Garden inspiration permalink
Cyclamen - February 2011
This discussion has been closed.
-
Message 1.Â
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Friday, 4th February 2011
Finally managed to get some photographs in the sun yesterday
Cyclamen Alpinum - in alpine house
Cyclamen - split seed growing in stone chippings - actually they have germinated better than in compost..............
I need to get these out as the hole needs filling up
Cyclamen Coum seedlings - I am after clear pale leaves with no pattern, but flowers the colour of meaden crimson. Should get flowers next year so we will see if all the crossing has worked.
(there are some nice seedlings in the plunge below the trays, always the way)
Cyclamen Coum - these are stock seed plants which are white flowered with a dark pink nose and good 'christmas tree' pattern leaves. These are just used as seed banks. Not been in there for a while and something has made small holes in some of the leaves.
-
Message 2
Posted by novicedippychick (U9694696) on Friday, 4th February 2011
Hello RowanCottage
Your Cyclamen look beautiful I found myself twisting my head to figure out what you had your plants in, in the 3rd picture.
Can't grow cyclamen in my garden as it's a wind tunnel usually and there is no sheltered area for it. Never mind I can always come back and look at yours.
NDC -
Message 3
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Friday, 4th February 2011
NDC
The seedlings in the third picture are growing in the door end of a tunnel.
Its a 10' X 20' tunnel but it sits on top of two growing beds that are three standard building blacks high with a walk way down the middle.
The beds are filled to 2 blocks high and the plants sit on top.
When I eventually get round to finishing it off there will be 4" of proper gravel on top and the plants won't be in crates.
I had left that bit only filled into 1 block as I wanted to get some bolts though the blocks to lock the door frame in.
I then spilt a pot of seed in there and some other has got in as well and that is the result. They are growing in limestone chippings only and it is concrete below.
I think I am going to have to dig them all out this autumn when they are dormant. (but I say that every year)
You will have no problem with either C Coum or C Hederifolium in your garden just get some seed, wash it and scatter it where you want them. They are as tough as old boots and you can see that they will germinate and grow in nothing but pure stone chippings............. -
Message 4
Posted by novicedippychick (U9694696) on Friday, 4th February 2011
Thanks for the advice Rowan, I might just give cyclamen a try
NDC
-
Message 5
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Friday, 4th February 2011
I'd love to get some cyclamen to grow and spread in my garden but the ones I bought have croaked in the January rain (one might have survived). They took the snow in their strides but the rain seemed to have killed them off.
The Cyclamen H corm I bought I suspect I planted upside down as I haven't seen any trace of it yet.
You were talking about colours, are you cross-breeding yours for new colours?
Where did you get your seeds from? I don't think I have come across cyclamen seeds in any of the garden centres around me. -
Message 6
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Friday, 4th February 2011
K-J Johansson:
I'd love to get some cyclamen to grow and spread in my garden but the ones I bought have croaked in the January rain (one might have survived). They took the snow in their strides but the rain seemed to have killed them off.Â
I would suspect that they are C. Percicum hybrids grown in multi-purpose compost. Probably sold as 'Miracle Series' and as 'hardy'. Unfortunately the very cold weather and the wet will have rotted them.
The Cyclamen H corm I bought I suspect I planted upside down as I haven't seen any trace of it yet.Â
If you bought it dry in a packet or dry from a garden centre then you will have problems getting them to establish. You are best buying them in growth in a pot. C Hederifolium is an autumn flowing plant and the corm can get to the size of a dinner plate. C. Coum is much more dainty and flowers from about xmas to easter. You are best growing both from seed but make sure you wash the seed with a little washing up liquid for 24 hours before you sow.
You were talking about colours, are you cross-breeding yours for new colours?Â
Yes I have spent a lot of time and effort trying with Coum to get a pure white flower with a patterned leaf. (C Coum 'Golan Heights', has a plain glossy leaf and pure white flowers) and a pure pale leaf with a strong purple/red flower. Not sure if I will ever get there but its real fun trying.
I do have some very nice Coum 'Tilebarn Elizabeth' which have bi-coloured flowers. They tend to flower a bit later so I will try and remember to post some pictures.
Where did you get your seeds from? I don't think I have come across cyclamen seeds in any of the garden centres around me.Â
I have a huge amount of plants basically to produce seed by the drinks cup full. My core plants came via one of the Cyclamen National Collection holders. I bought 60 plants a year off him for 5 years until I had enough to produce my own seed. I also go to Ashwood Nursery once a year and am sometimes lucky enough to be able to raid the growing areas for some of the more unusual coum seedlings. I also go to Tilebarn Nursery when I can.
One of the best place for seed is the Cyclamen Society and I can reccomend joining not just for the seed distribution each year but also for the journal. I also get seed from time to time from the Alpine Garden Society and also the Scottish Rock Garden Club. To be honest the last two are worth the subscription just for the seed distribution. The AGS seed distribution list is on line this year to view for non member if you want to see real organisation.
If you get cyclamen seed just make sure you wash it in luke warm water and a bit of washing up liquid for 24 hours (change the water a couple of times) prior to sowing. This is possibly the most important thing you will ever learn about cyclamen.
I have some other rough pictures of where I have thrown the contents of old seed trays and there are now colonies of C.Coum.
Give it a go it is actually very easy. I like them because they are dormant in summer when I am otherwise occupied putting up buildings and building walls....................................... -
Message 7
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Saturday, 5th February 2011
Thanks!
Don't think the small ones were of the miracle strain but they were supposed to be hardy. One might be still alive. The other one which was big is called Canto. A bit of googling tells me it is a CYCLAMEN PERSICUM so you were right there and they seem to have all died. Quite annoying as I quite liked the wine red colour they has. Are this type always doomed to die outdoors?
This sounds like the Lily of the valley debacle all over again. So Cyclamen H are better bought in the green? Could it have been a Cyclamen coum as the "bulb" was quite big? Stupidly I took photos of the over bulb descriptions when I bought this one but not for the cyclamen.
If I can get some seeds I will try that. I'll check out the Alpine Garden Society too. It might be worth joining for the seeds. -
Message 8
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Saturday, 5th February 2011
K-J Johansson:
Don't think the small ones were of the miracle strain but they were supposed to be hardy. One might be still alive. The other one which was big is called Canto. A bit of googling tells me it is a CYCLAMEN PERSICUM so you were right there and they seem to have all died. Quite annoying as I quite liked the wine red colour they has. Are this type always doomed to die outdoors?Â
They all derive from C Persicum which is not hardy outside in the UK. The smaller one you see now in all the garden centres marked as hardy are not hardy when we get a bad winter. Also the amount of water they get and the compost they are in don't help them either. I like the large florist cyclamen but we tend to keep them in the porch where there it is not too warm.
This sounds like the Lily of the valley debacle all over again. So Cyclamen H are better bought in the green? Could it have been a Cyclamen coum as the "bulb" was quite big? Stupidly I took photos of the over bulb descriptions when I bought this one but not for the cyclamen.Â
Buy them in growth in a pot, dried ones never seem to ever settle again. In the past the wild colonies were destroyed by the locals for the dried bulb trade. A plant in growth will also give you some seed eventually.
If I can get some seeds I will try that. I'll check out the Alpine Garden Society too. It might be worth joining for the seeds.Â
The seed distribution is only one of the benefits. They quite often have plant books for sale and the journal published every 3 months is very good.
I would be inclined to check their website for where the spring shows are. If there is one in your area just go and have a look at the plants on display, even if you are not interested in alpines. There will also be plants on sale from small nurseries and best of all a members stand where the society takes a cut from plants brought in by members.
I was supposed to be going to Loughborough show today and there is always lots of unusual snowdrops for sale. Gave it a miss as I am still unwell and in any case it gave my wallet a rest. -
Message 9
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Sunday, 6th February 2011
Thank you again. I feel like I am treated to a one to one master-class.
There is a group in Bristol so I'll keep an eye out for any events they might have.
Next time I will get one that is in the green, but I might be lucky.
As you seem to be in the know. Does the C. hederifolium come in any other colour than pink and white (just checked cyclamen org and there seems to be more deeply coloured ones.) -
Message 10
Posted by janebal (U13998944) on Thursday, 10th February 2011
Could you explain why you have to wash the seed in washing up liquid?
I hope to give it a go this year after your encouraging advice. -
Message 11
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Thursday, 10th February 2011
Just a guess but I think it is due to them having a coating that needs to be removed to promote germination.
-
Message 12
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Thursday, 10th February 2011
janebal
The reason why you need to wash cyclamen seed is because when you handle it you will find it is sticky. The sticky sugar coating also contains a germination inhibitor.
So if you just sow it you have to wait for the coating to wash off. As cyclamen draw the seed back over the top of the corm it is difficult for them to find new ground to grow in. So the sugar is there for the ants. The ants pick up the seed and carry it off for the sugar. Once the sugar coating is gone the seed germinates.
I remember when I first started growing cyclamen I got some seed of C. Intaminatum and sowed it in a pot. I did not know to wash the seed at that time. Anyway it moved house three time before it germinated and that was about 10 years later. The seed I took off those plants last summer after washing germinated this autumn/winter.
So collect and it needs a little bit of lukewarm water and a bit of washing up liquid. Change the water a a few times over 24 hours. The washing up liquid helps break the surface tension and removes the sugar. If there is a lot of seed in the cup give it a swill round when you are passing.
After 24 hours all the seed that is fertile will be at the bottom of the pot anything that is infertile will float. Give them a prod just to make sure they won't sink. I never tend to sow the ones that float.
Hope this helps -
Message 13
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Thursday, 10th February 2011
KJ
Sorry not seen your reply
As you seem to be in the know. Does the C. hederifolium come in any other colour than pink and white (just checked cyclamen org and there seems to be more deeply coloured ones.)Â
Normal colour is a pale pink with a dark nose. You mostly see the standard pink for sale and also the white.
There are a few forms of pure white with no nose colour and if I can find the pictures of mine I will post.
What has happened recently is that there are a number of rose or darker purple forms circulating. The one I see most is 'ruby glow' strain.
I also like 'Stargazer'
Now a purple form with an upward flower gene would be great -
Message 14
Posted by Logissimo (U14020652) on Friday, 11th February 2011
Hello Rowan,
I've enjoyed reading this thread and have a comment or 2 and a question.
It took me about 5 years to get C hederifolium from seed packet to a flowering plant, (it was worth the wait though!).
A friend gave me a good number of tubers which have been excellent and I'm now getting lots of self-sown babies. The most recent crop have probably only a single leaf.
My question is is it better to leave them to develop in situ or to pot them up and try to grow them on more intensively? No doubt if I leave them in situ, quite a large number will succomb to one thing or another.
I'm now hoping that my couple of C coum will multiply equally prolifically.
Thanks in anticipation. L -
Message 15
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Friday, 11th February 2011
Logissimo
C. Hederifolium is a lot slower to flower than C Coum. The only trick I have found is to keep the baby corms in growth the first summer. This is done by keeping them somewhere shaded and cool, usually under the benching in one of the alpine houses. The Coum and Hederifolium seed I sowed last autumn are now developing fast. Some of the coum are already flowering.
I usually leave them in the seed trays for 2 years probably because I never get round to dealing with them. I think from observation that they seem to like company when they are young, so that is another reason why I leave them.
The only time I tend to pot them on into module trays is if I am re-potting a large plant and there are baby corms on top.
Another thing to watch is that they don't develop the final leaf colour/pattern until they are about 2-3 years old so don't dismiss anything until then. Also make sure you pot up the small ones as these are usually the best.
With C. Hedrifolium you can spot the ones that are going to be white quite early on a they tend to be more robust and have a look about them.
I am not a huge fan of the 'basic' C Hederifolium although I do like the Bowles Apollo Strain. I tend to spend most of my time sorting the C Coum out as they really interest me, both the leaf colour/shapes and the flowers.
Good luck with the C Coum, they are a lovely plant and extremely hardy -
Message 16
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Friday, 11th February 2011
Is C Coum hardy? I thought only hed. was.
-
Message 17
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Friday, 11th February 2011
KJ
Coum is very hardy its been -18c here this year and -14 in some of the buildings and although they go very flat they bounce back. Only thing they won't stand is being sat in water.
Depending on where you are you can get away with a lot of the specie cyclamen if you have a well drained south facing wall. -
Message 18
Posted by caitlin77 (U14673586) on Friday, 11th February 2011
Ping!
Great info, thanks RowanCottage! -
Message 19
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Friday, 11th February 2011
Cool. Do they have more colour variations? The other seems to have a very small colour span.
-
Message 20
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Friday, 11th February 2011
KJ
Tend to be a bit more vibrant than C Hed.
The bit that is more interesting is the leaf forms, I especially like the pewter forms. Until you have seen them its difficult to express how unusual some of them are.
I also tend to like miniature things and they are very dainty. C Hed is a bit of a thug in comparison. -
Message 21
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Friday, 11th February 2011
That is good to know.
-
Message 22
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Friday, 11th February 2011
A few more older pictures
-
Message 23
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Friday, 11th February 2011
Are you by any chance a professional grower?
Have to say that last picture was absolutely stunning. Such a beautiful plant. -
Message 24
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Friday, 11th February 2011
KJ
We have a nursery, but we don't have to have customers. Which makes it a very expensive hobby.
We both have other real jobs.
It will be open at some stage again once all the buildings are back up and I have got time to run it. At the moment with the way the economy is going I am pleased we don't have to make a profit.
I have got about 700 buxus I could do with getting rid of to make some space.
Professional no - more like enthusiastic amateur who likes his plants
Few more cyclamen in here (I also collect Primula Allionii and hepaticas)
Including C Libanoticum - seed was collected on the Golan Heights near the UN outpost.........
C Intaminatum is very very small, that one had a lot of flower on it that year -
Message 25
Posted by Logissimo (U14020652) on Saturday, 12th February 2011
Thank you for your reply to my question Rowan and thanks too for all the glorious photos of your exquisite plants.
I also had to laugh at your sense of humour! What sort of "enthusiastic amateur" has 700 box plants to spare?
Keep up the inspirational posts and thanks again. -
Message 26
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Saturday, 12th February 2011
Logissimo
I just want my growing beds empty so I can put the final layer of blocks on the back and put the steps in and sort the paths out.
The box did start off as tiny cuttings about 3 years ago and lived in one of the beds, now they are in 3 ltr pots and are everywhere.
Its not a very good picture but these are built into the bank side. There is 10 in all, a bank of 6, steps in the middle and a bank of 4. They are 13' long and about 1 meter in width.
They are 3 blocks high at the front and will eventually be 5 at the back with a frame and covers/lights. So plants are waist height and easy on my back..
Could end up bedding the box out although we do have quite a few large ones dotted about already. Only good thing is bigger they get more they are worth.
-
Message 27
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Saturday, 12th February 2011
Having a nursery without customers is an expensive hobby indeed!
How on earth did you end up with that much box? Did you just propagate like mad? It sounds like you went slightly overboard. -
Message 28
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Saturday, 12th February 2011
Its probably cheaper than going to the pub every night. At some stage it has got to pay for itself.
As for the box (buxus) I had built a heated sand propagation unit and I wanted to test it. So I put about 1,000 box cuttings in to see if it was okay. About 800 took and if I had left them a bit longer I guess a few more would have. I did box because I knew we would not be getting rid of them any time soon and they increase in value over time, whereas a lot of shrubs and perennials have to be sold in the first 6-12 months.
OH does lavender so when we get fully going most of the standing areas will be full of Lavender plants. We have one planting at present and my final job once all the building is done will be to fill the field at the top with lavender for cutting. There are 2 lavender display beds to be done before then.
Anyway I better get outside and do the watering in the glorious sunshine..................... -
Message 29
Posted by caitlin77 (U14673586) on Saturday, 12th February 2011
Or you could sell DIY knot garden designs plus plants made from buxus and filled with lavender!
Lovely pictures - the hepatica are so sweet too! -
Message 30
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Tuesday, 22nd February 2011
I've just had a dig around my garden and decided to dig up the cyclamen I planted and realised that I have planted it up side down. I thought the domed side was up and the indented side down. I have now turned it and mixed in some sand and grit under it. It is still rock solid which is good, I think. I'm just wondering if it would be better to plant it in a pot and perhaps bring indoors or should I just leave it and hope for the best.
-
Message 31
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Sunday, 21st August 2011
Just an update. Came back yesterday from the Edinburgh Fringe and had a snoop around the garden and spotted that my Cyclamen has started to flower! I suspect it might be early for it but I am pleased to see it is alive. It has no leaves yet but one flower and a couple more on the way. I thought it would start flowering much later in the autumn.
About this Board
Welcome to the new Gardening Board. If this is your first time, then make sure you check out the
or  to take part in a discussion.
The message board is currently closed for posting.
Weekdays 09:00-00:00
Weekends 10:00-00:00
This messageboard is .
Find out more about this board's
Search this Board
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú iD
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú navigation
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú links
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú © 2014 The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.