We have a hycinth bulb suspended in a glass jar filled with water on a south
facing window sill.

After a week or so the water develops a green algae on the bottom of the jar
and a pale greenish tinge to the water colour.

Would this algae contain nutrients *useful* for the descending bulb roots,
or are we better tipping away the water and replacing with fresh water every
few days. Thanks.

Usually the bulb is put into the glass, the water filled up to just below the base of the bulb, and the glass is placed in a dark cool cupboard until the shoot is two inches or so high. By that time there should be good root growth and the plant is brought into daylight, but out of the sun.

I would remove the glass from the sunny site and move it somewhere darker. Replace the water.

"john royce" wrote in message
...
We have a hycinth bulb suspended in a glass jar filled with water on a
south facing window sill.

After a week or so the water develops a green algae on the bottom of the
jar and a pale greenish tinge to the water colour.

Would this algae contain nutrients *useful* for the descending bulb roots,
or are we better tipping away the water and replacing with fresh water
every few days. Thanks.


Your hyacinth bulb needs no extra nutrients just now; the bulb itself is the
food store. Provided you bought a full-size (ready to flower) bulb, there
should be enough food to generate the flower and all growth needed. Only
after flowering may you need to feed the bulb, but I think many people
simply discard them.

I have never tried this particular technique, but a friend of mine did. Her
biggest problem was mould developing on the bulb. I doubt that the algal
growth you are seeing is in any way harmful. I would leave it, but change
the water if it offends you.

Spider