Regenerating Christmas Indoor Cyclamens

[George the Pigman]

Every Christmas we buy an indoor cyclamen and it flowers its heart out until January then usually collapses in a heap. I have tried repotting the bulb and giving it TLC but it never does anything. Anyone any tips for reviving them to their former beauty? We never have any problems with the outdoor variety.

[George the Pigman]

[laurieuk]

Cyclamen often suffer indoors by being over watered, I never water any plant from the top as all plants grow outside somewhere and the rain comes down on them. I let cycamen go alomst dry so that the leaves feel limp , then give them a good drink from the  top let it drain.

[Tee Gee]

I have tried repotting the bulb and giving it TLC but it never does anything.

I think your TLC is the problem and you are wanting your plants to carry on when all they want is to go into a period of dormancy.

I find that a few months under the greenhouse bench providing it is frost free does the trick. I keep them what I call "the damp side of dry" as there is generally enough moisture in the bulb for it to survive its dormancy.

If you water them there is a tendency for them to develop base rot.


During the summer I re-pot them in fresh compost and  then sit them outdoors in a sheltered  area or put them in a coldframe.

Once they start into new growth I fetch them indoors for the winter.

[George the Pigman]

I have tried letting them die down, putting them in the garage then keeping them in the greenhouse over summer but the bulbs refuse to produce any leaf or shoots. The bulb doesn't rot just sits there doing nothing.

[Tee Gee]

then keeping them in the greenhouse over summer.

The bulb doesn't rot just sits there doing nothing.

Sounds like they were  too warm in the greenhouse, if your greenhouse is like mine temperatures can get very warm  (80°F+) hence me putting them outdoors.

What I forgot to mention is they want to be well fed before they are allowed to die down so that embryo buds form for the following years flowers. Shop bought plants are often forced so any fertiliser is quickly used up and needs replenishing.

I find apart from what I mentioned above I just leave them to their own resources that is:

I leave them in their original compost where they use up any feeding and moisture that remains in the compost.

Once I have re-potted them and put outdoor I leave nature to look after them meaning; if it rains they get watered, if it doesn't they go dry.

The bulbs are quite fleshy so they can be a bit like succulents and store enough moisture to sustain themselves.

When they are fetched indoors then it is up to me to look after them in terms of feeding & watering.