Hyacinth: care during and after flowering, growing rules

Currently, several thousand varieties of ornamental hyacinths are known, and their list is replenished annually. Their common ancestor is the wild Hyacinth East, a perennial bulbous herbaceous plant that grows on the territory of Asia Minor, Persia and Greece. There he was planted in gardens more than a thousand years ago: mention of him can be found in the poetry of Firdousi. Already in the ХІV-Х V centuries. Hyacinths in abundance grew in the gardens of the Sultan in Constantinople, striking tourists from Europe with their beauty.

In the middle of the XI century. Bulbs by that time already cultivated hyacinths were brought to Italy, to the city of Padua, more precisely - to its famous botanical garden. For a long time, about 200 years, these plants were considered a luxury item and were grown only in noble houses and gardens. Nevertheless, hyacinth, care for which was quite troublesome, eventually spread to European countries: the unusual appearance and beauty of this flower, as well as the possibility of winter distillation made it extremely popular. At the end of the nineteenth century, it appeared in Russia.

Bulbs of hyacinths in the gardens are planted in the autumn, it should be done in late September - early October. The beds should be prepared in advance: some gardeners are advised to do this for 1.5-2 months before planting - otherwise the land will not have time to settle. The place for the flower bed is better to choose in the shade: the hyacinths planted in the sun will quickly bloom. The soil is dug to a depth of half a meter, mineral fertilizers and overgrown compost are added to it, which can be replaced by humus. Hyacinth, care of which must be carefully thought out, can not be fertilized with fresh organic matter, therefore, it is by no means worthwhile to introduce manure into the flower beds intended for its planting. The sour soil needs preliminary liming, and when planting bulbs in clay soil to the bottom of the hole, you need to pour in clean river sand.

Bulbs should be carefully prepared for planting: they are examined, discarding the sick and spoiled, and necessarily soaked for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate or 0.2% carboxylic acid. It will also be good to treat them with a foundation. Plant hyacinth bulbs in rows, the distance between which is about 20 cm. The gaps between individual plants should be not less than 12 cm. As for the depth of planting of the bulbs, it is determined primarily by their size. The rule here is simple: the layer of earth should be three times thicker than the height of the bulb. The soil after mowing is mulched with straw. For the winter, you can hide the beds with fallen leaves - they should be removed shortly before the end of frost.

The bulbs germinate in late April. Already at this time hyacinth, care of which provides for frequent fertilization, needs the first fertilizing. For it, ammonium nitrate is usually used : 20-25 g per 1 m2. The time of the second feeding comes after the buds are fastened: superphosphate (40 g / m2) and potassium chloride (30 g / m2) are used for it. Finally, the third time hyacinths are fed after the flowering is completed - according to the same scheme as in the second. Dry fertilizers are introduced between rows to a depth of about 10 cm.

In addition to regular feeding of hyacinth, the care of which requires patience, requires periodic loosening of the soil, and in droughty weather - in watering, especially during the tying of buds. It blooms usually until mid-May.

Wilted flowers should always be removed, as they will "pull" the nutrients from the bulbs. Leave hyacinth, care after flowering, which is also subject to certain rules, for winter in the open ground is not recommended - next spring it will bloom much worse. Bulbs are carefully excavated from the earth in late June - early July, after the leaves turn yellow. Then they are dried for about a week in a cool dark room, cleaned of the ground and put into paper bags. Store the bulbs for two months at a temperature of about +25 degrees, and in the month preceding the landing - at +17 degrees Celsius. The room should not be too dry.

For winter distillation, hyacinth bulbs are planted in autumn in pots or boxes, then taken to a cool (+ 4-7 degrees) place for a period of about three months. After the appearance of sprouts hyacinths are brought into a bright room with a temperature of +16-18 degrees and cover each plant with a paper bag. They are removed after hyacinths grow to 10-12 cm. A month later they blossom. After flowering and yellowing of the stems, the bulbs are dug out and placed for storage. Home hyacinth, care for which requires regular watering and feeding, rarely blooms in the pot for the next year. In the autumn it should be planted in the garden or on the flowerbed, you can again use it for distillation not earlier than in two years.