Hyacinth
Garden hyacinthDutch hyacinth
Garden hyacinth
Plant bulbs in autumn (Sep-Nov) at the correct depth; wear gloves when handling, since the bulbs can cause skin irritation in sensitive people.
Care
Standard bulb watering; avoid waterlogging, especially during summer dormancy.
Free-draining, fertile soil.
Not applicable — deadhead if desired, and leave foliage to die back naturally for several weeks after flowering.
A high-potash feed while the leaves are still green after flowering is what keeps the bulb going for a second and third year. Without it the spikes get progressively shorter and looser, which is how most garden hyacinths fade away.
Lift when dormant and detach the offsets from round the base of the bulb; they take two or three years to reach flowering size. Buying fresh bulbs is the honest alternative for a formal display.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- AprilMain flowering season — enjoy the strong fragrance.
- MayDeadhead once flowering finishes, but leave foliage to die back naturally. how ›
- OctoberPlant bulbs 8-10cm deep in autumn.
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
- AprilMain flowering season — enjoy the strong fragrance.
- MayDeadhead once flowering finishes, but leave foliage to die back naturally. how ›
- OctoberPlant bulbs 8-10cm deep in autumn.
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
- MarchMain flowering season — enjoy the strong fragrance.
- AprilDeadhead once flowering finishes, but leave foliage to die back naturally. how ›
- OctoberPlant bulbs 8-10cm deep in autumn.
Months based on climate: Central Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
- MarchMain flowering season — enjoy the strong fragrance.
- AprilDeadhead once flowering finishes, but leave foliage to die back naturally. how ›
- NovemberPlant bulbs 8-10cm deep in autumn.
Months based on climate: Southern Italy and islands. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. In waterlogged soil.
What to do. Improve drainage.
How to spot it. Flower spikes noticeably less dense than the first spring after planting.
What to do. A normal characteristic of this genus after the first season, not a sign of ill health — feed after flowering to help.
How to spot it. To emerging shoots.
What to do. Protect emerging growth.
Forced hyacinthIndoor hyacinth, Prepared hyacinth
Forced hyacinth
Only "prepared" bulbs (specially pre-chilled by the supplier) will force reliably for Christmas flowering — an untreated garden bulb won't be ready in time. After flowering indoors, plant the exhausted bulb out in the garden rather than expecting it to force again the following year.
Care
Keep bulb fibre just moist, or water level just touching the base of the bulb in a forcing glass; never waterlogged.
Specialist bulb fibre (for bowls without drainage holes) or plain water in a hyacinth forcing glass — not garden soil.
Not applicable.
Nothing while it is being forced — the bulb carries its own reserves. If you intend to plant it out afterwards, feed with a high-potash liquid feed once flowering is over and the leaves are still green.
Not a home propagation job: a forced bulb has spent itself and is best planted out in the garden to recover over a couple of years rather than divided.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- SeptemberPot up "prepared" bulbs in bulb fibre or a forcing glass. how ›
- OctoberGive bulbs 8-10 weeks in a cool (4-9°C), dark place to root before bringing into warmth and light. how ›
- DecemberBring into a bright, cool room once shoots are a few centimetres tall and flower buds show, to force into bloom for Christmas/winter. how ›
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
- SeptemberPot up "prepared" bulbs in bulb fibre or a forcing glass. how ›
- OctoberGive bulbs 8-10 weeks in a cool (4-9°C), dark place to root before bringing into warmth and light. how ›
- DecemberBring into a bright, cool room once shoots are a few centimetres tall and flower buds show, to force into bloom for Christmas/winter. how ›
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
- SeptemberPot up "prepared" bulbs in bulb fibre or a forcing glass. how ›
- OctoberGive bulbs 8-10 weeks in a cool (4-9°C), dark place to root before bringing into warmth and light. how ›
- DecemberBring into a bright, cool room once shoots are a few centimetres tall and flower buds show, to force into bloom for Christmas/winter. how ›
Months based on climate: Central Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
- SeptemberPot up "prepared" bulbs in bulb fibre or a forcing glass. how ›
- OctoberGive bulbs 8-10 weeks in a cool (4-9°C), dark place to root before bringing into warmth and light. how ›
- DecemberBring into a bright, cool room once shoots are a few centimetres tall and flower buds show, to force into bloom for Christmas/winter. how ›
Months based on climate: Southern Italy and islands. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. Mushy bulb, or no flower spike develops.
What to do. Usually caused by too little cold/dark rooting time, or too much warmth too early — the cool dark period is essential, not optional.
How to spot it. Pale, floppy growth.
What to do. Brought into warmth and light too early, before the shoot had firmed up in the cool dark period.
How to spot it. No flowers when forced again the following winter.
What to do. Forcing exhausts the bulb — plant it out in the garden after flowering instead, where it recovers over a couple of seasons and flowers again at its normal outdoor time; see the garden group.
Questions
Hyacinth: is it hardy?
H4: Hardy through an average UK winter. It survives down to −10 °C.
Can it grow in a pot?
Garden hyacinth: Very popular for pots as well as borders. For bulbs specially treated for indoor winter forcing, see the separate forced_indoor group. Forced hyacinth: This is exclusively a container/indoor technique.
Hyacinth: when do you prune it?
Garden hyacinth: Not applicable — deadhead if desired, and leave foliage to die back naturally for several weeks after flowering. Forced hyacinth: Not applicable.
Hyacinth: when does it flower?
Garden hyacinth: In the climate of UK it flowers in March–April. Forced hyacinth: In the climate of UK it flowers in December–January.
When do you feed it?
Garden hyacinth: A high-potash feed while the leaves are still green after flowering is what keeps the bulb going for a second and third year. Without it the spikes get progressively shorter and looser, which is how most garden hyacinths fade away. Feeding months, UK: April. Forced hyacinth: Nothing while it is being forced — the bulb carries its own reserves. If you intend to plant it out afterwards, feed with a high-potash liquid feed once flowering is over and the leaves are still green. Feeding months, UK: April.