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

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

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

I received a gift basket this season filled with tulips, hyacinths and
daffodils. Enclosed was an instruction sheet. I'll skip the instructions
for caring
for it before it blooms. Here's the info for after.

Forcing flower bulbs depletes their reserves. If you wish to try to save
the bulbs for planting in the garden the following season, follow these
steps: Remove the flower heads as they fade. Do not remove the leaves or
stem. When the foliage dies back, stop watering and store the
bulbs in a dry location. Plant the bulbs in the fall 8" deep.

I store bulbs in a bag of dry potting soil or peat moss in a cool place.
Refrigerator or cool basement works. Hope this helps.

Penny
Zone 7b - North Carolina
"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

On Mon, 24 Mar 2003 17:02:33 -0800, Polar
wrote:


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.

Thanks to our three dear gardeners who sent advice. Have forwarded it
to the NY relative, who will, I'm sure, be equally grateful.


--
Polar