How To Store Grape Hyacinth Bulbs
Grape Hyacinth (Muscari) is a flower in the beautiful spring-blooming bulbs family with tiny blue, pink or white flowers. With the right care, Grape Hyacinths will return to your garden or container for many years. Do you want to know how to store Grape Hyacinth bulbs properly? We will tell you how to do it in this guide.
Quick guide:
- On arrival: Unpack and place in a cool, dark spot between 40-70ºF (4-20°C)
- Garden: Leave in place after flowering
- Container: Dig up the bulbs, keep the healthy ones, dry, and store in paper bags
- Indoors: Throw them away and buy new bulbs for next spring
Grape Hyacinth Life Cycle
Planting Grape Hyacinths begins in the fall, which is the time when you plant the spring bulbs in a partial-shade spot in your garden or a container. During the fall and winter, the bulbs develop roots in the ground, and Grape Hyacinths grow in the spring. During this time, you enjoy beautiful flowers in (rock) gardens. After about three to four weeks, the Grape Hyacinth blooms will start to die back, and the bulbs enter a period of dormancy. If stored correctly, the Grape Hyacinth flowers again the following spring.
Storing Hyacinth Bulbs When They Arrived
When your DutchGrown package of Grade Hyacinth bulbs arrives in the fall, and you can't plant them immediately, it is important to store them correctly. Immediately remove the bulbs from the wood chips and place them in a dry place with plenty of air circulation. The temperature needs to be between 40-70ºF (4-20°C). A dark spot in the garage or basement with low humidity is a good place to store the bulbs.
Learn more: How to Grow Grape Hyacinths
How To Store Grape Hyacinth Bulbs After Flowering
At the end of the flowering season, it is time to prepare the bulbs for the next season. After the flowers fade, remove the spike to save the plant from wasting energy on forming seed heads. But wait until the foliage is completely withered and yellow. Through photosynthesis, the leaves produce nutrients that the bulb will need for the next growing season. After a few weeks, the foliage will automatically turn yellow and die back, and you can remove it.
Garden
Have you planted the Muscari bulbs in the garden? You can leave them where they are. The bulbs will have a period of dormancy in preparation for the next growing season. They won't need watering until next spring. Also, ensure you planted the bulbs in well-drained soil to avoid root rot.
Container
If you have planted Grape Hyacinth bulbs in containers or window boxes, dig them up after removing the yellow foliage. Discard any damaged or diseased bulbs, and dry and store the healthy bulbs in paper bags before planting Grape Hyacinths in the fall. A dark spot in the garage or basement is perfect.
Indoors
If planted indoors, Grape Hyacinth bulbs are very unlikely to flower for a second season. They have been 'forced' to flower early in pots indoors, so it's best to throw them away and buy new ones to plant in the fall.
Read more: Grape Hyacinths Named Flower Bulb of the Year
Discover Our Collection of Grape Hyacinths
You have come to the end of this guide and now know everything about storing Hyacinth bulbs. Do you want to grow Grape Hyacinth bulbs in your garden, in a container or indoors? They are deer-resistant but loved by pollinators. Discover our Grape Hyacinth bulb collection. We ship top-sized bulbs (around 3.1 inches or 8 cm) from Holland to all over the US.
Frequently Asked Questions About Storing Hyacinth Bulbs
Can Hyacinth Bulbs Be Reused
Yes, Hyacinth Bulbs can be reused. After flowering, allow the Grape Hyacinth leaves to die back naturally, as this will help the bulb store energy for next year. Have you planted the bulbs in your garden? Leave them where they are, and they will grow back. If you planted the Grape Hyacinth bulbs in a container, carefully dig them up and store them in a paper bag in a cool, dry place until you plant Grape Hyacinth in the fall. If you've planted them indoors, it's very unlikely that you'll be able to reuse them.
Can You Replant Hyacinth Bulbs
Yes, you can replant Hyacinth Bulbs. Have you planted the bulbs in the garden, and did they start to crowd together? Simply dig up the bulbs, separate them and replant half of them in their original growing position. If you planted them in a container, dig them up, store them in a paper bag in a cool, dry place over the summer and replant them in the fall. If you planted them indoors, you can't replant them.
How To Save Hyacinth Bulbs
To save Grape Hyacinth bulbs, let the foliage die back naturally after blooming, allowing the bulbs to store energy for the next spring. Allow the bulbs to rest without watering. If you have planted your Muscari in a container, dig them up and remove the excess soil. Next, dry them in a paper bag in a dark, cool place such as a garage or basement until you plant them out in the fall. If you're planting indoors, you can't save the bulbs.
