How do you Grow Hyacinths?
This can be a difficult question to answer for beginner gardeners because of numerous factors including climate, soil, and experience level.
This article will help solve this problem and give beginner gardeners Easy-to-Follow Steps on growing hyacinths ANYWHERE.
And I recommend scrolling to the bottom of this page to find answers to the 7 most frequently asked questions most gardeners have when growing hyacinths.
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Step #1: Plant One of These 5 Types of Hyacinths
When buying and planting one of these 5 types of hyacinths you should make sure that the bulbs are firm, unblemished, with few or no tears to the outer coating.
I am recommending five specific types of Hyacinths that are simple to grow and care for regardless of your experience.
Best of all is that all of these Hyacinths are perennials and beautiful!
A) Ann Marie Hyacinth
- Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8
- Length & Width: 12 inches x 3 inches
- Watering Needs: Average
- Sun Exposure: Full
- Bloom Time: Mid Spring
The Anna Marie Hyacinth is a beautiful and vibrant flower that brings a lovely pink color to spring.
This type of of hyacinth is extremely fragrant and a very popular flower to attract bees.
This is the perfect hyacinth to plant by your doorway, in a flower garden, or even in a container that can add fragrance to your home.
B) Blue Festival Hyacinth
- Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8
- Length & Width: 12 inches x 3 inches
- Watering Needs: Average
- Sun Exposure: Full
- Bloom Time: Mid Spring
When a gardener thinks about hyancinths the blue festival hyacinth is what comes to mind.
This type of perennial flower is extremely fragrant, is tall, and is very unique and attractive to ALL pollinators.
The Blue Festival Hyacinth has a light blue-purple color, blooms for 3 weeks in mid-spring, and is perfect for flower gardens or containers.
C) Blue Jacket Hyacinth
- Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8
- Length & Width: 12 inches x 3 inches
- Watering Needs: Average
- Sun Exposure: Full
- Bloom Time: Mid Spring
The Blue Jacket Hyacinth is my favorite hyacinth on the list because of its bold and vibrant blue flowers that last 2-3 weeks in mid-spring.
This type of hyacinth is heavily scented, has spikes of blue and purple growing from tall green stalks.
Best of all is that this type of flower can be planted next to yellow daffodils to add a beautiful scene to any yard or garden.
D) Blue Star Hyacinth
- Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8
- Length & Width: 12 inches x 3 inches
- Watering Needs: Average
- Sun Exposure: Full
- Bloom Time: Mid Spring
The Blue Star Hyacinth is another beautiful hyacinth that is perfect for any garden, raised garden bed, container, or even indoors.
This is another fragrant hyacinth that attracts pollinators and is extremely dense that grows soft blue flowers on thick green leaves.
What sets this hyacinth apart from others is that it will quickly grow almost anywhere and typically can become higher than other hyacinths in a garden.
E) Carnegie Hyacinth
- Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8
- Length & Width: 12 inches x 3 inches
- Watering Needs: Average
- Sun Exposure: Full
- Bloom Time: Mid Spring
The Carnegie Hyacinth is a unique type of hyacinth with its white flowers and very strong fragrance.
You should expect this type of flower to bloom for three weeks and is the perfect complement to pink or red tulips that will bloom around the same time in mid-spring.
It is recommended to plant this hyacinth in a spot that you can enjoy it, such as in a front-yard flower garden, raised garden bed, or among other perennial flowers.
Step #2: How to Grow Hyacinths from Bulbs
Hyacinths are a beautiful flower that blooms in early to mid-spring.
Unlike conventional thinking, Hyacinths are perennial flowers.
Most flower gardeners think Hyacinths are annual flowers because hybrid hyacinths can become weakened perennials over time.
Step 1 – Plant Your Hyacinths Bulbs in the Fall
First, make sure you buy your appropriate Hyacinths on Amazon on another reputable garden vendor.
Plant your hyacinths bulbs in the fall when your soil has cooled off & the temperature is between 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant your bulbs before the first frost!
Take the temperature of your soil and ensure that it will stay below 60 degrees for 12 weeks or think about planting your hyacinths in pots.
- Hardiness Zones 3 – 5: Plant in September
- Hardiness Zones 6 – 7: Plant in October
- Hardy Zones 8 – 9: Plant in December
*Find Your Hardiness Zone HERE*
Step 2 – Prepare Your Soil THIS Way!
Locate the area of your flower garden or yard where you want to plant your hyacinths.
- Hyacinths do best in an area that receives partial to full afternoon sun.
- The soil should be well-draining and should be neutral to slightly acidic (6.0 – 7.0 pH level).
- The flower garden should be well protected from wind and heavy rain.
Mix 3 inches of Flower Garden Soil to the top 6 inches of your garden soil.
Step 3 – Simply Plant Your Hyacinths Bulbs
To have the most success planting your bulbs you should simply dig a hole 8 inches deep and plant 6 hyacinths bulbs next to each other.
*Make sure the Hyacinths Bulbs “pointy” part is facing up*
Then mix flower fertilizer (that has a 10-10-10 NPK ratio) in the hole (according to the the instructions). And then fill the holes with your flower and garden soil mix.
Next, water your hyacinths bulbs for 15 seconds. This will help promote the start of root growth. Continue to water your bulbs for 15 seconds once a week for the first month.
Then continue this process for as many bulbs as you want to grow. Make sure to spread each set of 10 hyacinths bulbs 4 inches apart.
Step 4 – Do THIS in the Winter
In the beginning of winter you will want to mulch your flower garden bed.
After you mulch, the flower garden bed do nothing else to your hyacinths bulbs the rest of winter.
Step 5 – And do THIS in the Spring
Once the year becomes spring and your hyacinths grow leaves then you should add flower fertilizer again.
Then water your hyacinths once a week until your hyacinths bloom.
As soon your hyacinths petals fall off the flower deadhead it.
And make sure to keep your leaves on the flower for 6 weeks while your flower absorbs and retains energy for next year’s bloom.
Step 6 – Maintain minimal maintenance in summer
Once it becomes summer you should cut the stem and leaves of your hyacinths where it meets the soil.
Do not water your hyacinths in the summer. Do not fertilize your hyacinths in the summer. Simply leave your hyacinths in the ground all summer.
Frequently Asked Questions (9 Questions)
#1. How Do You Grow Hyacinths in Pots?
If you are not able to plant your hyacinths bulbs in an area your garden or yard, or if your soil will not stay below 60 degrees Fahrenheit then you should plant your Hyacinths in a container.
To have the most success planting Hyacinths Bulbs in pots you should do the following:
- Bury your bulbs in a container with 8 inches of Flower Garden Soil over it.
- Make sure the “pointy” end of the bulb is facing up
- Immediately water your hyacinths bulbs for 15 seconds
- Before the first frost of the year move your container to an area of your property that is cool and dry. Keep it here throughout winter
- Once you notice green growth emerging in the winter move your container into a sunny area and begin watering it once a week.
- Once your hyacinths petals fall off you will want to deadhead your flower.
- Let the green growth of your plant remain for 6 weeks. Then cut it and your stem where it meets your soil.
#2. How Do I Water My Hyacinths?
You should water your Hyacinths three different ways.
- Immediately after you plant your hyacinths bulbs you should soak the soil for 15 seconds
- Continue watering your hyacinths bulbs once a week for the first month and then don’t water until the spring
- Begin watering your hyacinths once a week once green growth returns in the spring
#3. How Do I Feed My Hyacinths?
To properly feed your hyacinths with fertilizer you should wait until the hyacinth flowers have faded and begun falling off your flower.
To have the most success use Hyacinths Fertilizer. This will help your hyacinths store nutrients properly for the next season.
For best results, simply follow the instructions on your fertilizer product.
#4. How Do I Cut Hyacinths?
If you want to display your hyacinths indoors then cut hyacinths when the flowers have grown and just blossomed.
Place the cut hyacinths in a vase with water at room temperature. Every few days change your water.
If you want your hyacinths to last longer in the vase then you should add Miracle-Gro for Fresh Cut Flowers.
#5. How Do I Protect my Hyacinths from Pests
The biggest threat to your hyacinths is deer, squirrels, and chipmunks. This is both when your hyacinths are growing and blooming.
To prevent your bulbs from digging up place bird netting over the ground where they are planted.
*It should be noted that even though Hyacinth is toxic to deer and squirrels there have been numerous cases that they will eat the leafy green part of your flower before the flowers blossom or after they have died.
#6. How do I Prevent Common Hyacinths Diseases
The most common hyacinths diseases and harmful insects are gray molds, slugs, snail, aphids, nematodes, and bulb rot.
You can help prevent these diseases and harmful insects by using a fungicide spray and an insecticide spray in early spring as green growth begins to emerge.
#7. What are the Best Uses for Hyacinths?
Hyacinths are best used for indoor display, but can also add color to raised garden beds, container gardening, or even in your traditional flower garden.
Hyacinths can complement columbines, azaleas, lilacs, daffodils, crocus, and even hyacinths.
#8. What types of Bulb Should I buy?
Purchasing Hyacinths Bulbs is a much easier task than say vegetable or herb seeds, where you have to worry about GMOs, Organic, Heirloom, etc.
When buying hyacinths bulbs you should stick to hybrid or heirloom. These will give you the best success in growing Hyacinths.
Hybrid Hyacinths Bulbs are weakened perennials that may or may not come up every year.
Heirlom Hyacinths Bulbs are perennial bulbs that come up yearly but have a higher risk of contracting a disease, harmful insect, or fungus.
Just as important is where you buy your bulbs from. I recommend buying your seeds from Amazon. This will provide you with the best price and quickest delivery.
#9. What Type of Gardening Pot Should I Buy?
I recommend buying one type of pot.
Buy a 5-gallon pot.
- This is essential if you want to allow your hyacinths to grow to its fullest. It is also important if you want to continue to grow your hyacinths outside.
