If she has a place where she can plant it outside (seems a bit unlikely on
the Upper West Side), she should remove the spent flower now, keep the
foliage watered and lightly fertilized, and plant it outside when the
weather moderates, in about 2-4 weeks. (My outdoor hyacinths are breaking
ground now, but hers has been pampered.) Let the foliage wither and dry
naturally. It may or may not bloom next year, but should bloom thereafter;
I have some formerly forced bulbs that have been coming back and blooming
for 17 years. As they naturalize, the individual blossoms are held more
loosely on the bloom stalk, but I like they way they look, and they smell
even sweeter than the forced ones.

If she doesn't have outdoor garden space, just discard it.

Sue

Zone 6, Southcentral PA


"Polar" wrote in message
...

You-all Easterners, can you help a relative who just called me
about her indoor hyacinth? They live on the Upper West Side in NYC.
The hyacinth bloomed for about 10 days (filling the apt with wonderful
perfume, she said).

Now she wants to know whether to cut it back, or?

I have never grown hyacinths. Looked in Western Garden
Book but it didn't give any information about post-bloom.

Since it's a bulb, I assumed one should cut it back, but do
not know Eastern conditions; also have little-to-no experience with
bulbs. Off the top of my head, I'd think it should be cut back, but
need to wait until stem dries, or cut back while green?

She kind of assumes it was forced, at this time of year, but
doesn't know for sure, and has heard that forced bulbs don't do well
the following year, if they do save it in the frig. or? She also
also doesn't know the variety.

That's about all the info I have. Grateful for your wisdom,
which I'll pass on to the East.

--

Polar
Email copies welcome