My wife has a house plant That looks like a lily pad type leaf about 2 or 3 inches around. She seems to think it comes out of Canada. The old growth seems to droop over the container edges and the edges of the leafs curl toward the underside. The new growth comes up through the middle nicely but the rotation seems to start all over again. Its in a 6" pot, and we try use the probe to determine moisture levels and not use our sences so much...any ideas???

This is the plant in question. Yes that is indeed a Cyclamen.

www.msnusers.com/cyclamenflower

SafeWatch said: "One more thing: I have no idea what a cyclamen is, so I can't answer your question, but it looks like a flower to me"

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Well that's what happens when you drop a couple of flower pots right into Downtown Computer Forum. I think SW did an excellant job of keeping in stride with the question, about a Cyclamin in a Hi Tech Computer Forum.

Yes this will go down in Garden & Computer Forums as one of those Threads that just keeps getting better the longer you tell it. Well I had better go PM SafeWatch so he knows that he was visited LMHO this is great, just try to follow the story line


Please see last post: Marturo

 

Hi Hvac,
Welcome to the DIY Garden Forum! It sounds to me that if the leaves are curling in half and downwards, that it may be time to repot it. No matter how much water you are giving it, if it is potbound, it is time to upgrade as we say. Try possibly putting it in a 10 or a 12" pot and watch it spring back to life

 

What does the outer leaves curling mean? I was thinking that it was possible the roots were too small for the plant...I heard this on a radio one time and the guy would say to feed it with a fertilizer that encourages root growth so that it can support the plant. I really don't think rootbound is the problem since it was in a smaller pot than it has now when It had tons of leaves and stems. My wife seems to think it's name was something like Clementis...I have 12 comming up in the middle and 9 hanging over the edge. The house night temp never gets lower than about 62, and about 65 in the day..

 

Hi again Hvac.

What you are talking about is a clematis. It's a member of the buttercup family believe it or not, and I you should find the answers to your problems on this web site:

http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/clematis.html

 

It's also just possable that it is a Cyclamen. If that's the case you would be wise to transplant it to a larger container now. I would reccomend some of the new polymer water holding soil additive mixed in, to prevent under watering.

After 3 or 4 years, many plants that if grown in the gardes outside with unlimited space, need to be devided & transplanted if potted.

Ask your wife once again, or do a search for Cyclamen on google & see if you can find the Picture or discription. Our Cyclamen our flowering right now in the Green House Pinks & Reds.

The Cyclamens outer ring of flolage can die back, when it goes dormant. Then you can cut it back to clean up, and make room for the new growth in the center of the plant. Although their are some problems also with wilt also.

There are 2 things that can cause outer leaf wilt, that may or may not resolve it's self. Too much or too little water, a simple fix it seems, but for some the Cyclamen will just wilt & die. I have killed more just trying, than have had plants with flowers. This year they are exceptional with lot's of flowers.

A Clematis is a Hardy outdoors vine, that can reach 25 feet & would push open a plastic pot @ less than 2 years old. I have some out front that are 15 years old. If it were a Clematis it would be growing like a vine with bark & thin long leaves.

Marturo

 

I saw the picture of the clematis....it's not that, it has no vines or anything like it. I'll try post a picture. I have a digital camera how do I post a picture?

 

Good morning,

I agree with marturo. I too believe that it may be a cyclamen. Does the plant flower? Cyclamen can be very tricky to grow. They like cool temperatures around 55 to 61 degrees and after flowering usually go dormant. The cyclamen is a tuber. When the leaves start to fade on the plant you want to cut back watering. When the tuber goes dormant keep it completely dry. When you see new growth coming from the tuber again it is time to start watering again. You do not need to repot the tubers until they have filled their current pot. It is my feeling that the plant wishes to be in a cooler location and that it is going dormant.

Hope this helps,

PL

 

We had it in the cellar and neglected for a few months and then brought it back upstairs because it appeared not to die, we thought we'd give it another try...too many times I find too much care kills plants...
I once met a lady that got alot of complements on how great her plants did in the office, I asked her the secret to success to which she replied, " Moderate watering, and replace them every two weeks"!
As soon as I know how to get a photo on the internet, I'll post it.
Thanks,,,

 

Guess what I found in the Computer Forum? I would have given anything to see SafeWatchs face (MOD @ COMs) when you asked him if the picture of the plant you sent through was a Cyclamen

Look up top at the first Post, and click the Blue Link Yes it's the Picture of the Cyclamen The link is in the first post of this thread



That was the best trick I have seen since joining DIY LMHO

Well hvac01453@juno yes that is the plant they call a Cyclamen & I have had them look that way before.

Toss that Hydrometer and do it like a Farmer does. Take out some soil and if is stays together when you let go it's wet enough. If it feels dry and if you put this shade loving plant, in the full sun the Soil will get too dry.

It's everywhere now just add it to the soil or buy it already in the soil. A Polymer that soaks up so many times it's weight in water. If you use that & try to keep the plant cool and in indirect sun it should do ok. The flowers look like Butterflys & are made with that shine of silk Pinks & Reds.

Nice Pictures We realy had fun with this thread & if we could get such nice pictures of everyones plants, what an album that would make

Best of luck with your Cyclamen, I hope it will take off now & maybe even flower. Fish emulation is a good long lasting plant food for plants like this.

Marturo

 

I actually know what it is now... The reason my pictures ended up in the other forum is I must have gotten them mixed up....I will get the plasic beads and put them in the soil soon. I saw this before on TV but thought it would make things worse since overwatering I've been told is the biggest killer of plants. and root rot happens even with lots of drainage, I'm guilty...
The only success we've had was an African violet that lasted for about 5 years, and had blooms year round. My wife was the only one to water it and would water it only through the roots (bottom watering), it's doom was from what I think were spider mites sucking the life out of it...I could see little web like stuff between the hair folicles on the petals, I used a soft paint brush to keep the population down and extended it's life a few more months.

 

WOW! was that some adventure. I'll have to change my name & sneak into the Computer Forum for awhile Just Kidding.

However there it is for all to see the Pictures, we have been waiting for. YHEEEEEHAAA!!!

Here's how the water holding beads work. They hold the water & the plant uses them to tap water & all this adds up to a soil with plenty of water, only not all in the soil. The soil allows O2 in as it dries but the beads keep the plant watered.

They work great for people with water sensitive plants, to plants that don't get watered enough. A better choice than pearlite to mix into the soil you make yourself.

Mealy bugs, White Flys, Aphids all bother House Plants. One trick I have found that works well is called Neem Oil. I think Safers Soap, has a Neem oil+Soap mix, that sprayed once a week during bug outbreaks, this will if done for 5 weeks, end the infestation.

Well I think we are well on our way to helping the Cyclamem back to life, & now that you know a lot more about the Cyclamen I think tou will be rewarded with some really nice flowers once it has regained it's health.

hvac01453@juno Thanks for bringing you Garden questions to the DIY Garden Forum We had a Blast & it turned out well.

Good luck with your future plant experiences, If I read my Gardeners right. I think we will be see more from you, as the season begins soon. Gardening is a very good thing to get hooked on. I have been hooked on plants well over half of my life

Marturo

 

Do you think that its trying to go dormant??? Is this why the outter stems sag? I added water last night and I've noted that plants needing water usually perk right up , this one didn't...Should I be trying to help it sleep, and try get it to go dormant till next September or so.. also does anyone really keep their house at 60F for the plants? I'm sure the other plants would really love that! I could put it down cellar at night...I wouldn't want to trigger it to go dormant by doing that either. My house goes down to 62F at night but 68 when were home.

 

Oh, it was funny you said the flower looked like a butterfly...thats exactly what my wife said...

 

Well here in Western NC in a south facing Green House my Cyclamen are blooming their heads off. If you have a south facing window where you can place it.

Who knows it may just take off. Over watering can also cause more problems, if the plant is not actively growing. I don't think you need to change temps to much. That only invites fungus attack.

I hang mine in the trees around the house to Summer outside they do well in the cool shady places.

Marturo