Hyacinths

[vamo48]

We've got a small bowl of hyacinths (an anniversary gift) which are now past their best, and I am wondering if there is some way to save them to eventually flower again in the garden.  Does anyone know what to do, or should I just compost them and buy new ones?

Also, any suggestions for scented houseplants that would live longer than bulbs?

[1956glyn]

Hi.

This is what i do in relation to the Hyacinths.

Wait for the Hyacinths to stop flowering and then remove them from the bowl, let them dry out and when all the greenery has dried out cut it off.   Then store the bulbs in a dark place (in my case the cupboard under the stairs) and then about September /October get them out and replant them in a bowl.     Personally i would not put them in the garden as i have tried that before but without success.   They rotted 😞

[vamo48]

Thank you. The flowers are dying, have gone droopy and don't smell so nice, so I assume it's ok to remove them now, as I doubt if there are any more to come.  I will try them in a bowl later in the year.  Maybe they are bred for indoors so are not so hardy.

[023mjc]

Cut the flowers and stems off, but leave the leaves.  Plant them 4 - 6 inches deep in the garden, or a large pot outside and they'll come up next year.

[1956glyn]

Not in my garden they didnt Maz they rotted lol

I guess it depends a lot on your soil and the area you live in.

[023mjc]

Our soil is thick heavy clay, although I have replaced some of it with compost and mixed it in well.  I have always planted daffs from the mothers day baskets, and hyacinths from christmas gifts etc. They always come up.

Had a basket full of miniture daffs last year from my son. I planted them out in the early summer when the flowers had gone and the leaves had died off, and they're about 2 inches tall so far this year.

[vamo48]

That's very encouraging, thanks! Worth a try, I think.  Our soil is clay, but a lot of our plants are in containers so I think the hyacinths might do better in one of those.  They're a lovely shade of blue and it would be good if they came up again. 

[1956glyn]

Sounds to me as if it only works if you live down south 😞

[vamo48]

I do live down south, so maybe I'll be lucky!

[dark_castle1]

I am so green fingered I could easily ..........................

Kill PLASTIC flowers !       

[1956glyn]

Hi.

Glyns pet hate is artificial flowers of any nature. He is a massive keen gardener.

A near neighbour has hanging baskets full of plastic flowers....Yuck  

We drove by the other day and now they have a lovely bed of plastic flowers under their bay window .

it just looks so wrong lol

(Shirl Glyns wife)

[ilove2patch]

I plant them out & they all grow. I am 'down south' too.

[vamo48]

Thanks, Maggie, I'll be putting them in a container in the garden in the near future.  Any ideas for a houseplant that would like to sit under a window in a bedroom?  There's a radiator nearby but we don't keep the room very warm usually. I want something with a longer lifespan than a bulb, scented would be nice. 

[ilove2patch]

I have orchids in the windows but they aren't scented. Jasmine smell nice but are an untidy plant.

[ed_blackadder_1]

Some Hoyas smell nice, Jasmines can be trained around a wire.

[captainbovine]

I have had all the minature daffs that I planted survive but I did loose the hyacinths, sounds like a good plan to dry them out. I put ours in the shed but just remember you have them in there!!!

I had a lovely gift of some purple ones this year they were very gently scented which is good as I hate the strong ones. I think I  didn't water them enough though, as they died off pretty quickly.

[vamo48]

I love the smell of jasmines but didn't think they could live indoors

[merc1_clocks]

  My youngest daughter was highly allergic to Hyacinths, so unfortunately, I have never had them