How to grow potted cyclamen? A detailed guide to the latest care techniques

Cyclamen is a commonly cultivated flowering plant, also known as bunny ears flower, rabbit flower, yipinguan, etc. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Cyclamen in the family Primulaceae. Some cultivated varieties have a rich fragrance, while others have a faint or no fragrance. It is suitable for growing in indoor flower pots, and in winter it needs to be grown in a greenhouse. Now let us take a look at how to grow potted cyclamen!

Growth habits of cyclamen

Cyclamen prefers warmth and fears heat. It grows best in a cool environment and in fertile sandy loam rich in humus. It is relatively cold-tolerant and can withstand low temperatures of 0°C without freezing. Autumn to the spring of the following year is its growing season, and it is semi-dormant in summer. The suitable growing temperature in winter is between 12-16°C. When promoting flowering, it should not exceed 18-22°C. Above 0°C the plant will enter dormancy, and above 35°C the plant is prone to rot and death. In winter it can tolerate low temperatures, but below 5°C growth is slow, flower color is dull, and flowering is reduced. Supplementing carbon dioxide gas in winter can promote growth and flowering. During the growing period, it requires a humid air environment and sufficient sunlight.

Propagation methods of cyclamen

1. Sowing: Cyclamen seeds can only be obtained after artificial pollination. The seeds generally mature in May and should be collected in time. To promote seed germination, the seeds can be soaked before sowing to hasten germination. Soak the seeds in cold water for 24 hours or in warm water at 30°C for 2-3 hours, then wash off the sticky material on the seed surface, wrap them in a wet cloth to hasten germination, and keep them at 25°C for 1-2 days. Once the seeds show slight signs of sprouting, they can be taken out and sown. The sowing time is generally September to October, and ordinary flower pots can be used for sowing.

2. Tubers: Cyclamen tubers cannot naturally produce offsets, so they cannot be propagated by dividing offsets like general bulbous flowers. They require artificial cutting propagation. Generally in late August, when the tubers are about to sprout, cut the tuber longitudinally from the top into several pieces. Each piece should carry a bud eye. Coat the cut surfaces with plant ash, let them dry slightly, and then plant them separately in flower pots. With careful management, they will soon develop leaves and bloom.

3. Tissue culture: Cyclamen tissue culture propagation can use flower stamens, tubers, leaves, young stems, etc. as explants, generally collected from one- or two-year-old young plants, among which tubers are the easiest explants for inducing seedlings. When using tubers as explants, MS medium can be selected, with MS+3 mg/L 6-BA+1 mg/L NAA as the induction medium, 1/2MS+0.3 mg/L NAA as the rooting medium, and MS+3 mg/L 6-BA+0.4 mg/L NAA as the subculture medium.

How to grow potted cyclamen?

1. Potting soil: Cyclamen requires fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. If the soil is left unmanaged for a long time or managed unscientifically, cyclamen will grow poorly, bloom less, have dull colors, and lose ornamental value. For potting, loose and fertile nutrient soil is best. Apply a topdressing of decomposed dilute organic fertilizer such as human and animal manure and urine about once every 10 days. After budding, apply two additional applications of 0.1% potassium dihydrogen sulfate.

2. Temperature: The most suitable growing temperature for cyclamen is about 15°C. The suitable temperature for growth and flower bud differentiation is 15-20°C, with humidity of 70-75%. In winter during the flowering period, the temperature must not be lower than 10°C. If the temperature is too low, the flower color will be dull and the flowers will easily drop. In summer, if the temperature reaches 28-30°C, the plant will become dormant. When the temperature reaches above 30°C, cyclamen leaves will turn yellow and fall off, and the flowers will fade, leaving no ornamental value. If it reaches above 35°C, the tubers are prone to rot.

3. Watering: When cyclamen enters dormancy in summer, reduce watering of the dormant corms. After potting up in autumn and repotting, water thoroughly and gradually increase fertilizer and water, keeping the soil moist. Reduce water in winter. When watering, do not let water touch the flower buds and young leaves, so as to avoid rot and affect flowering. The best watering time is from 10:00 to 12:00 in the morning, and the water temperature and substrate temperature should be as close as possible.

4. Fertilizing: Cyclamen is also a fertilizer-loving plant. Apply 2‰ potassium dihydrogen phosphate once each in spring and autumn every year, and avoid applying high-nitrogen fertilizers. During the growing period, fertilizers should generally be applied lightly and frequently, and liquid fertilizer must be fully decomposed and fermented. Fertilizing should be done on sunny days. Stop or reduce fertilizing from June to August. After late August, as the weather gradually cools and growth becomes more vigorous, fertilizer can be applied once every 7-10 days, with more phosphorus- and potassium-containing fertilizer to promote abundant flowering later. When fertilizing, be careful to prevent the fertilizer solution from covering the top of the corm, so as to avoid rot.

5. Light: Cyclamen should be placed in places with sufficient light such as windows and balconies, and the position of the flower pot should be changed frequently. Sufficient light can make the flowers more colorful and the leaves more glossy. Although cyclamen belongs to the Primulaceae family and is relatively shade-tolerant, long-term insufficient light can easily cause cyclamen leaves to turn yellow.

6. Pests and diseases

① Gray mold: The diseased area has small water-soaked spots 1-2 mm in diameter, which gradually expand and become brown rot. When the petiole or flower stalk is infected, the leaves or flowers bend and break, and there is a gray mold layer at the diseased area, which later becomes earthy yellow mold. The cause is excessively high humidity and poor ventilation. For control, first, ventilate in time to reduce air humidity; second, remove diseased leaves in time to reduce sources of infection; third, spray broad-spectrum fungicides such as zineb and carbendazim.

② Soft rot: Soft rot is mostly caused by bacterial infection. The diseased area shows soft rot, and the affected area is mostly the corm. It is mainly caused by incomplete or absent disinfection of the substrate and is prone to occur under high temperature or high humidity conditions. For control, spray agricultural streptomycin or carbendazim, etc.