After the hyacinth in the pot has faded, the hobby gardener asks himself whether it is worth continuing to care for it. It is not easy to keep the plant in a pot for several years and to get it to bloom again. This is definitely how it works.
What to do if the hyacinth in the pot has faded?
After the hyacinth has faded in the pot, faded inflorescences should be removed and the green leaves left. The plant needs a rest period, little water and a cold phase of 8 weeks. It can then be repotted and cared for further to bloom again.
Watering during flowering and cutting dead flowers
The hyacinth in the room sometimes blooms from Christmas onwards.
Cut off spent inflorescences immediately so that the flower bulb can produce more flowers. You should never remove the leaves while they are still green.
Water regularly so that the soil never dries out completely. This creates the basis for making the hyacinth in the pot bloom for several years.
When the hyacinth has faded
When the last flower has faded, the plant goes into a long period of rest. During this time it gathers new strength so that it can grow vigorously next year.
Place the pot in a place that is as dry as possible on the terrace or in a bright cellar window. It shouldn't be too warm. Water sparingly and only until the leaves have turned yellow. Then the hyacinth no longer needs water.
Alternatively, you can remove the onion from the pot, clean, dry and store in a cool, dark place.
Cold phase in autumn
In order for the hyacinth in the pot to continue to bloom next year, it must go through a cold phase. The gardener calls this “stratifying”.
The pot must be kept very cold and dark for about eight weeks. Temperatures between zero and six degrees are ideal.
If you don't have a place where it's cold enough, put the potted hyacinth in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator.
Repot after the cold phase
The cold phase is over when the hyacinth sprouts again and produces the first flowers. Now you have to continue maintaining them:
- Transplanting into new soil
- Place the pot in a light place at around 15 degrees
- Water moderately at first
- Water regularly later
Tips & Tricks
Hyacinth bulbs last a good 15 years if cared for properly. In the garden, the plant produces many bulbs, so you can enjoy a colorful sea of hyacinths for many years.
