HOW TO GROW
CHRISTMAS-HYACINTH

Decorate your Christmas table with beautiful Christmas-Hyacinth in full bloom.

And take pleasure in the fragrance they exude.

These plants really are ideal as winter flowering specimens.

They come in shades of blue, red, yellow, white and look splendid if displayed on their own or in groups of the same colour.

Try this little trick for an eye-catching display, group red and white together or blue and yellow together.

The red and white grouped together are especially eye-catching as they will compliment your Christmas settings and decorations.

So how do you have flowering hyacinth at Christmas?

Well it's really quite easy.

The most attractive way is to grow them in glass or transparent plastic bulb vases.

These can be bought from most good garden centres, nurseries, garden mail order company's and even on line quite cheaply.

Buy yourself some hyacinth bulbs, but be careful here, you must make sure they are the right ones.

Hyacinth bulbs for winter flowering are labeled "prepared", so these are the ones you want.

Ordinary bulbs will not flower for Christmas!

Simply fill the glass or transparent plastic vase with water, just below the neck and place your bulb in the top, roots down.

You just need to make sure that the water does not touch the bulb, it needs to be just below it.

That's it. Now is that simple or what?

Alternatively you could use plastic hyacinth vases which come in several attractive colours.

These are just as easy to use as the glass vases but differ slightly as they usually have a removable top with three clips, which hold the bulb in place.

The white plastic top is removable and the water in the vase needs to be just below the bottom of the bulb when the top is fitted.

These plastic vases can be bought from the same outlets as the glass ones.

These small plastic vases are quite attractive and again you can display the hyacinth when they are in flower, on their own or in groups.

Match the colour of the plastic to the colour of the flower or use contrasting colours. The choice is yours. What ever compliments your settings.

Well that's the real simple bit.

Now for the really easy bit!

For the bulbs to flower at Christmas you need to start this in September or very early October.

When you have decided on your type of vase and bulb colours and have done all the above place them in a cool place, around 48 deg F.

They also need to be in the dark, so a nice cool cupboard would be ideal.

They are best covered with black plastic, dustbin bags would be ideal, just lay it over them to exclude all light.

Check every few days and top up with water if necessary.

But remember the water should not touch the bottom of the bulb.

After about eight to ten weeks the bulbs will have produced an extensive root system and a pale green growing tip about 5cm (2inches) long.

At this stage they need light to continue developing so move them to a room that is cool and free from strong light.

A position opposite a north facing window would be ideal, but make sure they are away from radiators and drafts.

The leaves will start to turn a darkish green as they get stronger and mature.

Once the leaves have darkened move them to a slightly warmer area and nearer to a window to increase light levels.

Don't place them in a window that receives direct sunlight. A north facing window is ideal.

Remove them from the window at night to prevent sudden temperature changes.

Be careful at this time, they don't like draughts or a dry atmosphere.

So avoid placing them near radiators or open doors or windows.

They will benefit enormously if you stand the vase on pot stands filled with water. This raises the humidity, which is what you want.

That's it really other than to say enjoy your hyacinth while tucking in to your Christmas lunch.

You can tell your family and friends "I did those".

Hey, they would even make a nice Christmas present for loved ones, family, friends, or just as a treat for you.

If you want any further information on this plant or how to propagate and grow any of your favourite garden ( yard ) plants please feel free to contact us

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