Cyclamen

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by sweet woodruff, Dec 30, 2007.

  1. sweet woodruff

    sweet woodruff Member

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    Location:
    Cortland, NY, USA
    Hi, Folks: My husband gave me a beautiful cyclamen last Easter. It had the characteristic showy purple flowers and glossy green leaves, and it looked great the first two months or so. Then it started to struggle, continually pushing up new leaves and new buds, but the leaves yellowed after a couple of weeks and the buds pushed up only a few centimeters before dying off. I was following the care directions online and on the card that came with it--indirect light. watering from the bottom, etc., but to no avail.

    In a last ditch, do-or-die attempt I threw the pot out on our south-facing porch in June--hot but shaded by other plants, a dump of water right on the top of the soil when watering the other plants--and it thrived all summer and fall. The flowers died off (as I read they would), but the leaves were healthy and green. It had a last batch of really showy blooms in September/October.

    Now it is indoors again and struggling--new leaves develop but they yellow off after a couple of weeks, and although there are new buds forming, they die off also. I think this is a really neat plant and would like to save it. I love the way the buds flip up the petals from the base of the bud. And the variegated leaves are really pretty when they are healthy.

    We live in the snow belt in upstate New York, so putting it outside again isn't an option. We keep the house cool--between 65 and 68 degrees F (18-20 degrees C) and the air is dry from forced hot air heat. I have tried misting the leaves, but it doesn't seem to help. I'm tempted to put it over the heating duct but am afraid it would kill it. Does anyone have any ideas? I would appreciate any advice about caring for this plant. Thank you--Sweet Woodruff
     
  2. Liz

    Liz Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Did it get a rest period summer to early autumn? Also did you feed it while flowering and before the leaves died back so the corm got food. I usually put mine outside and turn the pots on their side for the dormant time then re pot them and put them in good light (not sun) and they take off again. I also have a batch I keep out side and they do do better but then my climate is usually mild.

    http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1355731.htm
    [NB time of yr. refered to is Southern Hemisphere]

    http://www.susanavery.com.au/factsheets/Cyclamen Care.pdf

    Liz
     
  3. sweet woodruff

    sweet woodruff Member

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    Thank you, LIz--Yes, they did rest (That is, no budding or flowers) from mid-summer, more or less, to early fall. Thanks for the advice about feeding cyclamen--my next question would be--what kind of fertilizer and how much? Joan
     
  4. Liz

    Liz Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    I always use blood and bone (bone meal) as I have found it safe and can't have an accident with it. With my bulb pots I just sprinkle a good handful in and water in well. If you have a dog just watch it as they like the stuff. If you have access to dry cow dung or similar that would work as well. The "sea sol" (sp) type stuff is also good.

    Liz
     
  5. KarinL

    KarinL Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    In my limited experience, this is a plant you can more likely kill with over-supply of fertilizer and TLC than with a shortage. That is to say, in nature I think these plants grow in dry, shady, poor soil - above all very dry. I'm going to take wild guess and suggest it might need better drainage and soil aeration than yours has.
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2008
  6. Liz

    Liz Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Yup I think you are right. I have some of the little rockery types and they just grow in leaf litter in a shady spot on top of a rock retaining wall. I forget they are there. Also the ones I have of this type are in a pot under a tree and it too is forgotten most of the time. I think the apart from good drainage the dry period may be fairly important when dormant and filtered light as in no direct sunlight. If weather permits outside is good for them. Most people think these last for one year but My longest has lasted 6 years with no particular over the top care.

    Liz
     
  7. sweet woodruff

    sweet woodruff Member

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    Thank you, all. The care tag that came with the plant recommended frequent watering from below, but it did best when it was out on the porch all summer, which provided shaded but dry conditions. I probably am overwatering--the temptation to give it more water is there because I see the yellowing leaves. I will try drying it out a little, which may kill it or cure it. Joan
     
  8. chimera

    chimera Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Maybe too much water or warm temperature is making the leaves yellow. Generally with C. persicum {florists cyclamen} the leaves will also die back when dormant in the summer. They seem to like moisture fall to spring. The cycle can be varied when grown in a greenhouse.
     
  9. KarinL

    KarinL Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Have you repotted at all? Original soil can become compacted, or accumulate excessive salts or something.
     
  10. cabutchko

    cabutchko Member

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    I just adore cyclamen but I can never get them to live very long either. I was expressing my woes to an employee in the gardening section of a local home supply store and he told me that most cyclamen purchased are from forced bulbs and they are too stressed to live very long. Can anyone validate or disprove this?
     

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