Ever-blooming hyacinth
HYACINTH FLOWER (HYACINTHUS, JACINTH).
Hyacinth plant (also referred to as Hyacinthus or jacinth) belongs to lily family. Wild hyacinth came from Asia Minor, and Mediterranean. Flowers hyacinths grow from perennial hyacinth bulbs. The flowers gather into a cop that forms on a peduncle 15-30 cm tall, the shape of a flower is bell-like, the petals are lily-like with sharpened edges, up to eight petals per flower. In the early XVIII century Dutch became interested in hyacinths, and they have bred a great hyacinth plant variety with both double-flowering and non-double-flowering, and manifold colors — white hyacinth, purple, red and blue hyacinth. The Dutch hyacinth, or the common hyacinth has a thick peduncle, where there are multiple flowers 2-5 cm long. The sorts bred by the Dutch from Hyacinthus Orientalis exactly are usually used as indoor hyacinth now, apart from wild hyacinth growing in the area where it has came from.
Hyacinth plants bring most delight to florists in winter and early spring. By no means all plants flower like hyacinths. The way they achieve hyacinth flowers in inopportune time is called hyacinth forcing. To make the process of growing hyacinths at home easier, we should discuss several questions:
How to plant hyacinths? How to grow hyacinth at home? How to water hyacinths flowers? How to care of hyacinth during its growth and flowering period? How to care about hyacinth after it has withered?
Let us try to answer these questions.
HYACINTH FORCING
Hyacinth flower refers to bulbous garden plants that usually grow on flower 
beds in spring; however you can try growing hyacinths at home. Growing hyacinth in home conditions does not really differ from growing any other bulbous plants, but nevertheless it has some specific features. Firstly, you should examine hyacinths bulbs (or hyacinth beans) you want to use to grow it in a pot. You should better use a hyacinth bulb not less 5 cm in diameter (weighting approximately 2,8 ounces), tight by touch, not rotting or sick or damaged by pests, without mechanical damages. By the way, for growing hyacinth in the garden you should better plant lesser hyacinth bulbs.
The second important term to get a healthy hyacinth flower at home is preparing proper conditions for bulbs ripening. To let hyacinth flower with a healthy and beautiful flower, the bulb must pass several stages of development before planting hyacinth. After hyacinth bulbs are dag out (usually in June), they are kept under high temperature (up to 30 degrees centigrade) and high air humidity for two weeks. Then, hyacinths bulbs are kept under the temperature of +25 °C for two weeks, and then — under the temperature not less than +17°C up to the moment of planting. Hyacinth bulb prepared in such a way is then planted to a pot. If you buy hyacinth bulbs in a shop, then it means that these stages are already passed, so you just need to keep it until it’s planted. You can also buy hyacinth seeds to begin from the very beginning. However, for a young florist it will be much easier to buy prepared hyacinth beans. The time of planting is selected in dependence on when you want to get a flowering hyacinth. If you manage to get it on the New Year’s Day or Christmas, you should plant hyacinth bulbs before mid-September, and if you want it in early March, then plant it in October.
PLANTING HYACINTHS
The bed of a pot should be drained, and then covered with a layer of soil (not acidic). The mixture of turf, leaf and compost soil will match, as well as a prepared soil mixture from a shop. Further, a layer of sand is put there. There hyacinths bulbs are planted. Sand doesn’t allow hyacinth roots rot. The hyacinth bulbs should be planted tightly, thought they shouldn’t touch each other and the pot. Hyacinth bulbs are lightly pushed to the soil, but not screwed, and covered with soil to leave the edges of bulbs uncovered. Getting a flowering hyacinth is possible not only in such a “cake” of sand and soil, but also in sand or in the water. Further we’ll explain how to grow water hyacinth plants.
After the bulbs are planted, they need a period of rest. At this time the pots with hyacinth plants should be kept in complete darkness under the temperature of +5°C (maximum +7°C). Looking after humidity of the soil in the pot is very important — it should not dry up. This period covers 2—2.5 months. During this period the bulbs take roots. These conditions are achieved in various ways. Some florists cover the pots with dark paper and replace to garages, cold loggia or to refrigerator, some put the pots to basement. No matter which way you choose, but “cold” period is vital in hyacinth forcing. It is all needed to get a wonderful hyacinth bouquet in future.
HYACINTH CARE DURING THE PERIOD OF GROWTH
When hyacinth bean takes roots and produce sprouts 2-2.5cm tall, it’s a sign to replace the hyacinth flower to a cool and well enlightened place in the house. Better if hyacinth grew under the temperature not more that +15°C during the following month. It’s even better to provide the temperature within +10-12°C. When buds appear, the flower is replaced to its permanent place, which needs to be well enlightened and be safe from drafts and heat from radiators. The best temperature is not more than +20°C. Further, hyacinth care includes only in-time watering. The soil in the pot must be always wet, however you should water hyacinth plants accurately not to allow water find the bulbs. You should water at the side of the pot. Sometimes you should turn the hyacinthus flower to let it grow straightly. Hyacinth flower likes feeding and additional light in evening.
We should mention that these conditions are ideal to grow hyacinth at home,
and if your real conditions differ, it doesn’t mean hyacinth won’t flower, it only means the plant will grow slower, the flowers will be weaker and the term of flowering will be shorter. The only really required period is a “cold” period, as without it hyacinth growing may be unsuccessful.
During hyacinth forcing in the water all the stages before planting are the same. Further, to get water hyacinth plants, the bulbs are placed to a vessel with water. As for hyacinth water should better be filtered, or you can use rainwater as well. The vessel should be not too deep not to let the bulb float in the water, but the way it touched the bottom a little. A narrow glass or a glass with a bell is perfect for this purpose. Hyacinth plants in the water, prepared in such a way, are then swathed with dark paper, and finally left in peace the same way as the plans in the pots. You should look after the level of water in the glass and fill it in time. When the roots develop and the bulb produces sprouts, you should gradually add fertilizers. Then, water hyacinth care doesn’t differ from one in the pot.
FLOWER HYACINTHS CULTIVATION
Hyacinth has withered. You are free to choose what to do with it further. You can throw it away and buy hyacinth blooming already or have just produced peduncle without wasting time on growing hyacinth flower from a bulb. However, true florists don’t do so. They will surely try growing new plants. Furthermore, hyacinths growing is not difficult at all.
If you want to get a new hyacinth plant in the future, then cut off the flowers and continue watering hyacinth and feeding it after the plant withers until the leaves wilt. At this time mother bulb gains weight and power, and can produce daughter bulbs as well. Then take the bulb off the soil, tear wilted leaves and dry it. If daughter bulbs can be easily separated, then separate them. If the bulbs are small and cannot be easily split off, you’d better leave them. They can be separated the following year when they grow up. Withered bulbs cannot be used for hyacinth forcing, but they are planted in the place in the garden protected from the wind and direct sunbeams in autumn, and in a year they will flower again. The hyacinth bulb lives and produces flowers for more than a year, it produces new bulbs which give new beautiful flowers.
Growing hyacinths flowers in the garden is a separate topic. We’ll only mention that to get bulbs for forcing they are not allowed to flower on the garden bed. The flowers are torn when the bulb gains enough weight, and in autumn the bulb is dug out, dried up and passes through all stages preceding forcing, and afterwards is planted to a pot.
DISEASES. PROBLEMS OF HYACINTH PLANT CARE
Hyacinth flower is not a capricious plant, and if you give it all it needs doesn’t disturb you.
On the first stage you should carefully choose proper bulbs. They must be big and strong. If the bulb is too small, hyacinth plant may not produce flowers, only leaves. Bulbs planted to one pot should be of equal size, otherwise the plants will flower not simultaneously. When selecting bulbs, you should examine them carefully if they are not rotting. Affected bulbs must be rejected and utilized. Before planting hyacinth bulbs should be treated with disinfectants.
If you don’t wait till the end of the cold period and take jacinth to a warm light place before it produces sprouts, the plant will grow slower and flower badly. If you keep it in the dark too long, then as soon as it is brought to light the leaves will begin to grow like mad, but flowering will slow down. You should necessarily endure the cold period. Under the temperatures higher then +5°C (maximum +7°C) flowering may not start at all, or the hyacinths flowers will be strained and ugly.
Lack of watering and bad lighting during the period of hyacinth growth may cause leaves yellowing, delay in growth and blossom. If you water hyacinth flowers too hard or if water reaches the bulb, bud or leaves axis, if you leave too much water in the pallet, you may cause rotting and withering of a flower.
