When is the latest planting time for hyacinths?
The hyacinth is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Hyacinthus of the family Hyacinthaceae. Its flowers are rich in color, coming in red, blue, white, yellow, purple and many other colors. Propagation is mainly by bulb division, and the growing medium should be a deep, fertile, well-drained sandy loam. Now let us take a look together at hyacinth planting time, planting temperature and planting methods!
Hyacinth planting time
The timing is the same for water culture and soil culture; it should be done in September to October, and the plants will bloom in April of the following year.
Hyacinth planting temperature
Hyacinth bulbs have the habit of summer dormancy, rooting in autumn and winter, sprouting new shoots in early spring, blooming in March, and the plants wither in early June. They prefer a warm, humid winter and a cool, slightly dry summer, in a sunny or semi-shaded environment. They like fertilizer and prefer fertile, well-drained sandy loam, and dislike overly wet or heavy clay soil. During the growth of the hyacinth, the root system grows best when the bulb is at a low temperature of 2 to 6°C. The suitable temperature for bud break is 5 to 10°C, the suitable temperature for leaf growth is 5 to 12°C, and the budding and flowering period is most favorable at 15 to 18°C. The storage temperature for bulbs is 20 to 28°C, with 25°C being the most suitable, which is ideal for flower bud differentiation. It can tolerate short periods of frost.
Hyacinth planting methods
There are two types supplied on the flower market. One is supplied between September and October and consists of dry bulbs, just like dry narcissus bulbs. The other has been cultivated and already has flower buds; when purchased before the Spring Festival, this kind of hyacinth can be grown in water and placed at an indoor window for viewing and enjoying the fragrance. For cultivating dry bulbs, choose a spot with ample sunlight, high and dry terrain and good drainage, and apply plenty of base fertilizer (such as soybean cake crumbs, fish bone meal or composted organic fertilizer). During the autumn and winter growth period, apply 1 to 2 additional topdressings mainly of phosphorus and potassium.
Hyacinth care methods
⟦NL>Normally keep the soil slightly moist, and avoid excessive wetness or waterlogging; in this way, by March of the following year they will generally all bloom. Potted cultivation is basically the same as ground planting: use loose soil, put 1 to 4 bulbs per pot, apply plenty of base fertilizer, place outdoors in a sunny spot, and apply topdressing during the growth period. In the Shanghai area, move them indoors to a sunny spot in November and keep the room temperature at 5 to 10°C; by around March they can also bloom and give off fragrance.
Handling after flowering
After the hyacinth has finished flowering, wait until the flowers fade and then cut off the withered leaves, and store the bulbs dry in a ventilated indoor place. In September, plant them again in the ground or in pots, applying base fertilizer and later topdressing, to encourage the mother bulb to split and help the daughter bulbs grow larger. Only when they have grown to a certain size can they bloom again.