Keeping cyclamen cool

WHILE there are two types of cyclamen - the indoor and the outdoor types — the most popular ones are perhaps the indoor varieties.

The indoor types need to be kept in a cool area of the home — maybe in a cool room or in a cool vestibule — and there is one general rule that must be avoided.

Cyclamen are grown from a corm and because of this it is vital that you do not water the plant from the top, otherwise the corm will rot and your plant will die.

Watering needs to be done from the bottom by placing the pot in a basin of water for about 10 minutes and then let it drain. Keep the plant away from heat at all times.

Another plant that needs to be watered from below is the African violet simply because the attractive leaves will get marked — and may rot — if they get wet. Treat them just like your cyclamen.