According to a Greek legend that is thousands of years old, the colorful blooming hyacinths emerged from the blood of the beautiful youth Hyakinthos, who was accidentally killed by the god Apollo. The spring bloomer still fascinates people today, as its splendor can be seen in numerous bright colors. Luckily, bulbous flowers are easy to plant and care for. The tips in the following article tell you what you should pay attention to.

Hyacinths are wonderfully fragrant heralds of spring

Table of Contents

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  1. origin and distribution
  2. use
  3. appearance and growth
  4. leaves
  5. flowering and flowering time
  6. fruit
  7. Is garden hyacinth poisonous?
  8. Which location is suitable?
  9. floor
  10. pot culture
  11. culture in the glass
  12. Plant garden hyacinth correctly
  13. What is the best planting time?
  14. The right planting distance
  15. watering garden hyacinth
  16. Fertilize garden hyacinth properly
  17. Pruning garden hyacinth properly
  18. Oversummer / overwinter
  19. Propagating garden hyacinth
  20. How do I plant correctly?
  21. diseases and pests
  22. species and varieties

    23. origin and distribution

    Of course, our garden hyacinths are not the original Hyacinth plant, but rather hybrid breeds that have mainly emerged from the wild species Hyacinthus orientalis. This originally comes from the Mediterranean region and grows mainly in Syria, Turkey and Lebanon on rocky, barren subsoil and at mountainous heights of up to 2000 meters.

    The first plants made their way to Europe as early as the 16th century and quickly became very popular, especially in aristocratic circles. Through breeding and selection, numerous new varieties in many colors were created within just 100 years.

    use

    Hyacinths are now commercially available from January, with the flowers then being placed in special glasses or planters and beginning to bloom as soon as they are purchased.

    In addition to being kept in pots, onions are often planted in the garden, where they are among the first heralds of spring due to their early flowering.

    appearance and growth

    Depending on the variety, hyacinths are between 15 and 30 centimeters high. Like all onion flowers, they only have a short vegetation period, during which the first tips of the leaves become visible as early as February. A tuft of leaves develops from this, which in turn encloses the strong flower stalk. The plant has already faded in July and is preparing to hibernate.

    Hyacinth bulbs are perennial and sprout again every year. They consist of individual scales that serve to supply and store nutrients. The onion keeps growing new scales from the inside, while the outer ones provide the energy for budding and flowering. In order for you to be able to admire the hyacinth blossom every year, the plants have to store more energy during the vegetation period than they actually need to bloom. Only then can new scales form. On the other hand, the onion shrinks when the supply of nutrients and water is insufficient.

    leaves

    Hyacinths form between four and seven ribbon-shaped, basal leaves that can be up to 30 centimeters long and two centimeters wide. They shine in a fresh, light green and enclose the flower stem, which appears a little later.

    flowering and flowering time

    The flower stem usually sprout together with the rosette-like arranged leaves. The thick, fleshy stem grows to a height of 30 centimeters and bears a multitude of bell-like flowers arranged in a raceme. As a rule, only one flower stalk develops from each bulb, very rarely there can be two. How many individual flowers are on a hyacinth and how big the cluster is depends on the variety, the size of the bulb and the location and care conditions.

    The very intensely scented hyacinth flowers can be admired from April to May and have an extremely wide range of colors: white, red, pink and orange, violet and even blue shades are available. There are also double-flowering and multicolored varieties.

    The individual flowers each consist of three petals and sepals, which have grown together and are mostly the same color.

    fruit

    Since hyacinths should be cut back after they have faded to conserve the bulb's reserves, the flower rarely produces fruit.

    However, if you have overlooked a flower stem, you can use the seeds that have ripened in it for sowing. Hyacinths are flowering plants, the seeds of which should be sown immediately after the ripe fruit has decayed. They must not dry out, as in this case they will lose their ability to germinate.

    In nature, ants carry away the seeds so that they germinate in the dark and warm environment of an anthill. However, it takes a long time until then, because the seed first has to survive a warm phase during the summer months and then a cold stratification in winter. Only then is the germination inhibition broken and the seed sprout. However, you have to wait between three and five years until the first flowering.

    Is garden hyacinth poisonous?

    In addition to calcium oxalate, hyacinths contain other toxins that can cause skin irritation. Anyone who frequently handles the bulbs and flowers can contract what is known as hyacinth scabies. This manifests itself as redness, pustules and itching, but can also lead to severe inflammation. Onions and other parts of plants should not be eaten because they cause stomach and intestinal problems, including vomiting and diarrhea.

    Furthermore, the plant is poisonous to animals: cats, dogs, horses and rodents (guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits) and birds can suffer more or less severe symptoms of poisoning by eating plant and onion skins. Since the toxins irritate the mucous membranes, there is typically increased salivation and difficulty swallowing, including cramps, vomiting and diarrhea.

    Which location is suitable?

    The bulb flowers prefer a warm and sunny location. This should be protected from the weather such as cold and rain. You can cultivate hyacinths in the garden bed as well as in pots or other planters on the balcony or terrace.

    floor

    Hyacinths like loose, mineral or humus-rich soil, but it should not be too moist. Good drainage is important to keep the bulbs from rotting in the humid environment. For example, you can put a layer of sand about five centimeters thick in the soil under the onions, which allows excess moisture to seep away quickly.

    pot culture

    The spring bloomer can be cultivated in small pots or planted in groups, but also in larger planters, although you have to water the plants regularly. The onion must not dry out, but it must not be too moist either. Excess water should not remain in the planter or saucer, but is removed immediately after watering. If the hyacinth roots are in the water for too long, they rot and with them the rest of the plant. Normal, commercially available potting soil is suitable as a substrate, which you can mix with some coarse sand.

    Cut off the faded flower stem. Leave the leaves on the other hand until they have turned yellow and dried up completely. Now put the pots with the onions in a cool and dark room, such as the basement, and leave them there over the winter until next spring.

    culture in the glass

    For around 100 years, hyacinths have been cultivated in special jars with a bulbous base and a curved upper shell. In such a hyacinth glass you only fill the lower part with water, earth is not necessary. The onion lies in the upper shell and receives sufficient moisture without coming into direct contact with the water. The onion in the water glass must be kept dark and cool for about two to three months, during which time you top up with fresh water every day. Only when the flower stalk and leaves appear do you place the glass on the windowsill.

    The disadvantage of this method, however, is that the hyacinth bulbs cannot store any nutrients due to the lack of fertilization and therefore collapse after flowering and can no longer be used.

    Plant garden hyacinth correctly

    First dig a planting hole, which should be about twice as deep as the bulb is tall. However, the minimum depth is ten centimeters. If the soil is heavy, put a layer of sand on the bottom of the hole, this serves as drainage. Mix the excavation with a good handful of compost and finally put the onion in the hole. The wide side should point down and the narrower side up. Now fill the soil into the planting hole and press it down lightly. Mark the spot with a bamboo stick or something similar so that you don't accidentally plant something else over it or even dig up the ground in the spring.

    What is the best planting time?

    Place hyacinth bulbs in the garden bed between October and November on a mild and dry day.

    The right planting distance

    A distance of at least 15 centimeters should be maintained from the neighboring plant.

    watering garden hyacinth

    Hyacinths freshly planted in pots require little water and should therefore not be watered excessively. The water requirement only increases slightly after budding. The right time to water again has come when the surface of the plant substrate has dried. Never pour directly onto the onion, always pour it all around.

    On the other hand, hyacinth bulbs planted in the garden do not need to be watered at all, since the soil is usually moist enough during spring.

    Fertilize garden hyacinth properly

    Fertilize hyacinths that have been planted out with some compost in early spring, while potted specimens should be transplanted into fresh substrate if possible.

    Pruning garden hyacinth properly

    The fleshy stem of the flower should be removed after flowering in order to conserve the nutrient reserves of the bulb. However, do not remove the leaves immediately, but wait until they are yellow and dried up. The flower bulb still pulls out the nutrients it contains, which is why it is unfavorable to cut it off prematurely.

    Oversummer / overwinter

    Since the vegetation phase of the hyacinth is already over in July, simply leave the bulb alone after it has faded. Planted specimens can simply be left in the ground and are covered with spruce and fir branches or a thick layer of foliage in autumn. However, this protective layer must be removed again from February / March, as the flowers sprout early in the year. Alternatively, dig up the bulbs in the summer, keep them cool, dry and dark, and transplant them back into the ground in the fall. Hyacinth bulbs are perfectly hardy as long as they are not cultivated in a pot.

    Propagating garden hyacinth

    Removing faded hyacinth bulbs in summer has a big advantage: In this way you can separate the bulbs for propagation. In order for these to develop, however, the flowers need good location and care conditions in the form of sufficient water and a balanced supply of nutrients. You can encourage the mother onions to divide by making a deep cross-cut in the bottom of the bulb before planting in the fall.

    Plant the small bulbs separately in autumn. The flowers that grow from it will initially be rather small and sparse, but after about two to three years they will bloom just as lavishly as the mother plant. Incidentally, removing the brood onions is not only useful for propagation purposes, but also has advantages for the mother onion: many nutrients are withdrawn from it when the daughters are trained.

    How do I plant correctly?

    Transplanting to a new location is very easy: all you have to do is dig up the bulbs and replant them in their new location in autumn.

    diseases and pests

    Like all bulbous flowers, hyacinths are threatened by soil-dwelling pests such as voles. Above ground, snails and sucking insects such as aphids enjoy the juicy foliage.

    When it comes to diseases, fungal infections are the main ones, which appear in the spring when they sprout. Gray mold caused by the botrytis fungus is very common and is noticeable by brown spots on the stems and leaves. Affected plants should be removed immediately to avoid contamination.

    Choose a location that is not too damp and airy to avoid fungal diseases from the outset.

    tips

    In the garden, you should support the heavy flower clusters with a wooden stick or something similar, otherwise they tend to buckle, especially after prolonged rainfall.

    species and varieties

    The more than 200 different varieties of garden hyacinths are mainly classified according to their flower colour. There are white, blue, purple, pink, orange, and red varieties, with the purple and blue shades being the most common. The varieties 'Blue Jacket' (blue flowers), the white-flowered 'Carnegie' and the 'Fondant' with their charming pink flowers are very popular. The purple-flowering 'Woodstock', on the other hand, is one of the more rare varieties and is therefore particularly eye-catching.

    Varieties such as 'Crystal Palace' and 'General Köhler', on the other hand, have densely filled, blue flowers, while the white splendor of 'Snow Crystal' is reminiscent of soft snowflakes. 'Prince of Love' has extraordinarily salmon-pink flowers, 'Hollyhock' impresses with beautifully filled, bright red flowers. Varieties with yellowish varieties such as 'Gipsy Queen' and 'Odysseus' are also very rare.

    The different varieties develop very different inflorescences. Some impress with very dense, large flower clusters, others are looser and more delicate. An interesting eye-catcher are the so-called "Multiflora" varieties, which always produce several flowering shoots per bulb. These include, for example, the blue 'Anastasia' and the pink 'Freestyler'. Multiflora hyacinths usually flower with loose inflorescences that are less densely covered with individual flowers.

Category:

Vegetable garden