How to Store Hyacinth Bulbs Purchased in Spring

Hyacinth flower.

Hyacinths normally flower in the spring, offering lovely blooms in dense clusters. Varieties include the single, double and multiflora hyacinth, the latter offering a loose display of flowers less formal than the classic single or double blooms. Saving hyacinth flower bulbs in the spring so you can force a bloom later in the year will allow you the pleasure of enjoying these eye-catching beauties in the late summer and early fall.

Things You'll Need

• Hyacinth bulbs
• Mesh or ventilated bag
• Potting soil
• Perlite or vermiculite
• Spagham moss
• Pot
• Refrigerator

Instructions

1. Use large hyacinth bulbs free from mold and mildew that are dense and weighty for the best chances of a full bloom. It is OK to store bulbs for several weeks in the refrigerator before potting in a ventilated bag with wood shavings, but keep them away from all food sources. Hyacinths are poisonous.

2. Mix your own soil mix from equal parts of each of the following: perlite or vermiculite, spagham moss and soil. Do not use regular garden soil or potting mix.

3. Fill a pot 3/4 of the way full with the soil mix. Fill the container with bulbs, and arrange additional soil loosely around the hyacinth bulbs. Avoid packing the container to the top with soil.

4. Place the pot inside of a refrigerator not used for food storage.

5. Keep the hyacinth bulbs in the refrigerator for 14 weeks to initiate a bloom. Check the potting soil regularly for moisture, and add water as needed. Keep soil lightly damp, but not heavily saturated. A full bloom will happen several weeks after the bulbs are taken out of the refrigerator.

Tips & Warnings

• When storing the bulbs in a mesh bag, in a refrigerator used for food storage, clearly label the bag and place it in a vegetable bin, away from all other items.

• Never store hyacinth bulbs in a refrigerator used for food if young children reside in the household.

References

• The Flower Expert: Hyacinth
• University of Kentucky: Spring, Summer, and Fall Bulbs
• The Plant Expert: Storing Bulbs before Potting Up

Resources

• Gardening Know How: Information on Storing Bulbs in Southern Climates
• You Grow Girl: Forcing Bulbs for Winter