With colorful clusters of flowers, the hyacinth banishes winter melancholy. Let yourself be surprised how uncomplicated the enchanting spring flower is in terms of plants and care.
Plant hyacinth properly
Plant a fresh hyacinth bulb in October/November in a sunny to partially shaded spot in the garden. The flower thrives in any good garden soil that is humus and sandy-loamy. The ideal planting depth is twice the diameter of the bulb. Enrich the excavation with compost and put a little gravel in the planting hole, she thinks hyacinth perfect conditions for growth.
care tips
In order for the hyacinth to welcome spring with its opulent flower heads, the maintenance effort is manageable. How to cultivate the flower professionally:
- Water regularly from the beginning of the sprouting until the end of the flowering period
- Every 14 days with compost fertilize or use pond water for watering
- Cut off wilted flower heads to prevent exhausting seed formation
- Cut back to ground level when all leaves are drawn in
- Winter protection is only recommended in areas with a high risk of frost
Ideally, the bulb will remain in the ground until the next season. Alternatively, the hyacinth oversummers in a cool, dry basement to be planted again in the fall.
When is flowering time?
In beds and tubs under the open sky, the flowering period of a hyacinth extends from March to May. If you grow the flower indoors according to the old tradition, you can enjoy the pretty bell-shaped blossoms as early as January.
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Cut hyacinth correctly
When the flowers have withered, they can be cut off. This makes sense above all to prevent seed formation. The leaves, on the other hand, remain on a hyacinth until they are completely dead. Until then, the onion draws in all the remaining nutrients to create an energy reserve for the next season.
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Water hyacinth
Only water a freshly planted hyacinth from time to time until the first shoots appear. The amount of water then increases slightly, because the substrate should not dry out. It is important to note that the onion is not poured directly onto it. During the summer break outside the bed there is no need for water.
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hibernate
The hyacinth is completely hardy. No explicit protective measures are therefore required in the bed. If in doubt, pile a freshly planted onion with some leaves or straw to prepare it for the first winter. In the pot, the flower spends the cold season in a cool, dark cellar until it buds.
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multiply hyacinth
The simplest form of propagation is achieved using daughter bulbs. These develop after flowering on the mother bulb. In autumn, dig up the tuber and cut off the bulbs at the base with a sharp, disinfected knife. Planted in small groups at the new location, they will delight as small islands of flowers next year.
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Hyacinth in the pot
A hyacinth has the potential to live for several years. In order for it to perform this miracle in the pot, the following measures must be observed:
- October/November is the best time to plant hyacinths in pots
- Lay drainage with pebbles over the water outlet
- Good as a substrate potting soil use on a compost basis, mixed with some sand
- Plant a fresh onion 8-10 cm deep with the tip up and water a little
The flower spends the following 10-12 weeks in the pot in the dark, cool basement and is only watered occasionally. When the onion sprout, the hyacinth comes onto the bright, warm window sill. From March, the flower can be out on the sunny balcony. After flowering, reduce the amount of water until the plant is dry. The hyacinth rests in the cool, dark cellar until the next round is heralded in autumn.
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Is hyacinth poisonous?
All parts of a hyacinth plant contain toxins such as salicylic acid and other pungent substances. Toxic saponins are concentrated in the seeds and in the onion, so that consumption triggers nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms of poisoning. Direct contact of plant sap with skin causes an allergic reaction known as hyacinth scabies.
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Is hyacinth poisonous to cats?
While the hyacinth is classified as slightly toxic to humans, this does not apply to cats. If your velvet-pawed roommate nibbles on the flower or even the onion, this has dire consequences. Symptoms of poisoning such as salivation, vomiting and cramps occur. Therefore, cultivating this flower around cats should be avoided.
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The hyacinth family
Botanists renamed the formerly large family of hyacinths Scilloideae. Nevertheless, the hyacinth is still related to well-known garden flowers, such as the bluebells (Hyacinthoides), grape hyacinths (Muscari) or squill (Scilla), all of which thrive as bulb plants.
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The hyacinth: a profile
A look at the profile of a hyacinth is enough to recognize the remarkable talents of the classic herald of spring. These attributes are particularly striking Eye:
- Perennial bulbous flower with a lifespan of up to 15 years
- Native to the Orient and the Mediterranean
- Flowering time from February/March to May/June
- Growth height from 15 to 30 cm
- Racemes inflorescences blue, yellow, red, pink, white
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The hyacinth bulbs
Access when purchasing hyacinth bulbs not after the first offer. The higher the quality of the planting material, the more joy you will have with the flower in the bed and planter. The onion skin should not show any damage. In addition, a juicy, plump appearance is desirable.
Also, take a look at the recommended usage. Garden centers often offer prepared hyacinth bulbs that are explicitly intended for indoor cultivation and are less suitable for outdoor cultivation.
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How to store the onions
You store the bulbs of a hyacinth professionally in a cool, dark room. Here she spends the summer on an airy cellar shelf or wrapped in newspaper. In order for the flower to survive this period unscathed, experienced hobby gardeners keep the bulb in a box with dry sand.
The hyacinth in the garden
In the garden, the hyacinth is easy to care for. In a sunny to semi-shady location in sandy-loamy soil, it is watered from time to time if the natural amount of rain is not sufficient. A portion of compost every 14 days until the end of flowering is sufficient for the supply of nutrients. If all parts of the plant have withered, cut them off close to the ground.
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Is the hyacinth perennial?
The hyacinth is a perennial bulbous plant. Once planted in the ground, the flower reappears every spring for many years.
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Is the hyacinth hardy?
Although the flower fades at the end of spring, the underground bulb proves to be frost hardy. Only in rough locations should it be covered with leaves or brushwood in winter. However, temperatures of down to -18 degrees Celsius are not a problem for hyacinths.
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Can hyacinth tolerate frost?
The hyacinth is completely frost-resistant in the bed. Only in the first winter do we recommend a protective covering of straw, leaves or needle brushwood in rough locations.
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This is how the hyacinth drives
The ancient art of driving hyacinths is making a brilliant comeback. As soon as peace returns to the garden in autumn, knowledgeable gardeners do not plant the bulbs in the ground. Instead, do the following:
- into a special one hyacinth jar fill with boiled water
- Place the onion in the bowl, leaving a distance of 0.5 to 1 centimeter from the water
- Keep in the dark place at 5-8 degrees Celsius for 8-12 weeks
- Then put a pretty little drive cap on the onion and place it in a lighter shade
If the cones rise, they have fulfilled their task. Now the flower spends the day on the sunny windowsill to present its colorful splendor. If it moves to a cooler location at night, the flowering period will be several days longer. After the spectacle, the hyacinth moves to the bed to announce spring there for many years to come.
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hyacinth jar
There is a suitable hyacinth glass to discover for every furnishing trend. From futuristic-modern design to nostalgic-authentic style, everything that pleases is allowed for this purpose, as long as the following requirements are met:
- The upper part is bowl-shaped and big enough for the flower bulb
- The shell tapers downwards, similar to an hourglass
- In the lower part, the hyacinth glass is bulbous to accommodate the root system
In a jar proportioned in this way, the onion does not come into contact with water. Nevertheless, the root strands grow freely into the bulbous base without the need for a substrate for this process.
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How to care for your hyacinth in the glass
In order for the hyacinth forcing in the glass to be successful, it depends on the right care. Cloudy water is exchanged immediately to prevent putrefaction. A small piece of charcoal keeps the water fresher longer. The flower is also happy about a drop of liquid fertilizer once a week.
What to do when the hyacinth has faded?
Cut off the flower head once the hyacinth has faded. Otherwise the flower invests an unnecessary amount of energy in seed formation. The leaves, on the other hand, remain in the bed so that the onion can assimilate all the remaining nutrients.
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What to do when the hyacinth in the pot has withered?
It would be a shame to throw away the potted hyacinth after flowering. If you pay a little attention to the flower, it will continue to unfold its lavish blooms next year. How to do it right:
- Once the hyacinth has faded in the pot, cut off the flower head
- Gradually reduce the water supply to zero
- If the flower is completely dry, keep it cool and dark
- Before that, cut off the completely withered leaves
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The hyacinth species
The genus of hyacinths includes only 3 species. The garden hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis), which immigrated from the Orient, is widespread in our regions. The other species are not important for cultivation in the ornamental garden.
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