A Thank You to our 2021 Hosts
THANK YOU for your generous participation in Open Days and other Garden Conservancy educational programs! Your commitment and hard work are helping to spread the joy of America’s gardens and diverse gardening traditions, and we cannot thank you enough for helping to make this program possible.
According to the National Garden Bureau, 2021 is the Year of the Hyacinth! As a token of our appreciation, please enjoy a hyacinth and forcing glass to bring a bit of spring color to the winter months.
How to Force Hyacinth Bulbs
Hyacinth bulbs need to be chilled for a period of at least 8-12 weeks. When the bulb arrives, fill the forcing glass with water and place the bulb in the neck of the glass with the root end just over but not touching the water.
Place bulb and glass in a cool, dark area with a consistent temperature between 40 to 48 degrees. A cold frame, unheated garage, basement, attic, or refrigerator works well, but do not allow the bulb or glass to freeze. (Please note: do not store bulbs with fruits, as ethylene gas emitted from ripening fruit can hasten rot in bulbs).
Check the bulbs once a week and add water as needed. During this time, the bulb should develop a good root system that fills the glass and a sprout will grow from the top of the bulb. Once the sprout is about 2” tall, bring the glass to a cool (about 60 degrees), low light environment. You should be able to feel the buds of the flower spike in the sprout. When moved to a brighter light, the bulb will begin to produce chlorophyll and begin to green up.
After about two weeks, bring the bulb to a progressively brighter spot, still avoiding bright, direct sunlight. Rotate the glass every few days to help keep the flower spike straight.
Once the flower buds begin to show color, the glasses may be moved to any location to best showcase their beauty and fragrance.
Again, we thank you for making the 2021 Open Days season such a success and we look forward to seeing you in the gardens in 2022!
All the best,
The Open Days Team
To learn more about how you can get involved with Garden Conservancy Open Days, click here.
