Hyacinth - a young and handsome young man, son of the kingSparta did not yield to the gods of Olympus neither beauty nor intelligence. He was the best friend of Apollo himself. One day the friends competed in throwing a disc and the mighty Apollo, without calculating his strength, mortally wounded Hyacinth. When the young man died, and his soul went to the kingdom of Hades, full of regret, Apollo decided to perpetuate the memory of a friend and turned his blood into a beautiful scarlet flower. This beautiful and sad legend was the first to tell the world about the appearance of a wonderful Mediterranean flower. For a long time, hyacinth was a symbol of sadness and sorrow, it was even given the name of a rain flower. Today, the Greeks consider him their amulet, which keeps them from spoiling and evil eye. In Europe, these flowers appeared in the 16th century - they were brought by merchants-travelers. Very soon, hyacinths became popular. Year after year, more and more new species, suitable for house keeping, differing in color and size of bud. But the most interesting property of this plant was discovered by Charles Darwin. He connected the halves of bulbs of different types and received in one bush two different in color, but equal in beauty of the flower. There are about 2000 species of this plant. All of them are beautiful in their own way, many are suitable for growing at home. The color range of buds varies from white and pale yellow to red, purple and even black. Today hyacinth is considered a flower of love and fidelity, and its coloring can tell about the feelings of the person who presented the flower. For example, white color symbolizes constancy and fidelity, yellow - jealousy, blue - confidence in oneself. It is not at all surprising that many amateur growers want to grow this plant at home. After all, many of its species bloom in winter, when behind the window of a blizzard and so there is not enough sunlight. However, it is not possible to achieve such a bloom. And today we will tell you about the secrets of growing the hyacinth at home, about the proper carrying out of forcing (stimulation to flowering), and about what care these flowers require in room conditions. 
The distillation of hyacinths
Hyacinth refers to the bulbous one-yearplants that feel great in the garden and begin to bloom early in the spring. At home, it is also possible to grow this flower, the main thing is to follow certain rules. You should start with a careful study of the bulb. Choose it is necessary in size. It is best to give preference to a bulb, the diameter of which is not less than 5 centimeters. Since, the larger the bulb, the easier it will be to grow a full-grown plant from it. Also pay attention to its external condition: it should be dense, without decaying areas and mechanical damages. For successful distillation in the home, the bulb of the hyacinth must go through several stages. After you have dug a flower (usually it is done at the end of June), it should be placed in a warm and humid room, where the air temperature reaches 28-30 degrees. Store the bulb in this way for at least two weeks. Then transfer it to a cooler place with a temperature of 22-25 degrees. And in a couple of weeks, put in even cooler conditions - 15-17 degrees. After all these "migrations" the bulb can be planted in a pot. Shop bulbs have already passed all the data of the preparation stage, so you will only have to save them before planting. If you want the flowers to appear by Christmas, plant them in September. A later planting will delay the flowering until the end of February or beginning of March. 
Planting in a pot
The container for planting should be wide andshallow, compulsory drainage holes. The mixture can be purchased ready, or you can make it yourself. To do this, mix the sod, leaf and compost soil in equal parts and add a little sand and peat. At the bottom of the pot, put a layer of expanded clay, then a small layer of soil. Next, sprinkle the soil with fine sand and place bulbs on it. They should be located closely, but do not touch each other and the edge of the container. Now gently push the bulbs into the ground and sprinkle the remaining soil so that the tops stay in the air. Now the future hyacinths need to artificially create a period of rest. To do this, place the pot in the darkest and coolest room in your house, for example, in a cellar. Always keep an eye on the condition of the soil - it should always be wet. "Sleep" bulbs 2-2.5 months. In the course of this time they should take root well. Remember, this period is mandatory for the successful cultivation of hyacinths at home! If there is no possibility to put future flowers in the cellar, you can put them in the refrigerator, where the temperature is not lower than 5-7 degrees Celsius.
Features of care during the growth period
After the bulbs are rooted and thrown awayon a pair of leaves, you can carry a pot into the house. The chosen room should be cool and light. It is best if the next month hyacinths are in a room where the air temperature does not exceed 15 degrees. As soon as the flowers appear, the plant is moved to a permanent place of residence, which must be protected from drafts and radiators. The most optimal temperature for abundant and long flowering is 20 degrees Celsius. In principle, care for hyacinth at home is reduced to just the right watering. Water procedures should be regular - make sure that the soil is constantly wet. Spray the water neatly, trying not to fall on the onion and in the axils of the leaves. To the hyacinth grows even and beautiful bush, periodically turn it to the light with different sides. Top dressing is carried out with special fertilizers. Breed them according to the instructions and put them into the soil every two weeks. In the evening, you can arrange additional illumination of the flower with fluorescent lamps. It is worth noting that the conditions described above are considered ideal for growing a house hyacinth. However, this does not mean that, if there is a minor violation, it will not bloom. Just buds will be smaller, leaves - less often, and the stem will begin to stretch. The only prerequisite is a cold period, without it hyacinth cultivation is impossible. 
Hyacinths after flowering
So, you have successfully achieved the hyacinth bloom,admired his beauty and enjoyed the scent. But the time has come, and the hyacinth has faded. What to do next? Here the choice is yours. You can just throw the plant, and the next year, repeat the procedure forcing and growing. And you can have patience and try to save the flower. So, how to care for hyacinth after flowering? In order to get young hyacinths in the future, it is necessary to trim the faded peduncles and continue watering and top dressing of the plant. Do this until the leaves completely fade. At this time, the mother bulb is gaining strength and can give daughter bulbs - babies. Remove the plant from the ground, remove the remains of the leaves and dry the bulb for a couple of days. Carefully examine it - if the daughter bulbs are well developed and easily separated, detach them. If after the first attempt to divide the bulbs failed, postpone this procedure for the next year. Although the faded bulbs are not suitable for re-forcing, they can be successfully moved to the garden. A transplant into the open ground occurs in the autumn, and the next year you will receive a fragrant flower bed in the yard of the house or at the cottage. Garden cultivation of hyacinths is a separate topic. I just want to say - in order to get by the summer bulbs, suitable for indoor growth, the plant does not give a full bloom. Buds cut off so that the bulb gained strength. In the autumn, it is dug out, dried and the above-described forcing procedure is repeated.
What difficulties await the florist?
Hyacinth - a flower not cranky, however some difficulties in its cultivation all the same are present. Let's look at them in more detail.
- Selection of bulbs
The most important part. As already mentioned above, the bulbs for planting should be healthy and large. If the bulb is too shallow, flowering can and does not wait. The plant will throw only the leaves. Bulbs planted in one container must match in size, otherwise they will bloom unintentionally. Be sure to inspect the bulb for rot and other damage. And before planting, treat it with a disinfectant solution.
- The rest period
The "dream" of hyacinths must pass strictlyrules. If you break it and bring the plant "into the light" ahead of time, it will develop badly and may not bloom at all. The same will happen if you overdo the pot in the dark - only the leaves will grow well, and the release of the buds will slow down.
- Watering and lighting
These factors significantly affect the development of the flower.If they are insufficient, the plant will dry out, shedding leaves and still unblown buds. With excessive watering or moisture in the leaf axils, rotting can occur. The buds will also fall off, not having time to please you with their beauty. So we examined what it is like growing hyacinths at home. As you can see, this process is not particularly difficult. The main thing here is desire. And, of course, a little patience. We hope our article will help you go through all the stages of the growth of home hyacinths, and by the New Year you will delight yourself and your loved ones with fragrant flowers.
