Expert: Kenneth Joergensen - 4/22/2006

Question
Hi Kenneth
I live in upstate New York and love spring flowers. Last year I was given a pot containing 3 beautiful yellow hycinths. Last fall I planted them as I have planted others.
They are blooming now and fragrant but very sparce with flowers. Can you tell me what to do to make them healthier and better blooming for next spring?
Thank you for any help you can give me. Have a blessed day.
Sue


Answer
This is actually normal for hyacinths, but there are things you can do to improve flowering again:

- cut flower stems after the flower florets wither (cut the flower stalk off) but let the leaves stay.

- fertilize the hyacinths 2-3 times during the growing season. This would be early april as they hoke through the ground, again as they flower, and then again after flowering. Use an annual plant or bulb type fertilizer (flower fertilizer). Not lawn fertilizer. Typically fertilizing every 3-4 weeks is fine.

- water the bulbs weekly (deep soaking) if it has not rained during the flowering period.

The most important part is to ensure the leaves stay on the plant and provided fertilizer and water is adequate, the leaves will produce energy to recharge the bulb for next year. Do not braid, cut, remove, tuck, or destroy the leaves.

After the leaves have died back entirely (brown, crisp) you can cut them off, but not before. Do not get tempted to tuck on them to remove them prematurely.

Finally, hyacinths should be planted in a sunny location.

I.e.
- let leaves stay as long as they can
- extend active green growing season by watering when no rain
- fertilizer 2-3 times in spring
- Cut flower stalks off after flowers die (only the stalk, do not cut the leaves).

Finally, I like to give the hyacinths a 2" layer of mulch in late fall/early winter and top this off in spring. This is not critical, but beneficial to balance soil temperature and keep the leaves growing for as long as possible. When you fertilize, just push the mulch away with your finger tips and drop the fertilizer on the soil below, then move the mulch back on top. (just an extra tip)

This should give good results.