Outdoor Cyclamen Problems: How To Avoid Them

Cyclamen look lovely on a windowsill or gracing the center of a dining table, but did you know you can also grow them outdoors? Outdoor Cyclamen problems can strike and make your Cyclamen sickly – but we can help you out so that you can avoid these problems, or at least deal with them if they do arise.

Why Are My Cyclamen Drooping?

There can be a few reasons why your Cyclamen are not performing at their best. Let’s have a look at a few of these:

• Not enough water. No plant can survive without a drink, and Cyclamen, although they like to be on the dry side, are no exception.
• Too much water. Conversely, Cyclamen can start to wilt and droop if they are given too much water, as it will start to rot the roots.
• Vine weevils. This is a common problem that affects Cyclamen, particularly if they are indoor grown. Check for maggot like grubs, and discard any plants that are affected.
• Too much fertilizer. Although Cyclamen likes a feed, too much will make it shrivel up and die. Save your fertilizer for a hungrier plant!
• Not enough light. Cyclamen don’t like too much full, direct sunlight, but they will need the light of the sun to keep them healthy and strong.

Cyclamen are a relatively hardy plant, that aren’t phased by most growing conditions and aren’t affected by many of the main garden predators.

That being said, they can be vulnerable to wilt, droop and disease – particularly if they are already compromised.

Keep them in the conditions that they prefer, and they will reward you by being healthy and vibrant and will keep going for many months!

Why Are My Cyclamen Flowers Dying?

Cyclamen droop is a particularly sad sight. These perky little plants generally cheer up the borders throughout winter, so it is important to keep them looking their best!

There are a few things that can cause your Cyclamen flowers to droop, and luckily for you, most of these things are relatively easy to fix.

• Too much water. Cyclamen like to be kept on the dry side, and they certainly won’t appreciate it if their roots are sitting in water.
• Not enough water. No plant can survive without a drink, and they can show signs of stress if they don’t get enough to drink.
• Too much light. Cyclamen like to be kept slightly shaded, and too much sunlight may cause them to wither and die.
• Not enough light. All plants need sunlight to survive, and Cyclamen are no exception!
• Disease. Many plants are susceptible to disease, especially if they are not healthy and strong. Keep an eye out for signs of disease or pest infestation.

Why Are The Leaves On My Cyclamen Plant Turning Yellow?

Anything but a nice, rich green color on your Cyclamen’s foliage is not exactly what you are after, is it?

As a general rule, when a plant’s leaves start to turn yellow, it is caused by a lack of Nitrogen.

You may be tempted to reach for the fertilizer right away, to make up any nutrient deficit – but hang on for just a minute…

Cyclamen’s leaves do tend to start turning yellow when they are preparing to go dormant for the summer.

This is because the plant is starting to withdraw all its reserves back into the tuber, and stopping them from getting out to the leaves.

This is a conservation policy for the plant; it keeps itself alive, but doesn’t waste any energy on fripperies, like leaves and flowers!

As long as the watering conditions are right and the plant doesn’t show any signs of infestation or disease, yellowing leaves are probably just a sign of the plant shutting up shop for the summer.

This video takes you through some of the issues that yellowing leaves can show, and what you can do to deal with them:

Why Are My Cyclamen Leaves Curling Up?

There are a few different reasons why your Cyclamen leaves might be curling up – and be warned, some might be easier to fix than others!

Cyclamen mites

These small, irritating little beasties like to feast on the underside of the leaf. They can be really hard to spot with the naked eye because they are so small.

The only thing to do about an infestation of these little critters is to immediately remove them, either using an insecticidal soap or by blasting them off under the tap.

You should also remove any affected leaves, in case they spread to the rest of the plant.

This detailed article will take you through some of three most common Cyclamen pests.

Under watering

Not enough water can adversely affect any plant, and Cyclamen is no exception.

Check the soil – if it is dry as a bone then you’ve found your solution! Fill a saucer with water and place the plant pot on it until it has sucked up what it needs.

Too much fertilizer

Although Cyclamen likes a good feed, overdoing it on the nutrients can cause leaf curling and yellowing.

Try to feed the Cyclamen around once a month, for the best results. A fertilizer that is high in Phosphorous is a good bet.

The wrong temperature

If a Cyclamen gets too hot it can get stressed, and it often shows this by the leaves starting to curl up.

If it is planted outdoors, keep it in a shady area, and if indoors then move it away from windows with direct sun.

Excessive water

If a Cyclamen gets too much to drink it will start to rot from the roots up.

Check the soil again, and if it feels moist as well as the leaves curling then it may be too damp. Leave off the watering for a week or so, and see if the problem resolves.

Cyclamen are generally a hardy little plant – but they, like any other plant, can experience problems.

Now you know a little more about how to improve your outdoor Cyclamen, you can keep your borders beautiful for the whole year round!