Have a go at Hyacinth vases

If you or an elderly loved-one are looking for something to do on a rainy day, why not have a go at growing your own hyacinth in a vase?

As well as growing in pots and borders, hyacinths can also be grown on water using specially designed vases.

You will need a vase with a narrow neck that will fit a bulb in without it falling through. You will also need a hyacinth bulb.

Simply fill the vase with water so the water is just below, but not touching, the bottom of the bulb.

Add a small piece of charcoal, if you have it, to the water to help the growing process along

Place the bulb into the neck of the vase. Store it in a cool, dark place until the vase is filled with roots. Check on it regularly to top up the water levels.

Once roots are visible, move the vase to a dim lit area for a week before bringing them into full light where they can fully develop. You can keep the hyacinths in the vases once the flowers have bloomed. They make for interesting table centre pieces or you can pop them into a medium-sized pot.

For good results you should use large, plump bulbs of the strongest growing variety colours, such as blue, pink and white.

You can pick up hyacinth bulbs from your local supermarket or garden centre. Please follow all the social distancing measures in place.

If growing hyacinths has given you the gardening bug, check out our other blog posts here for lots of help and advice.