How to care for daffodils?

How should you care for hyacinths? Hyacinths bloom from January to May. You have early-flowering hyacinths, but also late-flowering ones. How do you keep them most beautiful? Read this article about everything you need to know before planting hyacinth bulbs .

How should I care for planted hyacinth bulbs before they bloom?

Unlike tulip bulbs, it is better to water hyacinth bulbs as little as possible. The bulb can rot from a too wet location. Just make sure they don't dry out. The advice is therefore not to give the hyacinths extra water in the winter and to ensure that the piece of soil in which they are planted is not too wet. When spring comes, you can water the location during dry periods to prevent it from drying out. However, watering every day is not necessary. In terms of fertilization, hyacinths do not need much. You can fertilize them occasionally during and after the flowering period until the green leaves have died. If you do this correctly, you will enjoy your hyacinths for several years. However, the density of the number of flowers on the hyacinth decreases over the years.

Is a hyacinth an annual or does it bloom every year?

As you have read above, hyacinths often come back every year. However, with a smaller flower and less flowering density. This density can easily be reduced by 50% in the second year. That is why we recommend treating hyacinths as annuals and planting new bulbs every year.

My hyacinths have finished blooming, now what?

When the hyacinths have finished blooming, it is best to cut off the stem with the withered flowers. Leave the foliage (green leaves) alone. You can only remove this after everything has withered naturally. The leaves continue to collect sunlight and therefore absorb nutrition. This nutrition does not go to the faded flower, but directly to the bulb. This allows the hyacinth bulb to develop to bloom again the following year.

Do you want the hyacinths to bloom again in full glory next year? Then follow the step-by-step plan below. Please note that there is no guarantee that hyacinths will bloom for a second time just like the first year. The hyacinth bulb needs certain temperatures to develop itself for re-flowering. These temperatures do not occur naturally in the Netherlands, but we can try to imitate the ideal conditions.

• Remove the stem with faded flowers;
• Leave the leaves and stems until they are completely dead (withered). Have they withered? Then you can remove everything and take the bulbs out of the ground (often possible in June);
• Dry the bulbs. You can do this by, for example, placing them in the sun;
• Store the bulbs somewhere in a shed or garage. You can possibly store the bulbs in a cardboard box or mesh container.
• You can plant these bulbs in the open ground from September to December. They now receive the natural cold temperature treatment they need to shine again in the spring.

Can hyacinths freeze in winter?

The bulbs of hyacinths can freeze if you plant them during a period of frost or snow. The bulb can freeze when the frost penetrates the soil into the bulb. To prevent this, you can put a pile of old leaves or straw on the planting site. Also keep a close eye on the weather forecast. When the hyacinths have made roots, they seem to be less sensitive to cold. The best period for planting hyacinths is therefore September and October.

If it freezes for a longer period in the winter, put the pots in a shed or wrap the pots in bubble wrap. Frost can easily penetrate deep into a pot from several sides and damage the bulb.

Now you know everything about caring for hyacinths. Do you want to know more about planting hyacinths?  We have written a separate article about this.

How much water do planted hyacinths need?
Hyacinth bulbs should be watered as much as possible. Make sure they don't dry out, but extra watering in the winter months is not necessary. 

Is a hyacinth perennial?
Hyacinths often come back every year. However, with smaller flowers and less flowering density. This density can easily be reduced by 50% in the second year. After a few years, it may even be that only leaves are coming up. 

Do you have to cut off the faded hyacinth?
When the hyacinth has finished blooming, you can cut off the withered flower and stem. It is important that the leaves are left alone. 

Can hyacinth bulbs freeze in winter?
Hyacinth bulbs can freeze if you plant them during periods of frost or snow. To prevent this, you can put a pile of old leaves or straw on the planting site. Or plant the bulbs on time, in October or November, so that the bulb can already become a little stronger by rooting in the ground.