Forcing - Agrotechnical methods that interrupts in a plant state of rest and is able to influence the flowering hyacinth in unusual period for it. We will tell you how to make flowering bulbs release a flower stalk and to bloom in winter.
Selection of bulb
Choose a large and heavy bulb without external damages. The bulbs should mature well for a successful forcing. The minimum diameter of the bulb should be 0.2 in (5 mm).
Big bulbs are blooming better than smaller ones. In small bulbs leaves appear, but the flowers will not. Before planting the bulbs is treated with growth stimulant and disinfect.
Selection of Pot
A pot for planting is chosen not deep but wide. It must have an opening at the bottom for removal of excess moisture.
The soil
Soil composition for forcing at home: leaf soil, sand and peat. All components are taken in equal proportions and are added crushed charcoal.
Preparing flower bulbs: Before planting in the bottom of the pot is placed a layer of drainage from the expanded clay. Then poured a small layer of soil and is planted bulb. From above fill up the lacking ground after planting the bulb.
After planting, 1/3 of the root should be at the soil surface. If you plant a few bulbs in one pot, you will need to make the distance between the bulbs at least 1.2 in (3-4 cm).
Put on top of the pot a dark flask which should have some holes for ventilation. You can use as a flask: a dark bag, a pot of the same size or a plastic bottle.
The pot is placed in a dark place where the temperature is 42-47° F (6-8° C) and high humidity there must be a hyacinth during 3.5-4 months.
In summer, you can put a flower in a deep cellar or refrigerator.
You must create maximum the winter conditions of detention. Hyacinth is watered with cool water only when the soil dries. The soil is constantly kept in a slightly moist.
After 3.5 months you should see sprouts. The flask is removed and the pot is transferred to a lighted place at temperature 72-75° F (22-24° C).
Temperature and lighting is gradually increased during 10 days. Direct sunlight on the leaves of plants is unacceptable.
With increasing temperature indicators you need to increase watering. The temperature of water for watering is like habitat. Water should be soft. In the water are added mineral fertilizers for successful flowering.
Hyacinth should bloom a month later. The flowering period lasts up to 3 weeks. For longer flowering pot is placed in a cool place at temperature 41-60° F (5 - 15 degrees).
Forcing hyacinths in water
You need to take special vase in which the narrowed neck and the extended top. (Look at the photo).
Slightly to plunge into the water should only be the bottom edge of the flower bulbs.
Water is used rainy, soft or melted snow. You can buy distilled water.
The vase should be placed in a dark place where the temperature is 46-50° F (8-10 degrees), and every 10 days is replaced by water.
The pot is transferred to warm environment when the sprouts will grow up to 2-5 cm in length and the roots will reach 10 cm.
Hyacinth begins to actively grow up when the room temperature rises significantly.
Hyacinth for the New Year will please you their beautiful colorful flowers if you begin forcing in late autumn.
Instructions what to do after flowering hyacinth?
If the bulbs do not effloresced during the first year they are planted outside and re-forcing is carried out 2 years later.
Usually forcing bulbs is carried out in the winter and nowhere to plant them after flowering because usually during this period snow and frost on the street.
- Method 1 how to keep the bulbs: Put them in sawdust or peat litter. In this condition, store the bulbs until the autumn and the end of November you must drop them off on the open ground. But the bulbs in a dry form often do not survive before the spring and dry up.
- Method 2: Cut off the flower spike which is withered not taking out him out of the land. You have to maintain the soil in the semi-dry condition. The optimum temperature for containing is 50-60° F (10-15 degrees). Hyacinth is resistant to temperatures of 42-47° F (6-8 degrees).
Hyacinth in the middle of spring is transplanted into the garden, but the neck of the bulb must remain on the surface. Such plants can be blooming in next year.
Maternal bulb during this time restores the force and appears the babes. The bulbs are dug out before planting and during 2-3 days they are dried. Well-developed plant babies are separated from the mother plant. If the plant babies are weak, they stay to ripen until next year.
Gardeners do not recommend to immediately be used for forcing faded bulbs. They need to be transplanted into the garden, where they will blossom naturally.
For successful forcing, gardeners do not normally allow plant to bloom. Forcing is necessary to do in the beginning of winter to by early spring to enjoy the abundant flowering hyacinth.