Send cyclamen off for a summer rest

Send cyclamen off for a summer rest so they can build up their strength for another stunning display to brighten up the house next winter.

Cyclamen are invaluable winter houseplants, giving you a vivid splash of colour soon after Christmas and cheering you up right through the drabness of January and February. They come in every shade from a deep plummy red to baby pink and white - it's a good idea to come to the garden centre in late winter when they're flowering to pick out the ones you like best.

After they finish flowering, though, wind them down gradually while the foliage turns yellow and dies back. Cut back on watering and remove dead leaves to prevent the corm rotting. Once all the foliage has died back, put the pot on its side under the greenhouse staging or in a shed to rest for the summer.

Then in September, start inspecting your corms regularly for signs of regrowth. As soon as you see some life, begin watering again - as always with cyclamen, water from underneath, standing in a tray of water for ten minutes to let the roots soak up the moisture. It should bounce back for a whole new display of even bigger and better flowers.