Stately and spectacular hyacinth is a real decoration of the garden in early spring. Appearing on the flowerbed is one of the first, when the snow still remains in places, it delights people around with large and fragrant flowers of a wide variety of shades and shapes. Such magnificence on a miniature scale can well be repeated in winter, delighting yourself, loved ones and friends with a great gift for the New Year or Christmas. About how the plant is distilled, how to care for hyacinth at home - recommendations in our article.
Hyacinth: a botanical description
Hyacinth is a genus of bulbous perennials that is part of the Asparagus family and includes only three species. All of them have a characteristic 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. The stem is thick and dense, with an inflorescence at the top. After flowering, he dies with the leaves with him. Very fragrant flowers are collected in a brush, perianth is brightly colored, in the form of a bell-shaped funnel with bent lobes. The fruit is a three-nest box. Three species are known: Hyacinthus transcaspicus, Litvinova and eastern. The latter is most widespread and known, which became the basis for the breeding of many varieties and hybrids. Hyacinth can be cared for and planted at home in a pot or in open ground.
East hyacinth: description
It is considered to be a typical species of the genus, that is, acting as a nomenclature. In the event of any controversial situation, he acts as the sole bearer of a generic name from an objective point of view. The birthplace 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 medicinal. The plant is a perennial, bulbous, up to 30 cm high and a stele thickness of up to 0.5 cm, the leaves are fleshy linear, has a bell-shaped flower. Hyacinth, which is quite simple to take care of at home, is one of the first in the garden to bloom in early spring. It has become especially popular in culture since the 15th century in Europe, since then more than three hundred quality and proven varieties have been bred. The Netherlands is famous for its hyacinth breeding, especially the Haarlem region, from which millions of bulbs of these flowers enter the world market annually.
Popular varieties
It is difficult to say in a few sentences about the huge assortment of hyacinth varieties. When choosing one of them for home or garden, pay attention to the manufacturer, seller, as well as botanical characteristics (height, flowering time, suitability for forcing, etc.). Planting and caring for hyacinths at home suggest a choice of a particular hybrid. We offer conditional division of varieties by color of flowers.
- White: Argentina Arendsen (up to 28 cm, diameter of a single flower up to 4 cm), L'Innosans (an early old variety created in Holland in 1863, height up to 26 cm), Carnegie (medium-sized - up to 22 cm, cylindrical inflorescence ), Edelweiss (medium early, up to 25 cm, with a wide brush).
- Pink: Anna Marie (late, up to 25 cm high), Fondant (industrial variety with large 20 cm inflorescences, photo above), Pink Pearl (early, cone-shaped inflorescence with characteristic long bracts), China Pink, Marconi.
- Blue: King of the Blues (old Dutch variety 1865, late, pictured below), Delft Blue (up to 20 cm, suitable for forcing, long flowering period), Maria (up to 25 cm, deep blue saturated shade, one of the most common hybrids), Miozotis (early, pale blue).
- Violet: 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 pruning), Menelik (purple-black, compact, late) .
- Yellow: City of Haarlem, Orange Boven, Yellow Hammer.
Lush, spectacular flowering, bright colors and a unique rich and rich aroma - these are the main reasons why hyacinth is grown in a pot. Home care is quite simple, but involves distillation, in connection with which some features appear. As a rule, they try to get a flowering plant for a certain holiday: New Year, March 8, etc.
What is distillation?
This process involves comprehensive measures to accelerate plant growth. It is widely used in greenhouse cultivation and floriculture. The plant is placed in conditions with high ambient temperature, humidity and additionally illuminated, thereby stimulating them to active development, flowering and fruiting. In this way, tulips, daffodils, lilies and hyacinth in a pot are grown at home. How to save the plant after a similar procedure, read on.
Bulb Sample
In fact, forcing mobilizes all the forces of the plant and in a short time allows you to get beautiful flowers. Only healthy and strong specimens are able to withstand this. Choose high-quality planting material, large, dense bulbs without damage, grown in open ground. Pay attention to the weight, it should not be too light and give the impression of a void inside. In addition, as mentioned above, it makes sense to pay attention to the variety, there are hybrids specifically designed for distillation.
Preparing bulbs for planting
Preparation of hyacinth bulbs begins in the summer, at the moment when you decide that you will grow hyacinth in a pot (home care - hereinafter). As soon as the foliage dries up, planting material needs to be dug up, washed 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 spring flower stalks of hyacinths appear on the flowerbed, they notice the largest and most powerful ones, but they do not give them to bloom and cut them off. This allows the plant to use all its power to develop the bulb, which can then be successfully driven out in the winter.
Landing time
The timing of planting bulbs in the soil directly depends on exactly when you want to receive blooming hyacinths on your window. Care and growing at home in the future are quite simple, it is important to do everything right at the initial stage. The cooling period for distillation in the early stages is 10-13 weeks, for later varieties it increases to 12-16. The start date can be set as follows. Determine the day when you need to get the flower and in the opposite order subtract the number of established weeks from it, plus another 3-4 - for growth for early and late varieties, respectively.
In order to strengthen the immune system, the bulbs should be placed for 30 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate or the drug “Khom” (concentration - 4 g per 1 liter of water) before planting.
Planting bulbs
In accordance with the planned flowering time in autumn, soil bulbs should be planted in the soil (purchased or prepared independently). Use individual pots or group planting - depending on your own preferences. Hyacinth in a pot care at home suggests minimal, but its flowering is magnificent. Fill the pots with earth almost to the top, then plant the bulb so that its top is at the level of the edges of the dishes. When planting in a group, keep a distance of 2.5-3 cm. From above, cover the pot with dark polyethylene, making holes for ventilation. Transfer the plants to a dark and cool place for a specified period, the temperature of the content should be in the range of 5-8 ° C.
As the earthen coma dries out, moisten it slightly, the soil should be slightly moist. During this time, small sprouts appear in the hyacinth, when they reach 3-5 cm in height, plants should be brought into the house. The initial temperature of the content should not exceed 12 ° C, choose a shaded place for a few days, and then move them closer to the window (but not to the radiators). In a constant place, the pot is placed at the moment when the buds appear on the plant.
Potted hyacinth: home care during flowering
In order for a plant to please you with beautiful flowering, it needs to provide stable conditions. After the buds appear, the pot with hyacinth is rearranged in a constant light, draft-free place. The temperature should be in the range of 15-20 ° C, maintain the soil in a constantly moistened state, not allowing it to dry out. Spend a single feed with complex mineral fertilizer, strictly observing the dosage and concentration indicated on the package.
What to do with the bulb after flowering?
The hyacinth bulb used for distillation cannot be reused. However, you can plant it in open ground on a flowerbed in the garden, where it will delight you with natural flowering in 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 care at home suggests the same as in the soil. Continue to water the plant and feed it with fertilizers until the leaves begin to wither. After they dry, carefully separate them. Remove the bulb from the ground, dry it and put it in storage in a cool and dry place. Landing in the ground in late autumn: in the middle or end of October, when the temperature of the soil drops to 5-10 ° C. Thus, hyacinth will have time to take root before severe colds.
Remember that the plant prefers a sunny and open place, possibly with slight shading, protected from wind and excessive moisture. The soil is recommended loose, containing sand, humus, and having good moisture permeability.