It’s late winter here (Chicago), snow still on the ground, last frost many weeks away. Mrs. CC picked up some potted hyacinth, daffodil, and crocus plants to perk up the inside of the house. Now, they’ve all bloomed. I’d like to see if they’ll come up next spring. What do I do with them until the fall - which is when I believe they are supposed to be planted? Or is that wrong? Any horticultural info would be of help around here. Any way to turn them into blooming plants for next spring?
You can try, but I wouldn’t expect much.
Bulbs are normally planted in the fall and the cold of winter is necessary for them to bloom, so since your bulbs have already been warmed up, they will need another period of cold before spring.
Let the foliage die off naturally and then put the bulbs in a cold but not freezing place (in the dark) and let them cool off until the ground warms up enough to cultivate it and then plant them properly.
I suspect it will take them a full year in the ground to get going again, if they ever do.
Bulbs that have been “forced” to bloom may bloom again once planted, though usually not as large and showy as the first bloom.
Don’t cut off the green leaves, allow them to die as they will store food for the bulb. There is no need to store them until fall. You can plant them in the ground, they won’t bloom until next Spring though, as they’ll need that extended period of cold.
They bloom in the spring (which it is now more or less, just a bit early) and then grow through the summer to store up energy so I see no reason you can’t keep them alive indoors and plant them out when it’s warm enough. I’ve done it before and they settle in just fine.
Let them die back and put them in the fridge (follow instructions for doing this) for about six weeks. Then plant them. They may bloom. I’ve had luck with hyacinths on this. But the blooms will be smaller.
Forced bulbs are not a good bet to survive and rebloom the following spring when planted outdoors. You’d get much better results by planting fresh bulbs this coming fall.
I buy potted hyacinths for Mrs. FtG a lot. I just put the pot outdoors after it’s done blooming. Once the leaves die down, I replant in a flower bed. No need to wait until fall. That’s merely the “traditional” planting time.
And they do continue to bloom, year after year, like normal bulbs, no problem. Needless to say, by now there are more than a few hyacinths starting to pop up outside now.
Make sure they get sunlight, water, etc. while they are still green.
You can plant them after the foliage dies back, but don’t expect any blooms until next year.
“If you receive potted spring-flowering bulbs, like daffodils and tulips, as winter gifts, you may want to plant them in the garden in spring. However, it often takes two to three years for bulbs to rebloom after they have been “forced” for indoor use. Before starting, consider whether it’s worth the effort…
Care for the bulbs outdoors as you would other spring bulbs. With luck, they’ll bloom again – eventually.”