I just got 3 in the mail and want to get them in the ground but can't tell which side of the tuber goes down. Can anyone help? TIA!
How do you plant hardy cyclamen?
I was told "when in doubt, lay bulbs/corms on their sides".
There should be a small indentation on the root side but as has been suggested on its side would be ok. The tuber sometimes shows little nodules that are where the flowers emerge. I'll try and take a picture of mine as they are best planted slightly protruding from the soil.
Hope you can see this ok - I've put my finger there deliberately so you can see this a huge tuber - at least 10 years old.
Crap! I think I planted them upside down. Think I can dig them up and turn them over? Just planted yesterday.... Gardening is a world of live and learn, right????
I though the indentation with the "thicker" looking root was actually where the growth would begin (looked sort of sort of like where that shoot near your finger would start) so I planted with indentation up and smooth side down - UGH!!
Thank you so much for going to the trouble of taking a picture !!!!
This message was edited Jun 18, 2006 6:57 AM
I am still confused! I found this information yeaterday:
Interesting Notes
Plant corms with the flat side facing down. Both roots and leaves come from the top of corms. Be careful not to damage the small, twiggy protuberances, because they produce the flowers.
So I planted with the "small, twiggy proturbnces" facing up but they were on the flat side. This is so confusing!
Does it matter what time of year they are planted?
It sounds to me like you planted them correctly. I have dozens of hardy cyclamen, and the down side is usually smoother. Although the appearance of the top can vary (and it does depend on the time of year as to whether they have growth starting, roots attached, etc) I often find an indentation at the top, but also with uneveness as one might expect due to growth emerging from the top.