Cyclamen 2018

[fermi de Sousa]

Cyclamen graecum album in the rock garden
cheers
fermi

[David Nicholson]

Cyclamen libanoticum, from seed kindly provided by Tony Willis

[Orintia]

Very beautiful! Such a gentle ...

[Kaisa]

Cyclamen repandum ssp. rhodense

[Maggi Young]

Hello Kaisa - welcome to the Forum!!

[Kaisa]

Hello! Will be glad to communicate and learn new information.

[Roma]

This Cyclamen coum started flowering in December and is still flowering.  The pictures were taken 8th December, 30th January and 24th March.

[Roma]

Some Cyclamen flowering now
Cyclamen rhodium ssp peloponnesiacum, ssp vividum and Cyclamen repandum
Cyclamen rhodium ssp vividum - even more vivid in real life
Cyclamen repandum album - it has a very thin red picotee edge, need my specs on to see it
Cyclamen creticum
Cyclamen persicum

[fermi de Sousa]

The foliage on the white Cyclamen graecum has now started to emerge
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

Post from
the Cyclamen Society - looks like a good time to join up!
www.cyclamen.org

The June 2018 edition of the Cyclamen Society Journal will contain what we hope is an interesting mix of articles. There will be the next in the series 'How I grow cyclamen' as well as articles about The propagation of Cyclamen graecum from cuttings; Christmas in Cyprus; Herbaceous pests and pathogens on cyclamen; The cyclamen of Hans Simon Holtzbecker; Israeli cyclamen in context; Cyclamen creticum revisited; Cyclamen repandum in western Sicily; and the Evia Field Study 2018. Of course there will also be the usual sections on News, Miscellany, and Show Business, as well as the seed list and application form for the Society's Annual Seed Distribution.

[Graeme]

Post from
the Cyclamen Society - looks like a good time to join up!
www.cyclamen.org

A really good issue this time - an excellent article on growing from seed and a growing from seed guide booklet

Just one question - and its the cat litter one - can it be used for acid loving plants?

[Orintia]

Yes, you can use for plants a filler for cat litter, which contains zeolites - they accumulate moisture and nutrients from fertilizers and slowly give them to plants. When using zeolites, the threat of a plant's flooding is reduced - the substrate becomes very loose.

[Maggi Young]

A really good issue this time - an excellent article on growing from seed and a growing from seed guide booklet

Just one question - and its the cat litter one - can it be used for acid loving plants?

Graeme, as far as I know , some cat litters are very acidic - and some very alkaline.  Most are alkaline - I think so caution for acid loving plants is needed. Particularly since I have read that acidic cat-litter  can leach too much acid  when watered, let alone the  effects of alkaline litter on acid loving plants.   Care needed, I think!

[Graeme]

Graeme, as far as I know , some cat litters are very acidic - and some very alkaline.  Most are alkaline - I think so caution for acid loving plants is needed. Particularly since I have read that acidic cat-litter  can leach too much acid  when watered, let alone the  effects of alkaline litter on acid loving plants.   Care needed, I think!

thanks Maggie - I think I need to put some in a cup with some water and do a test

[Paul Cumbleton]

Graeme, as far as I know , some cat litters are very acidic - and some very alkaline.  Most are alkaline - I think so caution for acid loving plants is needed. Particularly since I have read that acidic cat-litter  can leach too much acid  when watered, let alone the  effects of alkaline litter on acid loving plants.   Care needed, I think!

Graeme, The cat litters to use for plants are those made from moler clay and these are most unlikely to give issues regarding pH. Two of the most popular brands to use are Sanicat Pink and Tesco Low Dust Cat Litter. I just tested the Sanicat  - using a pH meter and deionised water that was pH 6.9 to start. Adding Sanicat and leaving for a short while then gave a reading of pH 6.8. So the Sanicat is pretty much neutral regarding pH. I would be very surprised if the Tesco were any different, but when I get another minute I'll test that as well and let you know. The manufacturer of the original Seramis that cat litter stands in for quotes a pH of 7.0 i.e. it is neutral too - not surprising given it is made from the same moler clay as the cat litters mentioned. I have been using these materials for over 20 years with no problems from the pH. Don't be put off by occasional scare stories on the web - usually spread by those wanting to sell you more expensive versions of the same stuff! It would though perhaps be a wise caution to test the pH of each new bag you buy just in case they have changed the exact nature of the contents.

Paul

Paul