the plant quickly adapts to the new pot and substrate and begins to grow.

When transplanting, it is also important to know one more feature of cyclamen. The tuber of an adult plant cannot be completely immersed in the ground. 1/3 of it should be left above the surface, otherwise the flower will die.

A pot for replanting needs to be 2-3 cm larger in diameter than the size of the tuber. It is important to put it on the bottom good layer drainage Then - a light, nutritious substrate. After transplantation, cyclamen should be watered moderately and placed in a place protected from direct sunlight place.

Now you know everything about growing cyclamen from seeds at home.

Cyclamen is a favorite flower of Russian housewives, because it is very beautiful. The most common species bred at home is the Persian or European cyclamen. Grow the plant at home on the windowsill, in open ground it can only be found in warm countries, for example, in the Mediterranean. The leaves have complex colors, combining green and White color, and the shades of the buds can be different, from white to deep red and purple. Mostly, already grown seedlings are bought home, but you can try to grow cyclamen from seeds at home.

Selecting the right seeds

The first stage of sowing cyclamen seeds begins with the selection of material. It can be purchased at the store or obtained from existing flowers at home. To do this, the buds self-pollinate. This can be done by lightly tapping the ovary of the plant or using a soft brush, which is passed along the center of the bud. After the seeds ripen, the cyclamen sheds its petals, and a yellowish box remains on the peduncle. They open it or wait until the seed falls out on its own.

If the choice fell on purchased material, then you should take the freshest one presented, thereby ensuring greater germination. In addition, you can check the quality when you return home from the store. To do this, take a container filled with water and pour the contents of the bag into it. After stirring, you need to wait a while. The floating seeds are discarded; most likely, they are hollow, and the rest can be used.

The necessary conditions

Growing cyclamen from seeds at home is not easy, but interesting. You'll have to be patient and take everything into account the necessary conditions. There are few of them, but they are important:

Landing and growing kobei in open ground and in pots

When growing this plant yourself, the main thing is not to give up. After all, the process can drag on if something is done incorrectly. There is no need to rush, sometimes seeds sprout when no one was expecting them.

Step-by-step disembarkation

Sowing begins with the preparation of the necessary components and the planting material. It is important to follow the instructions so that planting cyclamen seeds at home will end in success. You should definitely pick up correct soil and container, as well as process the material.

Preparation of material

It will help to plant the plant correctly preliminary preparation seeds There are several ways to do this:

Which option to choose, the florist decides for himself, of course, using special means the result could be better. But even the fourth point will be quite enough.

Soil selection

The soil should be light so that it is easier for seedlings to break through. You can purchase it in specialized departments or try mixing it yourself.

Features of growing liatris in the garden and rules for caring for the flower

If you want to use the second option, then peat, which is combined with leaf humus in a 1:1 ratio, is suitable for this purpose. After which the resulting mixture is sieved, removing dirt and larvae, and disinfected. Again, there are several ways to do this:

The third option is the easiest to implement and also the most effective. Experienced gardeners they prefer it.

Planting process

When starting this stage, the work surface is covered with oilcloth, and gloves are put on your hands, although this is not necessary. For work you will need: a container (it is better to take a square one, not very deep, but wide), soil, water, seeds and a lid for the greenhouse. The process itself looks like this:.

Passionflower at home: features of flower care and cultivation

This completes the sowing. All that remains is to cover the box with glass and put it in a cool place.

When to expect shoots

As a rule, plants from seeds germinate in a period of 10 days to a month. But not in the case of cyclamen. You have to wait at least a month for its sprouts, and sometimes even longer. In cases where one of the conditions is violated, the seeds may hatch after 3 months. Therefore, you should not throw away the soil too quickly or plant something new there. In this case, the best solution is to be patient.

After the first leaf appears, the Persian cyclamen freezes for a while, but this is only externally; in fact, it grows the tuber and roots. This process lasts up to three months, and then all the power goes into the greens.

At this stage, you can open the plants for oxygen access and move the box closer to the light, suitable place there will be a window facing west or east. During this period, it is important to keep the soil moist; under no circumstances should it dry out. And you need to water so as not to wash away the earthen ball near the tubers.

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 the selection of seed. Seeds can be bought at a specialty store or collected yourself from flowering plants.

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 lower the 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 with a thin layer of 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.

The peculiarity of cyclamen is its colorful flowering, which lasts 3 months. In addition, the plant has the following characteristics:

• height - 30 cm;
• leaves grow from the root, heart-shaped forsa, leathery to the touch;
• the color of the leaves is dark green, with a silvery tint;
• the root is presented in the form of a rounded bulb with a diameter of 15 cm, which has one growth point;
• flowers consist of oval bent petals, pointed at one end;
• The color of the flowers can vary from white to deep purple.

Check out the photo of the plant below:

Breeding options

Cyclamen reproduction occurs different ways. Choosing suitable option, you should focus on plants:

1. . This method is preferable for adult cyclamens of varieties such as and.
2. Propagation by seeds– applicable for any type of cyclamen, even ivy-leaved.
3. Rosettes– shoots of the European type take root more easily than the Persian ones.
4. Daughter tubers. This option is excellent for propagating European cyclamen. Unlike other varieties of plants, small children form around the tuber. They are easy to separate during transplantation and plant in separate containers.

Read about how to propagate cyclamen by leaves along with other methods.

What is artificial pollination method?

To understand how to plant seeds at home and how to grow them at home, let’s first consider what these seeds look like. Externally, the seeds of the plant resemble small brown beads. They need to be collected after flowering. But to get cyclamens from seeds and grow them at home, you can use the artificial pollination method. The procedure is as follows:

1. Using a soft brush, transfer pollen from the stigma of one flower to another. Repeat the procedure several times.
2. When the plant has flowered, a seed box forms in place of the flower. Carefully collect them and wrap them in a napkin.
3. After some time, the box will open on its own and you can collect the seeds.

Watch a video about artificial pollination of cyclamen:

Character traits

The seed method of growing and propagating cyclamen from seeds, as a result of artificial pollination, remains especially popular among gardeners. Therefore, if you are concerned about what to expect from homemade seeds, then we can say that this method allows you to get a healthier plant that is more adapted to apartment conditions.

ATTENTION: Seeds can be purchased at the store or collected yourself. The second option remains preferable: how to collect and plant cyclamen from seeds at home, since purchased material often turns out to be of poor quality.

Sowing time

When to plant seeds? It is best to sow in February - March, but you can sow at any time of the year.

The preparation process includes the following steps:

Choosing a pot

Sowing of seeds is carried out in individual pots or boxes. If the first option is chosen, then the young seedlings do not need to be transplanted until they grow up and the pot for them becomes small. When planting in boxes, you will need to pick the seedlings into separate containers when they have 3-4 leaves.

Choose a pot for cyclamen taking into account the size of the tuber. There should be a distance of no more than 3-4 cm between it and the edge of the container. For a young plant, the diameter of the pot is 8 cm and no more. Adult specimens, 13-15 cm tall, will need containers with a diameter of 16-17 cm.

IMPORTANT: When does cyclamen bloom? If the pot is small, the cyclamen will quickly bloom without gaining the necessary leaf mass. If it is too big, you will have to wait a long time for the buds.

Soils

The soil for the plant should be loose and nutritious, and also air and moisture permeable. You can use a purchased substrate intended for decorative floriculture. To prepare the soil, combine garden soil with peat in equal amount and add a little river sand.

Landing

How to plant plant seeds? Landing occurs as follows:

1. Prepare the container by placing expanded clay on the bottom.
2. Fill the container with light nutrient soil and moisten it thoroughly.
3. Sow the prepared seeds in a shallow trench or on the surface of the substrate, and then sprinkle with a thin layer of soil.
4. Cover the container with film, as seeds germinate better in darkness and warmth.
5. Maintain constant soil moisture, but do not flood the container.
6. Open the film daily and ventilate
7. In 1-1.5 months the first shoots will appear.

Step-by-step care

Picking

Within 4-8 weeks, purple-pink loops will appear from the ground. This is the long-awaited cyclamen. The loop forms a small nodule with a root that takes root in the soil. Only then will the loop with the leaf unfold. 3-4 months after sowing, 2-3 leaves form on the plant. These are indications for picking.

Plant the plants in separate cups, 2-3 seedlings each. Picking is carried out with a lump of earth and after transplanting the tubers, sprinkle with soil, which cannot be done with an adult plant. Sprinkle half of its tuber.

Top dressing

It is not recommended to feed young cyclamens under 6 months of age.. Only after this can you use purchased fertilizers for flowering plants. Only their dosage should be 2 times less than that indicated in the instructions. The following compositions are most often used for cyclamen:

• Kemira Lux.
• Ferovit.
• Blooms.

Up to a year old, young seedlings love moist soil. But adult specimens prefer moderate watering, especially in the summer. Young shoots need to be watered with a pipette. This will deliver water directly to the roots. Moisten the soil for young shoots 2 times a week. For adult plants, once every 1.5 weeks is enough.

Watch a video about watering young cyclamen seedlings:

Cyclamen most often affects fungal diseases, among which:

1. Gray rot. It is formed as a result of abundant watering and waterlogging. If a disease is detected, carefully remove the plant from the pot, remove the affected parts of the roots, and wash them in a solution of potassium permanganate. As soon as the tubers have dried, plant the plant in a new pot with pre-steamed soil composition.
2. Root rot. It affects a flower that has been exposed to fungal pathogens living in the ground. To get rid of the disease, treat with Glyocladin. Wash the tubers thoroughly in a solution of potassium permanganate and dry.
3. Sooty fungi. They damage the stomata and ducts of leaves, leading to their death.

   ADVICE: Remove fungal deposits on the plates with a solution of green soap (200-400 g of green soap per 10 l), and then with warm water.

Among the pests, the most dangerous for cyclamen remain:

Conclusion

The seed method of propagating cyclamen is the most effective and simplest option for obtaining a healthy and strong plant. If you properly prepare the planting material and soil and create adequate conditions for growth, then soon you will be able to admire the beautiful and bright blooms of cyclamen.