Indoor Cyclamen

[Chuckles]

Anyone grown indoor Cyclamen from seed before, tips and advice need please

I bought a couple of them a month or so ago, lovely white ones with a tiny pink center. Although I've been dead heading I've just noticed 3 lovely plump seeds heads on them and it has tempted me to have a go

[andy]

We used to grow all our cyclamen from seed. Germination ranges from ok to sporadic. Seeds are usually sown early summer if i remember correctly and they are tempremental swines. Most varieties are also F1 hybrids too and you don't know what you might get

However, the outside varieties such as hederafolium self seed like mad at work and they can become a pest.

Personally, i'd take the seed heads off and carry on enjoying the new flowers.

PS...did you know cyclamen are members of the primrose family !!!

[Deleted]

Chuckles - Why wait until they have dried out and lost so much of their germination power (unless of course you intend to keep them vacuumed and refrigerated like commercial seed)?

In the wild they don't wait until Spring? So why not sow them whilst they are fresh?

I'm not disagreeing with Andy BTW, just offering a differing view and based upon my past germination success of cyclamen seed heads.

I absolutely love cyclamens in all their various shapes and sizes.

Guess what I'm doing tomorrow*

Cabbage

* Watching the cricket from Sri Lanka obviously, but I may also be "sowing my fresh seed", whilst Mrs C and the kids are out

[Chuckles]

Thanks guys. Well, as there are 3 seed heads on atm, 9 flowers and 9 more flowers to come I guess I would be daft not to pick the seed heads off and have a go. The plants still look ok so seems like I have the best of both

I guess sow them on the surface, bung them away somewhere frost free and see what happens

Anyone else got any on seed heads on there Cyclamen and gonna give it a go ;D

[owdboggy]

Wait until the seeds are ripe. The pods will begin to split when it is time to collect the seeds. They need a temp of around 16c, no warmer than that. I often wash the seeds in warm soapy water before sowing to remove the coating. That is done in the wild by ants which love to lick off the sugary coat. Cover the seeds with vermiculite as they seem to prefer that to soil.
If you really want to be adventurous, then sow a few seeds on a piece of damp kitchen paper. Keep it moist and in a plastic bag. Do not be in too great a hurry to prick out or plant up your seedlings. They really like to make a decent sized corm before they are moved on.

[Chuckles]

Thanks OB. I've now popped a piece of kitchen roll under the two pots incase the seeds split when I'm not looking, if I don't the seeds will be on the floor and up the hoover

Fasinating about the ants, I love hearing all these little bits of interesting info, things we don't normally even think about.

Also useful about pricking out or planting up your seedlings. I did spot a couple of outdoor seed heads last year had germinated on the garden and I picked them out and potted them all up together, I'll leave them well alone now until they are bigger

[owdboggy]

You will be glad to know that unlike some plants the seed pods split slowly and the seeds stay where they are, waiting for the ants to take them away! You can tell when they are ready as the pod goes papery and splits open at a touch.
C. peersicum can be got to flower in about 16 months from sowing by the way.

[Chuckles]

Well OB I've done the ant thing Seeds now washed and sitting on some damp kitchen roll in a plastic chinese takeaway carton with the lid on in the kitchen. Fingers crossed

[Chuckles]

I have 2 babies ;D

[Shrubrose]

Wow Chuckles, I'm impressed! I've had indoor cyclamen and never found any seeds. Maybe I just wasn't looking carefully enough?

I'll watch progress with great interest so keep posting ;D