how do i grow hyacinths for christmas

How do I grow hyacinths for Christmas?

• Fill pot or container with bulb fibre or compost to within 5cm of top.
• Set the bulbs in the pot.
• They can be close together but not touching each other or the sides of the container.
• Add more compost up to the neck of the bulb.
• Press the soil down firmly to set the bulbs securely in place.

Full Answer

When should I start my hyacinths for Christmas?

For Christmas hyacinths, plant the bulbs around 13 weeks beforehand, around the last week of September.

How do you plant prepared hyacinths?

0:372:11How to Plant Prepared Hyacinths: Winter/Spring Guide - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSome multi-purpose compost a good couple of handfuls. In there. And then all you do is your bed theMoreSome multi-purpose compost a good couple of handfuls. In there. And then all you do is your bed the bulbs. Down nice and firm just make sure that those bulbs are in contact with a compost.

How do you take care of a Christmas hyacinth?

Fill around the bulbs with more compost, leaving space between the container rim and compost surface to allow for watering. The top of the bulbs should just show at the compost surface. After this, they will need a cold dark period, preferably around 9°C, in a shed, garage or cellar for up to 10 weeks.

How do you prepare hyacinths for the winter?

Curing hyacinths is very easy. Lay the bulbs out on a newspaper in a cool, dark place for three days. After that, store them in a cool, dark location in a mesh bag. They're now ready to be planted in your garden in the autumn or forced indoors in late winter.

Can I plant hyacinths in December?

Wondering when to plant hyacinth bulbs? Like other spring-flowering bulbs, most hyacinths should be planted in autumn – between September to early November in the UK and US. They will flower the following spring, in March–April. You can, however, grow hyacinths indoors in time for Christmas.

Do hyacinths grow well in pots?

Hyacinths are famous for their pleasant fragrance. They also grow very well in pots, meaning once they're in bloom you can move them wherever you'd like, perfuming a patio, a walkway, or a room in your house.

Do hyacinths come back every year?

Hyacinths bloom just once per year (in the spring), but they will happily bloom again in subsequent years if provided with the proper care. They are a perennial plant.

Can I plant a potted hyacinth outside?

When it comes to planting bulbs for spring color, hyacinths can be planted outdoors in garden borders, pots or raised beds, in full sun or partial shade, in well-drained soil. Indoors, hyacinths do well in pots, bowls or glass jars and can be planted outside once they've finished flowering.

How do you grow hyacinths in pots?

In late September or early October, fill half of a well-draining pot with soil and place the hyacinth bulbs on top, with their pointy ends up. Then add more soil till only the tops of the bulbs are sticking out. Plant as many bulbs in the pot as you want, as long as they don't touch the side or each other.

What do you do with potted hyacinths after they bloom?

After Your Hyacinth is Done Blooming While you should have kept their leaves intact as long as possible, it's now safe to trim them back to just the bulb and roots. Cut back dead foliage to the base of the bulb and store the whole pot in a cool, dry, and dark space for some beauty sleep. Do not water or feed the plant.

Can I replant hyacinth bulbs?

Hyacinths require a certain period of cold before they will send up new leaves and flowers. So after the leaves die, trim them back to the top of the bulb. Although you can transplant the hyacinths right after the last frost date in spring, the bulbs will perform better when replanted in fall.

How do you take care of a potted hyacinth?

1:584:19How To Care For Hyacinths In Pots! Balconia Garden - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf you've planted your own hyacinth bulbs in pots. Water sparingly until you start to see the flowerMoreIf you've planted your own hyacinth bulbs in pots. Water sparingly until you start to see the flower emerging from the bulb or from underneath the soil. Once this happens start watering regularly.

How to keep hippeastrum bulbs alive?

Keep the bulb somewhere cool and well lit, watering sparingly. When it starts to produce leaves and a flower stem, increase the watering. Also remember to keep turning the pot so the stem doesn’t lean towards the light. The flowers will last longer if the bulbs are kept somewhere cool. Hippeastrum x acramannii is an especially refined species, available from Avon Bulbs.

How to keep bulbs in the dark?

Once planted, you need to keep the bulbs in the dark. Put the pot inside a thick black bin bag, and store them in the garage, cellar or shed. Check on them every so often to make sure the compost is moist. This encourage them to grow roots.

What color is a hyacinth?

Try ‘Delft Blue’, ‘White Pearl’ or ‘Pink Pearl’ for flowers in traditional hyacinth colours.

How long does it take for narcissus to bloom?

You can also grow ‘Paperwhite’ narcissus, which have scented flowers. They take around 8-10 weeks to flower from planting. Grow them somewhere cool (but frost free) with excellent light so they don’t get too tall and leggy, and bring them into the house at the last minute when the flowers are about to open.

Do Paperwhite Narcissus need cool conditions?

Paperwhite narcissus need cool conditions or will get very leggy. Photo: Shutterstock

Can you plant Paperwhite Narcissus in the UK?

Paperwhite narcissus aren’t hardy in most of the UK, so the best thing to do with these bulbs is take them out of the compost, dry and store them for replanting next autumn.

Can you grow hyacinths for Christmas?

Successfully growing hy acinths for Christmas is a straightforward process, as long as you give the bulbs the right treatment. First you have to buy ‘forced’ or ‘prepared’ bulbs – these are hyacinths that have been heat treated so they will flower early. If you bought normal hyacinth bulbs for garden planting they would flower in spring.

How far apart should I plant hyacinths?

Plant hyacinths in peat-free, multi-purpose compost, around 5cm apart. For long term displays use a loam-based compost such as John Innes No. 2, and plant the bulbs further apart, as you would if planting them in the ground. Add an annual dressing of slow-release fertiliser to help keep the display looking its best.

What is the best color to plant hyacinths?

Depth. Hyacinths are delightful, fragrant spring bulbs and easy to grow. They flower in a range of colours, from traditional purple and pink to white and even mauve. Plant hyacinths at the front of garden borders for a spring display or in pots for a fragrant splash of colour nearer the house.

How to grow hyacinths outdoors?

Growing outdoor hyacinths: Plant the bulbs in autumn, ideally in a sunny spot in moist but well-drained soil. Prepare the soil by removing weeds and dig to reduce compaction if necessary, then add organic matter such as well-rotted animal manure or compost. Plant the bulbs at a depth of around 10cm, and 8cm apart.

What flowers should I plant in spring?

Hyacinths work well at the front of spring borders, along with other spring bulbs like grape hyacinths (muscari) and tulips. Their small size (up 5to 30cm tall) makes them ideal for spring pot displays.

Why do hyacinths flop over?

The most common problem when growing hyacinths indoors is that they flop over. This is caused by heavy flower stems and too much heat. Make sure your hyacinths grow in cool, bright conditions, away from a heat source. This will ensure they grow slowly and don’t topple over.

How to grow a sage bulb?

Simply place the bul bs on a 5cm layer of compost, so they’re close together but not touching. Fill compost around them so the top of each bulb is visible. Water lightly to moisten the compost. Cover them and keep them somewhere dark and cool for around 10 weeks, until shoots appear , and then move into a light, airy spot to bring on the flowers.

What flowers are good for a carnegie?

The white flowers of ‘Carnegie’ are fabulous indoors or outdoors. Muscari, chionodoxa and forget-me-nots make ideal planting partners.

How long do hyacinth bulbs last?

Dig up the bulbs where winter temperatures remain above 60 degrees Fahrenheit and chill them somewhere dark and cold for six to 10 weeks. Unfortunately, hyacinth bulbs are short-lived and will probably last only three or four years. 1 Many people treat them as tender perennials and replace them yearly due to decline.

What is the scent of spring?

One of the loveliest scents of spring comes from hyacinths in blooms. Even at a distance, you'll notice these flowers' intense fragrance and spikes of bright colors. Introduced to Europe during the 16th century, hyacinth's popularity sparked Dutch bulb growers to breed more than 2,000 cultivars by the 18th century, and today there are about 60 to choose from in commercial cultivation.

What is the difference between grape hyacinth and hyacinth?

Hyacinth ( Hyacinthus) and grape hyacinth ( Muscari) look like similar plants, but they are different species. Hyacinth has large, spiky petals while grape hyacinth's are smaller, with bell-shaped flowers.

What is the best way to grow hyacinth?

Hyacinth Care. For the strongest and farthest-reaching scent, grow hyacinth in large blocks. Hyacinths also mix well with other spring-blooming bulbs, since they come in so many colors and sizes—their spiky flower stalks make a nice counterpoint to cup-shaped tulips and ruffled daffodils .

How to propagate hyacinth bulbs?

If you'd like to propagate more hyacinth bulbs, wait until late summer and gently lift the bulbs. Remove the small offsets forming around the edges of the bulbs, and replant everything, including the original bulbs. Be patient, because it will take a few years for the offsets to bloom.

When do hyacinths bloom?

Hyacinth bulbs are generally low-maintenance and bloom quite easily on their own in the spring. That being said, you can give yours a leg up by cutting down the stalk when this year's blooms fade. Then, when its leaves turn yellow, cut them away as well. Feed them once bloomed, and again in August, to give them a boost for the following spring.

Why do my leaves have mottled leaves?

This can be caused by mosaic virus, which also can cause mottled leaves. Infected plants will need to be dug up and thrown away. Sterilize any tools you use to do this: they, too, can spread the disease.

What to do with hyacinth after blooming?

What to Do With Indoor Hyacinth After Blooming. Eventually, the leaves will wither and brown. This isn’t your fault – it’s just the plant’s natural cycle. Once the leaves are dead, cut the entire plant back to soil level, so only bulb and roots remain. Move your pot to a cold, dark space . You may even want to put a paper grocery or black garbage ...

How to keep hyacinths from getting light?

You may even want to put a paper grocery or black garbage bag over the pot to keep out the light. Don’t touch your hyacinth until the spring. At that point, begin to expose it gradually to light, and it should begin to send up new shoots.

How do hyacinths propagate?

Hyacinths propagate by sending up daughter shoots, meaning your plant will take up more and more space each year. If your pot seemed just big enough last year, move the plant, while it’s still dormant, into a bigger pot, or plant it outside in your garden to give it more room to grow. Printer Friendly Version.

What happens when you cut off a flower stalk?

First the flowers will die, and eventually the leaves will wither. When most of the flowers are brown, cut the entire flower stalk off. This is called deadheading. The foliage will still be green at this point, and should be left to die off naturally.

Can you keep hyacinths after blooming?

Once they’re done blooming, though, don’t rush to throw them away. With a little care, you can keep your indoor hyacinth after blooming to ensure many more fragrant blossoms in the future.