If you treat them right, hyacinths can keep coming back to brighten your garden for up to fifteen years! But do these spring beauties need a winter coat to survive the cold? Can they stay in the ground all year, and what’s the deal with storing them indoors? Let’s dive into everything you need to know about getting your hyacinths through the winter.
No Winter Protection Needed
Here’s the good news: hyacinths are incredibly hardy. You can leave them in the ground year-round without a second thought. Once they’re done blooming, the foliage will eventually die back, leaving just the bulb tucked away underground. Even if the soil freezes solid, those bulbs are tough enough to sprout right back up next spring.
Pro Tip: If you want to be extra careful, you can give newly planted bulbs a little “security blanket” of dried leaves during their first winter. Just spread a light layer over the soil.
Why They Actually Need the Cold
Believe it or not, freezing temperatures don’t hurt hyacinth bulbs—they actually need them! To produce those gorgeous flowers the following year, the bulbs require a period of cold. This process is called stratification. After the flowers fade and the plant goes dormant, a long cold snap is exactly what triggers the bulb to start growing again.
Pro Tip: If you’re growing hyacinths in pots indoors, you still have to give them a “winter.” A cool basement (between 40°F and 48°F) is a great spot. If it’s freezing outside, try setting your dug-up bulbs out on the porch for a few nights to give them that necessary chill.
Prepping Your Hyacinths for Winter
Even though they don’t need a heater, there are a few things you should do to make sure your hyacinths are ready for their winter nap. Once the blooming season is over:
- Stop watering them.
- Hold off on the fertilizer.
- Wait until the leaves turn yellow before cutting them back.
Pro Tip: The one thing hyacinths hate is “wet feet.” Standing water can cause the bulbs to rot. If you live somewhere with mild, rainy winters, make sure your soil drains well. Mixing a little sand into the planting hole can work wonders for drainage.
One Last Thing
Whether you leave your hyacinths in the garden or dig them up to store inside is totally up to you. Just keep in mind that “forced” hyacinths (the ones you buy already blooming in pots from the store) aren’t used to the cold yet. Wait until the last frost of spring has passed before you transplant those into your garden beds!
