cut the spent blossom, allow the foliage to die back naturally. give it
water, a little bulb food, sparingly, then come summer when the pot is bare,
put it somewhere with a tag on it so she won't forget it. Do they have a
balcony? If so, set the pot out on that and allow it to go thru the seasons.
Come fall, have them put it in the fridge to chill it (not with fruit, the
fruit will kill the flower) in a paper bag, put a pinch of granular bulb
food on top of the soil, and slightly moisten it, but not soaking. Leave it
in the fridge until February first week, bring pot out, start watering it
every 3-4 day and put in an Eastern window. It should return with possible
two flowers instead of one......or they can just plant the whole thing in
the park with other bulbs and it will come back at the proper time next
spring.........
madgardener
"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