Cyclamen is a genus of plants from the primrose family, extremely popular in home cultivation. They can be capricious and difficult to keep in good shape, but they are also incredibly beautiful. Therefore, they enjoy great popularity – especially in the autumn and winter season, because it is a plant that blooms throughout the winter.
However, if we want it to look beautiful in the interior and please the eyes during the holiday season, we must take proper care of it. What to do if your flowers suddenly start to wither or lose flowers?
Cyclamen it is a plant that can bloom all winter, but – like any other plant – it needs some rest at different times. It goes dormant in the summer months. Then its leaves turn yellow and fall off, and the cyclamen appears to be losing strength. In fact, it collects them for the next period.
However, to be sure that nothing has happened to the plant, you need to check the tuber. It should be hard and firm. If it is soft, dry or rotten, the deterioration of the condition of cyclamen is related to this, and not to the dormancy period. The condition of cyclamen may be affected by inappropriate watering, too high temperatures or poor fertilization. Fortunately, you can try to get the plant back into good shape.
Cyclamen are extremely capricious. A number of requirements must be met to keep them in good shape. In winter, we should first of all remember not to place them near radiators. Dry air and high temperature may harm them.
If we ventilate the room intensively in winter, it is better not to place them on the windowsill. Although they bloom in winter, they are not frost-resistant and cold drafts could worsen their condition.
Cyclamen prefer moderate soil moisture, and it is best to pour water directly into the saucer. Direct sunlight or pest attacks may also negatively affect them.
The way to save the plant depends on the diagnosis. If it is dry, it is best to perform a water bath, i.e. place the pot in a bowl of lukewarm water. After about 30 minutes, when the top layer of earth is slightly damp, you can remove the cyclamen from the water.
If the poor condition of the plant is the result of thermal shock, for example as a result of being moved from a store to a warm house, the cyclamen should be moved to a slightly cooler place. You can also try to increase the air humidity around the plant. In such conditions, it will be able to slowly get used to the new place.
Overwatering may have the worst effect on the plant. As a result, the tuber may rot. In such a case, you need to gently remove it from the pot and assess the condition of the tuber. If it is soft, the cyclamen cannot be saved. However, if the tuber is still quite hard, remove the softer parts and wrap the root ball with a paper towel. Any excess moisture should soak into it. The tuber should remain outside the pot for 1-2 days.
Then we place the plant in a new substrate. Cyclamen should be placed in a cool, bright place. From this point on, be careful not to overflow it.
