Cyclamen, robust and colorful flowers, can provide weeks of color even in the middle of winter. All it takes is a few precautions and they transform into little allies against the grayness of the colder season.
Treat i cyclamens it may seem like a banal, almost obvious gesture. Yet, anyone who has stopped to observe them carefully knows that behind their resistance lies a fragile request for attention. The key words are light, water and position. Yes, but not as we usually think. Small mistakes are enough, even just one oversight during a rainy weekend, to see the leaves suddenly lower. On the other hand, there are those who keep them at home near the radiator, convinced that they are protecting them: it’s a shame that cyclamens suffer more from the heat than from the cold. A paradox that repeats itself every year, around November, among Italian balconies and windowsills.
It’s worth stopping, at least for a moment, and understanding what the tricks really are for prolong the life of cyclamens. No magical secrets, just concrete details. A small list of simple, often forgotten, gestures that can really make a difference.
Cyclamen: where to really place them
Location is everything, or almost. THE cyclamens they don’t like the dry heat of interiors, nor direct exposure to the sun in the middle of the day. Therefore, it is better to choose a bright but sheltered corner: an east-facing windowsill, for example, can become their kingdom during the winter.
It is often thought that it is safer inside the house, but central heating is the sworn enemy of cyclamens. Better to leave them outside, even when the temperature drops to around 5-6 degrees. Only if a serious frost is announced does it make sense to protect them with a light cloth or move them temporarily. Some, for safety, place a terracotta saucer which insulates it from the cold surface of the balcony. A detail that, sometimes, makes the difference.
How and when to water cyclamens
Water is a delicate point. Too much, and the bulb risks rotting. Too little, and the flowers droop without remedy. The trick is all about touching the soil: it must remain slightly moist, never wet. In winter, just water once or twice a week, always preferring the morning hours.
Something that few people know: it is better to pour the water into the saucer and let it absorb slowly, avoiding directly wetting the leaves and flowers. This prevents rot and mold, which are true silent enemies in cyclamens. And on rainy days, when the air remains more humid, even just a visual check every two or three days may be enough. There is no need to follow rigid tables, just a careful eye is enough.
Small daily attentions that prolong flowering
Here the real game is played: a series of micro-gestures that make no noise, but extend the life of the cyclamens by many weeks. Remove the withered flower, remove the yellowed leaf (always with a clean movement, near the base). Nothing else is needed. This attention, repeated every few days, stimulates new blooms and keeps parasites such as aphids away, which can make their appearance between November and January.
Someone also adds a little liquid fertilizer, diluted in water, every fortnight. Better not to overdo it: too much fertilizer weakens the roots and shortens flowering. The choice of vase also helps. If too large, the cyclamen is lost. If too small, it will struggle to breathe. A 12-14 centimeter diameter pot is usually the right size for plants bought in Italian nurseries.
Ultimately, you just need to change perspective and let yourself be surprised by the consistency of a simple gesture. It’s almost a ritual, made up of repeated details and small unexpected events. Something that resembles, in some ways, the rhythm of a season that just doesn’t want to end.
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