Hi Joanie
Do you have pets in the house? Is the plant indoors?

I have had a very different experience with Cyclamens,I love and adore my plant, and have just bought another, and replanted 3 seedlings that had come through in the original mothers pot.

I was given mine as a gift, with no tags no instructions nothing, so I put it on my back window and watered every day,but just a small amount, the flowers would droop, then stand up later in the day after I had watered it. I had just assumed it was like a daisy in that respect, and it was to do with the light more than anything! I know so little about plants! But I changed its window, and began watering it more always from the top.

It has gone yellow a couple of times and I have always just cut back the yellow leaves, I never knew that they went dormant! Mine certainly never has, and it has never had any fertilisers, just new compost when it got bigger and was repotted, and the occasional drink of tea.

I top watered, daily, or at least every other day, when it got spindley and overly leafy, I cut back the extra growth to allow it to concentrate on the blooms, always keeping some foliage, and it has thrived, never gone dormant, and has shot up 3 babies along side! I never knew that they could self sow, and over the last 18 months I have had dozens of pods I could have sewn.

The base of the plant looked like it was 3 separate plants and I was going to split them up, but it is just one corm and all reccomendations say not to do that, so I wont, I dont want to hurt my gorgeous wee plant.
I have just sewn one pot of seeds today from the last bloom I had left, and will see how it comes on from there, I will be sewing a whole lot more, because the original is just starting to sprout new blooms, and the new one is in full flower with a huge amount of extra growth on the way, I love these, and am totally hooked now.
Does keeping them in bloom like this reduce the life span of the plant in any way? Or am I safe to continue treating it as I have?
Any suggestions greatfully received. Thanks in advance
Gracie

Hi Gracie
Lucky you! Apparently, your cyclamen doesn’t need a dormant period for now. I’m not sure if continued bloom it will reduce its lifespan, I don’t think so. It continues to bloom and is reproducing because it is getting everything it needs. The plant will let you know when it runs out of steam. Let us know your success on seed sowing. Sow them when they are fresh and keep them dark. Enjoy and count your blessings.

Hi Mary
If the cyclamen corm is in last years soil, I would replant it in fresh soil when new growth starts. You will get much better growing results with fresh soil and nutrients. If your cyclamen is fully grown, ready to bloom at this time then just scrape off some of the crusty top soil and add fresh soil. Can you send us a picture of your plant?

What part of the country do you live in and do you plan on growing cyclamen in containers or outside?

HI Bob
It is difficult to determine which is up with the dried tubers. If you see any signs of growing points, that is the side that goes up. One way is to put the tuber in moist peat moss for a few days to look for signs of new growth. The tuber should be half buried in the soil with the top exposed.

Hi Sue
When the pods dry, they will open and release the seeds.

Hi Rhoda
Let all the leaves grow on your cyclamen. You will get a fuller plant.

It lives on a sill of patterned glass window of the bathroom which faces south-west & flowers for almost 9-10months/year, for the other 2-3months there are quite a few leaves but no flowers, it has never died down completely. The pot is never intentionally allowed to dry out & is watered from beneath except when feeding with Miracle Gro fertiliser when it is watered from the top & along the side of the corm but never directly over the corm.

Over the last year or so, it has got infested with what appears to be bugs along the stem & either side of the leaves. They are oval shaped & the size of a paper pin-head, light-yellowish in colour but sometimes very dark brown/black. Also the leaves have sticky substance on it & some on the sill itself around the outside of the pot where it must have fallen from the back of the leaves overhanging the pot holder. I carefully wash them off the leaves with my fingers under a very slow running sink tap, sometimes they are well stuck on the leaves as if they are glued to the leaves. Occasionally, I hold the plant pot upside-down in one hand & shower the the leaves from the top (i.e. from behind the leaves) with a hand-held shower-head to get rid of these bugs – ensuring no water gets inside the pot – & shaking well when finished to get ride of the excess water from the leaves before returning it back into the pot holder.
Could please advise me what in your opinion are these thing & how to get ride. Also what do Cyclemen seeds look like & how to collect them from the plant?

Hi Rhoda
The problem may be that your office is too warm and not enough light. Cyclamen bloom best in cool temperatures (50’sF)and high light otherwise the stems tend to elongate and droop.

I just love Cyclamen and want them to come back this Fall and with your help