The enchanting early bloomer is very easy to handle - be it planting or caring for the grape hyacinth. The grape hyacinth can easily be integrated into your own garden using bulbs.
As long as the grape hyacinth (Muscari) is in a suitable location, it is completely easy to care for. Depending on the species, it also tends to spread intensively there. In this article you will find information on choosing a location, the procedure for planting and important care measures.
Plant Grape Hyacinth
When planting the grape hyacinth, various points such as the right time, the choice of location and the soil conditions are important. These basic aspects are explained in more detail below and should definitely be considered. For the time being, it doesn't matter whether you want to plant Muscari armeniacum, for example, or another species.
The right location for grape hyacinths
The location of the grape hyacinths should be warm and in full sun to
light and half shade. In any case, the soil must be loose and well-drained, as prolonged moisture can damage the grape hyacinth bulbs. At best, it has a slightly acidic to alkaline pH value and is dry in summer and fresh in winter and spring. If the garden soil is quite heavy, sand can be mixed in to loosen it up. The lime-loving onion plant feels at home on sparse woody edges, but also in open spaces and one way or another even in stone plants.
Planting grape hyacinths in pots
Most grape hyacinth varieties and species can be cultivated in planters without any problems. For this, the lower part of the planter should be equipped with a drainage layer, for example made of expanded clay. A high-quality, well-drained potting soil that already contains all the necessary nutrients for the grape hyacinths to grow is suitable as a substrate.
Procedure for planting
Grape hyacinths are best displayed either in small groups, in larger groups or even in mass populations. Individual plantings, on the other hand, could look a bit lost and are easily pushed out by neighboring plants. When planting in groups, a planting distance of 5 to 20 cm should be maintained - depending on how dense the end result is desired. The most efficient and common way is to plant grape hyacinth bulbs, but the early bloomers can also be planted from seed. However, it should be noted that the seedlings need several years before they form flowers, as they first use all their energy to establish themselves at the site.
The ideal time for planting the bulbs is from September to November. In this way, the pearl hyacinths can sprout as early as next spring. In the desired area, the soil should be thoroughly loosened, for example with a digging fork. If necessary, this is then improved with some soil, fertilizer or sand. The bulbs can now be planted about 6 to
8 cm deep in the loose substrate. Then the surface is pressed down again and, if desired, covered with a thin layer of mulch and poured on thoroughly.
At a glance:
- Warm, sunny spot
- Well drained, dry to fresh soil
- Planting time: September - November
- Relax and improve the surface in depth
- Put the bulbs in the loose soil
- Planting distance: 5 - 20 cm
- Planting depth: 6 - 8 cm
- Press the soil and water it
Care for grape hyacinths
As already mentioned, caring for grape hyacinths in a suitable location requires very little effort. You can now find out how you can support your early bloomers in the best possible way.
Watering
Especially if your pearl hyacinths have been planted in a pot, it is important to ensure a regular water supply. As soon as the top layer of the substrate has dried completely, you can pour again. Outdoors, additional watering may be necessary in warm and dry phases.
Dividing & Repotting
Muscari in pots benefit from regular dividing and repotting, as there is more space for the individual plants is created and a larger supply of nutrients is available through fresh substrate. These care measures should be carried out in autumnbecome.
Fertilizing
For a rich flowering and strong plants, a compost application in spring or the use of a long-term flower fertilizer is recommended. Our Plantura organic flower fertilizer, for example, is ideal for this. Although the grape hyacinth often grows with poor nutrient supply, just not as vigorously and obvious nutrient deficiency symptoms such as yellow leaf blades occur more frequently. Sufficient nitrogen prevents this and ensures lush green foliage of the Muscari. The comparatively high potassium content of our flower fertilizer makes the plant and especially the bulb more resilient and frost hardy. Onion plants are often affected by rot in wet winters, but this can be prevented with an adequate supply of potassium.
Overwintering
Almost all pearl hyacinth species are sufficiently hardy outdoors and do not need any protection. Only the Aucher grape hyacinth (Muscari aucheri) tolerates less than minus temperatures and should be covered with some mulch material or fleece in harsher winters. Grape hyacinths in pots are generally overwintered in a protected winter quarters with temperatures hardly below zero. If the bulb plants are placed in a moderately warm and bright spot in the house early in the year, they will sprout earlier and thus bring spring indoors.
Reduce
If your stock of pearl hyacinths increases undesirably, it may be necessary to use a digging fork to regularly dig up and remove a few bulbs from the area. Removing the seed heads also plays an important role and is explained below.
Tip: Muscari armeniacum can be cared for in the same way as Muscari botryoides. You can find out more about the differences between the species in our special article.
Pruning grape hyacinths
Another care measure is the cutting of the grape hyacinths, which, however, does not necessarily have to be carried out. The withered inflorescences of the Muscari should not only be removed if you want to prevent the seeds of the grape hyacinth from spreading - it also helps the bulbous perennial to store the necessary energy reserves in its bulb instead of using it for to use up the seed formation.
If the leaves are withered and yellowed, they can be removed, mainly for aesthetic reasons. Includedit is important to wait for the yellowing so that the nutrients and reserve substances contained in the leaves can still be stored in the flower bulb. However, the leaves can simply remain on the plants, perish on the ground and thus return nutrients.
Tip: Grape hyacinths can even be used as cut flowers in spring bouquets or Easter arrangements. They can achieve a vase life of about a week.
Grape hyacinths have faded: what to do?
After the grape hyacinth has withered, removing the inflorescences and withered leaves is the first optional action. Furthermore, during this time, no more fertilizer should be added and permanent moisture should be avoided in any case. Therefore watering is no longer necessary, at least outdoors.
Grape hyacinth is an interesting candidate for black box gardening because it reproduces itself via daughter bulbs as well as seeds. You can find out exactly what that is and how to do it in our special article.