How to Grow Hyacinths in Water: Methods and Steps

Hyacinths can be forced in water just like narcissus, so how do you grow hyacinths in water? Let us explain below.

How to Grow Hyacinths in Water

I. Steps before growing hyacinths in water:

1. Add clean water to a glass jar, but make sure the water surface just does not touch the bottom of the bulb.

2. Use an ordinary glass cup or a specially made floral glass jar to grow them. The jar is divided into an upper and a lower part, small at the top and large at the bottom;

3. A wire tray can be used for the glass cup, hung down from the rim.

4. Fill the lower part with water and put a piece of charcoal in the water to prevent it from smelling foul.

5. Choose an extra-large bulb, place it 5 cm from the rim of the jar, immerse it in water, and put it in a sunny spot.

6. When the sprout grows to 5 cm, place it in a dark spot; after the roots have grown fully, place it in a warm spot without direct sunlight, and add water frequently so that the water reaches the bulb. When the leaves and flower buds appear, give it one to two hours of sunlight daily to make the leaves and flower stalks strong; turn it to a different direction every day so it does not grow leaning to one side.

7. No fertiliser is needed, and in March or April of the following year it will produce a bright, fragrant hyacinth flower. After the flowers fade, take it out with the roots, plant it in potting soil, and when the leaves wither, dig it up and store it well; it can be planted again next year.

II. Place the hyacinth in a cool, dark, well-ventilated spot, keep the temperature at 9°C to 13°C, and check once a week to see whether water needs to be added.

III. When the flower bud grows 8cm out of the bulb (after about 10 to 12 weeks) and the glass jar is full of roots, you can move the hyacinth into a warm room.

IV. At a temperature kept between 17°C and 20°C in your home, you will enjoy the process of the buds growing and colouring up. But do not place them directly near a heat source, so that the beautiful hyacinth flowers will stay open longer.

V. After flowering, you can plant the bulb in your courtyard. In summer you can use a glass jar for cut flowers, and in winter you can buy a pre-treated hyacinth and reuse it.

Precautions for growing hyacinths in water:

When growing hyacinths in water, you must choose a jar whose mouth can hold the bulb, preferably a gourd-shaped jar, and a transparent glass jar is best, because then we can see the roots of the hyacinth. The amount of water in the jar should be limited so that it does not touch the hyacinth bulb, then cover the hyacinth with black cloth and put it in a dark place, with the temperature at 5-10 degrees. After more than 20 days, you can take the hyacinth out and put it outdoors to receive sunlight.

After the root system has grown fully, the temperature should be kept above 10 degrees, change the water every 2-3 days, and the water only needs to reach the roots; no watering and no fertiliser are needed. After the leaves grow out, increase the light for the hyacinth; once flower buds appear, it can receive direct sunlight, and when in the light you must frequently change the direction to prevent the hyacinth from growing leaning to one side. When the temperature gradually rises to around 20 degrees, changing the water every 3-4 days is enough.

Hyacinths grown in water are relatively easy plants to grow, but you should also note that for hyacinths grown in water you must choose a glass container with a slightly smaller mouth, as a mouth that is too large makes it easy for the hyacinth bulb to fall through. When adding water to the glass jar, be sure to note that the water temperature should not be too high; preferably below 15 degrees. The water surface should be about 1 cm from the bottom of the bulb; do not let the water cover the bulb.

The prepared hyacinth must be covered with black cloth and placed in a dark place to grow, as that helps the hyacinth bulb to root. During the sprouting period, never let it receive sunlight. After the bulb has rooted, you can lower the water level in the container to where the water surface just touches the roots of the bulb, so that the roots can fully absorb oxygen and root growth is promoted. Once the roots have grown well, be sure to change and add water frequently.