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Cyclamen coum

I read how to sow seed of cyclamen coum, but it looks like it is referring to bought seed.  I have a particularly nice white one among the pinks, that I would like to propagate.  I have noticed seed pods in summer, but how do I know when they are ready to harvest and how do I handle the seeds? Is it best to sow them straight away or store them and sow in February?

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  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307

    The pods changes to a darker brown when the seeds are ripe. Easy enough to tell, gently squeeze a pod, if it splits then the seeds is ready. You need to be vigilant or the ants will take them away pretty quickly.

    Fresh seed germinates better than stored. I tend these days just to spread the seed on a convenient patch of gravel and dig up the corms when they are a decent size.

    However you may sow them in normal potting compost, cover with grit and place somewhere at about 16c. Germination ought to take place fairly rapidly. Do not prick out the babies until the corms are about half an inch across.

    There is no guarantee that you will get white ones though.

  • nodlisabnodlisab Posts: 414

    Why do you dig up the corms, is there a reason for this?

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Gravel acts as a seed bed nodlisab, plants can then be moved to where you want them



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307

    I dig them up to sell them. The garden is stuffed to bursting with them, even got them as lawn weeds.

  • Berghill wrote (see)

    ... even got them as lawn weeds.

    Same here Berghill image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    and hereimage

    my coum strain has very silvery leaves and shows up well in grass. I must do a rescue before the mowing starts. That should be soon, the grass has been needing a cut since the end of November



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • They're even encroaching on the veg patch image

     

    HANG ON A SEC!!!  I'm taking about C. hederifolium ......... I've only got a few C. coum image

    More coffee needed .........


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Got those as lawn weeds as well Doveimage

    Grass maybe, hardly a lawnimage



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307

    This is the verge outside the garden.

    image

    And yes there are hederifolium in there too. Cutting the grass does not seem to damage them though. Weed and Feed would.

     

  • What a joy, I would love them.

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