CYCLAMEN CARE AFTER BLOOMING - Guide to indoor cultivars

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Does anyone else grow Cyclamen for their house or greenhouse? Let me know in the comments below. :)

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

😬

[@kathymacomber5115]

Tropical Plants at 53 Degrees they are annuals where I live in Tennessee USA

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

So you plant them out then throw them away for winter? Or just let them rot when frost comes?

[@kathymacomber5115]

Tropical Plants at 53 Degrees No I have tried and tried to save them..it is too hot for too long a time here and they just don’t make it.They are inexpensive also so it takes time effort and materials that could go to a plant that will do well. They are sold here in the winter and then we move onto Spring plants...I figure I’m keeping someone in a job by my buying them as annuals.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

@@kathymacomber5115 Haha yeah they don't do well in heat! Not an issue in the UK, sad to say. Don't you ever try them as houseplants? Or just too hot inside?

[@dashanthonyflagg9562]

I rescued a beautiful dark dark magenta variety early last fall. i live in Manhattan and they get planted around trees all over the city because they will take the cold all the way up to winter. well i saw one large beauty that was a bit beat up getting thrown out by the guy who was planting like a hundred around a few trees in my neighborhood. so i took it home and potted it up in a good sized clay pot and it bounced back fuller than i ever seen one and at no time was there less than 15 flowers on the thing. it kept going well into the spring because i put it in the window that has my air conditioning unit. it's hard to keep plants there because the AC keeps that ledge to cold for most tropical plants. but the cyclamen simply loved it. so much so that it is just now going into dormancy because the sun heats the window up. all the leaves have dried up and now there are just like about 12 flowers drooping over the edge of the pot. i stopped watering it and am going to try and see if i can get it going again this fall. i figure if by October it hasn't started to show signs of life, i'll start giving it some water to wake it up. i hope it comes back because it was a real showstopper. thanks for the info and for showing the dried plant of yours in dormancy. so now i don't feel so bad about it dying back. it's so hard being a plant lover and seeing what was once a beautiful plant die back to nothing really. makes one feel as though they lost their green thumb. thanks for the reassurance. happy growing everyone.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Thanks Dash - I'm sure it'll return - no reason for it not to, it's just doing it's natural thing. I find very small leaves beginning to come through quite early on, so I just wait until I really want it to get moving then start re-watering, and it happily obliges with increased growth. Good luck with it!

[@elinorjanvrin3060]

That light pink cyclamen is gorgeous!!

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Yes I agree! I hope it comes back strong again next year. 😀

[@jessiearies1912]

Hello from the west coast of Canada! I have just brought home a Cyclamen plant and am researching all about this lovely plant, how to care for it. Thank you for your vids. on plant care. I enjoy my plants and learning all i can about them.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Hi Jessie - looooove Canada - was my favourite trip of all time. Cyclamen are great - should really be dormant through summer but the sellers mess around with their dormancy. I've got some more up to date videos on them. Try this playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLQKwmNwb1T5AHvjajYOxg1ZMi019iDMUy

[@jessiearies1912]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 Thank you! Much appreciated!

[@helenclayton8259]

Just found your channel, extremely educational thanks so much, will sub 👍

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Excellent! Thanks Helen - hope you find something useful. 😀

[@s.k.3483]

I LIVE IN ITALY THEY GROW WILD ON THE FOREST FLOOR; A VIRTURAL CARPET IN OCTOBER FABULOUS

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Fabulous! We have Cyclamen hederifolium here that does much the same thing, although only when it's been planted - it doesn't grow in the wild.

[@sangeetak.4691]

I live in Italy too, specifically Florence, where do you find them outdoors?

[@sharonmclaughlin2258]

Great information. I definitely over watered one or two cyclamen in the past. My current one stopped flowering recently. Hoping I can have it come out of dormancy in the fall.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Thanks Sharon - glad you found it useful. Some of mine are also starting to go over now. I actually made a more updated version of this video you saw quite recently. You can watch it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIuWi4yfrphofZo

[@Shazzadut1]

I’m in Australia. We’re in late spring now, but quite warm and I’m guessing they’re going into dormancy. My cyclamen has finished flowering and the leaves are turning yellow and drooping. Should I remove the leaves or just leave them? Will they fall off naturally?

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Yeah they'll yellow naturally but you might want to clear it all up once that's happened to prevent rot. Let the tubers and media dry out and put it under a bench till you want to resurrect again.

[@MicksMasdevalliaorchids]

Nice informative video Geoff, happy growing.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Thanks, Mick. Yesterday I spent 30 minutes talking a video, then realized I hadn't pressed the 'record' button! I should have recorded what I said when I found out - the air was blue! 😂

[@EdsOrchids]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 Join the club Geoff.....how to make the air blue!! Ed

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Haha! It probably would have gained more views!

[@MicksMasdevalliaorchids]

I can imagine, sometimes I think we try to do more videos then actually looking after our plants, I suppose that’s the joy of being a KZbin creator 😂 happy growing buddy.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

You're absolutely right there, Mick! It takes over your life! I'll give it another week then I'm finished with it...

[@dixiechick6652]

I finally found these at my nursery so I had to get them. Mine are on the hot back porch and I still water them. They still grow small leaves. Is that going to mess up the natural cycle? I got them beginning of summer.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

If you're wanting them to go dormant you need to move them somewhere shady and drastically cut back on watering - whether they have leaves or not. Then when you want to bring them back give them more light and water. It's not an absolute guarantee though, as it's difficult to precisely replicate their natural life cycle.

[@dixiechick6652]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 I removed them from light and noticed the tuber is really small on one of them now

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

@@dixiechick6652 Tuber size is just down to age. Younger plants have smaller tubers (assuming they're not dehydrated).

[@jsrsd]

I wish it was easier to add a video stitch response or a reply video still. But i love my cylamen. I am so glad it was a resilient little thing that took my initial accidental watering into dormancy without rotting. I keep my pots pretty well airated and draining though, and the apartment is quite dry. But i digress, my cyclamen that lives in the livingroom is just beginning to come out of dormancy as i started to water it just shortly before the air conditioner came out of the window for the year, first week of october here in Wisconsin. The new leaves are coming in. I couldnt understand the dormant leaves until reading more, the weird dry, but alive way they were, almost like fossils. Its so much fun to have such an odd plant that works so well in what many plants consider harsh conditions, and changes. Gives you something to look forward to. I will admit though, my cylamen has ugly little flowers. The ones in your video are quite elegant and ruffled. In this moment, i truly appreciate my unique cyclamen, but it is quite homely. Not really a fan of the inside out upside down quality of the blooms. But that's just my aesthetic nature i guess, its delightfully unique, in every way ★

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Yeah they're great little plants and something for us non-tropical dwellers to look forward to through the cold, winter months. By the way, this video is a really old one - I have newer ones on Cyclamen - the latest of which is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6DIpJmuls-Bpdk

[@belindalonso1]

Hi, and thanks for the useful info. I have a question, tho. Can I save the pods for future sowing? I mean, my plants have so many that I don't feel like just throwing them away. I'd like to keep them for future sowing. Is that possible? If so, what's the best way to do it? Thanks in advance

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Glad you enjoyed it Belinda. Yes, you can collect ripe seeds from your plants. Soak them for 10 hours first then plant in a pot of seed compost just pushing below the surface. Cover with vermiculite, and water. Then cover with something black to keep out the light and leave at 12 to 15°C. They could take 30 to 60 days to germinate. You then simply prick out like you would any other seedling and wait for blooms - although it could take a year or more for the first ones! Let me know how you get on...and good luck! 😀

[@sarahgifford3101]

Do you need to cut the leaves back when they go dormant?

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

I usually just reduce watering until they naturally turn yellow - then I cut them off.

[@elokmalay8616]

Thank you for the information @Tropical Plants at 53 Degrees. I have a question though.. Hope you will read and answer it. I live in Netherlands. I bought my cyclamens last summer (on August). They were blooming at that time. However, the flowers has started wilted in the beginning of October (mid autumn) and now (end of autumn) the leaves are going through the same condition. I'm so confused as it's supposed to bloom in winter and go dormant in summer. How can mine act differently? I'm worried that I will loose them😭

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Hi Elok. When you say you bought it last summer, was that 2019 or 2020?

[@elokmalay8616]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 wow..so happy that you replied!! I meant this summer..august 2020. They did well during summer, up until the end of September. However, since October their flowers had started wilted and now their leaves are also showing the same condition. I thought maybe it's what people called dormant stage..but then the timing seems off (contrary to what should be)

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

@@elokmalay8616 OK so, if you live in a temperate climate, and this is a Cyclamen Persicum, and it was in bloom through summer, then it's likely that it's been artificially forced to bloom out of season. That's not unusual in the 'house-plant' market. To get it back into its natural rhythm might not be possible. You'd need to let it go dormant now, then keep it warm and dry until the seasons turned back to Autumn again, which will be a full year off! You could give it a try, but I wouldn't raise your expectations too much. These plants are (mostly) cheap and expected to be replaced. My advice would be to go and buy one that's in bloom right now, or about to bloom, so you can keep it going for several years. Of course, that doesn't mean it's not worth giving this one a try. You never know, it might sleep happily for a year then sprout back into life again at the right time. Good luck!

[@elokmalay8616]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 oh that's sad😔 but i agree with you..if they are not supposed to bloom during summer, then they were "forced" to do so..poor them. I will do as you suggested then. Thx U so much. You are super helpful😊👍

[@mollymoppitt]

I bought a few cyclamen last year they were beautiful but this year some only have leaves and no flowers at all others didnt come back at all I don't believe I did anything wrong as I have a 10year old cyclamen comes up every year with the same treatment do you think its worth waiting til next year and see if they come back or throw them out? Australia...

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Hi Rose. I'd wait it out as when you're bringing them back to life they can be in leaf for a while before deciding to bloom - then the blooms last forever it seems! In the meantime it's a good excuse to buy some more..😃

[@mollymoppitt]

@@Grow_Up_Man55Thanks for your input another guy on youtube says if you buy these from a store they dont have a corm just roots like any other plant? Do you know if they are likey to grow into a corm in the future cos I think mine just have roots like any other plant in the garden he says it is a cheap way to mass produce and they only last that season and will "never"grow flowers and to "throw them out"? and if this is the case what would you suggest I buy next time as Ive spent a bit of money on these and very dissapointed as I thought I had them forever. mine are in pots under the verandah and in a cool place. P.S. they were all in bloom when I bought them last year and we are nearing the end of blooming season here in Oz and still nothing. thanks again Rose

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

@@mollymoppitt Hi Rose, I understand many plants are mass-produced for the throw-away market, but I've never heard of any bred with a specific characteristic preventing them from continuing to bloom for many years. I've thrown your question over to the several thousand enthusiasts in the Cyclamen society, to see if anyone else has any knowledge of this. Similarly, I can't see why or how a cyclamen could be bred to prevent it from growing a tuber - they all grow tubers - that's how they grow. I suspect your issues are more of a cultivation issue in terms of the particular variety of cyclamen you have not matching the conditions they're being exposed to. This is where it gets tricky though, as there are very many cultivars with varying characteristics - some bloom earlier or later than others. Some are cultivars from cyclamen hederafolium (the so called 'hardy cyclamen), some from cyclamen coum, and some from cyclamen persicum (which is only borderline hardy) - all with different characteristics. You'd need to find out the name of each one in order to look up its specific care needs. I realise that might not be much help to you at this stage. Another issue could be pests - there's the cyclamen mite (which ravaged some of mine!) and then there's vine weevil which love cyclamen roots. No doubt in Oz you've a trillion more nasty critters out to get them! I still wouldn't throw them out though - worth investigating a bit and seeing it through. Good luck!

[@mollymoppitt]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 thanks so much for your time all the best!

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

@@mollymoppitt My pleasure. I hope they start blooming for you. 😃

[@xtxpxhx]

I live near the equator, do you think mine would get dormant?

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

They would need to be 'forced' into dormancy through the summer months by reducing and finally cutting all watering. Then leave them for at least 4 months before starting the watering again. Good luck!

[@xtxpxhx]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 Thank you for the quick reply! Thank Goodness, rainy season is almost here, I got attached to them so quickly, they're quite beautiful :)

[@paulawhite7685]

Hi I live in south Australia, it’s the beginning of spring , and the other day I noticed my cyclamen leaves had gone slightly yellow . I watered it and it has picked up . Is it supposed to happen as in does it lose all of its leaves at this time of year ? Are they supposed to go yellow and die or does it just lose it’s flowers ?

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Hi Paula. If it's a hybrid of the 'indoor' cyclamen, i.e. usually from cyclamen persicum, then yes they do go dormant over the summer months (these are all I grow). They come from Mediterranean areas and go completely dormant during the often drought conditions of summer. All you'll be left with is the tuber sitting slightly proud of the surface. Leave it completely dry then start to water in late summer and autumn to start again. All the tips offered in this video will be relevant to you.

[@marlahovey3491]

How long do potted cyclamen go dorman for

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Thanks for your question, Marla. Cyclamen comes from areas around the Mediterranean, mainly Turkey. Their summers are roughly from about May to October. That gives us some indication - although for many plants that go dormant you can 'play around' with it to varying degrees. I'd expect that as long as you give it at least a couple of months in dormancy, you could probably coax it back into growth early by decreasing temperatures and beginning to water a little. Good luck!

[@gingertea5006]

Hello I have a question. I was given a cyclamen as a present a couple of weeks ago but now all the leaves are turning yellow. I thought it had a disease but now I'm wondering if its something else. Do you have any suggestions please?

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

It could be many things but given the time of year it's likely to be simply going into dormancy. This video (much more up to date) explains all: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZDEkmeOjbxqiNk

[@gingertea5006]

Thanks for the quick response - watched the video & did what you suggested - hope it works @@Grow_Up_Man55

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

@@gingertea5006 I'm sure it will - providing that's the issue. I do mine in this way every year. Good luck!

[@junlerou6600]

I got a cyclamen like your magenta one over a month ago. However, the plant has lost all of its flowers and most of its leaves very quickly. The leaves look a bit weak / droopy but I'm certain they are not underwatered and I also think they are not overwatered. Just to be sure I got the entire plant out of the pot to let the earth dry completely and induce dormancy. But what should I do next? When should I start to water the plant again. Please help me out!

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

It depends on where you live with regards to dormancy. If you're just heading into Winter then this isn't the right time for them to be dormant. Although I understand why you've done this. Where do you live and what is your climate like? Also, have you checked for Cyclamen mite, or for vine weevil grubs in the roots?

[@junlerou6600]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 Hi, thanks for answering! I live in the Netherlands and we're heading into winter. The climate here is temperate. The plant is free of insects. I just read a comment of a fellow countrymen and I believe I have the same issue with a specimen that was forced to bloom too early. Is there something you can do against that?

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

@@junlerou6600 Ah yes I remember that comment exchange. Well to be honest, there isn't any cast-iron method for rescuing them as far as I know. You've done exactly what I would have done and induced dormancy. I can only suggest trying to rouse it earlier than usual, say mid to late summer, in an attempt to offset the extended dormancy a little. I suppose the best thing to do in future is try to buy those Cyclamen Persicum varieties that are just coming into leaf or bloom round about now. Good luck!

[@aliciabeasley3715]

Why my siclamen bulbs They getting soft Thank you

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

They’re rotting. Could be too much water from the top.