Cyclamen are a favourite plant to bring brightness and life during the cooler months. They are generally available from autumn to early spring and will flower beautifully while temperatures remain cool. Flowers come in shades of pink, purple, red, and white, with many frilled and bicolour forms. There are varieties with large flowers, medium sized blooms, and varieties with masses of small petite flowers on short stems. There are also varieties with a delightful sweet and subtle perfume.
Position
Cyclamen love cooler temperatures and are perfect to grow in pots in cool positions indoors, on patios or balconies, or can be planted in sheltered outdoor gardens. They are best grown in bright, indirect light, avoiding too much direct sunlight.
Cyclamen are often used as a living flower arrangement to feature in indoor décor — they look magnificent and are discarded once the flowers are finishing and replaced with a fresh new plant.
Cyclamen Care
Cyclamen are tuberous perennials and move into dormancy once temperatures are higher. Often homes are heated during winter, which may signal to the plant that it is time to rest. Placing your cyclamen in a sheltered outdoor position or in a cool unheated room of a night will encourage a long and colourful flower display.
Watering
When leaves are present, the plant is actively growing. During this period, water whenever the soil feels dry about 2 centimetres below its surface. Avoid getting water on the leaves or on the crown of the plant where the stem meets the roots.
A convenient way to water cyclamen is to place the pot in a container or a sink with water up to 5cm above the bottom of the pot. Leave the plant for an hour to soak up a good drink, then return the plant to its location.
While the plant is dormant (losing most or all of its leaves), water infrequently, only to prevent the soil from entirely drying out.
Fertiliser
Use a soluble low-nitrogen plant food every two to three weeks, diluted to half strength, during the flowering season. This will encourage lots of new buds and flowers rather than lots of foliage growth. Do not fertilise your cyclamen once it begins to move into its dormant period.
Once your cyclamen plant is dormant, place the pot on its side under a shrub or tree in the garden and forget about it until late summer, then repot with premium quality potting mix. Store the plant in a cool area away from direct sunlight and do not water until the foliage begins to grow.
Discover the beauty of cyclamen as they add brilliant colour and vibrance to the days of winter — visit your local Gro garden centre to see our range in store!