Step-by-step instructions for forcing hyacinths at home

Fresh flowers on the festive table will make any celebration unforgettable. But buying them in the middle of winter is expensive and impractical. It is much cheaper and more interesting to distill bulbous plants at home. With our step-by-step instructions, hyacinths for the holiday will surely please with long and lush flowering.

Preparing the bulbs for forcing

In order for the distillation to be successful, and the hyacinths to bloom for the holiday, it is necessary to prepare them in advance. Work begins in the summer. The strongest and healthiest plants are marked for distillation. They are dug up two weeks earlier than the rest. Bulbs are sorted, since specimens with a diameter of more than 5 cm are needed for successful winter flowering. They are dried for several days in the shade in a well-ventilated place. Then they are kept for two weeks at a temperature of 30 ° C and high humidity. Then the temperature is gradually reduced to 16-18 ° C.

The quality of flowering largely depends on how accurately the temperature regime is maintained. If it is not possible to create such conditions, you can buy the bulbs that have already been prepared - on their packaging there is a corresponding marking “For distillation”. Purchased bulbs are stored at 18 ° C until planting.

When to plant hyacinth for distillation

To plant hyacinth for distillation on time, you need to know its variety. There are varieties of early, medium and late flowering. The table shows when to plant hyacinthso that it blooms at the right time.

Hyacinths bloom for 2-3 weeks, so don't worry that it will bloom before the holiday.

How to choose the right substrate and pot for distilling hyacinth

For forcing hyacinth bulbs, a pot with a height of at least 15 cm is suitable.Its diameter is chosen depending on the number of bulbs. They should not be in contact with the edge of the pot or with each other.

Drainage is laid at the bottom of the pot - broken shards, fine crushed stone and river sand. Then a substrate is poured with the following composition:

• humus - 1 part;
• sod land - 2 parts;
• coarse sand - 0.5 parts.

The earth is slightly compacted and moistened. The bulbs should be carefully examined before planting - only healthy specimens are planted without signs of rot and damage by insects.

To prevent fungal diseases, before planting in the ground, the bulbs should be kept in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for 5-10 minutes.

Planting and caring for bulbs

To plant the bulbs, use the step-by-step instructions, then forcing the hyacinths at home will be successful.

The selected bulbs are planted so that the top reaches the top of the pot. It is best to keep the planting material at least 2 cm apart. The top third of the bulbs should remain above the ground. The space between them is also covered with a substrate. It is lightly compacted and watered.

Then the pot is covered with a paper cap and placed in a cool place with a temperature of 4–6 ° C. In such conditions, the hyacinth hibernates for 2–3 months. Water the plant very sparingly, only when the ground is completely dry.

After the end of the dormant period, the bulb throws out the first leaves. At this time, the pot is moved to a cool windowsill.When the peduncle grows to 15 cm, the cap is removed. The most suitable temperature for long-term flowering is 16-18 ° C.

The development of a plant can be regulated by changing the conditions of its maintenance. With a rise in temperature and an increase in daylight hours, the hyacinth will bloom earlier, and to slow down the flowering time, the temperature is reduced and the pot is moved to a dark place.

If all the above conditions are met, forcing hyacinths at home will certainly succeed, and your windowsill will be decorated with lush caps of flowering plants of the most delicate colors - white, pink, lilac, burgundy, blue.

Reasons why distillation may not work

This can happen for several reasons:

1. Withering leaves - excessive watering.
2. Short flower stalk - bulb has not gone through full rest period at low temperatures.
3. The peduncle has not grown - a flower bud is formed only during high temperatures. Another reason is that the bulb is small and weak.
4. Leaves turn yellow - this is due to a lack of light or a draft.
5. Falling buds are the reason for irregular watering.

Try to consider these recommendations and follow the step-by-step instructions, and then forcing hyacinths at home will not create problems for you.

Forcing hyacinths in water

This method is simple and allows you to decorate your windowsill for the holidays not only with blooming hyacinths, but also with beautiful multi-colored vases under them. They buy them in specialized stores. The vases have an extended upper part for the bulb and a narrowed lower part for the roots.

In the absence of special containers, just pick up plastic bottles of a suitable shape.

We start distilling:

1. Pour cooled boiled water into the container.
2. Place the onions in the top of the container. The water should barely touch the bottom.
3. All containers with hyacinth bulbs put in a cool, dark place.
4. After the bulbs release a bunch of roots, move them to the windowsill and cover with paper caps.
5. When the shoots grow a few centimeters, remove the caps.
6. Flowering begins about three months after the start of forcing.

Always monitor the water level and its purity so that the bulbs do not rot or dry out.

Thus, you can distill hyacinths in the new year or by March 8 and decorate your holiday with fresh flowers grown on your own.

Planting hyacinths - video