Growing hyacinth in a pot: planting, forcing, home care

When forcing hyacinth at home, caring for a potted plant will not take much time and effort. This flower is considered a symbol of the arrival of spring, because most often it appears on sale on the eve of March 8. Flowering specimens are more expensive than bulbs, so it is better to purchase planting material and start forcing yourself. Observing the process of emergence of a delicate flower from the bulb will bring genuine pleasure to any grower.

How to choose bulbs for forcing?

For forcing hyacinths at home, special varieties have been bred.

The most famous varieties suitable for planting at home:

• "Marie" Variety with deep blue flowers and a peduncle height of about 25 cm. The inflorescence has a narrow cylindrical shape. Hyacinth blooms for about 2.5 weeks. Suitable for cutting. Possesses a strong pleasant aroma.
• "Bismarck". Large-flowered hyacinth of hybrid origin, bred in Germany. Its flowers have a delicate purple color. It belongs to a group of plants with early flowering periods. Retains decorative appearance for up to 2-3 weeks. It has a rather short peduncle, so it is not suitable for cutting. The inflorescence has a conical shape.
• Queen of the Blues. The plant is up to 35 cm high with blue cylindrical inflorescences. A brighter longitudinal stripe runs along the center of the petals. The variety was bred in the century before last in Holland. Flowering lasts 2 weeks.
• Tubergen Scarlet. A compact plant with an inflorescence of small bell-shaped flowers of a rich crimson color. There are varieties with double petals. The maximum height of the peduncle is 20 cm. Flowering lasts 15 days. The variety has an average flowering time.
• "Gertrude". Variety with dense inflorescences consisting of many dark pink flowers. Peduncles reach a height of 24 cm. The plant is distinguished by late flowering periods.
• Woodstock. The color of the flowers is purple-lilac. The cylindrical inflorescence consists of small bell-shaped flowers. Peduncle - strong, up to 30 cm high. Flowering lasts 2-3 weeks. The plant blooms at a later date.

Other varieties are also popular: Blue Magic, Pink Pearl, Marconi, Lady Derby, Orange Bowen, Amethyst, Hollyhock, City of Harlem.

Preparing the bulbs for planting

Bulbs purchased for forcing from the store have already been trained and marked on the packaging. If you use your own planting material, you need to select large, healthy, ripe onions without damage. The larger the bulb, the more dense the formed inflorescence will be.

The preparation of the bulbs depends on the timing of flowering:

• If you plan to distill hyacinths for the New Year, the bulbs are dug out at the end of June, dried at a temperature of 30 ° C and high humidity (70-80%). It is under such conditions that flower buds are laid. This period must last at least 2 weeks. Then the temperature is lowered by 5 ° C and the material is kept in this mode for another 3 weeks. The bulbs should then be stored at 17 ° C and high humidity.
• A slightly different regime is created for bulbs intended for later forcing (by February 23, March 8). You need to dig them out a week later.The onions are then stored at 25–30 ° C for 2 months. At the end of this period, the temperature is lowered to 17 ° C and maintained until planting.

Compliance with the temperature regime is a prerequisite for high-quality flowering. If it is not possible to maintain the desired temperature at home, it is better to purchase bulbs already prepared for forcing.

How to grow hyacinth at home?

Growing hyacinth at home begins with planting the bulbs in a pot. For one plant, a container with a diameter of 8–9 cm and a height of 15 cm is sufficient. Several hyacinths can be grown in a large pot at once. Bulbs should not be planted close to each other. There should be a gap of 2 cm between adjacent specimens and the walls of the pot.

At the bottom of the container, drainage from small expanded clay or vermiculite must be laid. Then the earth is poured with the addition of sand and charcoal and the planting material is placed on it. The depth of planting of the bulbs should be such that their top third is above the soil level, but does not protrude beyond the edge of the pot. After the hyacinths are planted, the soil is moderately moistened with water.

When should you plant?

Planting hyacinths for forcing depends on when you want to bloom. In this case, the varietal characteristics of the plant are taken into account:

• Early hyacinths are planted in late October to bloom for the New Year.
• Plants with medium ripening times should be planted in the first week of November, they bloom in mid-February or early March.
• Late varieties need to be planted in December, their flowering at home will come in April.

Since flowering usually lasts 2-3 weeks, you don't have to worry that the hyacinth will bloom before the holiday date.

After planting, an artificial winter is created for the bulbs, placing them in a dark and cold place (the lower compartment of the refrigerator or a cool basement will do). The pots are covered with a perforated paper cap and left for about 3 months. During this time, the bulbs must be kept at a temperature of + 5–7 ° C. They periodically check the condition of the soil and, if necessary, slightly moisten it; it is not necessary to water a lot. As soon as the bulbs begin to sprout, they are transferred to the windowsill.

Germination in water

You can germinate hyacinths without using soil. In this case, instead of soil, the onions are placed in a vessel with cold boiled water. This must be done in such a way that only the rudiments of the roots are immersed in moisture (you can use special vases for forcing bulbous plants or limit rings).

The vessel is also stored in a cool, dark place under a breathable hood. Water is periodically added to the desired level. As soon as the roots begin to grow, the hyacinth is moved to the windowsill. The cap is removed after the appearance of the peduncle.

Plant care in a pot of soil

Hyacinths like the coolness, so they are kept close to the glass on the window. The opaque caps are removed after the stems have reached a height of 15 cm. The longest flowering will be achieved at a temperature of 16-18 ° C. If the room is warmer, the hyacinth will bloom earlier.

How to care for a plant:

• During flowering, hyacinth is regularly watered.
• Periodically, a half dose of complex fertilizer for flowering plants is added to the water for irrigation.
• Powerful and tall inflorescences may need support, otherwise, under the weight of the flowers, the flowering shoot will change its position or even break.
• To preserve and strengthen the bulb, experienced florists recommend covering it with a small layer of snow.

Changing conditions allows you to adjust the flowering time. If you need to speed it up, the plant is placed in a warm, as bright place as possible. Keeping in a dark and cool corner of the window will help delay the process.

How to care for a plant after flowering?

As soon as the hyacinth has bloomed, it is necessary to cut the peduncle so that the plant does not waste energy on the formation of seeds. A heavily weakened onion may not survive in the future. After flowering, hyacinths continue to be watered, but they do it less often, using a minimum amount of water.

You do not need to touch the leaves, they will fade naturally, after which they are also cut off. First, the leaf plates will begin to turn yellow, and then finally dry out. Since hyacinth is not a home flower, it is later transplanted outside. Next spring, the plant will be able to bloom successfully outdoors.

Planting hyacinth outdoors after flowering

After the hyacinth has bloomed and the leaves are completely dry on it, the plant should be transplanted into open ground. Usually this moment comes in June. The bulbs must be removed from the pot, cleaned of residual soil and examined. If dark spots or rotten areas are visible on the surface, they are cut out with a sharp, sterile knife.

Then the bulbs are disinfected by soaking for 20-30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then dried. During the summer, hyacinth bulbs are stored at 18–22 ° C until planting in autumn. It is best to put the planting material in a cardboard box with holes; plastic wrap or storage bag is absolutely not suitable.

The timing of planting hyacinths in the ground depends on the region. In the middle lane, planting work is carried out in late September or early October, so that rooting occurs before the onset of frost. If the bulbs are healthy and large, they will most likely bloom in the spring. If this does not happen, flowering should be expected in a year.

Forcing hyacinth at home can seem like a hassle. In fact, you just need to remember about the stored bulbs, periodically check their condition and follow the simple rules for caring for the plant during the flowering period. Then the efforts will definitely be rewarded. Hyacinth will give its owner a colorful bloom and fill the apartment with the scent of spring.