Do Grape Hyacinths Regrow Each Year?

Growth Cycle

• Grape hyacinths only flower for about three weeks in early spring, while the foliage stays green for another six weeks. After the foliage dies, the grape hyacinth bulbs enter a dormant period, but they are still alive. New leaves usually emerge in late summer or fall after the temperatures begin to drop. These fall leaves can survive all winter if temperatures remain above 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Grape hyacinths depend upon a winter cold period to flower again the following spring. Temperatures must remain below freezing for about eight weeks in winter. New stems and buds emerge in response to the temperatures rising in spring.

Planting Method

• Planting in a properly prepared bed in fall, about six to eight weeks before the first expected frost, improves the chances of grape hyacinths returning each year. Select well-draining beds that receive all-day sun during the spring flowering period. Working 5 tablespoons of 10-10-10 fertilizer and 2 cups of bone meal into every 10 square feet of bed provides the nutrients the grape hyacinths need to fuel new growth. When planting the bulbs, set them with their pointed tip about 3 inches beneath the soil surface and space them 3 inches apart.

Spring Care

• Although the foliage begins growing in fall, most new growth occurs in spring after temperatures rise above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. A second application of 5 tablespoons 10-10-10 fertilizer per 10 square feet of bed, made when the flower stems begin to emerge, provides additional fuel for the bulbs. Grape hyacinths only need watering if the top 6 inches of soil begin to dry. If the soil is dry, provide enough water to moisten the soil 6 inches deep. Removing the flower stalks after most of the blooms have wilted forces the grape hyacinth to divert energy to replenishing the nutrients in the bulb for next year's flower cycle.

Dormancy

• After flowering, grape hyacinths begin storing energy in their bulbs. Only cut the foliage back to the ground after it yellows and dies back naturally. This allows the foliage to continue fueling the bulb after the flowers die. Grape hyacinths don't require special care once they are fully dormant in summer. If the bed becomes crowded, you can dig up the bulbs during dormancy. Grape hyacinths produce new bulbs, or offsets, and benefit from division every three years. Break the offsets from the bulbs and replant both offsets and bulbs at the proper depth and spacing.