Hyacinth Growing Notes
A popular bulb, Hyacinths are grown for the long lasting scented flowers and are available for sale, and best planted in late summer to autumn.
With a strong perfume and rather stately flowers they come in a range of colours from white through to blue and deep pink and are relatively easy to grow both indoors and out.
A bulbous plant with upright, strap shaped, glossy leaves the flower spikes consist of small, trumpet-shaped florets on leafless stalk. Hyacinth are fragrant and can be used as a cut flower they prefer a well drained soil mix.
How to Plant Hyacinths
Flowering in spring, Hyacinths are usually planted at the beginning of the year and are available for sale from February through to May or June.
Prepare the Soil
We suggest digging the soil over well before planting to around 30cm, dig in some well rotted compost and then plant the bulbs at around 10cm – 15cm deep.
Water in well with a liquid seaweed fertilizer and then mulch lightly, any weeds that appear should be removed. Remember that these are a fairly low growing bulb, only reaching around 20cm in height so plant towards the front of the border.
They look great in containers in groups of 8 or more, but also do well in the garden. If you live in warmer climates try to replicate the cold winters that hyacinth bulbs like by giving them 2 months in the fridge (not the freezer) before planting.
Care
Plant in the garden or on pots, or if you like, indoors in special Hyacinth Vases. In the garden plant bulbs in a humus rich well drained soil about 8cm apart. Cover bulbs and water in well with a seaweed based fertilizer. In pots you can plant then closer as long as you repot every year.
Hyacinth Vases are used for growing Hyacinths indoors and often for forcing hyacinths to flower out of season, the bulb sits in the neck of the vase and the roots work their way down into the water below.
Bulbs can be lifted after the foliage has died off.
Hyacinth Summary Growing Notes
- Plant from late summer to late autumn
- Position in full sun to a little afternoon shade
- Plant 10 – 15 cm deep and 10cm apart
- Grow in the garden, containers or hyacinth vases
- Mulch over winter to prevent weeds
- Water in spring if dry
- Divide clumps every 2-3 years to promote vigour
- Plant ‘pointy end up’
- They make great flowers
Hyacinth Bulbs are available for sale from the following nurseries
365 Lighthouse Rd Wynyard. TAS 7325
PH 03 6442 2012
email to: sales@vdqbulbs.com.au
www.vdqbulbs.com.au
357 Monbulk Road SILVAN VIC 3795
Guaranteed "garden worthy" bulbs, plants and perennials. Visit the website to browse our large range of daffodils or request the latest free catalogue.
www.tesselaar.net.au
2 Jacksons Hill Rd, Menzies Creek VIC 3159
Hundreds of different varieties of daffodils as well as other beautiful spring & autumn flowering bulbs for home gardeners. Free colour catalogues available. Tulips, Daffodils,Alliums, Freesias, Iris and many other bulbs.
www.daffodilbulbs.com.au
P.O. Box 369 New Norfolk TAS 7140
Huge range of Spring and Summer flowering Bulbs
www.vogelvry.com.au
470 Monbulk-Silvan Road Monbulk VIC 3793
"Guaranteed mail order flowering bulbs, perennials, roses, trees, landscaping plants, garden accessories and community fundraising Austra lia-wide."
www.gardenexpress.com.au