Hyacinth in a pot: home care, planting, rearing and recommendations

Stately and spectacular hyacinth is a real garden decoration in the early spring. Appearing on the flower bed is one of the first, when there is still snow in places, it pleases the surrounding with large and fragrant flowers of the most diverse range of shades and forms. Such magnificence on a miniature scale can be fully repeated in winter, having pleased themselves, loved ones and friends with a magnificent gift for the New Year or Christmas. About how the plant is forcing out, how to care for hyacinth at home - the recommendations in our article.

Hyacinth: a botanical description

Hyacinth is a genus of bulbous perennial plants that is part of the Asparagus family and includes only three species. They all have a distinctive look and fragrant flowers. The bulb of the plant is dense, consisting of fleshy leaves, the bases of which occupy the entire circumference of the bottom. Stem thick and dense, with inflorescence on top. After the end of flowering, he dies with the leaves under him. Very fragrant flowers are collected in a brush, perianth - brightly colored, in the form of a bell-shaped funnel with bent blades. Fruit - three-cavity box. There are three known species: Hyacinthus transcaspicus, Litvinova and Oriental. The most common and known is the latter, which became the basis for breeding many varieties and hybrids. It is possible to care and plant the hyacinth at home in a pot or in the open ground.

Hyacinthus orientalis: description

It is usually considered a type species of the genus, that is, acting as a nomenklatura. If there is any controversial situation, he acts as the sole carrier of the generic name from an objective point of view. The native land of the plant is the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. However, at the moment it is cultivated everywhere not only in decorative quality, but also in the medicinal. The plant is perennial, bulbous, with a height of up to 30 cm and a thickness of a stele up to 0.5 cm, leaves are fleshy linear, and have a bell-shaped flower. Hyacinth, home care beyond which is simple enough, blossoms early in the spring one of the first in the garden. In culture it has become especially popular since the 15th century in Europe, since that time more than three hundred quality and proven varieties have been bred. The Netherlands is famous for breeding hyacinths, especially the Harlem region, from which millions of bulbs of these flowers are annually supplied to the world market.

Popular varieties

It is difficult to say in several sentences about the huge assortment of hyacinth varieties. When choosing one of them for home or garden, pay attention to the manufacturer, the seller, as well as botanical characteristics (height, flowering time, suitability for distillation, etc.). Planting and caring for hyacinths at home involves choosing a specific hybrid. We offer a conditional division of varieties by color of flowers.

• White: Argentina Arendsen (up to 28 cm, the diameter of a single flower is up to 4 cm), L'Innossans (an early antique variety, created in Holland in 1863, height up to 26 cm), Carnegie (medium to 22 cm, inflorescence of cylindrical shape ), Edelweiss (middle-aged, up to 25 cm, with a wide brush).
• Pink: Anna Mari (late, up to 25 cm high), Fondant (industrial grade with large 20 cm inflorescences, photo above), Pink Pearl (early, inflorescence cone-shaped with characteristic long bracts), China Pink, Marconi.
• Blue: King of the Blues (old Dutch brand 1865, later, in the photo below), Delft Blue (up to 20 cm, suitable for forcing, long flowering period), Maria (up to 25 cm, dark blue saturated shade, one Of the most common hybrids), Miozotis (early, pale blue).
• Purple: Amethyst (short flowering period, unpretentious, pale lilac hue, height up to 25 cm), Bismarck (early, up to 30 cm light purple inflorescence, ideal for forcing and cutting), Menelik (purple-black, compact, late) .
• Yellow: City of Haarlem, Orange Boven, Yellow Hammer.

Lush, effective flowering, bright colors and a unique thick and rich flavor - these are the main reasons for growing hyacinth in a pot. Care at home is simple enough, but involves forcing out, in connection with which there are some features. To get a flowering plant, try, as a rule, to a certain holiday: New Year, March 8, etc.

What is forcing?

This process implies complex measures that promote the acceleration of plant growth. It is widely used in greenhouse cultivation and floriculture. The plant is placed in conditions with a high ambient temperature, humidity and is further highlighted, thereby stimulating them to actively develop, bloom and bear fruit. This is the way in the home grown tulips, daffodils, lilies and hyacinth in a pot. How to save the plant after a similar procedure, read further in the text.

Selection of bulbs

In fact, forcing mobilizes all the forces of the plant and in a short time allows you to get beautiful flowers. Only strong and strong specimens are capable of sustaining this. Choose a quality planting material, large, dense bulbs without damage, grown in the open ground. Pay attention to the weight, it should not be too easy and create the impression of emptiness inside. In addition, as already mentioned above, it makes sense to pay attention to the variety, there are hybrids specially designed for distillation.

Preparing the bulbs for planting

Preparation of hyacinth bulbs begins in the summer, at the moment when you decided that you will grow hyacinth in a pot (home care - hereinafter in the text). As soon as the foliage withers, the planting material should be excavated, rinsed in warm water and dried in a draft in a shady place, and then stored in a cool and dry cellar or cellar. Experienced growers know one secret. As soon as flower buds of hyacinths appear in the spring, they notice the largest and powerful ones, but they are not allowed to blossom and are cut off. This allows the plant to put all its strength into the development of the bulb, which can then be successfully thrown out in winter.

Terms of planting

The timing of bulb planting in the ground depends directly on when you want to get blossoming hyacinths on your window. Care and growing at home in the future is fairly simple, it is important to do everything right at the initial stage. The cooling period for forcing in the early periods is 10-13 weeks, for late varieties it increases to 12-16. The start date can be set as follows. Determine the day when you need to get a flower and in reverse order take away the number of established weeks, plus 3-4 more - for growth for early and late varieties, respectively.

In order to strengthen immunity, bulbs should be placed for 30 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate or "Hom" (concentration - 4 g per 1 liter of water) before planting.

Planting bulbs

In accordance with the planned flowering time in autumn, the bulbs of the soil should be planted in the ground (purchased or cooked independently). Use individual pots or group planting - depending on your own preferences. Hyacinth in a pot at home care involves minimal, but its blooming is superb. Pots fill the ground almost to the top, then plant the bulb in such a way that its top is at the edge of the dishes. In the case of a group landing, observe a distance of 2.5-3 cm. Cover the pot with dark polyethylene from above, making holes for ventilation. Transfer the plants to a dark and cool place for a fixed period, the temperature of the content should be within 5-8 ° C.

As the earth coma dries slightly, moisten it, the soil should be slightly moist. During this time, the hyacinth appears small shoots, when they reach 3-5 cm in height, the plants should be brought into the house. The initial temperature of the content should not exceed 12 ° C, choose a shaded place for several days, and then move them closer to the window (but not the radiators). On a permanent place the pot is placed at a time when buds appear on the plant.

Hyacinth in a pot: care at home during flowering

In order for the plant to please you with beautiful flowering, it needs to ensure stable conditions of detention. After the emergence of buds, the pot with hyacinth is rearranged to a permanent light, protected from drafts place. The temperature should be within 15-20 ° C, keep the soil in a constantly moistened state, not allowing it to dry out. Carry out one-time feeding with complex mineral fertilizer, strictly observing the dosage and concentration indicated on the package.

What to do with the bulb after flowering?

The bulb of the hyacinth used for distillation can not be used again. However, you can land it in the open ground on a flower bed in the garden, where it will please you with natural flowering in the early spring. After the distillation is over and the desired result is obtained, leave the bulb in the ground - this is necessary in order to preserve the flower. Hyacinth in a pot at home care involves the same as in the soil. Continue to water the plant and feed fertilizers until the leaves begin to fade. After they have dried, carefully separate them. Remove the bulb from the ground, dry it and put it in a cool and dry place. Landing in the ground is carried out in late autumn: in the middle or the end of October, when the temperature of the soil drops to 5-10 ° C. Thus, hyacinth before the strong cold will have time to give roots.

Remember that the plant prefers a sunny and open place, possibly with light shading, protected from wind and excessive moisture. The soil is recommended to be loose, containing sand, humus, and good moisture permeability.