Cyclamen make an amazing present for pop of winter colour

I’m planning to purchase a flowering plant for a birthday current for a buddy and would really like a suggestion of 1 to purchase.

— Jessica Gonzalez, Highwood

Cyclamen can be a sensible choice and may present a straightforward eight weeks of winter colour when given correct care. Success in rising cyclamen begins with the proper setting. It’s going to carry out greatest when saved in a north window with vibrant, oblique gentle in a cool room of 55 to 65 levels Fahrenheit. These cool temperatures should not usually attainable to take care of in most properties, although. If the temperature of your property is over 70 levels throughout the day and over 65 levels at night time, your cyclamen might begin to yellow and the flowers will extra quickly fade, however this isn’t essentially a purpose to keep away from buying this plant for a couple of weeks of colour.

Cyclamen which might be bought as houseplants are Mediterranean and can’t tolerate temperatures under 40 levels, so you’ll want to defend them when transporting the vegetation house. Don’t depart the plant in a chilly automotive whereas working errands. In nature, these cyclamens develop in cool, humid environments. There are additionally hardy cyclamens that may be grown exterior in your backyard.

Cyclamen are delicate to each over and under-watering. Begin with a potting medium with wonderful drainage and a container with a gap or holes within the backside for the water to empty out of the pot. Water your cyclamen plant solely when the soil is dry to the contact, however don’t wait so lengthy that it exhibits seen indicators of being too dry, corresponding to wilting leaves and flowers. Water sufficient to maintain the vegetation evenly moist and by no means soggy. Attempt to keep away from splashing the crown of the plant or the foliage when watering as this will promote illness. Make sure that once you water the plant, you completely soak the rising medium and let any extra water drain away.

Take away fading flowers and their stems and yellowing leaves, as wanted. Fertilize as soon as each one to 2 months, with water-soluble fertilizer blended at half power. When cyclamen get an excessive amount of fertilizer, it could possibly have an effect on their skill to bloom once more.

Most gardeners discover it too troublesome to pressure the plant to bloom once more the next season and find yourself shopping for a brand new plant. After a cyclamen blooms, it’ll go right into a dormant state, with the leaves turning yellow and falling off. Cease watering the plant when you see the indicators that the leaves are all dying again. Place the plant in a cool, considerably darkish place. Take away lifeless foliage and let the plant sit for a few months.

Another choice is to take away soil from the tuber and retailer it in peat moss or vermiculite in a darkish, cool (50 levels) location for its dormant interval. Later in spring or early summer season, verify the tuber for brand spanking new development. As quickly as development begins, repot the tuber with its high half uncovered and backside half planted in recent rising medium. Resume regular watering and fertilize with a dilute 10-10-10 or 15-15-15 combine twice a month.

Cyclamen can profit from summers rising exterior in a protected spot within the backyard the place it receives early morning solar. Deliver the plant indoors as night time temperatures strategy 40 levels.

For extra plant recommendation, contact the Plant Info Service on the Chicago Botanic Backyard at plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture on the Chicago Botanic Backyard.