Hyacinth

Hyacinth (Hyacinthus) is a beautiful bulbous plant from the Asparagaceae family that blooms in spring. From the ancient Greek language, the name is translated as "rain flower", as the hyacinth blooms with the first spring rains. But the Greeks also called it "the flower of sorrow" and associated this flower with Apollo and the murder of the young son of the king of Sparta. The homeland of this graceful plant is the Mediterranean and Southeast Asia.

The flowering stem of the hyacinth can be either short or rather tall. A juicy peduncle emerges from the rosette of leaves with numerous flowers that resemble bells and are collected in a racemose inflorescence. Flowers are presented in the most unexpected shades. The leaves are smooth, fleshy, bright green.

Popular types of hyacinth

All possible hyacinths can be divided into three main types, which grow mainly in Mediterranean countries. Although botanists continue to dispute about some varieties, wanting to designate them as independent, according to official data, only the following main types of hyacinths are distinguished:

Oriental hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) - the most famous and widespread species. It is from this species that the most famous decorative varieties come from. It grows wild in Dalmatia, Greece and Asia Minor. The peduncle of the plant is thin, the flowers are rarely located. The flowers have a different color and a pleasant aroma.

Hyacinth Litvinova - a perennial herb that is cultivated more like an annual. In the wild, it is found in the eastern regions of Iran and Turkmenistan. Among this species, both tall and undersized specimens are found. The flower is extraordinarily beautiful. Dominated by blue, purple and greenish colors. The leaves are slightly wider than those of the oriental hyacinth.

Transcaspian hyacinth - has rather high stems, as a rule, two peduncles. The color of the flowers is always light blue. In the wild, it is found in the Kopetdag mountains.

Hyacinth care at home

Hyacinth is primarily a garden plant. If you want to grow it at home, you need to recreate the natural conditions as much as possible. This task is not an easy one, but with due diligence and zeal, a novice florist can also cope.

Location and lighting

The best option is south and southeast windows. And the reason lies in the great love for sunlight. Hyacinth needs daylight - at least 15 hours a day. So, if you place it on the west or north side, you will have to help the plant with fluorescent lamps.

Even if the plant loves light, direct sunlight can harm it, therefore, on hot summer days, it is better to shade the windows or remove the plant from the windowsill during the day. The pot with the plant periodically needs to be turned in different directions.

Temperature

A sharp change in heat and cold, drafts, hot batteries - all this negatively affects the flower. The most suitable temperature for the comfortable growth of hyacinth is - 20-22 degrees Celsius. But, given that this flower is primarily positioned as a garden flower, then being on the street or on the balcony in the warm season will only benefit him.

Watering and humidity

The plant needs regular but gentle watering. Watering must be done very carefully. If water ends up on any part of the plant, then this part may begin to rot and as a result the hyacinth will die. A safe option is to water by immersion, and it is better to refuse watering cans. The water should be warm, soft and settled.

Hyacinth does not need to be sprayed. And when it blooms - it is generally contraindicated!

The soil

The optimal soil composition for hyacinth will be a substrate of leafy soil, humus, peat, turf and sand. All this must be mixed in equal parts.

Top dressing and fertilizers

Hyacinth constantly needs feeding. As a fertilizer, you can use any universal for indoor plants. For hyacinths in the garden, fertilizers can be applied both dry and dissolved. But before applying liquid fertilizers, the plant must be watered.

Bulb selection and distillation of hyacinths

In order to get a beautiful flower in the future, hyacinth bulbs should be purchased only in proven specialized stores. When buying bulbs, you need to take a good look and make sure they are not damaged or diseased. A healthy plant will grow only if the bulb is elastic and smooth, which has a clear neck and shoulders. In most cases, the color of the scales and bulbs coincides with the future inflorescence. Its size does not always indicate the quality of the bulb, however, if its diameter is within 5 cm, this is a good indicator. The best time to buy bulbs is at the end of summer.

If you are going to buy an already adult plant, you need to carefully examine the leaves and stem of the hyacinth. The stem should be straight, the leaves should also be facing up, and the peduncle should not be tilted.

How to get flowers at the right time

In order to get a chic peduncle from the bulb, you need to provide the plant with the coolness of this autumn. During this period, the temperature regime should be within 5-9 degrees Celsius. This can be achieved by sending the plant to the basement or to the bottom shelf in the refrigerator. And to enhance the effect, the bulb in the ground can be wrapped in an opaque bag. Of course, leaving during this period is minimized. Surprisingly, it is these conditions that are optimal for the active growth of hyacinth. This usually lasts for 2 months.

When a sprout (about 5 cm) appears, the plant needs "spring", that is, the temperature regime needs to be changed to 13-15 degrees. At this temperature, it must be kept until the first buds appear. And with their appearance, hyacinth needs a temperature of 20-22 degrees Celsius. The temperature transition must be smooth, otherwise the flower may die or look painful.

Hyacinth care after flowering

After flowering, during the dormant period, the most important thing for a hyacinth is the correct temperature regime. Watering should be done in moderation. When the hyacinth has faded and its leaves wither, it's time to tackle the bulb. The peduncle and leaves should be trimmed and the bulb dug out. This usually happens in June.

The bulb must be carefully examined if there is a need (or for preventive purposes) to disinfect. And then, changing the temperature regime from 30 to 17 degrees, store it until the autumn disembarkation.

Planting hyacinth at home in a pot

When planting hyacinth, it is allowed to place up to 3 bulbs in one pot (their sizes are taken into account). The bulbs should not be in contact with the walls of the pot and with each other - there should be 2 cm between them. The pots should be medium in size. Drainage must be poured at the bottom of the pot - it can be river sand, which should occupy 2 cm in the pot.The top of the bulb should be raised above the soil. After planting, the substrate must be pressed, watered and sprinkled with sand. Then the pot must be placed in a bag, tied, but first make several holes in it and put away in a cool, dark place.

Some grow hyacinths without soil in water. This is a very real way, but a prerequisite is mineral fertilizers dissolved in water. The hyacinth bulb should be on the surface of the container, only slightly touching the water. For a while, she should be in a dark, cool room. And with the appearance of roots, the plant should be moved to a bright room.

Reproduction of hyacinth at home

There are several ways to breed hyacinths. At home, relevant: baby bulbs and scales. In a natural way, you can get a maximum of 5 children from one bulb during the growing season. To achieve maximum results, use the onion incision method. The process requires changing temperature conditions and regular fungicide treatment. But if everything is done correctly, then after 3 months small baby bulbs are guaranteed to appear.

Diseases and pests

The main pests of hyacinths are aphids, thrips, spider mites, stem and root nematodes, flower flies. They are able to destroy the plant - the leaves turn yellow, wither, the buds fall off, the bulbs become rotten and rot. Each individual case has its own control methods, but most of them are associated with the use of insecticides.

In addition to pests, various diseases become enemies of hyacinths, which can be non-infectious, infectious, viral, bacterial and fungal in nature. The most common and dangerous are yellow bacterial rot and soft bacterial rot. In a diseased plant, the leaves turn black and dry out from the top. Watery and brown stripes appear along the veins of the leaves and on the peduncle. Yellow spots first appear on the bulbs, and then all the bulbs rot and begin to emit a stench. Such a plant cannot be saved. A diseased plant and bulb should be burned, and the hole should be treated with formalin or bleach.

Problems of growing hyacinths

If the hyacinth is improperly taken care of, then the following problems may arise:

• The hyacinth stops blooming. This is usually due to a violation of the temperature regime. The plant does not like too high temperatures.
• The leaves of the plant turn yellow. Most often this happens against the background of improper watering or due to drafts.
• The leaves are withering. This is due to the lack of natural light.
• The buds are falling. This is due to improper watering. It must be carried out carefully so that water does not fall on the peduncle.
• Flowers rot. This happens when the plant is too "loved" (too watered).

Hyacinth is a rather unpretentious plant. With proper home care, there will be no particular cause for concern. It can be successfully grown by both experienced and novice amateur flower growers.

Video - how to grow hyacinth at home