Cyclamen is considered a beautiful flower with bright and eye-catching colors. Of course, the easiest way is to purchase a ready-made plant in a store already in the form of a beautiful one decorated with an abundant bouquet of inflorescences and buds. But it will be much more interesting to grow cyclamen with your own hands at home from seeds, although this is quite a difficult task.
It is worth noting that when growing cyclamen from seeds at home, the first flowering will appear after 1 year. And throughout the year you will have to painstakingly care for the seedlings. Let's take a closer look at how to plant and how to grow cyclamen from seeds at home.
Where can I get seeds for planting cyclamen?
If you have great desire If you want to start growing a beautiful and healthy flower, then first of all you need to pay attention to the varieties of this plant. Most often grown at home Persian cyclamen.
To grow Persian cyclamen, you need to purchase seeds only from reliable suppliers, as this is the guarantee that you will be able to grow exactly the plant that is shown on the package. Otherwise, it will be a shame for you to spend a lot of time and effort growing some unknown varieties or completely different plants, which may suddenly appear after the seeds have germinated. In addition, purchasing seed for cultivation from reliable manufacturers guarantees good germination.
Based on the above, we can conclude that purchasing seed for growing cyclamen at home necessary in specialized stores that you trust and which have collected a lot of positive reviews. Under no circumstances buy cyclamen seeds from some unfamiliar or new suppliers that you have not heard of before.
How to collect seeds for cultivation
If you have at least one cyclamen growing at home, then you can independently collect seeds from this plant, from which you can later grow new ones. However, for this it is necessary to make some manipulation of cyclamen pollination.
So, in order to carry out pollination with further obtaining seeds from a cyclamen flower, you need to do the following:
- Using a brush, pollen from one cyclamen flower must be transferred to another flower of the plant.
- If you want to get the best result, then cyclamen flowers should be different varieties.
- It is recommended to pollinate flowers in the morning.
- To consolidate the result of pollination, it is recommended to carry out this procedure several times in a row.
- Each pollination should end with fertilizing the plant with potassium sulfate.
If during pollination you observed all the conditions described above, then after flowering, as a rule, seed pods instead of buds. These boxes must be handled very carefully. The boxes must not be allowed to burst. They must be carefully picked and wrapped in a napkin. The seed box opens on its own, and the seeds of the plant needed for growing at home fall out.
Preparation and sowing
Sowing seeds should begin with: necessary purchase or prepare all planting material that may be useful in the future for growing this plant.
To be more specific, it is necessary to prepare following materials:
- A soil mixture that should contain peat, leaf soil or vermiculite with peat. All components are mixed in equal proportions.
- Container with drainage holes.
- Drainage in the form of expanded clay or foam.
When you have prepared all the necessary components described above, you need to fill the container with a layer of drainage, and then lay the prepared soil mixture on top.
To ensure quick germination healthy plants It is recommended to use several techniques that have been developed by flower growers over several years. These techniques imply seed treatment before sowing. Beginning gardeners can divide the seeds into equal parts and try both methods to see which is more suitable for themselves.
After you have carried out the procedure of soaking the seed, growing cyclamen will be much easier, since experts say that even the oldest seeds will be able to germinate after treatment or Zircon. The treated seeds are planted in a prepared container with soil. Seeds can be placed either in a spilled trench or simply laid out on the soil, sprinkled with soil. The seeds should be located at a distance of 2 to 3 cm from each other. Seeds are planted to a depth of 2 cm.
Crop care
After sowing planting material containers with seedlings must be covered plastic bag and put in a warm room. The air temperature in the room should not be higher than 20 degrees, since at high temperatures the seeds enter a dormant period.
In addition, the seeds must daily ventilate. The small greenhouse must be opened every day for 10 minutes.
If you followed all the rules for caring for seedlings, then literally in a month the first shoots will appear. It is worth noting that not all varieties of cyclamen have good germination. For example, varieties Kiss and Apple can germinate within six months. But Persian cyclamen germinates quickly.
When the first shoots appear, this means that the seedlings need to be transferred to a cooler room. Germinated seedlings look like light purple sprouts. From each such shoot a tuber is formed, and from it a shoot with the first leaves is formed. It happens that the first leaf is covered with a skin that does not want to come off. This is a sign that the seedling does not have enough moisture.
To avoid stopping the growth process, it is necessary carefully remove the skin with tweezers. To do this, the plant must first be prepared by wetting the formations with a spray bottle and allowing it to soften for at least half an hour. Don't forget about watering too. It needs to be increased, which will allow the plant to get rid of the skin on its own.
It is worth noting that the development of young seedlings after the first shoots will occur rather slowly. Slow development is caused by the growth of the root system; plant growth above the soil surface stops.
Transplant the sprouts to permanent place necessary when it forms bushes with two or three true leaves. Under the most favorable conditions, this will happen within 3 months.
Caring for young cyclamens
Before planting young plants in a permanent place in a pot, you need to make sure that the container is well arranged. drainage system. Cyclamen need abundant watering, but also do not tolerate frequent stagnation of moisture in the pot.
When the plant has reached the transplant date, it must be transferred from the temporary container to a permanent place in the pot. The plant is covered with soil in such a way that all root system was under a layer of soil.
If you replant an already mature plant, the tuber is only half immersed in the ground.
6 months after transplantation, cyclamen must be feed fertilizers. As a top dressing, you can use any fertilizer for flowering plants. However, experts strongly recommend that fertilizing be diluted according to parameters other than those indicated on the packaging. It is necessary to use only half the dose of the solution to feed cyclamen.
Young plants can hardly tolerate drought and prefer constant watering. This care regime must be followed for one year, after which the plant becomes an adult, and watering is reduced.
Propagation by tubers
It is worth noting that growing cyclamen using seeds is not the only propagation method. Cyclamen can also be propagated using tubers, although this method is more dangerous due to the possibility of plant death.
Cultivation of cyclamens by dividing the tuber is carried out when the plants are in the dormant stage. The dormant period for cyclamen, as a rule, begins with the arrival of spring.
To propagate, the tuber must be cut in such a way that each piece contained an active kidney, from which new plants are formed. To prevent infection, cuts on the tuber must be treated with ash.
After this, the divided tuber is planted in light soil so that the substrate does not cover the living bud on it. This indicates that the tuber must be immersed in substrate only half. Caring for seedlings is the same as caring for adult plants. Watering should be done moderately.
To summarize, it is worth noting that we have completely understood all stages of cultivation. Thus, it became clear how this plant can be grown from seeds.
If you have mastered the theoretical part of growing cyclamen at home well enough, then you can safely begin practical exercises and grow this unusual flower at home on your own. Those interested can also watch a video that details the cultivation and breeding of cyclamen.
– 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 simply purchase planting material in the store. 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 seeds, in a year you will get a flower with a large number of 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 need 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 grow their 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.
- Additional lighting is not needed for seedlings to emerge.
- 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.
I decided to grow cyclamen from seeds after another flower I bought did not survive summer period peace. And I wasn’t the only one who faced this problem. Other flower growers also complained about this state of affairs. The fact is that cyclamen grown in greenhouse conditions finds it difficult to adapt to the home environment that is normal for us. Conversely, cyclamen, which initially grew in an ordinary city apartment or private house, from birth was accustomed to sometimes too dry air and high temperatures in the summer, and therefore should not die. So, how to grow cyclamen from seeds? How to plant seeds? Conditions for germination and subsequent care of seedlings. Personal, mostly successful experience and photo instructions.
Cyclamen: growing from seeds
How to grow cyclamen from seeds? I’ll say right away that for this you need a greenhouse, loose soil, a temperature no higher than +20 degrees and constant air humidity. But first things first. Before I started planting seeds, I read the opinions of experts on authoritative forums. This is what I gleaned from the information I read. Firstly, you need to germinate cyclamen seeds at a temperature of +17...+18 degrees. Secondly, young seedlings must grow and develop at the same temperature. Thirdly, the plants need to be provided with regular watering, but the soil in the greenhouse should not become waterlogged.
But this immediately begs a few questions. First, will an ordinary gardener be able to constantly monitor the temperature of seed germination and keep it within the required limits? The second question is, what will happen if cyclamen seeds are germinated at normal room temperature? The third question is that the temperature of seedling development should also be within +17...+18 degrees, but this cannot be achieved in an ordinary city apartment, especially in the summer. How will summer affect heat for seedlings?
With a great desire to test everything in practice and with an even greater desire to grow cyclamen from seeds, I went to a flower shop and bought four identical bags of Persian cyclamen seeds.
In the photo you can see that the cyclamen seeds are quite large (slightly larger than a match head) and covered with a dense skin. That is why it is recommended to soak them in water at room temperature before planting. I soaked the seed in a root solution at room temperature for 1 hour. As I have already written in many of my articles, I do not completely cover any seeds with water, but only up to half, so that the seed embryo does not suffocate. The seeds are periodically mixed so that the dense shell is evenly moistened.
When to sow cyclamen seeds? Experts recommend planting cyclamen seeds in February-March. By the time the seed sprouts, the daylight hours will be sufficient for the successful development of seedlings. I sowed cyclamen seeds on March 7th.
How to plant cyclamen seeds? Planting of cyclamen seeds took place according to standard scheme. I took two identical greenhouses, which I cut out from ordinary plastic bottles. This is not the first time I have used a similar version of a greenhouse and have never regretted it. I poured soil there for the flowering ones, indoor flowers, lightly compacted it, moistened it with a spray bottle. I spread cyclamen seeds on a flat surface of the soil. In the photo you can see that I laid out 10 of them in each greenhouse. I did not cover the seeds with soil to make it easier to monitor their germination. Many forums say that cyclamen seeds need to be germinated in the dark. But this is not a necessary condition.
How to grow cyclamen from seeds? For successful cultivation To grow cyclamen from seeds and obtain healthy seedlings, you need: bright, diffused light, moderate air humidity (achieved only in a greenhouse) and temperature. The forums say that the temperature should be within +17...+18 degrees. As the temperature rises, cyclamen seeds fall into suspended animation (in other words, hibernation) and do not germinate for a long time. So, at a temperature of +17...+18 degrees, the seed germinates in 3-4 weeks. At +20 degrees after 8 weeks. At temperatures above +20 degrees, seedlings can wait up to 4 months.
An experiment on growing cyclamen from seeds at home
I decided to test in practice how temperature affects the germination of cyclamen. That is why I bought four bags of seeds with the same packaging date. That is, the date of packaging (freshness of the seed) should not affect its germination in any way. The landing followed the same pattern. The greenhouses are the same, the soil and its humidity, lighting are similar. Only the temperature was different. So, I placed one greenhouse on the windowsill, where the temperature fluctuates between +17...+22 degrees. The temperature for the second greenhouse was kept within strict limits of +17...+18 degrees.
Sowing of cyclamen seeds took place on March 7. The results of the experiment surprised me somewhat. So, the seed, which was germinated at a temperature of +17...+18 degrees, hatched on March 21, that is, 14 days after sowing. The seeds, which were kept at a temperature of +17...+22 degrees, sprouted on March 29, that is, 22 days after planting.
Based on the data obtained, we can conclude: favorable temperature regime for growing cyclamen from seeds it is +17...+18 degrees. Minor temperature deviations from the set regime (+17...+22 degrees) affect the germination of seed, but not significantly. So, my fellow flower growers, don’t worry too much about the temperature of seed germination. The main thing is not to raise it above +22 degrees.
How to grow cyclamen seedlings?
So, my cyclamens from seeds have hatched. What to do next? Based on my experience, I want to say that you need to wait until the cyclamen straightens its only leaf. A sprout first emerges from the achene. It develops a root system, a tuber and just one leaf. The cyclamen leaf remains under the dense shell of the seed for some time. You cannot clean the greenhouse until the leaf sheds this shell. Let me remind you that it is very dense. In a greenhouse where it’s humid, seed coat softens. If you remove the greenhouse, the shell will harden at room humidity, and it will be difficult for the leaf to get rid of it. If you try to remove it yourself, you can damage the leaf and the plant will not fully develop without it.
You cannot remove the greenhouse until the cyclamen leaves shed their seed coat.
How to care for cyclamen seedlings? The seedlings continue to develop in the greenhouse, where there is moderate air and soil humidity. Watering is carried out as needed. But since cyclamen seedlings grow in a greenhouse, I don’t water the soil often. The soil must not be allowed to dry out completely. Overmoistening of the soil leads to rotting of the tuber and the plant dies. I ventilated the greenhouse 2 times a day. My cyclamen stood on the window on the east side of the apartment, where the sun shines from morning until 15:00. I didn't feed it. The first time I applied fertilizer, when I removed the greenhouse, the cyclamens completely straightened their leaves. This happened on the middle of May 10, that is, almost 2 months after planting the seeds.
After the cyclamen forms a tuber and spreads the first leaf, it stops growing. But only this one stops growing ground part. Over the next 1-2 months, the seedling builds up its root system. Since the walls of my greenhouse are transparent, I could watch how the roots of my cyclamen plants gradually filled all the soil offered to them. And so on June 27, I decided to pick seedlings. It seemed to me that my plants were already cramped in the greenhouse.
Picking cyclamen seedlings
Picking cyclamen seedlings was carried out according to the following scheme: soil for flowering plants (loose, light, nutritious, neutral pH), opaque plastic cups 200 ml each. Two days before the picking, I watered the cyclamens well.
So, we take a regular 200 ml plastic cup and make a drainage hole in its bottom. Next, pour soil there and water it. First we make a small depression in the soil, where the plants will subsequently be transferred.
Next, using a spatula (I make it from thick plastic, cut out a small square and bend it in half) I carefully remove one cyclamen from the common greenhouse. You need to remove the young seedling with as much soil as possible around the roots. Cyclamen may have a small tuber, but the root system is quite developed. If you violate the latter, the flower will hurt for a long time.
Important note!!! When replanting cyclamen, you need to remember that if the tuber is too deep, the plant will die. Tubers in wet soil may rot. Correct solution when picking cyclamen seedlings: leave the tuber in a new pot at the same level at which it developed in the greenhouse.
Picking cyclamen seedlings was carried out in the summer, and therefore I decided to give my flowers the opportunity to breathe fresh air and took them out to the balcony. It is located on the western side of the house, there is direct sun only in the afternoon. I solved this problem by shading. After transplanting, I waited until the soil dried out a little and only after that I watered the seedlings for the first time. Subsequently, watering was carried out after the top layer of soil had dried to a depth of 1-1.5 cm. Until mid-June, cyclamen seedlings grew at a temperature of +27 during the day and up to +20 at night.
In July the temperature rose to +32 degrees during the day, at night to +25 degrees and I moved my cyclamen to the apartment for west windows. It was before lunch artificial lighting, after - diffused sunlight. Feed once a week with half the concentration of complex, liquid fertilizers. Spray once a day. But my plants did not like the high temperature and went to rest. The cyclamen leaves turned yellow and withered, but at the same time the tuber remained elastic. I left the cups with flowers under the phytolamp. Watering was carried out after the soil had dried thoroughly.
This went on for almost two months. But in the middle of September, when the temperature in the apartment dropped to +20...+22 degrees, which is comfortable for cyclamen, a miracle happened and my seedlings woke up. Each tuber began to produce two or even four leaves. I resumed watering, although now it was less than in the summer. Fertilizing is applied once every two weeks and lighting is required from morning (7.00 am) until evening (20.00).
IN winter time Years when hurricanes are raging outside the window, the hills of snow are turning white, it’s nice to have a colorful corner of flowering plants at home. These bright representatives of decorative indoor flowers include:
In nature, cyclamens grow in the Mediterranean part of Europe and Iran. They are perennials that produce colorful flowers from late autumn to early spring. Flower growers also grow them at home, obtaining not only a wonderful oasis in the middle of winter, but also a valuable medicine.
Or the alpine violet is easily recognized by its flowers located on long stems, ranging in color from pink to purple. The heart-shaped leaves are silver on top and dark red underneath. Looking at the plant, it seems that this beautiful Spaniard is showing off her proud posture in front of the audience. Her silver full skirt emphasizes slender figure with a bright headdress.
The European type of flower has small inflorescences, but the Persian one is characterized by large, butterfly-wing-like petals with white, pink shades. They spread far nice smell. The root of the plant is a tuber of both oval and flat shape.
Cyclamen begins to bloom in mid-autumn and ends at the end of the winter season.
Each flower lives up to ten days, giving way to its fellow flowers. The seeds of the plant look like buckwheat grains and are collected in a miniature box. In spring, the flower goes into hibernation, since the tuber lives and breathes above the ground, and the leaves and stems freeze for a while. Methods of propagation of cyclamen - tubers and seeds. The second method is most often used. Plant seeds can be purchased from a specialized store or collected independently from indoor flower.
Basic rules of preparation:
- Seed material is shaken out of dry boxes and soaked before sowing in water, to which Epin-extra or Zircon is added to stimulate growth. The drug is diluted as follows: four drops per half glass of liquid. After twelve hours, you can spread the seeds on a moistened cotton pad, covering it with a damp bandage. In a day, the seeds will swell and be ready for sowing.
- The soil for an indoor flower should be loose, nutritious, well permeable to air and water. This can be a purchased substrate specifically for decorative floriculture. Preparing the soil yourself is not difficult. You need to mix garden soil with peat, adding a little river sand. Steaming the soil is mandatory. It is poured with boiling water or kept in the oven for several minutes. Disinfection is carried out two weeks before planting the seeds.
- For containers for planting, choose either small flower pots, or plastic containers. They need to be drilled for removal. excess moisture. A drainage layer assembled from pieces of polystyrene foam, small expanded clay, and clay shards is placed on the bottom.
Many people try to germinate the seeds first and then plant them in pots. To do this, place the material on the moistened gauze, covering them with a layer of fabric on top. Then, after a day, the seeds are planted in a container at a distance of three centimeters, sprinkled with a little soil. The containers are placed in a dark place, constantly moistening the soil.
As soon as the shoots appear, the pots are placed on light windowsills. After three months, you can replant the overgrown small flowers, each in a separate container. Small soft purple sprouts require a sensitive attitude.
Landing: terms and rules
So, the pots with seeds were in the dark and cool, they quickly sprouted, within a month, at a temperature not lower than ten degrees and not higher than twenty. A room that is too hot is not for sprouts, otherwise they will appear much later.
The timing of sowing plays an important role in the beginning of alpine violet flowering.
By planting them at the end of June, you can be sure that the plant will bloom in the fall. Planting in August will result in later blooms. It is not necessary to cover the top of the planting. If this measure is taken, you will have to ventilate them daily. The main maintenance requirement at this time is soil moisture. It is better to do it with a pipette, delivering moisture to the root of the plant.
A flower can bloom when three or four leaves have appeared. Perform the procedure carefully, trying not to damage the nodules. We must not forget that the root system must be above the soil. Severe deepening can destroy the plant. If this happens, then they remove it. upper layer soil, exposing the tubers. Afterwards it begins to actively develop aboveground part alpine violet. Six months after sowing cyclamens, they acquire a real adult appearance.
And then it’s time to feed the houseplant. Universal complexes for decorative flowers will also be effective. Proper watering also important for the formation of a rosette of leaves and inflorescences. It is important that the liquid does not get on the tubers, otherwise rotting will occur. If the plant has gained strength a year after sowing, this indicates that the growing procedure was successful.
The rules for caring for cyclamen are simple:
- A comfortable place for a flower would be one where the sun's rays do not shine so brightly. He prefers diffused light, partial shade. The room should be well ventilated, but without drafts, which are contraindicated for cyclamen.
- Being a cold-loving plant, the flower does not like heat. It blooms well at temperatures of fourteen to sixteen degrees above zero.
- During the dormant period, the pot with the plant can be moved to the basement, but with sufficient lighting.
- High air and soil humidity are ideal conditions for flowers. But you need to be careful when watering. It is better to water through the tray in which the pot with the plant is located. The water in it must be changed daily. Drops of liquid should not fall on the stem, tubers, flowers, otherwise they will rot. Water for irrigation is taken only at room temperature with preliminary settling.
- During the watering procedure, it is recommended to apply specially selected for flowering plants. You should not get carried away with nitrogen fertilizing - the foliage will grow, but flowering will stop.
- During the rest period, dry leaves and flowers are torn off from cyclamen. Strong parts are cut off closer to the roots. Watering is reduced, slightly moistening the soil.
- In summer, the alpine violet is transplanted into a pot. bigger size, leaving a third of the tubers above the ground. Watering begins ten days after the procedure.
The main ailments of cyclamen include fungal diseases caused by improper care:
- Abundant watering and waterlogging causes gray rot to appear on tubers. If a pathology is detected, carefully dig up the plant, cut off the infected areas of the root, then wash them in a solution of potassium permanganate. After drying the tubers, cyclamen is planted in new pot with pre-steamed soil.
- A flower becomes ill with root rot if it has been infected by fungal pathogens living in the soil. This disease affects when seeds are planted in unsteamed soil. You can get rid of the disease using fungicides such as Glyokladin by treating the plants with them. And the tubers must be thoroughly washed in a disinfectant solution and dried.
- Sooty fungi clog the stomata and ducts of leaves, destroying them. Fungal deposits on the plates should be washed off with a solution of green soap, then rinsed with warm water. Spraying with Bordeaux mixture will also help.
- Peduncles can also be damaged by fungi. This will cause them to become deformed and dry out. Damaged flowers are removed and cyclamen is sprayed.
Pests of indoor flowers:
The health of a houseplant is in the hands of its owner.
More information can be found in the video:
Cyclamen from seeds at home: cultivation and care
Cyclamen is a plant that pleases the eye. Bright large flowers will decorate the windowsill at a time when it is frosty outside, because winter is the time for this beauty to bloom. Delicate inflorescences of a bizarre shape differ in color depending on the variety. The most popular varieties of cyclamen, Persian and European, can be successfully grown directly on the windowsill, with only seeds and suitable materials on hand. And within a year the plant will reward you with its first flowers.
A little about the plant
Bright flower with delicate petals a bizarre shape is cyclamen, a perennial tuberous plant of the primrose family. Soft pink, lilac, burgundy or snow-white - it is a real find for lovers of flowering plants. The big plus is that cyclamen is unpretentious, is not afraid of cold weather and does not need long daylight hours, since wildlife it grows in fairly harsh conditions. Therefore, a cool windowsill and regular watering is all it will require of you. Another name for cyclamen is alpine violet, but again, it can be credited with the fact that cyclamen suffers from diseases and pests less often than traditional violets. Therefore, it is definitely worth taking on the cultivation of cyclamen. There are dozens of shades of cyclamen.
Cyclamen - perennial flowering plant for your home
There are two options: buy a ready-made plant in a store or try to grow it from seeds yourself. The second method will require more effort from you, but will also increase the likelihood that the plant will take root and delight you with flowering for more than one season. Keep in mind that adapting a store-bought plant for home use is also a science. And a flower grown from seeds with your own hands will literally feel at home, since it will fit perfectly into its living conditions.
It is possible and necessary to grow cyclamen at home: it will not require any special effort on your part. You just have to be patient, as the period of germination, first shoots, transplanting seedlings and the formation of a separate plant will take about six months.
The color, size, and doubleness of a flower depend on its variety. For home grown fit:
- European cyclamen - has small pink flowers with a pleasant smell; less popular among home gardeners.
- Persian cyclamen - has many varieties (Scarlet Moth, Charlie, Sylphide, Topaz, Flamingo, etc.), each of which differs in shade, size or shape of the flower.
Important! Some varieties of Persian cyclamen, for example, Barbarossa, are difficult to germinate and require preliminary contrasting heat treatment before sowing.
Photo gallery: cyclamen varieties
Cyclamen Flamingo
Rococo Rose
Cyclamen Victoria
Cyclamen Scarlet Moth
What you need
The most important point counts right choice seeds Store-bought seeds from reputable manufacturers show a germination rate of about 80%. It is believed that the highest percentage of germination is inherent in homemade seeds. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to borrow seeds from owners of homemade cyclamens, do not neglect it. The cyclamen fruit is a capsule filled with ripened seeds. All you have to do is free the grains from the box, dry them for two to three days, and they will be ready for use.
Keep in mind: in order for the seeds to germinate, it is necessary to pollinate the plant several times with a brush during the flowering period. Only then will the ripening box be filled with fruitful seeds.
In addition to the seeds you will need:
You can start sowing cyclamen at any time of the year, but the most suitable season is spring.
Soak the seeds for 1–3 days by placing them in a damp cloth
Pour a layer of drainage and soil into the container
Sow seeds 2–3 cm apart
The first shoots of cyclamen
Seedling with three leaves ready for transplanting
Video: growing cyclamen at home
Aftercare
Now the hardest part is over. All that remains is to water the plant and make sure that it is away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
Important: when watering, do not pour water on the tuber; it is better to water along the edge of the pot.
At the age of 9 months, the first buds can be found on the plant, and by 1 year it is quite capable of blooming with its first flowers. Usually in the summer, cyclamens are in the dormant stage, but modern varieties Persian cyclamens often bloom all year round.
Cyclamen does not require frequent fertilization. However, from the age of 9 months, you can feed it with a weakly concentrated solution for flowering plants.
If the flower begins to shed its leaves, this indicates a transition to a dormant period. In this case, limit watering to a minimum and move the plant to a shaded area.
Growing cyclamen can turn into an exciting hobby. The variety of varieties allows you to endlessly experiment with interior floristry. Bright and delicate cyclamens will fill your home with colors and blooms all year round.
Store-bought home Persian or European cyclamen does not always become a permanent resident of the windowsill. Industrially grown plants, heavily fed with stimulants, often die after flowering, which consumes all vitality tuber Under what conditions can you succeed in propagating flowers from seeds?
Homemade cyclamens are already well adapted to apartment conditions, they are not overfed and are guaranteed to be free from diseases and pests. Young seedlings bloom by the end of the first year of life. Therefore, it makes sense to try planting and growing a plant from seeds.
The easiest way to plant a flower is to purchase seed material from a flower shop. However, if you have cyclamen at home, you can do without this by getting seeds from your own plant.
When purchasing seeds in a store, you do not know how healthy the flower was and whether it is really a Cyclamen
It is not difficult to make a flower bear fruit; all you need to do is pollinate the flowers. It is better for the health of seedlings if pollination will be cross pollination. Two cyclamen of different colors can produce very attractive hybrids that are unlike their parents.
Pollination is carried out in December-February, in the middle of the natural flowering period of cyclamen. The best time to do this is on a sunny morning. By tapping on a blossoming flower, we shake out the pollen that settles on the pistils of neighboring flowers.
For cross pollination It is necessary to carefully collect the pollen with the tip of a match and dip the pistil of the flower to be fertilized into it. To guarantee pollination, you should repeat the procedure 5-7 times.
The pollinated flower quickly fades, leaving behind a round capsule filled with light brown, round seeds. Depending on the conditions, it takes from 90 to 140 days for the seeds to fully ripen, optimal temperature at this time - about +20 degrees during the day and about +12 at night.
Peduncles with boxes droop over time, bending towards the ground. Ripe boxes crack, so it is better to pick them shortly before ripening.
To check the quality of the seed, you need to prepare a 5% sugar solution and pour it over the seeds. Those that float will not germinate, those that have sunk to the bottom are suitable for germination.
The seeds do not lose their germination for a long time; they can be stored for up to three years. Moreover, plants grown from seeds collected one and a half to two years ago bloom faster and more abundantly than seedlings hatched from fresh seed.
Cultivated Persian cyclamen does not depend as much on the length of daylight hours as its wild ancestor, so even if the seeds were purchased at the wrong time, you can plant them in the ground, without waiting for spring. You just need to provide them with the right temperature.
Sowing cyclamens
Flower seeds have a high germination rate, which decreases slightly over time. Even seeds that have lain for two or three years germinate with a probability of 70-80 percent. Therefore, by checking them with a sugar solution, you can be sure that young plants will appear from them.
Please note that high-quality soil disinfection will help Cyclamen germinate Before planting the seeds in the ground, they should be soaked for a day in a solution of Epin, potassium permanganate, or simply in warm water. The soil for planting them should be light, sandy; a sufficiently large layer of drainage is needed at the bottom of the container - the root system of cyclamens is superficial.
The earth needs ignite or pour boiling water for disinfection. The seeds are buried about a centimeter into the moist soil, the optimal interval between them is 2-3 centimeters.
You can also use peat tablets as a substrate. But, since the tablets are small in size, it is necessary to carefully ensure that they do not dry out.
Seeds have one important feature during germination: at high temperatures, seedlings develop more slowly than at relatively low temperatures. Having provided them with a temperature of about +15 degrees, you should expect sprouts within a month, but if it exceeds +20 degrees, young plants will appear after two to three months.
Although Cyclamen tolerates heat well, too high a temperature can inhibit seed growth In addition, the timing of seed germination depends on the variety - some of them can “sleep” for up to 4-5 months.
The rules for germinating seeds of Persian and European cyclamen are almost the same, the only significant difference is the flowering season of young plants. The first ones will bloom in winter, the second ones will show flower stalks in summer.
Many people believe that cyclamen seeds should be kept in the dark until they germinate, but this is not true. It is better to place containers with soil in the sun so that the emerging sprouts immediately find themselves in favorable conditions for development.
Caring for seedlings at home
For young plants need to provide a stable temperature, fairly bright but diffused lighting and timely, but not allowing stagnation of water, watering. If there is excess moisture, they are very vulnerable to fungal diseases.
A cyclamen seedling first develops a small nodule, after which it throws out the first leaf. First, a purple petiole loop appears, then the leaf itself, covered with the seed skin.
Often this leaf cannot free itself from the peel, especially if there is insufficient humidity in the room, so sometimes they need to be removed with tweezers, after slightly moistening them.
Even if the sheet is damaged, the seedling will not die, this will only slow down its development.
For the first three months, the seedling grows a tuber without throwing out new leaves, and only after that young leaves begin to appear. This time is the most difficult for young plants; it is important not to dry them out or overwater them.
Freshly sown cyclamens, unlike adult specimens, do not rest in the summer; at this time they actively grow. At the age of six months, they can be fed for the first time with a weak solution of complex fertilizers with a low nitrogen content.
There is an opinion that drafts at home contribute to the growth of Cyclamen seedlings To form a beautiful dense rosette of leaves, it is better to keep the plants in a fairly cool room. Seedlings are not afraid of drafts, so they are good at ventilating the room where they live.
Young Persian cyclamens usually shoot flower stalks for the first time at the age of 13-14 months, European ones - in the second or third year. The first flowering is not always abundant: the plant gains strength for lush bouquet colors only for the second or third flowering.
Often it is the weak, slowly growing ones small seeds produce the most beautiful, double, unusually colored flowers. Therefore, you should not cull young plants based on the growth vigor and size of the seedling.
How else to propagate Persian cyclamen
Vegetative propagation will not produce a large volume of planting material, however, firstly, it will ensure complete preservation of varietal characteristics, and, secondly, it will allow you to obtain a strong and viable young plant with minimal effort.
Cyclamen can reproduce in the following ways:
Rooting a leaf at home: how to grow a flower correctly
A leaf blade with a petiole, like that of Saintpaulia or Gloxinia, will not take root in cyclamen: after standing in water for some time, she'll just start to rot. To root a leaf, you need to pick it by picking out a small piece of the tuber from the surface, or select a leaf with “fingers” - small root-like growths on the petiole.
It is important to remember that only European cyclamen can be propagated in this way; Persian cyclamen leaves, even with a piece of tuber, do not take root, and it does not have “fingers”. It is also worth keeping in mind that injury to a tuber at high humidity is fraught with its rotting.
When propagating by leaf, do not rush to remove part of the tuber with a leaf - first find out what variety of Cyclamen you have at home Caring for a young leaf plant similar to caring for a grown seedling– abundant, but not excessive watering, bright light, coolness that has a beneficial effect on the formation of the rosette. Not only this one home flower can be propagated by leaf - for example, we have already told you, .
Propagation by rosettes: where is the best place to plant
A large adult tuber often produces not one rosette of leaves, but several. Such a rosette is carefully cut off or broken off with a small part of the tuber, after which it is planted in moist soil to grow a new plant.
For better rooting, it is placed in a greenhouse, and after a few weeks it begins to grow its own tuber. You cannot break off all the sockets from the mother tuber., left without growth points, he will die.
European cyclamen produces more rosettes than Persian cyclamen, so it is more often propagated this way. In addition to rosettes, it also produces small daughter nodules, which are removed from the mother plant during the dormant period. Persian doesn't give them.
Tuber division: dangers when growing
For division you need a fairly large and strong tuber with a large rosette of leaves. The tuber is cut in half with a disinfected knife, the halves are dried, sprinkled with colloidal sulfur or crushed coal, and then planted in disinfected soil.
You cannot immediately water a divided Cyclamen tuber - in this flower, injury to the tuber often leads to rotting of the plant The planted tuber halves should not be watered in the first few days to prevent rotting. Like regular healthy tubers, they need not completely bury, leaving about a third above the soil surface.
The first watering of plants obtained by dividing a tuber or rooting rosettes is best done with boiled water - this reduces the risk of infection.
Despite the fact that obtained with the help vegetative propagation seedlings are stronger than cyclamen from seeds, bloom earlier and grow powerful tubers faster, rosettes and leaves do not always take root, and when dividing a tuber, both halves can die, becoming victims bacterial rot or late blight.
Therefore, propagation by seeds is more reliable and safe, and it makes sense to focus on it, especially if we're talking about about Persian cyclamen.
For the European Cyclamen you need to choose the most safe way reproduction European cyclamen, whose seedlings bloom only after two to three years, is best propagated by daughter nodules - this does not threaten the health of the mother plant, unlike dividing the tuber and separating the rosettes.
When purchasing, be sure to pay attention to the expiration date. The germination rate of fresh seeds is much higher (from 70 to 80%) than that of two- and three-year-old seeds. If they all sprouted, you are lucky.
You can check the germination of seeds by dipping them for a few minutes in a glass with water at room temperature; those that float to the surface are not suitable for sowing, and those that sink to the bottom will definitely hatch. But I don’t do this, I sow everything, probably hoping for a “Russian maybe”.
Before sowing, I soak the seeds at least 24 hours so that they swell well. To do this, I add a couple of crystals of citric acid and 2 drops of Zircon to a glass of water at room temperature. This is a growth stimulant that increases the germination of even substandard seeds. Citric acid is needed because zircon cannot be diluted in alkaline water. This solution can be stored in a dark place for no more than three days. I put a piece in a plate cotton fabric, folded in half. I pour just a little water with a growth stimulator there, so that the napkin is wet, but the water does not squish. I place the seeds on top and cover the plate so that the water does not evaporate. Within a day, the seeds will swell and be ready for sowing.
To sow cyclamen seeds, I take universal soil for indoor plants or a soil mixture for seedlings. If available, I add 2-3 soaked and crushed peat tablets to the soil, since peat holds moisture well and crops can be moistened less often. I always water the soil mixture with a fungicide solution, most often I use Fitosporin-M. I do this in order to avoid the appearance of any fungi in the humid environment of a closed container. You can use any suitable fungicide that you have, diluting it according to the instructions. You can spill it with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.
I pour the prepared substrate into a container with a lid. The soil should be moist, but never wet, as the seeds will rot.
An important trick: the cyclamen seed has a depression, it is from this depression that the roots will grow, so we place it with the concave part down. I spotted this trick somewhere on the Internet and it really works. Although this is not of fundamental importance for germination, the seeds will hatch in any case, sometimes you can just see how they grow with their “legs up”, then they have to be sprinkled with a little earth.
I spread the seeds on the surface using a wet toothpick (the seed simply sticks to it) and dig it a little deeper into the ground (no more than 1 cm). I cover the container with a lid and place it in a dark place. The temperature for germination should not be high, minimum 16*C maximum 20*C.
I check the containers from time to time, ventilate them, and if necessary, moisten them with a spray bottle (I don’t pour water, I just spray). Sometimes it appears on the soil white coating mold. It is very important not to miss this moment. I still use the same water solution Fitosporin-M powder is an organic preparation that is not harmful to use in the house. I dilute 1.5 g in 100 ml of boiled water at room temperature, leave the solution for 2-3 hours so that the bacteria are activated and spray the soil in the container with mold. This doesn’t happen often if you ventilate regularly, but it does happen.
The first shoots appear from 3 weeks to 3 months. It depends on the variety, on the germination conditions, on the quality of the seeds and who knows what... I place the containers with seedlings on a bright windowsill, the main thing is that there is no direct sunlight. After the first full-fledged leaf straightens, I dive the squash into separate 100 gram cups. I completely cover the small nodules with soil. They have a lot of land initial stage No need, the roots are still very small. For picking, I take a universal soil mixture, add a little perlite to it and spill it with Ribav-Extra solution, it helps the plants more easily endure stress after transplantation and stimulates the formation of new roots. I dilute 1-2 drops per 0.2 liters of water. The drug should be used on the day of preparation.
I do the first watering after the top layer of soil has dried. I water it little by little along the edge of the glass, trying not to get into the center of the nodule. After the cyclamen root system has grown, it can be watered from the pan.
Why should you buy Persian cyclamen? The plant blooms in winter, giving bright colors to flower growers, like a real Christmas miracle. How to grow Persian cyclamen from seeds, when to plant and what to share experienced flower growers You will learn about plants that have been kept at home for a long time in today’s article.
How to grow Persian cyclamen from seeds?
Persian cyclamen differs in flowering from other varieties in that it blooms in winter, forming larger inflorescences, but their aroma is not as rich - one minor drawback in comparison with the beauty of winter flowering.
What do you need to know when growing Persian cyclamen from seeds? The flower is unpretentious and takes root well at home, but, like most plants, it has its problem areas. 
Substrate for cyclamen . Place the soil mixture in plastic cups on top of the drainage layer. Ingredients for planting Persian cyclamen seeds: palm substrate + loose cactus soil + citrus soil mixture in equal parts.
Planting seeds . The seeds are soaked in “Epin” or another growth stimulant 1 day before planting, after which they are dried and placed 0.5 cm deep in the soil mixture. Part of the soil mixture is covered on top of the Persian cyclamen seeds. Each cup is labeled indicating the variety and time of planting.
Where to grow Persian cyclamen seeds?
After the first stage of planting, Persian cyclamen seeds in the soil mixture are moved to a common tray and covered with a transparent lid, glass or film, as if placed in greenhouse conditions. You can place the seed germination container in partial shade.
How to grow Persian cyclamen at home:
- Air temperature 20-23° C;
- Penumbra;
- Spray with a spray bottle;
- Change the shelter and ventilate;
- Move after 1-1.5 months to a window;
Persian cyclamen seeds do not germinate quickly - after 1.5 months, on average, the shoots come to the surface and fully unfold. You can move the container to the edge of the window out of direct sunlight when all the shoots have developed.
Where to display cyclamen at home: on a western, southeastern or eastern window. Since Persian cyclamen - winter plant, it does not need abundant lighting like European cyclamen.
Cyclamen Persianum blooming
After the seedlings appear, the Persian cyclamen is transshipped. Usually it already has 4 full leaves and a formed tuber. It is still tender and can be mechanically damaged during transplantation, so the plant is handled. The growth point is freed in the process so that flower buds can form more quickly in the future. Persian cyclamen is placed in the new substrate so that 1/3 of the tuber rises above the ground.
The Persian cyclamen is in bloom 12 months after planting the seeds. The plant can be planted all year round. Persian cyclamen usually blooms in January, but if it was planted in winter period, it will please the gardener in late autumn or winter next season. In order to improve flowering, the plant is pollinated - this also makes it possible to obtain exclusively beautiful flower at home.
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Persian cyclamens bloom in the cold season with elegant flowers of various colors, and these plants also have very beautiful leaves with exquisite silver patterns. That's why many gardeners love to grow Persian cyclamens.
Seeds of Persian cyclamens of many varieties with varied flower colors can now be purchased in many online stores. This allows you to assemble a wonderful collection of plants obtained from seeds.
Grown in room conditions From seeds, cyclamen is more unpretentious than a purchased greenhouse plant.
Sowing cyclamen seeds
I sow cyclamen seeds immediately in separate small cups (from Rastishka) so as not to pick the seedlings.
I always put drainage at the bottom of cups with drainage holes, then completely fill them with a suitable substrate.
To prepare a light, loose substrate, I mix commercial ready-made soil for palm trees, citrus fruits and cacti (in a 1:1:1 ratio).
Then I sow the prepared seeds into cups.
I prepare cyclamen seeds for sowing in advance: I soak them in a growth stimulant (for example, Epin or Gumate) for a day to get one hundred percent germination.
I place each cyclamen seed in the center of a cup filled with substrate, pressing it slightly into the soil (0.5 cm) and lightly sprinkle it.
I make sure to put a label on the glass (I use self-adhesive price tag tape) with the name of the cyclamen variety and the sowing date.
I place the cups with the sown seeds in a plastic shallow tray of a suitable size. For example, a cake lid is very convenient.
I carefully place the tray with cups in a black garbage bag and tie it.
The absence of light is favorable for the germination of cyclamen seeds, which hatch successfully in the dark.
This design is on the table in my room; the seeds are kept at temperature. +20…+23 degrees.
Since the bag is tied, it is usually not necessary to moisten the cyclamen crops. But if necessary, you can spray a little from a spray bottle.
After about a month I start checking the cyclamen seedlings. In some cups, the seeds may already be hatching.
But there is no need to remove the cups with cyclamen sprouts from the bag until the loops of the seedlings straighten. After this, you can place the cups with cyclamen seedlings on the windowsill of a bright window, preferably in a western or eastern orientation.
Transshipment and maintenance of cyclamen seedlings
The first time I handle cyclamen seedlings is when they have two or three leaves. Then I regularly transfer the seedlings every 3-4 months - this way they grow faster.
After the second transfer, I free the growth point of the cyclamen seedling from the substrate (this is necessary for the formation of flower buds). As a result, approximately a third of the height of the cyclamen tuber rises above the soil level.
When transferring seedlings of Persian cyclamen, I try not to disturb too much the earthen ball directly under the tuber, and I always change the top layer of soil in the pot.
One-year-old cyclamen are moved to permanent pots with a diameter of 12 cm.
I water the cyclamen in the morning, carefully along the edge of the pot, always from the top (in Persian cyclamen, most of the roots are located in the upper part of the pot).
Flowering of young cyclamens
It is a great pleasure to admire the cyclamens blooming in winter.
Persian cyclamen seeds can be sown at any time of the year. Grown-up cyclamen seedlings usually produce their first flowers approximately 11 months after sowing. Young cyclamen grown from seeds sown in January will bloom by late autumn or early winter next year.
It is in winter that it is better to pollinate flowering cyclamens, which allows you to get your own seeds, from which original plants can then grow.
Good luck growing your Persian cyclamen!
Alfiya Karimova
Gardenia.ru "Floriculture: Pleasure and Benefit"
A little blooming cyclamens from the internet
