Crop Rotation Group
Miscellaneous
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Soil
Average garden soil with excellent drainage.
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Position
Full sun in spring, partial dry shade in summer.
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Frost tolerant
Excellent. Most large-flowered hyacinths are hardy to -25F (-32C).
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Feeding
Topdress with rich compost in spring, when new growth appears. Fertilize established clumps with a balanced organic fertilizer in the fall.
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Companions
Showy and fragrant, hyacinths make great feature flowers in the spring garden. Their naturally upright posture gives them a formal demeanor. Planting hyacinths behind daylilies or other summer-blooming perennials hides the fading foliage from view.
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Spacing
Single Plants: 3" (10cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 3" (10cm) with 3" (10cm) row gap (minimum)
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Sow and Plant
Set out dormant bulbs the fall. Cover the bulbs to four times their depth with loose soil. Plant in groups of three or more bulbs.
Our Garden Planning Tool can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.
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Notes
Hyacinths can be interplanted with daffodils and tulips, and they are not difficult to force into bloom in pots. Blue is the strongest color, but many others are available.
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Harvesting
Cut hyacinths to use as cut flowers when two to three of the lowest florets have opened. The remaining florets will continue to open indoors for several days. As the flowers fade in the garden, trim them off with scissors or pruning shears.
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Troubleshooting
Hyacinths bloom well for only one or two seasons in warm climates with mild winters. When hyacinths are handled as perennials in cold climates, flower size tends to decrease over time.
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