Thanks to distillation, hyacinth blooms at an unusual time for it – at the end of winter or at the beginning of spring. This is an agricultural technique: the plant is artificially brought out of a dormant state, stimulating the growth process. In order for the hyacinth to please flowering, special conditions must be created. Then the plant goes through the necessary stages of development in a short time and blooms at an unusual time for the culture. Distillation of hyacinths becomes most relevant by March 8, when you need to get these amazingly beautiful flowers for the spring women’s day. How this work is carried out will be discussed in the article.
Planting material: bulbs
In order for the plant to bloom in late winter or early spring, planting material is taken care of in September. Root tubers are dug up when the hyacinth has faded and the leaves have dried. Often planting material is bought. It is important that the purchase indicates “for forcing” – it is understood that the dormant period has passed and the bulb is ready to bloom. Then, until distillation, it is stored at + 17C.
For distillation of hyacinth at home, large enough bulbs are needed, up to 5-7 cm in diameter, and any damage should be absent. Smaller root tubers will also bloom, but they will not give a beautiful inflorescence – only a few flowers will appear.
There are several requirements for the bulbs:
- Quite heavy.
- Dense, friable and sagging places are unacceptable.
- No surface damage.
- No mold or stains.
- A small bottom (if large, then the hyacinth is old).
If suddenly a blue coating appears during storage (this is such a mold), the material is treated – for example, with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or phytosporin. Bulbs need to be kept in water for an hour, then dried.
Preparing and timing for distillation
Before planting hyacinths for distillation, bulbous plants create a dormant period – at least half a month, and it is better for them to lie in a cold place at + 5- + 8 C for 3 weeks. Suitable conditions are created on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Root tubers can be stored in a paper or cloth bag.
In the future, 40-45 days (6 weeks) hyacinths need to create conditions for distillation in a dark place. At least another month will pass before receiving a beautiful arrow – a bud. In general, from the dormant period to the opening of the inflorescence, 13-14 weeks are required – 3.5 months. This data will help calculate the start of distillation. It’s not a problem if flowering comes earlier – it will last 2-3 weeks.
To achieve flowering in November-December, distillation begins in early autumn. If inflorescences are required in December-January, the procedure should start in mid-autumn. For late flowering (spring) – in October or November.
step landing
For planting hyacinths for forcing at home, choose suitable containers, taking into account the fact that the diameter of the pot should depend on the number of plants. The height of the container is at least 15 cm. For one hyacinth, you need a small container, slightly larger than the bulb itself.
The quality of flowers will be better if the plant is placed in an individual container or together with two more bulbs in standard pots (diameter 12-15 cm). If lush simultaneous flowering of hyacinths is required, it is undesirable to plant tubers of different varieties together – they can bloom non-simultaneously, turn out to be of different sizes and shapes.
Drainage is poured to the bottom with a layer of 2-3 cm (coarse sand, stones are suitable). Thanks to this, the water will not stagnate, and the hyacinths will not rot. The substrate for forcing hyacinth in a pot can be used ready-made or you can make it yourself.
Peat, river sand and garden soil are added in equal proportions. Sometimes they are limited to clean sand, because the bulbous ones do not need to be fed during the growing season.
Forcing algorithm:
- It is necessary to fill the container or pot with loose soil.
- Bulbs need to be planted in the ground so that they are 75% immersed in the soil, and 25% are outside. The level of the bulbous tops should match the level of the container.
- It is important to keep the distance between the bulbs – an average of 25 mm.
Bulbs are planted in a container with loose earth. Root tubers do not fall asleep completely, a third should be located on the surface. For hyacinth, it is important that the soil depth is at least 8-10 cm. During forcing, the root system grows in a pot.
Containers are covered with inverted pots or thick paper bags, where ventilation holes are made. It is undesirable to use a plastic bag so that the root tubers do not rot. The containers are placed in a dark place for 40-45 days (+5 – +9 degrees). Only in this case the artificial winter will be recreated correctly.
If the condition is not met, among the possible problems are an elongated or low stem, unsaturated color, deformed inflorescences, unopened buds. Plants are watered as the soil dries out, but the ground should be slightly damp.
Final stage
After 10-15 weeks, sprouts wake up. When the stems reach a height of 4-6 cm, the pot must be taken out of the refrigerator or the place of “wintering” and transferred for several days to a cool, shaded room (+12-+15C). The paper is not removed.
During this period, the root system will already form and the arrow will begin to stretch – the peduncle. The formation of the bud and the splendor of the inflorescence depend on the right conditions. After 9-10 days, the flower is gradually opened to sunlight.
If you immediately transfer the plant from a dark refrigerator to a bright place, burns will appear on the leaves. Shading promotes elongation and active leaf growth. In the future, within a month, the flower can be at + 15- + 20 degrees in good light.
During this period, the peduncle should reach 15 cm. When the leaves have opened and the hyacinth is preparing to bloom, you can change the location to a more lit place. It is important that there is no direct sun and drafts, the temperature regime is +20 C.
Flowering and actions after flowering
Hyacinth flowering at home begins a month after being transferred to the light, lasts up to three weeks. If you want to extend the process, the container is moved to a cool room. Then the hyacinth will please flowering for another week or two.
Flower growers who are doing this work for the first time have questions about what to do with hyacinth bulbs after forcing, can they be stored and used in the future? When the plant fades and the leaves dry up, the bulb is taken out of the ground and stored in a dark, cool place until autumn.
Then planted in open ground. Another year or two, this hyacinth does not bloom, restores strength. In addition, not all varieties are able to endure severe frosty winters. It is not always possible to keep the root tuber until autumn in this way.
Therefore, after flowering, the peduncle is often removed and the plant is periodically watered. If the hyacinth was in a cramped and narrow container, a more spacious container is selected for it. The new pot should have high-quality drainage, and the earth is mixed with river sand for greater friability. The container is placed in a bright place and the hyacinth is taken care of like the rest of the plants. The following spring, they are planted in a flower bed without deepening the base of the bulb.
distillation in water
Distillation of hyacinth in water is recommended when it is urgently necessary to achieve flowering of this plant, for example, in order to get flowers by March 8 or any other desired date. However, the bulbs after such distillation will not be suitable for further use.
To carry out this work, they take glasses into which clean water is poured. The distance between the bottom of the bulb and the water should be 2 cm. The bottom should not be allowed to come into contact with water in order to avoid rotting of the bulb.
The glass is wrapped with thick paper and put into a room with a temperature of 5 – 9 degrees. A refrigerator is suitable for this purpose. After a couple of months, the bulb will form a root system.
We must not forget to regularly add water to the glass. After the formation of roots, it is necessary to add a small amount of mineral fertilizer to the water. After 1.5 – 2.5 months, when the bulb starts to grow, the glass should be moved to a warm place. Cover the peduncle with plastic wrap or a plastic cap. Remove the shelter when the peduncle grows to 8 cm.
The flowering of plants obtained in this way does not last long. You can extend the life of flowers by placing them in a cool room with a temperature of 10 – 14 degrees.
