Do you have a potted cyclamen? It’s not too late to purchase one, since they are still available in garden centres. If you’ve succumbed to their stunning blooms, I’m sure you want to keep enjoying the flowers as long as possible.
Cyclamens grown as indoor potted plants are known as Persian or florist’s cyclamen, Cyclamen persicum. Featuring heart-shaped blooms in shades of white, pink, red or mauve against silvery-green foliage, they will also grow well in covered outdoor areas such as balconies and patios. If you don’t have such spaces, they will continue to flower indoors for about six weeks in a cool, bright room.
Place the plant near a window that receives plenty of light and keep it cool and away from draughts and heaters. Cyclamens don’t like hot, stuffy rooms. If the foliage begins to yellow and the flowers are fading, the plant needs to be moved into a cooler spot. You can also put it outside each night, under cover.
Water the plant sparingly from below, wetting the soil, not foliage or flowers. Do this by placing the pot on a filled saucer and let it soak up the water. Remove spent flowers by gently twisting stems off at the base and pulling them away from the corm.
Instead of throwing away the plant after it has finished flowering, put the pot on its side outside in a dry, protected place over summer. In autumn, repot the plant and start to water again when new leaves appear. You never know, you may get another season of pretty flowers!