June, 1920 ^flower (Brower 95 
Growing Cyclamen from Seed Without a Greenhouse. 
A Symposium of Experiences of Several Growers. 
[ IVrittrn expressly for The Flower Grower. ] 
A healthy Cyclamen is a beautiful 
and satisfactory winter blooming plant. 
It bears graceful flowers for a period of 
several months and the individual 
blooms remain fresh for some time. Its 
handsome leaves are nearly as attract- 
ive as its lovely flowers. The foliage 
of some of the variegated sorts, being 
especially decorative. Some varieties 
have also a very delicate, lily-like fra- 
grance. By using correct cultural 
methods, these desirable plants may be 
grown from seeds without the aid of 
greenhouse facilities. With intelligent 
care almost every vital seed will germi- 
nate in from four to five weeks’ time, 
and unless growth is retarded by neglect 
or mis-management, the plants will be 
of a blooming size when a little over a 
year old. 
These plants are best propagated by 
sowing seeds in a compost consisting of 
sandy loam and leaf mold, that must be 
kept constantly moist but not too wet 
as that might cause the roots to rot. 
Partial shade is recommended. A 
shallow seed “flat” will be found con- 
venient and quite satisfactory. When 
the little corms which form are about 
the size of a garden pea or when the 
seedlings crowd each other, they should 
be carefully transplanted separately in- 
to pots filled with rich, porous, sandy 
earth in such a manner that the crown 
of the corm is above the surface of the 
soil. The plebeian tin can, because it 
allows of less evaporation of moisture, 
seems to serve the purpose better than 
the porous flower-pot. If the ordinary 
pot is used, it is wise to set it within a 
larger pot and fill the space between the 
two pots with damp Sphagum moss to 
retain moisture and protect the roots of 
the Cyclamen from the ill effects of 
having the sun’s rays fall directly on 
the sides of the pot in which the plant 
is grown. The atmosphere in the room 
should also be kept always moderately 
cool and moist by keeping shallow pans 
of water upon radiators, registers or 
stoves. 
Before they are a year and a half old 
the plants should be in bloom and con- 
tinue so for several months. Should 
a plant fail to produce flowers, a little 
slaked lime and bone dust carefully 
mixed into the top soil will prove of 
benefit. A little liquid fertilizer will help 
to give tone. A Cyclamen that has 
been regularly but not too copiously 
watered, kept in a well lighted place, 
and shielded from sudden draughts 
will seldom fail to produce buds. Some 
times the buds blast if the temperature 
of the room is too hot and dry or if the 
soil in the pot is allowed to dry out. 
After a season of winter bloom the 
plants should be moderately watered 
and kept in a healthy growing condition 
until it is safe to plunge the pots out 
doors or bed the plants out in a partially 
shaded situation. Should the season 
prove dry, it will be necessary to give 
the plants water regularly, for they can- 
not withstand a drought. Some kinds 
of plants are benefited by being al- 
lowed to dry off during their resting 
period but the Cyclamen is positively 
injured by it. The plant should always 
be kept in a healthy growing state. In 
early autumn repot and encourage 
active growth before returning the 
Cyclamen to the window garden, where 
with favorable conditions it will soon 
resume blooming. Though the Cycla- 
men will continue to give satisfactory 
results for a number of years, the old 
corms finally deteriorate. As the 
younger plants of blooming size are 
more thrifty and produce finer flowers, 
new plants should be started every year 
or two in order to provide a continuous 
supply of plants old enough to bear 
flowers. 
An attack of red spider, which causes 
the foliage to turn brown, curl up and 
dry off, the buds to blacken and drop, 
may be prevented by sprinkling the 
foliage of the Cyclamen every other 
day at least. When well cared for the 
Cyclamen is a particularly desirable 
addition to the window garden, but it 
will become unsatisfactory if subjected 
to improper treatment or neglect. 
Bertha Berbert-Hammond. 
Two years ago this spring I bought a 
packet of mixed Cyclamen Gigantium, 
13 seeds, which were planted about 
one-fourth of an inch deep in a cigar 
box filled with potting soil and covered 
with a pane of glass. The first leaves 
appeared in twenty-four days. A tiny 
bulb grows first, then a small heart- 
shaped leaf and roots grow from that. 
I had nine plants; when large enough, 
I took them up with a teaspoon and 
planted in small pots. Last fall they 
were repotted and bloomed during the 
winter, a fine assortment of colors. 
The largest leaf measured five and one- 
half inches across. These bulbs grew 
and bloomed in a west window of our 
living room. 
May B. Crane. 
According to my experience, Cycla- 
mens are very easy to raise from seed 
requiring only a stock of patience. 
The seeds are quite large and very 
sure to germinate but also very slow. 
Sow them in a flat or ordinary flower 
pot and keep in a warm room. Keep 
them covered with glass until they be- 
gin to germinate and be sure to keep 
the soil moist. 
In order to have flowers next winter 
the seed should have been planted in 
J anuary. As soon as the seedlings have 
two or three leaves transplant into three 
inch pots and repot into five inch pots 
for blooming. Keep them growing un- 
til they reach blooming size. After they 
have bloomed set the pots outdoors in 
a shady place and water just enough to 
keep the fleshy roots from drying up. 
The leaves will gradually ripen and drop 
off. In August new leaves will begin to 
grow and then the plants should be re- 
potted in a size larger pot and given 
careful watering. 
The secret of growing Cyclamens in 
the living room is to give them porous, 
well drained soil and always keep the 
soil moist. If they are allowed to dry 
out the buds will blast. I find it a great 
help to set the pots in saucers and pack 
the remaining space in the saucers with 
Spagnum moss, keeping it continually 
moist. Sometimes I put a layer of the 
moss in the top of the pot around the 
Cyclamen bulbs too. A well grown 
Cyclamen makes one of the most satis- 
factory house plants and will thrive in 
a window which does not receive much 
sunlight. 
Mrs. F. A. Lorenz. 
The seed of Cyclamen are best sown, 
from the latter part of August to the 
end of September. They should be 
grown on to the flowering stage with- 
out any check, and are most satisfac- 
tory when grown cool. 
Sow the seed as follows : — Use shallow 
boxes about two to two and one-half 
inches deep, filled to within one-half 
inch of the top with finely sifted light 
soil. Sow thinly and cover the seed 
lightly to a depth of only about four 
times their size. Press the surface gen- 
tly with a board to “ firm ” the seed in 
the soil. Place in a sunny window of a 
temperature of about 65 degrees. 
Water with a very fine spray so as not 
to wash the seed out of the ground. 
Keep the soil as evenly moist as possible, 
not too wet, and never allow to dry out, 
particularly before the seeds are up and 
when the seedlings are small. 
After the third or fourth leaf appears, 
transplant to a similar box to one inch 
apart. When large enough transplant 
to two inch pots and shift to larger ones 
as the smaller are outgrown. This can 
be determined by examining the bot- 
toms of the pots for roots. Do not wait 
too long after roots show at bottom 
of pots, before transplanting, as delay 
here will set the plants back and may 
result in failure. 
Cyclamen seed should germinate in 
from twenty-five to thirty days. 
Chas. E. F. Gersdorff. 
During February put seed in a good 
sized flower pot and keep soil moist. 
It takes quite a time for seed to germi- 
nate. Then when time to plant out of 
doors I put them in a cool, shady, moist 
spot. 
The first part of September dig up 
and put in pots and let stand in same 
place until time to take in. They will 
have quite a few blossoms on the first 
winter, but will not be as large as the 
hot house ones. 
Every spring I set them in the ground; 
in this way they seem to take on new 
life and grow more rapidly. The second 
winter they are generally a mass of 
bloom. 
Christmas, 1918, I had one plant on 
