cyclamens

[campocaro1]

I bought 5 pretty cyclamens this Christmas and put 3 on the terrace and 2 inside-all in pots. They are still going strong. Has anyone had any success in keeping these on over the summer so they flower for another year? Last year I planted them in the shade with reasonably regular watering but they died .
Any suggestions?

[Martin Page]

It's most unlikely that you can keep them through the summer unless you have a permanently air-conditioned location. The high temperatures and low humidity out here are just too much for them.

They only like the cool humid conditions with temperatures not much abouve 20C

[murbisa]

I used to keep them from one year to the next in the UK by putting them in a cool place and not watering them until the autumn but have never managed to keep one in Spain. I agree - it gets too hot in the summer here.

[Sandramay]

Hi campocaro1, I agree with the above comments but would add that when they are dormant they don't like much water and tend to rot off in pots. Some say to store them with the pot on the side totally dry, but perhaps they would still be too hot?
In the uk I plant the small flowered variety in gravel where they readily seed and produce hundreds of flowers before the leaves appear. After flowering the seed pod stalks coil downwards so the fresh seeds are released close to the ground, quite fascinating. Yes I know I'm a sad case ......... but they do look beatiful

[annfoto]

I have 4 plants that are now svereal yars old in pots. I stop watering them late March, keep them totally dry in the shade and start to water them again late October. They shoud be in flower a couple of weeks before Christmas.

[Martin Page]

its not so much the shade .. its the temperature and humididty .. once to corms dry out there dead ..
or if the corms are too damp they rot - once the're too hot (about 35C) there become benign and one of the other options apply ... whiche ever way - there dead !

They have to be kept COOL - summer in th UK is perfect .. in Andalucia, virtually impossible

[annfoto]

its not so much the shade .. its the temperature and humididty .. once to corms dry out there dead ..
or if the corms are too damp they rot - once the're too hot (about 35C) there become benign and one of the other options apply ... whiche ever way - there dead !

They have to be kept COOL - summer in th UK is perfect .. in Andalucia, virtually impossible

It's not impossible mine are flowering away beautifully right now and they are 5 years old. They are in pots in my outside kitchen which is covered by a roof and open on two sides. The shade is the important part as it only very rarely gets above 35C there, in direct sun I guess it would be about 55C at times.

[campocaro1]

Thanks everyone for your collective wisdom! I'll try keeping them in a shady,dry and cool place this year this year and see what happens -even if they die I can buy them again fairly cheaply in December and get 2 months enjoyment of them.