Cyclamens are decorative perennials, which are native to Europe and Asia. Traditionally Cyclamens have been grown as indoor plants – but trends are changing and many gardeners are planting cyclamen for outdoor winter colour.
The large corm (cyclamen storage organ) like tuber is the powerhouse of the plant. Often in the summer you will notice the corm as the flowers and foliage finish.
If repotting is required, plant in a potting mix, which has a good amount of peat and pumice (or coarse sand). Plant the tuber on top of the soil – do not bury it.
Cyclamens need good drainage, but they like moist soil. As house plants, cyclamens do best in bright indirect or curtain filtered sunlight.
When watering indoor cyclamen, water the soil – not the corm and let the water free drain. Do not stand plants in a saucer of water.
Always water early in the day for two reasons:
1. To allow the water to soak through the plant, and for the corm to dry
2. Cyclamens do not like night temperatures to be too cold and damp
Place potted Cyclamen outside on a regular basis to help prolong flowering (a note to remember is that Cyclamen do not like it to be warm). Keep your plants out of drafts.
Apply a good liquid fertiliser on a regular basis. Remember to apply in the early part of the day, and try and avoid the corm.
Once your cyclamen has finished flowering you can either plant it in the garden in a shady spot or you can put it in a cool spot for the summer months and repot it for next winter.
