How to care for cyclamen at home, growing from seeds, photos of species and varieties. Sunny cyclamen flower: growing from seeds

– a magnificent flower that any lover will want to have indoor plants. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to borrow a sprout from friends - it reproduces exclusively by seeds or tubers. But in the case of tubers, there is a high risk that the plant will not survive. So, if you want to please yourself and your loved ones with new plants, you will have to learn how to properly collect and grow seeds.

How to get and collect seeds?

Of course, you can just buy planting material in the shop. It will already be prepared for sowing, and you will also be able to choose from a wider variety of varieties. But when buying in a store, you cannot always be sure of the quality and shelf life of the seeds in the bag.

It is worth knowing that larger seeds produce plants that develop faster. But some gardeners believe that when growing seedlings from small seed in a year there will be a flower with big amount ovaries and double flowers. To do this, a couple of flowers should be pollinated on a weak seedling, after which it will begin to actively develop.

Preparation and sowing

There are 2 ways to prepare planting material for sowing, which even a novice gardener can use:

Collateral good growth plants is the right soil. It's easy to make it yourself at home. To do this, you will need either peat with leaf soil, or vermiculite with peat in a 1:1 ratio. You can simply buy this mixture in the store.

The planting pot must have drainage holes– otherwise the cyclamen roots will rot. Expanded clay or foam balls are perfect for drainage.

Seedling care

The growth of young plants is almost unnoticeable, as they actively increase root system. When the young plant has at least 3 leaves, it can be transplanted into a separate one. At the same time, the container for the adult hole also needs drainage holes and drainage.

Young shoots do not need additional feeding for up to 6 months.
Plants up to a year prefer constantly moist soil. Adult cyclamens should be watered moderately.
Cyclamen can also be displayed in a walk-through room - it is not at all afraid of drafts.
For sprouting additional lighting no need.
For best result During pollination, it is important to feed the plant with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer. This will increase the chance of successful completion of the process.

Cyclamen (dryagna, earthen radish, earthen bread) is a decorative perennial about 15 cm high. The rhizome is tuberous. Long-petioled, heart-shaped leaves are collected in basal rosettes.

The flowers are drooping, located on long stalks, which after flowering twist in a spiral. The corolla is five-parted, the lobes are slightly bent. The color of the flower can be purple, pink, white. The countries of Asia Minor and the Mediterranean are considered the homeland of cyclamen.

Cyclamen after purchase

It's done: you've purchased beautiful cyclamen or it was given to you as a gift. it looks great, completely covered in flowers, and is a little scary to disturb. But if you delay the transshipment, you can lose this handsome man or he will simply get sick, losing all his attractiveness.

Therefore, gather your courage and carry out a simple procedure of transferring the plant from a pot with temporary soil into a new spacious pot with nutritious soil (we use universal soil for flowering plants).

The video will tell you about transshipment of cyclamen after purchase:

Conditions for growing cyclamen at home

The state of cyclamen directly depends on the temperature regime: it grows actively when it is cool and humid, and when the temperature rises, it begins to prepare for a dormant period. IN heating season this feature makes caring for cyclamen difficult. But having overcome all the vagaries of this plant, you will enjoy bright flowering for many years.

Watering

The main rule with cyclamen is accuracy and moderation. The earthen ball cannot be over-moistened or over-dried. A flower can often be affected by root rot, so it is better to use bottom watering: place the pot with the plant in a pan of water and remove it after 15 minutes. You can pour water from above, but in small portions, moving along the edge of the pot. During the flowering period, you need to water a little more abundantly. After flowering, watering is reduced, and by the dormant period (begins in March) it is stopped altogether.

Thermal and light conditions

Do not keep cyclamen near heat sources - this will cause the leaves to drop and go into dormancy mode. Maintain moisture. You can place a tray with wet pebbles or an aquarium near the plant. Spray occasionally until buds appear.

Direct sunlight causes burns to the plant. Cyclamen needs diffused light or partial shade. The best option there will be western or eastern window sills. On northern windows, the flower will suffer from a lack of light, and on southern windows, shading is necessary.

The soil

For normal growth, cyclamen needs nutritious, drained soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. You can prepare an earth mixture from turf, leaf soil, humus and sand in equal proportions. Soil acidity can be determined using special test strips.

You need to stir a pinch of earth in water, wait until a precipitate appears, and dip a test strip into the resulting solution. Check the result with the scale on the packaging. In the absence of such test strips, you can determine the approximate acidity by reacting with vinegar - pour it on a handful of soil. If there are few bubbles, then the reaction is neutral; if there are many, the soil is alkaline; if there are none at all, the soil is acidic.

You don’t have to worry and buy ready-made soil for cyclamen or just a universal soil, available in any specialized store.

How to make cyclamen bloom

Necessary conditions for cyclamen flowering:

the size of the pot must be suitable: in a spacious or cramped container, flowering will slow down;
sufficient amount of nutrients;
suitable soil acidity;
correct planting: when planting Persian cyclamen, you need to leave the top of the tuber above the ground, for other types - bury the roots completely;
it is necessary to ensure a period of rest and proper exit from it.

Start feeding cyclamen. For leaf growth, apply complex mineral fertilizers every two weeks. With the appearance of buds, reduce the dose of nitrogen, and the amount of potassium and phosphorus should be slightly increased.

Growing cyclamen from seeds

Cyclamen can be propagated by seeds and by dividing the tuber.

It is better to purchase seeds at a flower shop, paying attention to their expiration date, because they are viable for up to 2 years.

How to collect seeds?

To collect seeds at home, you need to pollinate the plant yourself. Using a cotton swab or brush, transfer pollen from one flower to another, carry out pollination on sunny days in the morning, it is better to repeat the procedure several times. It is recommended to store ripe seeds for a couple of months. Then soak them in Zircon and sow.

How to prepare zircon seeds for sowing, watch the video:

How to sow

To do this, use a mixture of peat or leaf soil with vermiculite in equal proportions.
It is enough to spread the seeds on the surface of the soil and cover thin layer land.
It is necessary to maintain a temperature of 20º C; at a higher temperature, the seeds will go into hibernation, and at a lower temperature, there is a high probability of rotting.
Periodically moisten and ventilate the plantings.

After 4-6 weeks, shoots will begin to appear. After this, the bowl with seedlings should be placed in a well-lit place without direct contact. sun rays, maintain the air temperature at 15-17º C.

When the seedlings have small tubers and the plants grow, transplant them into separate containers.
A week after transplantation, you need to apply mineral fertilizers, reducing the dose by half from that indicated on the package.

Plants need to be handled carefully, trying not to disturb the integrity of the root system. Do not bury the tubers; leave the planting level the same as before transplanting. This way the flower will develop correctly and will not be susceptible to various diseases or growth inhibition.

The video will tell you about growing cyclamen from seeds:

Cyclamens will bloom in a year and a half. But flowering can begin much later - after 3-4 years. Keen flower growers are not upset: the longer you wait for the result, the more pleasant it is to reap the fruits of your labor. And the flowering of the beautiful cyclomen is worth the effort!

Propagation of cyclamen by dividing the tuber

In spring or summer (during the plant's dormant period), dig the tuber out of the ground and cut it into pieces so that each section has a bud and roots.
Dry the sections and treat them with fungicide or crushed charcoal.
Plant the cuttings in separate pots and place them in the greenhouse or cover them with a plastic cup.
When choosing tubers for planting in the store, pay attention to their condition: they should be elastic, not wrinkled, and without rotten spots.

Replanting cyclamen

It is better not to replant a flowering plant, as this may destroy it.
It is ideal to transplant at the beginning of the active growing season (August-September). That is, after a period of dormancy, when leaves begin to appear.
The new pot should be slightly larger than the old one.
Be sure to lay drainage from crushed crushed stone and expanded clay.
Before planting, it is advisable to water the soil with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.
Tubers of Persian cyclamen are buried 2/3 into the soil, and all the rest - completely.
Place the transplanted plant in a warm, bright place, increasing watering as new leaves grow.

The video will tell you how to transplant cyclamen:

Cyclamen dormant period

By the end of spring and beginning of summer, after the end of flowering, cyclamen will begin a dormant period.
Wilted flowers and leaves need to be trimmed, watering reduced to a minimum, preventing the soil from completely drying out.
The pot with the tuber should be placed or placed on its side in a cool place with good ventilation. Store this way until autumn.
At the beginning of autumn, you need to bring the plant out of hibernation - bring it into the light and gradually increase watering.

How the cyclomen falls asleep, look at the video:

Why does cyclamen turn yellow and what to do?

Cyclamen – capricious plant, reacts sharply to errors in care. Cyclamen leaves may turn yellow for the following reasons:

An attack by the cyclamen mite is indicated by the ugly shape of the leaves, they become hard, the plant stops growing, the flower stalks become bent, and the flowers wither. Conventional insecticides will not help here. The plant will have to be destroyed.

Due to overdrying or waterlogging of the earthen clod in combination with low temperatures, flower stalks can grow shorter than the leaves and bloom under them.

Gray rot appears from waterlogged cold air and poor ventilation. The leaves turn yellow and become covered with gray mold. Infected parts of the plant must be carefully removed (mold spores spread through the air when moving). Treat with fungicide. For prevention, reduce watering and ventilate the room.

A sharp wilting of leaves and a putrid smell of the root system indicate the appearance of wet rot. There is no escape from it. Infection occurs through contaminated water or another diseased plant.

Fusarium fungal disease affects vascular system plants. It manifests itself as yellowing of the leaves, usually on one side of the plant. Over time, the disease spreads completely. On initial stages can be saved special drugs from a flower shop.

Types of cyclamen with photos and names

The genus Cyclamen (Cyclamen L.) consists of 15 species. Let's look at the most common ones in indoor floriculture.

Persian cyclamen Cyclamen persicum

A native of the Eastern Mediterranean. Heart-shaped leaves dark green with marble pattern. Flowers can be simple or double, ranging in color from white to all sorts of shades of red. Flowering begins in September. The rest period lasts 2 months: May-June.

European cyclamen or blushing, purple Cyclamen purpurascens

Its natural habitat is Central and Southern Europe. This type is also called alpine violet. Interestingly, flowers emit aroma depending on the color of the flower: the darker the shade, the stronger the aroma. Is the only kind, which does not shed leaves during hibernation.

Cyclamen Kos or Caucasian cyclamen coum subsp. caucasicum

It was first found on the island of Kos, after which it was named. It is also found in the Caucasus. A distinctive feature of the species is the petals, which sharply widen from the base, and also have a dark spot on them.

Cyclamen ivy or Neapolitan Cyclamen hederifolium

The leaves have notched-toothed edges, making them similar to ivy leaves. Flowers appear before leaves in September and November.

In indoor floriculture, the most popular is Persian cyclamen. Many varieties have been bred from it, divided according to the height of the peduncles into low-growing (up to 15 cm), medium-growing (15-22 cm) and standard (20-30 cm).

The most popular varieties of homemade cyclamen:

Spring Moth, Scarlet Moth, Charlie, Rose, Lilu, Flamingo, Topaz, Selphide, Rembrant, Bellissima, Elf.

Cyclamen is a wonderful plant of the primrose family, delighting us with its flowering in the harshest time of the year - winter. Cyclamen persica (this is the most beautiful view for growing at home) is a plant of short daylight hours, it does not require any additional lights, all you need is a windowsill (preferably cool) and watering. Cyclamen loves light, but can grow and bloom successfully on windows of any orientation, with shading from the midday sun. Cyclamen is far from being as sissy as you imagine: in nature it grows in a fairly harsh climate on rocky high mountain slopes in Israel, Greece, Turkey, etc. Cyclamen is much more resistant to diseases and pests than, for example, violet.

There are two ways to get cyclamen: buy it in a store ready plant, or grow it from seeds. I’ll tell you about adapting store-bought plants another time; here I want to show you how to grow cyclamen from seeds. You can also buy baby cyclamen home grown, but there are only a few people who sell such children.

Growing cyclamen from seeds is no more difficult than growing tomatoes; all you need is to be patient for the first six months. This is the most difficult stage for lovers of these plants, since during the first 6 months the seedlings emerge and grow very slowly.

Cyclamen grown from seeds is unpretentious, it is initially adapted to the conditions of your home, which cannot be said about store-bought plants that are grown in greenhouses with the help of a fair amount of fertilizers and hormones, and are also often sold with an additional pest load. The chances of store-bought cyclamen surviving at home are 50/50.

This is what a ripe cyclamen fruit with ripened seeds looks like. We shake the seeds out of the box, dry them for several days and are ready to sow! The germination rate of “homemade” seeds is 100%, and they grow much faster and more friendly than their “store-bought” counterparts. But it should be noted that often the germination rate of store-bought seeds is 80 and even 100%. Rarely do you come across low-germinating ones - 30% of the seeds germinate. I only came across seeds that didn’t germinate once, but I’ve already grown hundreds of them.

Before sowing, soak the seeds for 1 day in warm water, for example, in a cotton pad. The container for sowing must have drainage holes for water drainage, you also need to make drainage (foam plastic, expanded clay) at the bottom 1.5-2 cm. Pour soil into the container for sowing (I use Terra-Vita). The soil should be about 6-7 cm. Water the soil a little and place the seeds at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other. Sprinkle a 1.5-2 cm layer of earth on top.

It is better to place the seeds in a cool place from +10°C to +20°C, because in cool conditions the seeds germinate faster. Many people write that seeds require darkness, but this is not necessary, but a low temperature is desirable. At a temperature of +10...+20°C, seeds germinate after 4 weeks, if the temperature is above +20°C - after 8 weeks or longer. On average, the period from sowing to germination ranges from 1 to 3 months. Make sure that the seeds do not dry out, but you should not “flood” them, the soil should be moderately moist. If you do close the container with crops, ventilate it periodically.

About a month or two after sowing, the first pink-purple loops of seedlings will appear. A cyclamen seed germinates like this: first a root with a tiny tuber emerges, it takes root in the soil, then a shoot loop with a leaf unfolds. At this stage, a common problem for amateurs is the seed peel that cannot be removed on the only leaf of the seedling. Usually, if the humidity is high enough, the seedlings gradually remove the “cap” themselves, but it happens that they remain in it for quite a long time. In fact, this is not scary, because... new leaves will come from the nodule located in the ground. Many amateurs remove the “caps” of stubborn seedlings themselves, armed with tweezers or nail scissors. You first need to spray the peel 40 minutes in advance to soften it, or put a piece of wet cotton wool on it.

If your hands aren't shaking from a hangover, you can try this method. Its disadvantage is that you can tear off the only leaf of the seedling along with this peel. But this is not fatal either - I repeat: new leaves will come from the nodule. However, if you are not confident in your ability to perform such jewelry operations, refrain and just wait until the seedlings themselves get rid of the remnants of the seeds. You can lightly spray them during this period. But make sure that the crops are not waterlogged; the soil should be moist, but not wet.

Also, at this time, if the seedlings were planted deep, you need to free the top of the nodule from the ground: the cyclamen nodule should be 1/3 freed from the soil so that the growing point does not rot. This also applies to adult plants - in adults, 1/2 above the soil level is allowed.

During the first 3 months, cyclamen seedlings practically do not grow, but this is at first glance. At this time, their nodule and root system are actively growing, practically no new leaves appear, and for the first 3 months the seedling can stand with only 1 leaf. Sometimes the second leaf appears a month after germination, sometimes longer - after 3 months. At this time, you need to make sure that the babies do not dry out. In general, in the first year of life, cyclamen love constantly moist soil. This is the key to reliable plant growth. Plants can be kept at temperatures up to +5°C (tested) and above.

When the seedlings have a second/third leaf, they can be planted (picked). Typically, picking occurs in the 3-4th month from sowing. You need to dive carefully with a lump of earth, it can be used for further cultivation seedling boxes or small pots/cups, not forgetting about drainage. Seedlings tolerate picking well and significantly increase their growth after it.

This seedling is 1 year old, it already has buds and is about to bloom. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that it is located on an unheated loggia, where the temperature drops to +0...+5°C. In cool weather, cyclamens form a very compact rosette of leaves, but even at higher temperatures these plants feel great (on my windowsill it rises to +30°C), the rosette will just be looser. Cyclamen are also not afraid of drafts: not a single one of my cyclamen froze when I ventilated the room in winter at -30°C.

An important point is watering. I always water from above along the edge of the pot; I never use watering in a tray. The only thing you need to pay attention to when watering is not to pour water on the tuber and the growing point of the plant. It may rot. Water the soil around the edge of the pot.

Up to a year, cyclamens like the soil to be moist; after a year, adult individuals require moderate watering during the summer months - once every few days. a small amount water.

These plants are a little more than a year, in nature, summer is a dormant period for Persian cyclamen, but modern Persian cyclamens have lost a clear line between the dormant period and the period of active growth and flowering. Therefore, “Persians” often bloom in summer. My cyclamen "Fantasy" has been blooming continuously since the end of November 2009 to this day (August 2010). But if in the summer your plant has shed some of its foliage, it means the cyclamen is going dormant; watering should be reduced, but in no case should you stop watering completely. The pot with the plant can be removed into the shade, or left in the same place. Transplantation into fresh soil is usually done at the end of August before the active growth of cyclamen begins.

All information is based on mine personal experience and knowledge gleaned from various sources. Good luck to you, dear cyclamen lovers!!!

Cyclamen belongs to perennial plants. The flower blooms in late autumn and winter, releasing up to 15 buds of various shades: from salmon and soft pink to rich lilacs and purples. At home, it is recommended to grow European and Persian varieties, as well as their hybrids with terry and corrugated petals. To get healthy and beautiful plants, you should select high-quality seeds and carefully care for them.

Good and bad seed

When buying bags of future cyclamens at a flower shop, you should check the expiration date seed material. Fresh specimens have almost one hundred percent germination rate, and expired varieties turn into sprouts only in rare cases. More often they rot and die.

Purchased seeds must be sorted, separating the viable seed from the empty shells. It’s easy to check planting material:

Dissolve 20–30 g in a glass of water table salt or white sugar.
Dip cyclamen seeds into the liquid and stir for 5 minutes.
Wait until one part of the seed floats to the surface and the second settles to the bottom.
Drain the solution along with the empty shells. They will be at the top.
Wash the seeds that have settled to the bottom clean water and soak until they swell and increase in size.

“Zircon” should be added to the container with future cyclamens. The product helps the seeds adapt to the substrate, stimulates flower growth and increases its resistance to diseases. You can do without the additive by simply soaking the seed in warm water for 1–2 days.

The swollen seeds, without drying, are immediately planted in wooden box filled with a special mixture. Cyclamen will need 30–40 days to hatch and become stronger. During this period, it is important to protect the seeds from sudden temperature changes and not to fill them with water, otherwise even the strongest and most hardened planting material will begin to rot and die.

Nutrient substrate

Cyclamen are not too picky and can take root in almost any soil. The main thing is that the land meets three criteria:

did not turn into a dense lump when drying;
allowed the root system to breathe;
brought out excess moisture into the tray, rather than keeping it inside the pot.

Some gardeners recommend peat. Yes, the material is nutritious and contains many minerals that will accelerate the growth of cyclamens, but there is one drawback: such soil will absorb too much moisture. You will have to constantly ensure that the middle and bottom layers of peat have time to dry before the next watering, otherwise the root system of the plant will be attacked by a fungus and the flower will die.

Leafy soil contains many nutritional components. Choose varieties with undecayed remains of bark and fallen leaves. Turf soil is also suitable. Soil brought from the forest or garden must be calcined, doused with boiling water or disinfected in a double boiler. High temperatures will destroy insect eggs and weed spores, as well as fungus and diseases.

Peat or soil is mixed with coarse sand or fine perlite to make the substrate loose. Cyclamens grow better in slightly acidic or neutral soil, so when high level pH, it is advisable to add 10–20 g of dolomite flour to the substrate.

You will need a shallow, wide box made of wood or plastic. Seeds should not be planted in separate pots until they have germinated. A weak root system is not able to occupy all the space, so the soil begins to sour and mold. As a result, young shoots get sick and die.

Planting cyclamen seeds is easy:

Line the bottom of the box with expanded clay, small pebbles or grated foam. The material performs the function of drainage.
Fill halfway with the substrate, which is compacted tightly. Use a toothpick to make shallow holes or grooves for the seeds.
Place wet planting material on the substrate. Cover with a thin layer of sand, which will provide the sprouts with air and will not allow moisture to stagnate.
Add 0.5–1 cm of peat or nutrient soil on top.
Moisten with a spray bottle.
Cover with glass or cling film. The result will be a kind of greenhouse.

At the first stage, cyclamens do not need light or abundant watering. Seeds should be protected from drafts and sudden temperature changes. Hatched sprouts are ventilated daily by lifting the glass or slightly opening the film. Keep the box away from open windows and cracks so that the draft does not cause the death of cyclamens.

The lid is removed after the formation of the first full leaf. The seedlings are given several days to adapt, and then transplanted into new separate containers.

Picking rules

Pots choose medium depth with a small diameter. The flower will live in them for a year, maximum two, and after that you will have to transplant the plant into a more spacious pot. One large hole is made in the bottom, into which a string of gauze or a short thick rope is threaded. Cyclamens cannot be watered like regular ones. indoor flowers. Water is detrimental to the root collar and leaf rosette, so it should come from below, not from above. Thanks to the rope, the plant receives required amount liquids.

Picking cyclamens occurs in several stages:

Fill the pot with any drainage material.
Fill the pot halfway with substrate with the addition of sand and perlite.
Water the soil generously in the box in which the cyclamen grow. This makes it easier to remove the sprouts and not damage the root system.
Transfer seedlings with lumps of soil to a pot. Add the substrate and compact it tightly, leaving the root collar on the surface.
Do not water for several days, let the flowers absorb the liquid from the lump of earth with which they were transferred to a new pot.
After a week, fertilize the seedlings with ammonium sulfate solution. The mineral supplement will speed up the adaptation of cyclamens and protect fragile flowers from diseases.
7 days after the first fertilization, the result should be secured with a solution of potassium nitrate.

Important: Picking of cyclamens is carried out 3–4 months after emergence. The sprouts will have time to get stronger, and transplantation will not be too stressful for them.

Pots with young flowers are placed on a special tray filled with small or medium pebbles. A drainage layer is necessary to ensure that the substrate always remains slightly moist, but not wet.

Daylight hours, watering and temperature conditions

Boxes with seeds are kept in cool rooms where the temperature does not fall below +16–14 and does not rise above +18–19. In warm weather, the plant goes dormant and its development slows down. To make the flower grow faster and more actively, the box can be placed in the basement or taken out to the balcony if it is early spring outside. But cold can also destroy seedlings, so cyclamen protect against frost and low temperatures. If the thermometer shows +5–10, the seedlings should be brought into the house. Adult flowers feel comfortable at +20 and below. The heat weakens exotic plant, it becomes more vulnerable and may get sick.

Sprouts that have not yet hatched do not need light. But when the first purple threads appear, the container with flowers is moved to the western or eastern window or a phytolamp is installed next to them. Direct ultraviolet radiation is dangerous for cyclamen. The sun burns and injures the leaves and dries out the soil. In summer, flowers are shaded and hidden in the far corners of the house, where it is cool and the light is dim. You should hang tulle, lace translucent curtains or blinds on the windows so that they diffuse and soften the sun's rays.

Water the cyclamen with settled, filtered water. You can collect it from the tap or collect rainwater. The liquid does not need to be heated, but neither does ice water. the best choice. Let her be room temperature or a little warmer.

Do not pour water into a pot, but into a tray. Leave for 30–50 minutes so that the plant has time to “drink.” Carefully drain the rest. You cannot create a swamp that will harbor fungus or mold.

In summer, it is useful to humidify the air around the cyclamen with a spray bottle to protect the plant from the heat. Carefully spray the liquid from a spray bottle at a distance of 30–40 cm from the top of the flower. It is impossible for droplets of moisture to fall on the stems and root collar, as well as buds and blossoming inflorescences.

Tip: You can periodically wipe the cyclamen leaves with a damp sponge or cotton wool to remove dust and prevent the appearance of spider mites.

Helpful information

During the first 3–4 months after picking, exotic flowers practically do not grow upward because they are growing tubers and root systems. As soon as the lower part of the plant fills the pot, the top will become thicker, and after 7-8 months buds will appear.
It is recommended to plant cyclamen seeds in March or April, when it is cool and not too sunny.
Exotic flowers should be fertilized 1–2 times a month, adding weak solutions. When the cyclamen sheds its leaves and enters the hibernation stage, you should stop adding supplements and reduce watering. When there is an excess of mineral salts in the soil, the plant weakens and withers.
When the flower “wakes up” and the first leaves appear, it should be transplanted into a new, more spacious pot.

Even amateur gardeners who are just learning this subtle science can grow cyclamen from seeds. You need to hide the exotic plant from the sun, keep it in a cool room and periodically moisten the soil. If you follow simple rules, just a year after planting the seeds, exotic flowers will get stronger and throw out their first buds.

Video: how to grow cyclamen from seeds

Cyclamen reproduces in many ways. But you need to choose the most optimal one based on the type of plant. So:

- an option for both types of plants, but you need to take only mature crops.
Sowing seeds– can be used for growing any species, even ivy.
Rosettes– this method is applicable only for the European species, since the shoots of Persian cyclamen do not take root well.
Tubers daughters- an excellent option for breeding a European flower, only this species produces small children around the main tuber. When transplanting, they are separated without effort and placed in a separate pot.

Important: some gardeners mistakenly think that cyclamen can be used. But, unfortunately, this is impossible, since such cuttings do not produce roots, they stand for a long time, and then they simply dry out.

We discussed all methods of propagation of cyclamen in detail in.

How to collect seed material?

Many people choose the easiest way to propagate cyclamen - buy seeds in the store. But if there are already houses flowering plant, then you can collect seeds from it.

A flower will not produce seeds until it has undergone pollination.. Cyclamen itself cannot do this, so you need to start collecting pollen, then arm yourself with a brush and cross-pollinate. This is a creative process, because if you take two plants for pollination different color, then you will get a new, attractive hybrid, with an original color.

The natural flowering period of cyclamen is from December to February, at which time pollination takes place. This process is best done on a sunny morning. Pollen can be collected by gently tapping the flower; pollen will begin to fall out of it, which must be placed on the pistil of a neighboring plant.

You can also use a brush to collect pollen and apply it to the middle of another flower.. To be completely sure, you need to do this at least 5-7 times. If pollination is successful, the flowering process quickly stops, and in place of the flower a small, round box is formed, in which small, round, light brown seeds ripen. The capsule cannot be removed from the plant; the seeds will ripen in 90 to 140 days. At this time the plant needs to be provided comfortable temperature– during the day +20, at night +12 degrees.

What should you expect from homemade cyclamen seeds? Such seeds do not lose their ability to germinate for a long time - 3 years. It is worth noting interesting fact that if you let the seeds sit for a year and a half, the plant from these seeds will bloom much faster.

Features of cultivation

To grow cyclamen from seeds at home, you need to know some of the features of this process.:

Shoots will appear in about 30 days, but only if the air temperature during germination is +15 degrees. If this indicator is exceeded by several degrees, then the seeds can take up to three months to wake up.
By using several types of plant seeds, you can create a luxurious flower garden of healthy plants on your windowsill.
You can sow seeds throughout the year, but better growth It is better to adhere to the biological rhythms of the plant and sow in spring or late summer.
It is better to grow cyclamen from seeds in a dark room.

Preparing for sowing

The flower loves light and nutritious soil. It can be found in the store, where they sell soil mixture specifically for this crop. But if there is none, you can buy soil for Saintpaulia.

But if you prefer to do everything yourself, you can prepare the soil by mixing equal proportions:

turf land;
leaf soil;
humus;
sand.

As soon as the soil is prepared, you can begin preparing the seed material., otherwise they will take a very long time to wake up:

Soak the seeds for 18 hours in any growth stimulant, for this you can use Etamon, Zircon, Epi-extra. The drug is sold in flower shops and should be diluted strictly according to the instructions.
Sometimes the seeds are soaked in potassium permanganate - the solution should be weak, or simply in warm water. The seeds are soaked for 14 hours.
If you plan to breed cyclamens, then at the seed preparation stage, divide them into several groups and apply different ways processing. Subsequently, you can choose the best option for yourself.

Choosing the right pot

The development and flowering of cyclamen directly depends on the chosen pot in which the plant will grow. The pot should be washed small, relative to the tuber itself, that is, the distance between the walls of the pot and the bulb should be no more than 3 cm. Cyclamen is capable of flowering only in very cramped conditions.

Soil requirements

The soil must meet the requirements of the plant - light, nutritious, loose. They often buy it in a store, since in city conditions it is difficult to prepare the soil mixture yourself.

Planting: step-by-step instructions

To plant seeds, it is better to use an opaque container, into which soil is poured in a layer of 5-6 cm and compacted well. Then the seeds are laid out on the surface at a distance of 2 cm from each other, and sprinkled with a centimeter layer of peat and sand, mixed in equal quantities and watered well.
Cover the container with the same opaque lid or black film to create a greenhouse effect. For rapid germination the seeds are placed in a room with an air temperature of no more than +15 degrees, and the room should be dark.
Seeds take a very long time to germinate; the first shoots can be seen only after a month. This is due to the fact that first a root appears from the seed, on which a tuber begins to form. And only then purple-pink loops begin to appear from it.
During germination, sometimes a difficulty arises - the plant cannot unfold the first leaf due to the seed skin, which it is not able to shed. This usually occurs from a lack of humidity, so it is advisable to monitor this carefully.
If this problem worries you greatly, then you can help the plant open its first leaf - place a soaked cotton pad on the sprout and after 2 hours, carefully remove the seed with tweezers.

Attention: Shoots have appeared - it’s time to move the container with seedlings to a bright place, but not in direct sunlight.

We recommend watching a video about planting cyclamen seeds:

Plant care

Cyclamen is a very capricious flower that requires a certain temperature regime, humidity and lighting. Therefore, if you are not ready to regularly and carefully care for the plant, then it is better not to have this flower in your home, it will die.

First of all, in order for the plant to develop well, producing healthy leaves and flowers, it must be placed on the “correct” windowsill, which should be light and sunny. Do not forget that Cyclamen is very light-loving. But in this case there is one nuance that is often difficult to accomplish, especially in the summer. Cyclamen loves light and coolness. The most optimal temperature for a plant – +6-13 degrees. Maximum – +17 degrees.

For good flowering the room in which cyclamen grows must be constantly ventilated. At the same time, make sure that there are no drafts - they are detrimental to the plant.

Watering greatly affects the growth and development of the plant:

During flowering, water the crop abundantly and make sure that the earthen ball does not dry out, but the flower does not tolerate stagnation of water. At this time, spraying is carried out 3 times a day.
As soon as the plant has finished blooming, reduce watering, but not too much; in any case, the soil should not dry out.
Water the plant with settled water at room temperature.

We recommend watching a video about proper care for cyclamen:

Moisturizing young shoots

The soil in which young Cyclamen seedlings grow is moistened daily with a spray bottle.. You can buy a small watering can with a strainer at the end.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that Cyclamen is very demanding to care for, it can often be found on apartment windowsills. The beauty of the flowers of this plant completely compensates for the complexity of agricultural technology. It is worth noting that if you have a desire to grow Cyclamen, it is better to do it from seeds, since a flower bought in a store may not tolerate a sudden change in environment and die.