Growing Hyacinths in Water

Growing Hyacinths in a vase of water is a traditional method much loved by the Victorians.
Seeing the bulb roots through the glass looks beautiful & is intriguing, especially for children.
You can enjoy the fabulous, heady fragrance of the flowers indoors.
And perhaps best of all, it’s easy to do!

What you’ll need;

• 'Prepared' Hyacinth bulbs. ‘Prepared’ means the bulb has been exposed to cold in storage. These bulbs cost a little more but worth it as they’re ready to grow & flower early in the season, when you need it most.
• A glass vase or jar
• Water
• Gloves are recommended as Hyacinth bulbs can irritate skin & eyes

How to start your bulbs into growth
Step 1

• Fill your vase with water up to the neck of the vase. Then sit your Hyacinth bulb so it sits firmly in the bowl area at the top.
• The water level needs to be about ¼”/0.5cm below the bulb base. If the bulb touches the water, it’ll rot, so avoid this.
• If you have them handy, glass marbles or lozenges can be added (very gently) to the bottom of the vase. This helps keep the vase steady – the flowers & leaves can be heavy when fully grown.
• If you don’t have a classic Hyacinth vase, improvise with jars like this – it works!

​Step 2
  Place the bulb somewhere cool & in low light conditions for about 10 weeks. I put mine in a frost-free greenhouse under the shelving. The bulbs must be kept frost-free.
Refresh the water weekly & keep topped up to level described in step 1.
 Step 3
  When a strong root & bud (approx. 2”/5cms) has formed, bring the vase into a lighter (not bright sunshine) & cool place indoors. The leaves will ‘green up’ & after 3-4 days can be moved to a brighter place, for example a windowsill. If leaves begin growing too fast compared to the bud, return to a cooler position.
  Keep away from temperature extremes – draughts & hot places (such as close to a radiator).
  Step 4
  As the flower opens, move to somewhere you’ll enjoy the intoxicating fragrance. Turn the vase a little each day so they don’t lean towards the sun. A north facing windowsill is perfect. Flowers will typically last up to 2 weeks.
  Different cultivars will grow at different speeds. If you want flowers for Christmas, aim to start your bulbs off by September 24th – but it isn’t an exact science.
  After flowering
  The hyacinth bulbs are exhausted after the effort of producing a flower in water only. Transplant bulbs into the garden after flowering. They may not flower well next year but will recover to produce small blooms in future years.