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Message |
    
Geoforce
My Weather
| | Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 06:58 pm EST : |   
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I have not a single cyclamen in my garden, so I perhaps should not comment, but I agree with Matthias about leaf 2, an outstanding display of color and pattern. I believe I might actually also like leaf 1 better than 3 though it be a more common form.
And, I actually bought 2 cyclamen yesterday at an end of season sale. C hederifolium, both the purple and the alba. I plan to plant these in a pot, as it is so late in the season, but will get them outside next year. Perhaps I'll get addicted to these like the rest of you.
Geoforce
- Pennsylvania,
Zone "USDA 7a"
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Galanthophile
My Favorite Photo
My Garden
| | Posted on Sunday, November 06, 2005 - 02:17 am EST : |
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I can guarantee the addiction now that you've bought your first plants!
Galanthophile
- Ann (Northern England),
Zone "8"
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Terryk
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Sunday, November 06, 2005 - 08:06 am EST : |
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George, I second Ann's opinion. Maybe Tim could get you started growing some from seed? It may not be too late, he many still have some left.
Just think how wonderful your hellebores will be complimented by some cyclamen.
Terryk
- NY,
Zone "6"
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Shirley1md
| | Posted on Monday, November 07, 2005 - 07:38 pm EST : |
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Very nice indeed! From the seed that you sent me of C. cilicium, will the flowers eventually look similar to picture #1? The leaves may take on their own characteristics? When you grow Cyclamen from seed, they will not be identical to the mother plant, but a variation of it?
Shirley Maryland Zone 7a |
Tim
| | Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2005 - 01:07 am EST : |
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Hi Shirley, yes, the flowers should be a light pink and look very much like those in photo number 1. The leaf shape won't vary, and the leaves will be undeniably Cyclamen cilicium, but the patterns will probably vary, especially as the seed you have might well have come from more than one plant.
In general, offspring from all the cyclamen species will show variation from the parent plant. Some will look like it, some will be inferior (subjective, I know), and hopefully, some will be an improvement. But despite all this variation, it will still be possible to identify such plants as whatever species they are supposed to be. Sure, it takes a little experience with the various species, but that's all. The more cyclamen you grow, the easier it will become.
Tim
- Cambridgeshire,
Zone "7 "
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Shirley1md
| | Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2005 - 09:29 pm EST : |
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Thanks for the clarification, Tim.
Shirley Maryland Zone 7a |
Wilsonae_cyclamen
My Weather
| | Posted on Saturday, November 19, 2005 - 05:42 pm EST : |
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Hi Tim,
Please can you tell me if there is any known cure for leggy seedlings?
And if said seedlings should loose their cotyledons, will they die or will the tuber regenerate another one if the seedling has matured enough before dying and the tubers are still alive?
In the absence of bees, being indoors under lights and with the onset of winter, Iv'e been flicking away at the cyclamen
as soon as they flower and I am rewarded with little puffs
of pollen which are dispersed accordingly. I await anxiously
the outcome of my flickings - smile!
Will you post any pictures of your glass house in progress for us mortals to see? I am dying of curiosity - there is
so much to learn and for those of us without a glass house, maybe we can learn enough to improvise and apply said knowlege!
Wilsonae_cyclamen
- New York,
Zone "6 (?)"
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Terryk
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 08:57 pm EST : |
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Wilson, you may have to get them under lights to alleviate the leggy seedling issue.
I too don't have a greenhouse but am lucky enough to have a room in the basement which has many windows and a sliding door, so good light. It is not heated but stays in the 40-50 degree range when it gets cold. Also I have so many trays of seedlings that I have shelves so this too blocks some light. Not all of the shelves have light yet, and the ones that don't have lights have leggy seedlings. I think if you get them under lights and the lights are fairly close it will help a great deal.
I'll try to get a picture or two posted for you.
Terryk
- NY,
Zone "6"
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Wilsonae_cyclamen
My Weather
| | Posted on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 10:27 pm EST : |
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Tim/Terry,
Not only are some of the seedlings leggy; but a few of my mature cyclamen tubers (3 years +) are also leggy - including some of my coum, etc. and hederifolium confusum which have
some very large umbrella-like leaves and l-o-n-g petioles.
I don't think it is a lack of light - Is it possible there is
too much light (lights are on for approximately 12 hours) ranging from double to quadruple fluorescent light fixtures
per tier which are positioned about 15 inches from seedlings
and cyclamen plants?
Can I bury them a little deeper into the compost or add
a little bit more compost and grit to support the leggy stems
or will they rot?
Does it make any difference after soaking the seeds for
24 hours if you plant cyclamen seeds on the surface of the compost and cover with a layer of grit directly or make a
slight depression, plant seeds therein and cover with more compost and grit?
With each passing day, a little more cyclamen seeds are germinating. Of course, I am breathing very heavily down
their necks, staring them down with the cold unblinking eyes
of the snake sizing up its prey and counting each and every
one as they germinate - smile!
You wouldn't believe the variations of leaf patterns my
little collection of cyclamen are displaying - maple leaf
on silver/green backgrounds, single and double hastate leaf patterns, silver leaf only or with a green border, maple leaf
on a pink background, etc. The shape of the leaves too are
so different as I attempt to identify the different species
by their serrations/indentations, patterns and other tell-tale
signs. I can't wait to see the flowers to compare them with
Grey Wilson's book on Cyclamen. A few pots had their labels missing or the labels fell out in transit.
Unfortunately, I don't have a digital camera yet, but I
am working on getting one next year once things settle down
so that I can post for everyone to enjoy and for Tim to
identify some of the cyclamen growing under lights.
Talking about oddities, one of my silver leaf cyclamen
formed one complete unbroken upturned silver challice just waiting to be filled with the nectar of the gods - not the
usual two separate lobes comprising the normal leaf.
The little seedlings too are displaying like the proud little peacocks that they are - smile!
wilsonae cyclamen
Wilsonae_cyclamen
- New York,
Zone "6 (?)"
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Jgwoodard
| | Posted on Friday, November 25, 2005 - 01:22 am EST : |
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Hi wilsonae. I'll put my two cents here, although it can be considered general and not only for cyclamen. I do not know the ideal photoperiod for growth in cyclamen, but 12 hours is not much for active growth periods. Even in plants that have natural growth cycles of 12/12 in spring and/or fall can benefit from more light in artificial conditions. Dark periods can be important for blooming in some plants, but is generally less important for active growth.
Even more important is the distance of the lights from the plants. If the flourescents are the main light source, they need to be much closer to the leaf surface. If you are using cool blue flourescent tubes, then put them only two or three inches (at most) from the tops of the plant leaves. If flourescent lights are 15 inches from the surface, it is like you are growing in deep shade even though it looks bright. 15 inches would be more appropriate for a higher watt metal halide lamp for example.
Also, make sure you do not have red spectrum light if you are growing young active seedlings. Some flourescents are sold with red spectrum as 'grow lights' to mimic the sun but are mostly worthless for young plants. Blue flourescents will never 'burn' the leaves (even of shade plants). It is very weak light but can be efficient and effective.
Jgwoodard
- TN,
Zone "6b"
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Terryk
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Friday, November 25, 2005 - 06:44 am EST : |
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Wilsonae_cyclamen wrote on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 08:27 pm:You wouldn't believe the variations of leaf patterns my
little collection of cyclamen are displaying
That is one of the best things about growing cyclamen from seed-you will see variations in the leaf patterns from the beginning, especially in c. hederifolium and it makes it so much fun. But if you have some mature plants, you will see that they will get even better. From my experience, this will happen more next year when they are a bit older.
Wilson I am not sure that it will hurt if you plant the seed a little deeper and add more soil and then grit. I assume you will be following Tim's instructions and planting 16 per pot. Remember that, if you follow his instructions further down the road, you will be transplanting the little seedlings sooner than others recommend so if they are leggy you can also at that time plant the tuber a bit deeper.
Joseph is correct, the lower the lights, the less leggy your plants will be. I did raise the lights just a bit on my seedling pots but they are rather low and this year they seem to be growing less leggy than last year.
Terryk
- NY,
Zone "6"
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Terryk
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Friday, November 25, 2005 - 07:38 am EST : |
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Here are some pictures of my "cyclamen/hellebore room". The temperature last night went down to 19F and in the room it went down to 40F. They all seem to be doing fine.
I have to get more lights and shelves and also find room for the hellebores which I brought in. Now could you imagine if Tim and I lived down the road from each other how much worse this would be. Of course maybe then he would "rent" me some space in one of his glasshouses/polytunnels....
Terryk
- NY,
Zone "6"
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Wilsonae_cyclamen
My Weather
| | Posted on Friday, November 25, 2005 - 09:24 am EST : |
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Terry,
Your cyclamen/hellebore room is the nearest thing to cyclamen/hellebore heaven without a glasshouse - every square inch is put to use and sunlight everywhere! The next thing you will be suspending shelves from the ceiling - you already have seedlings occupying every crevice, nook and cranny - smile!
I did have the lights nearer to the plants but raised them, because I thought it was getting too warm under the hot (cool blue) flurorescent lights. I will just have to water a LITTLE more often, if it warrants it, taking care not to drown them with too much tlc - smile!
Thanks for the input g/b's and keep up the great support work which is second to no other garden club be it cyclamen, hellebore, etc!
wilsonae cyclamen
Wilsonae_cyclamen
- New York,
Zone "6 (?)"
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