Cyclamen is a tuberous plant of the primrose family. It differs from most indoor plants in winter flowering. There is an opinion that he is capricious, difficult to care for. If you know his needs and comply with them, then making friends with him is quite simple.

Choosing the Right Seeds

As soon as you go to a flower shop, packs of Persian cyclamen seeds with beautiful pictures catch your eye. Immediately there is a desire to have such flowers at home. And questions arise: "How to grow cyclamen from seeds?", "Is it worth getting involved?" In practice, it turns out that there is nothing complicated about this, you just need to be patient, since the seedlings germinate for a long time and grow slowly at first.

Benefits of seed-grown cyclamen

Seed cyclamen grown by you will be initially adapted to the climate of your home, therefore, will have a much better chance of living a long life than purchased in a store.

Sowing

Before sowing, seeds must be soaked for 24 hours, for example, by spreading them on a damp cloth or cotton pad. Prepare the seed container by making holes in it. Pour a drainage layer of about 2 cm and disinfected soil (it is preferable to use ready-made "Terra Vita Flower") at least 6 cm. Spread the seeds on a moistened surface of the earth, sprinkle 1.5 cm of soil on top.

seed germination conditions

It is advisable to place the container with crops in a cool place with a temperature of up to 20 0 C, under such conditions the seeds will germinate within 4 weeks. At higher temperatures, it will take twice as long to wait for seedlings. Depending on the variety and freshness of the seeds, they can germinate for up to three months. This process does not require light. Crops can be covered with something, you can leave it in the open air. Be sure to monitor the soil moisture, neither flooding nor overdrying should be allowed.

How does cyclamen grow from seed?

After a month and a half, seedling loops will appear. Cyclamen germinates from seeds as follows: first, a root with a tiny tuber appears, it takes root in the ground, then a seedling loop with a leaf unfolds. Sometimes the skin of the seed is not removed from the leaf. It’s better not to touch the “cap”, it will come off by itself. But my hands itch and I want to take it off. You can try to do this using nail scissors, but after spraying and allowing it to swell. The operation may fail, and the leaf will come off. Unpleasant, but not fatal. The next leaf will grow from the tuber.

The first years of a plant's life

If the seedlings are planted deep, then it is necessary to free the tuber from the ground by 1/3 so that the growth point does not rot. The first three months it seems that cyclamen from seeds grows very slowly. At this time, he actively builds up the tuber and roots. The second sheet may appear a month after the first. The main thing is that during this period the seedlings do not dry out, the soil should always be moist, but not wet. It is better to water along the edge of the pot, without falling on the tuber.

picking

When the second or third leaf appears, the plant must be planted in separate containers. Be sure to dive with a clod of earth. As a rule, transplantation is painless, and growth accelerates after it.

A few words about care

Up to 6 months, seedlings can not be fed. After six months, you can use mineral fertilizer for flowering plants. Such plants grown from seeds may flower during the first year, but more often this occurs later. Persian cyclamen from seeds is not afraid of low temperatures and drafts. If it is kept in a cold room, then the rosette of leaves forms a compact one, and if it is in a warm room, it is looser. He does not need additional lighting, he only needs a cool window sill and proper watering.

Finally

Seed cyclamen is a fun and inexpensive way to build a collection of beautiful plants.