How to care for cyclamen during its summer dormancy? Growing methods and points to note

It is an ornamental plant that is widely popular around the world, and people especially love to buy a pot of it during the Chinese New Year. This refers to the cyclamen, also known as rabbit ear flower and radish begonia. It belongs to the genus Cyclamen in the family Primulaceae. Its rich colors and flower shapes resemble small birds spreading their wings to fly, which is why it also has the reputation of "immortals gracefully arriving."

So, how do you grow cyclamen? First of all, it is a plant that blooms continuously for 4 months. After buying it back from the flower market, do not rush to repot it into a nicer pot. Leave it at home for 7~14 days to let it adapt to the surrounding temperature environment. Cyclamen likes temperatures between 15~25 degrees, so flower lovers see it bloom in spring, autumn, and winter, but if the summer temperature is too high, it will not bloom. Also, in summer, do not move it around or disturb it easily.

Secondly, cyclamen has relatively high light requirements. It is best to let it receive 4~5 hours of sunlight every day. For routine watering, do not be too diligent; you can be a little lazy and wait until its leaves begin to soften before watering it. When watering, also be careful not to spray directly at its crown, because this makes it prone to crown rot. It is recommended that flower lovers either lift up the stems and slowly water from the side, or find a large basin, put it directly in to soak for about two minutes, and then place it in the bathroom to drain for half an hour. In addition, also pay attention after watering to check whether there is standing water in the tray. If there is, pour it out immediately, because standing water easily causes root rot.

Then, for the method of pruning spent flowers, when the flowers fade after the flowering season, flower lovers can follow the stem to the root and twist it off at the base, so that the wound heals faster under the soil. Do not directly use a knife to cut it, as this can reduce the risk of infection. After growing it for a period of time, you also need to help it trim about 1/4 of the leaves. Doing this not only saves nutrients, but also makes the base more ventilated.

Finally, regarding fertilizing, cyclamen likes acidic soil. In daily care, you can use ferrous sulfate to give it a weakly acidic environment. You can also use monopotassium phosphate or Huaduoduo No. 2 to give it some slow-release fertilizer, so that the roots can absorb more nutrients, and next year its flower heads can bloom even more beautifully.