What am I doing wrong?

[annacruachan]

Everyone grows hyacinths over the winter; you keep them in the dark until they have a reasonable shoot then bring them into the light and water them. Don't you? All the peeps I visit have them growing well and smelling wonderful.
Mine are straggly, dying off and smell like an ashtray! Help please! It is not the first time this has happened!

[rustylady]

Do you have drainage holes in the pots???

[Jeanied]

It sounds like they are too warm Anna - so they are composting a bit instead of growing! My Hyacinth bowl from last year is outside in a cold frame with the roof open and a drop of snow on the ivy it is planted with and the leaves are fine (no flower shoots though, but these were last year's batch).

[kentvegplot]

Agree with Jeanied, I've found it works best if you very gradually acclimatise them to warmer conditions - so they went from a very cold porch, to the coolest bedroom and thence to the living room.

Mind you, they can bet TOO cold. One year I started them off in the loft space - and they froze in their bottles!

[annacruachan]

Thanks folks! Will try again next year. Will this year's bulbs survive until next year? If so, how should I keep them? Thanks again.

[Brengirl]

These were a christmas pressy. Only wish you could smell them too.

[Jeanied]

Anna I always find that hyacinths turn into bluebells if you try and grow them next year by putting them in the garden-and not the beautiful native variety either! Then they take over and end up like weeds. I'm not sure how the growers do it but they treat the bulbs to get them ready for forcing and bringing indoors.

[bramble]

jeanaid, I have to disagree with you.
I plant my bulbs out every year after they have flowered and they have always blossomed true to colour.
I have had some planted out now for the last 5 or 6 years and they are still flowering.

[bramble]

Anna, do you buy the bulbs that are specially treated for growing indoors only. ?

[annacruachan]

I didn't ask, bramble, just assumed that they were since I was unaware of any sold for planting outside. Know my veg and herbs, but not so hot on the flowers.

[annacruachan]

Bet they smell wonderful, brengirl. I suspect from your pic that I also buried my bulbs too deep. I'll get it right in a few years!