Do Hyacinths Multiply?

Bulb Formation

• Hyacinths produce new bulbs, called offsets, around the edges of the main bulb. The bulb has a basal plate where the roots form. Offsets typically grow at the joint between the basal plate and the main bulb. The offsets form each year and take about three years to reach a level of maturity that allows them to flower on their own. Eventually, these offsets become crowded, which results in weaker plants and poor flowering if the bulbs aren't divided.

Basic Care

• Proper care ensures healthy bulbs and offset production. Hyacinths require about 1 inch of water applied once a week, which is enough to keep the top 6 inches of soil moist. Mulching over the bed helps retain soil moisture and minimizes weed competition. A spring application of 5 tablespoons 10-10-10 fertilizer applied to every 10 square feet of bed when the hyacinths emerge provides the necessary nutrients for good growth and healthy roots. Cut back the flowers after they wilt and wait to remove the foliage until it dies back naturally so the bulbs can replenish themselves and produce viable offsets.

Division

• You can dig up hyacinths for division in early summer after the foliage dies or in fall about six weeks before the first expected frost. Dig carefully around the clump of bulbs and lift them from the soil. The small offsets break off easily if you twist them gently from the main bulb. Larger offsets will likely flower the following spring, while the smallest ones may take two years before they bloom. Dispose of any bulbs or offsets that appear diseased or that have soft, rotten spots.

Replanting

• Plant the hyacinth bulbs immediately after dividing them. Get the newly divided hyacinths off to a healthy start by working a 2-inch layer of compost into the top 6 inches of soil, along with 2 cups of bonemeal and 5 tablespoons of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 10 square feet. Plant the bulbs and offsets 4 inches deep and space them 4 inches apart. Water the soil after planting so it can settle around the bulbs. The hyacinths remain dormant in winter but they will resume growth in early spring.