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Gardeners’ Forum: “Hyacinth problems”

• Hyacinth problems

  Posted by Jennifer Wraight on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 8:55 pm ADT

  I live in North Bay Ontario and 2 years ago planted hyacinth bulbs for the first time. For the second time they have partially bloomed, they look like they are not not full, kind of spindly. Anyone have any idea why? Am I too far north for them to bloom properly?

  • re: Hyacinth problems

    Posted by Claire Goucher on Tuesday, May 6, 2008 10:47 am ADT

    According to the Planting Guide here on the site: "Hyacinths produce the largest, more formal blooms the first spring, and smaller, looser spikes thereafter." Of course, they never post a picture of the difference, just the first year blooms. I hope this is all that is happening to your hyacinths.

  • re: Hyacinth problems

    Posted by Molly Saavedra on Sunday, May 11, 2008 2:04 pm ADT

    After researching a lot of the forums regarding this very topic, here are the tips that I've personally used. Grow them in very well amended soil that drains well. Cut off the flower stalks as soon as the flowers start to die off to prevent setting of seeds. Put an inch or so of compost every spring and fall. After cutting off the flower stalks, do a foliar feed by watering the leaves with diluted fertilizer (I simply use my houseplant one) every week or 10 days till the leaves all die off. I did this last year which was the first spring for my hyacinths. This year is the second spring and wow, they're even more gorgeous than the first. So full and some have double stalks! None of the dreaded looser flowers at all. Lots of compliments from the neighbors.