Kitchen Garden Forum

Do hyacinths multiply/naturalise in the same way as other bulbs?

I ask because occasionally after I've had some indoor bulbs flower and die back IVe planted them out in borders and they mostly regrow next year or occasionally the bulb rots or dies. But this spring I've suddenly had a lovely large clump of pink hyacinths appear where I only recall having planted one (or at the most) two bulbs. Some of the flower stalks are very slender and thin like bluebells and look as if they may have come from small new bulbs.

I'm wondering why this doesn't seem to have happened with other hyacinth bulbs I've planted out. Perhaps if they reproduce they do so at a slower rate than bulbs like snowdrops ?

I think some of the "prepared bulbs" have been messed about with so much, some don't survive outside and some seem to thrive, pot luck I guess. I note that my replants never grow as tall outside, but that could just be the Scottish climate.

We've had clumps like this last several years then disappear. They are bluebells so divide in the same way; not sure if they also set seed, my bluebell patch has been created by me being naughty and collecting bucket loads of wild seed heads and scattering them (there must be millions round us).

Hyacinths are quite easy to propagate and rather than put your potted plants in the flowered you can prop and get up to 20 bulblets the only snag is that they have to be grown on for about 5 years before they bloom which is what I suspect is happening when you plant them in the border. The main bulb has produced many bulblets under ground and they have struggled get to the surface. When you prop you plant the bulblets at the correct depth and eventually become large flowering bulbs. If you we're to dig these spindly plants out you would find the bulb far too deep for these little chaps so I would suggest digging then up at the end of their season and replant at approx two times the depth of the bulb plus the depth of the bulb so three times the depth of the bulb deep.
JB.

Thanks Johnboy. That's really helpful information. I'll do as you suggest when the foliage has died back a little and see what happens. Hopefully they will reproduce as you suggest if they're given the right environment. it's always rewarding when you get some freebies from your own stock.

I always plant them out and have several clumps of more spindly flowers, but they still have their pretty colours and perfume. I feed them and try to keep the slugs off which seems to be their main challenge.

I have noticed this year I too have more flowers, pink and blue, perhaps the weather has been conducive for them.