Plant Hyacinth Flowers All Year — How to Grow Hyacinths Indoors

Hyacinth flowers are a beautiful and fragrant addition to any garden. From deep purples to soft pink, the delicate flower clusters are reminiscent of the warm, heady spring and summer days that every gardener looks forward to. Wondering how to grow hyacinths during the winter? Hyacinth bulbs can be planted and grown indoors with a technique called forcing. With a little effort and preparation, these spring bulb flowers can enliven the winter indoor environment.

How to Grow Hyacinths with Indoor Pots

A clean, drainable pot, proper soil, good-quality bulbs, and a cool, dark environment are all that is required to grow hyacinths indoors. For the pot, clay, ceramic, glass, or even plastic is fine, as long as it is large enough (four to eight inches in diameter is fine) and the bottom has adequate holes for water drainage. If the container was previously used, be sure to clean it out very well. With a clay pot, soak for two hours before planting. This will saturate the vessel so the clay will not absorb water from the soil, robbing the hyacinth bulbs of necessary moisture.

The soil for growing hyacinth flowers should be porous enough for good soil drainage. Equal parts of potting soil, sand, and peat moss make an ideal blend. Fertilizer is unnecessary as the bulbs themselves provide all the nutrients for the growing plants.

Fill the pots partially, then place the hyacinth bulbs into the soil with the tips pointing upwards. Do not force them into the dirt, as they should be loosely set into the pots. The bulbs themselves can be placed near one another, even touching. Usually, a four-inch pot will hold one bulb, a six-inch pot, three, and an eight-inch pot can be used to grow four or five hyacinth flowers.

Add more soil so that the tops of the bulbs are just above the surface, leaving one-quarter inch between the top of the soil and the edge of the pot. As soon as they are planted, add enough water to saturate. It is important during the entire forcing process never to let the soil dry out in order for the hyacinths to thrive.

Replicating the Outdoors for Growing Hyacinths Indoors

Where should hyacinth bulbs be kept for indoor winter growth? In order for these flowers to sprout roots and grow, they need to be in an environment that is similar to what it would be like if they were in the cold, damp early spring soil. In order create this growing environment for the hyacinths, it is necessary to keep the pots in a cool, dark area, such as an unheated basement, the garage, or even the refrigerator. They should be kept at a temperature ranging from 35 to 48 degrees Fahrenheit. This cold storage period lasts for a minimum of 12 to 13 weeks.

Once the shoots emerge through the soil and are two to three inches in height, it is time to transfer the growing hyacinths to the next environment. For about one week they should be kept in full or partial sun. The temperature should be warmer, but still cool — a range of 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. To grow hyacinths at this stage, they can be placed near the front or back door, or in an unheated room of the house. Continue watering the soil so it is never allowed to dry.

Once the leaves began to expand, it is time to allow the hyacinth flowers to bloom. Bring the pots to the living room, or wherever they can be enjoyed by everyone. They should flower for three to four weeks. Keep the soil moist, and give the plants enough sunlight.

When to Plant Hyacinth Bulbs

When should hyacinth flowers be planted for winter blossoms? Start the bulbs from the middle of September to December. Be sure to buy the bulbs ahead of time, perhaps in late August, to make sure they arrive in time for planting. To have more than one batch of hyacinths during the winter and early spring, plant one or two pots in September, and then another couple pots towards the end of October. Label each pot and mark the date to know when it is time to move the plants out of cold storage.

Knowing how to grow hyacinths during the winter is really not that difficult. These bulb flowers do very well indoors, and add so much beauty and life to the home while it is cold and frozen outside.

Sources:

Brown, Deborah L. and Harold F. Wilkins. “Forcing Bulbs for Indoor Beauty in Winter.” (University of Minnesota Extension).

Pemberton, Gwendolyn H. “Home Forcing of Hyacinths.” (NC State University).