Winter is when you'll find brightly colored flowering cyclamen for sale. The deep green of their leaves contrasts with the rich colors of their flowers to decorate and enliven your home. People frequently complain that their cyclamen die after a short period of time. Cyclamen, on the other hand, if properly cared for, will stay with you and bloom until March.
Cyclamen are a bright way to keep those dreary winter feelings at bay. They come in a variety of colors, including white, pink, purple, and red, with some species combining two colors. At this time of year, all cyclamen on the market are hybrids derived from the Cyclamen persicum. They despise the cold and the heat. The ideal temperature for keeping them is between 12 and 16 °C, but no higher than 20 °C. They prefer humid air and plenty of light, but not direct sunlight. The combination of these requirements makes it difficult to find an apartment that meets all of their needs.
That would be the ticket if you have a cool spot near a window. Cyclamen don't mind if you keep them in plastic, terracotta, or ceramic pots as long as the bottoms of these pots have one or more holes. They would rather not be watered from above and despise being sprayed with water. They can be watered by soaking them in stale water at room temperature for 15 minutes in a pot, bowl, or sink. However, make sure the water level is below the rim of the plant pot. And make sure they're completely dry before reinstalling them.
Because they prefer humid environments, you should ensure that they get some humidity from somewhere. You can do so by placing the cyclamen pot inside a larger, deeper pot that is partially filled with stones. Keep the stones wet to allow water to evaporate; make sure water does not reach the flower pot because cyclamen tubers rot when left in standing water. Standing the pots on stones or gravel will work just as well on a tray if you have several plants. Spraying water on cyclamen to increase air humidity is a sure way to kill the flowers.
Plant food should be used with extreme caution. The plants grow in mountainous areas that have a Mediterranean climate. They can be found in crevices and crags. They are accustomed to being deprived of nutrients. If you give them too much food, they will go leaf crazy; they will stop making flowers and produce so many leaves that they will resemble cabbages.
Cyclamen hybrids are available in three sizes: small (also known as mini), medium, and large. Your plant's size is unavoidable. If you get a small one, don't expect it to grow into a big one. Even if you talk to it every day, it won't do that for you. The advantage is that there are no unpleasant surprises, such as a giant suddenly taking up all of your apartment space.
