Caring for Cyclamen
Presenter: Phil Dudman
Chrysanthemums are a bit of an old favourite on Mother’s Day, but if you are a mum, you might be lucky to get something different this year like a beautiful cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum cv.). They make gorgeous indoor plants that will give you colour throughout the cooler months but there is a few tricks you need to know to keep them looking good.
The first thing is position. Don’t leave them sitting in a dark spot for too long because cyclamens need plenty of bright light to keep them making lovely flowers. If you can only find a spot in the house that receives reflective light, this will be perfect for them as well.
Cyclamen need to be kept cool so if they are sitting in a heated room all day they will soon be looking pretty miserable. Try to keep them in a room that doesn’t get heated or when the heater goes on take them outside and leave them in a covered area and they will love you for it.
So what about watering the little babies? Well whatever you do, don’t water them from the top because it can easily cause the plant to rot. The best way to water is from the base when the potting mix is dry. Yust sit the pot in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes or so and then let the excess water drain away before you return it to its saucer.
When it comes to feeding your plants a soluble fertiliser is the way to go and if you stick with something formulated for flowering like Yates Thrive Soluble flower and Fruit plant food, you will be guaranteed lots of healthy blooms. It is just a matter of mixing it up at about half the recommended rate as that is all you need. Simply soak the plants in that mix once a fortnight or so.
One last little tip, as the flowers fade don’t chop them off, instead just pull them away gently from the centre of the plant, this will keep your cyclamen looking tidy and will stimulate more flowers.
So mums if you are lucky to receive a gorgeous cyclamen tomorrow just follow the simple tips and you will keep your cyclamen looking good all the way into spring. Have a happy Mothers Day.
Featured Products:
Yates Thrive Soluble Fruit and Flower
Chrysanthemums are a bit of an old favourite on Mother’s Day, but if you are a mum, you might be lucky to get something different this year like a beautiful cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum cv.). They make gorgeous indoor plants that will give you colour throughout the cooler months but there is a few tricks you need to know to keep them looking good.
The first thing is position. Don’t leave them sitting in a dark spot for too long because cyclamens need plenty of bright light to keep them making lovely flowers. If you can only find a spot in the house that receives reflective light, this will be perfect for them as well.
Cyclamen need to be kept cool so if they are sitting in a heated room all day they will soon be looking pretty miserable. Try to keep them in a room that doesn’t get heated or when the heater goes on take them outside and leave them in a covered area and they will love you for it.
So what about watering the little babies? Well whatever you do, don’t water them from the top because it can easily cause the plant to rot. The best way to water is from the base when the potting mix is dry. Yust sit the pot in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes or so and then let the excess water drain away before you return it to its saucer.
When it comes to feeding your plants a soluble fertiliser is the way to go and if you stick with something formulated for flowering like Yates Thrive Soluble flower and Fruit plant food, you will be guaranteed lots of healthy blooms. It is just a matter of mixing it up at about half the recommended rate as that is all you need. Simply soak the plants in that mix once a fortnight or so.
One last little tip, as the flowers fade don’t chop them off, instead just pull them away gently from the centre of the plant, this will keep your cyclamen looking tidy and will stimulate more flowers.
So mums if you are lucky to receive a gorgeous cyclamen tomorrow just follow the simple tips and you will keep your cyclamen looking good all the way into spring. Have a happy Mothers Day.
Featured Products:
Yates Thrive Soluble Fruit and Flower
- Complements Thrive Soluble all purpose plant food.
- A trusted, safe, easy-to-use formula.
- Ideal for feeding indoor & outdoor plants.
- Promotes prolific flowering and abundant fruit.
- Convenient handy pack - measuring spoon and resealable pack included
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