Hyacinth is a Gift of Spring this Mid-Winter
Visiting someone over the holidays and don’t want to arrive empty handed? Don’t know what to bring? Florissa has the perfect gift idea that’s fun to give and receive – hyacinth on glass. Nothing could be more effortless than bringing a hyacinth into bloom indoors, and in mid-winter their lovely spicy and sweet scent hints that spring is just around the corner.
Kits with prepared hyacinth bulbs on vases are available at your local garden centre, and when it comes to spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment giving, having a kit within reach lets the mood be joyful and light. Prepared hyacinths bulbs are those that have received a chilling treatment that imitates winter. Prepared Hyacinth bulbs have been dug in early in mid-June and have had a specific temperature treatment to advance the flower formation in the bulb. The bulbs still require a cool and dark period for approximately 10-12 weeks at 9°C. After this time there should be a 2-3” sprout and can be moved into a room temperature area and blooms will appear in 2-3 weeks. Bulbs planted by September 30th will be in bloom by Christmas! One of the earliest varieties to bloom, Hyacinth Anne Marie has cherry blossom pink florets to soften those gray winter days. Other prepared varieties include the bright rich red of Jan Bos, snow white L’Innocence, and of course, the ever-popular Delft Blue.
Visiting someone over the holidays and don’t want to arrive empty handed? Don’t know what to bring? Florissa has the perfect gift idea that’s fun to give and receive – hyacinth on glass. Nothing could be more effortless than bringing a hyacinth into bloom indoors, and in mid-winter their lovely spicy and sweet scent hints that spring is just around the corner.
Kits with prepared hyacinth bulbs on vases are available at your local garden centre, and when it comes to spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment giving, having a kit within reach lets the mood be joyful and light. Prepared hyacinths bulbs are those that have received a chilling treatment which imitates winter. These bulbs still need to be kept cool and in the dark for another 8 weeks or so, but prepared bulbs are eager to flower much sooner. One of the earliest varieties to bloom, Hyacinth Anne Marie has cherry blossom pink florets to soften those gray winter days. Other prepared varieties include the bright rich red of Jan Bos, snow white L’Innocence, and of course, the ever-popular Delft Blue.
Purchase prepared hyacinths bulbs and you can easily create your own kits, growing them in glass containers without drainage holes, such as jam jars, among pebbles and stones.
Regular hyacinth bulbs can be forced too, but they’ll need a longer cooling period of up to 13 weeks. Choose two or three of your favorite colours and select big, firm bulbs. Woodstock is one of the most beautiful hyacinths to force indoors with deep dark reddish-purple blooms. Giving one to yourself is a wonderful way to celebrate the season.
To bring a hyacinth on glass into bloom, fill the lower portion of a forcing vase with water and set the bulb over it. Place the rooting side down just over the water, but keep the base of the bulb dry. Only a few millimeters away, the water and moisture below the bulb is enough to encourage roots to grow down into the vase.
Set Your Hyacinth…
Set your hyacinth on glass in a cool and dark place, with temperatures of 7-12°C (45-55°F) and good air circulation, for about 8-13 weeks. Basements and garages often provide these ideal conditions. Check on the bulb and vase once a week to ensure the water level is where it should be, just below the bulb, and that roots are developing. When necessary add a little more water to the vase. Replace cloudy water by tipping out the liquid, and then refill the vase with fresh water at room temperature.
When a growth tip has appeared and is about 2.5 cm (1”) tall, bring your hyacinth on glass to a window which receives bright, indirect light. Place the bulb and vase on the window sill and a stem will start growing towards the light. Keep the stem from leaning by turning the vase occasionally. Watching and waiting for the flower buds to appear is the best part, and after 2-3 weeks, a beautiful stem of florets is ready to bloom.
Moving your hyacinth on glass to a cooler spot in the house prolongs the blooms. Whether you place the stem in a room where everyone gathers, or a more secluded spot that you enjoy for yourself, let the heavenly fragrance wake up and refresh your senses.
