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Grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) is often the first bulb-type flower to show its blossoms in your garden in spring. The flowers look like clusters of little pearls, blue and white. They usually carry a mild fragrance. When the grape hyacinth blooming season comes to an end, you need to care for the bulbs to protect and preserve them so that they can bloom again the following year. Read on for information about Muscari care after blooming.
Armenian grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum) are stunning spring-blooming bulbs that produce clusters of small, grape-like, blue flowers They are low maintenance, hardy, and reliable perennials that come back year after year. However, sometimes grape hyacinth flowers or buds start dying off before they get a chance to fully bloom This can be frustrating and discouraging if you were looking forward to enjoying their cheery flowers. Here are some of the most common reasons Armenian grape hyacinth flowers die prematurely and what you can do about it.
Improper Sun Exposure
Armenian grape hyacinths thrive in full sun to partial shade. If they don’t get enough sunlight, the flowers will weaken and die off. Try moving the bulbs to a spot that gets at least 4-6 hours of direct sun daily. Morning sun is ideal. An area with filtered sunlight from tree branches can also work. Just make sure they aren’t stuck in too much shade where sunlight can’t penetrate.
Overcrowding
When grape hyacinths are planted too close together, they end up competing for resources like sunlight, soil nutrients, and water. This added stress can cause the flowers to wither and die prematurely. Give each bulb adequate spacing, about 4-6 inches apart, to prevent overcrowding. This allows their roots to spread out and get the nutrients and water they need to bloom strongly.
Excessive Moisture
While grape hyacinths need regular watering and moist soil, too much moisture can be detrimental. If the soil stays soggy or waterlogged for extended periods, it can lead to rotting of the flower buds and bulbs. Improve drainage by planting the bulbs in raised beds or on a slope. You can also amend dense clay soils with compost, sand, or perlite to improve drainage. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings.
Not Enough Water
On the flip side, if grape hyacinths don’t get sufficient water, the buds and flowers will dry up and die Make sure to keep the soil consistently moist, but not soaked, while the plants are actively growing and blooming Water them 1-2 times per week or whenever the top few inches of soil become dry. Provide extra water during hot, dry, or windy conditions when they lose more moisture through evaporation.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Lack of important nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus can also cause grape hyacinth’s flower buds to wither away. Apply a balanced bulb fertilizer or an all-purpose garden fertilizer when growth emerges in spring. This gives them the nutrients they need to support vigorous flowering. Work the fertilizer lightly into the soil, being careful not to damage the shallow bulbs.
Animal or Insect Damage
Critters like rabbits, deer, voles, mice, and squirrels may nibble on emerging grape hyacinth leaves and flowers. Certain insects like thrips, mites, and bulb flies can also feed on the buds and damage them. Discourage animal grazing with repellents Remove any damaged foliage or flowers You can try covering the plants with row covers at their most vulnerable stage. Applying appropriate insecticides at the first sign of infestation may also help protect the blooms.
Age of Bulbs
Armenian grape hyacinth bulbs tend to bloom most profusely the second and third years after planting. As the bulbs get older, usually 5+ years, they produce fewer flower clusters and weaker blooms that are prone to dying off. Dig up and divide overcrowded clumps every 2-3 years to maintain vigor. You can also remove and replant the bulbs in fall every 5 years or so to start fresh with new, young bulbs.
Insufficient Cold Treatment
Grape hyacinth bulbs require a period of cold dormancy in winter to trigger the chemical processes that allow them to bloom come spring. If they don’t experience enough chill hours below 45°F, the flowers are weakened and likely to die prematurely. Make sure to plant the bulbs in autumn so they undergo winter cold before flowering. You can also store bulbs in the refrigerator for 8-10 weeks before planting if they missed their cold treatment outside.
Hot Weather
A heat wave or stretch of unusually hot weather (over 80°F) can take a toll on grape hyacinth’s delicate blooms. The flowers and buds may scorch, wilt, and die back during high temperatures or intense sunlight. Provide some shade protection on really hot days. Avoid planting grape hyacinths in hot, arid climates not suitable for cool season bulbs. Spring and fall are ideal growing seasons for them.
Damage During Transplanting
Armenian grape hyacinth bulbs are fragile and sensitive to handling. If you divide or move the bulbs at the wrong time and accidentally bruise, cut, or crush them in the process, their ability to produce flowers will be impaired. Transplant grape hyacinths in early fall when they are dormant, not when actively growing. Handle them gently and disturb roots as little as possible when replanting.
Underplanting Trees or Shrubs
Grape hyacinths don’t do well planted near the roots of large trees and shrubs. They have to compete for nutrients and water which leads to weaker flowers prone to dying off. Also, excessive shade from a tree canopy can reduce flowering. For best results, plant grape hyacinths away from the dripline of trees where they will get better sun exposure and growing conditions. Or choose partial shade from deciduous trees which is lighter in spring.
Overhead Watering
Improper watering technique can damage grape hyacinth’s delicate blooms. When watered from overhead with heavy sprays from a hose or sprinkler, the forceful water pressure can blast off petals and flower buds. It also increases risk of fungal diseases. Instead, try gently watering grape hyacinths at soil level with a watering can. Or use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to keep foliage dry.
Poorly Timed Dividing
If Armenian grape hyacinth bulbs are divided and transplanted at the wrong time of year, the disruption to their growth cycle can cause flower bud abortion. They will grow foliage but no flowers will emerge. Avoid dividing grape hyacinths while in active growth or after they have bloomed. Transplant them in early fall when the leaves have died back and bulbs are dormant.
Insufficient Light After Flowering
Armenian grape hyacinth leaves continue growing and producing energy via photosynthesis after the flowers finish. If the plants get too shaded at this stage, the lack of light prevents the bulbs from properly replenishing their energy stores. Weakened bulbs produce fewer, weaker flowers the following season. Make sure they continue getting adequate sunlight after blooming.
Harvesting Bloom Stems
Snipping Armenian grape hyacinth bloom stems for bouquets or to bring indoors seems harmless. However, if you cut the flower stalks before the blooms are spent, it prevents nutrients and energy from being reabsorbed back into the bulb for next year’s flowers. Leave flower stems intact on the plant until they completely finish blooming.
Skipping Fertilizer After Flowering
While fertilizing at the start of spring is important, grape hyacinths also benefit from some light fertilization after blooming. This provides nutrients as the foliage matures and bulbs undergo key stages of development for setting next season’s flowers. Apply bulb fertilizer per product instructions after bloom is finished. Stop fertilizing once leaves start yellowing.
No Foliage Removal After Flowering
Armenian grape hyacinth leaves remain green and continue photosynthesizing after the blooms are done. If you trim off the foliage too early, the bulbs are weakened by being unable to complete their annual growth cycle. Allow the leaves to die back naturally over several weeks. Let them yellow completely before removing them.
Damage from bulb Removal
Some gardeners attempt to dig up Armenian grape hyacinth bulbs from the ground after flowering to store them over summer for replanting in fall. However, prematurely removing tender new bulbs when they are not fully dormant risks damaging them. It’s safest to leave grape hyacinth bulbs undisturbed in the ground year-round. They thrive best when their growth cycle isn’t interrupted.
Harsh Division or Separation Methods
Aggressive division techniques can harm grape hyacinth bulbs, leading to fewer or no flowers the following season. Avoid prying or twisting bulbs apart by force which can tear or split them. Gently tease apart outer bulbs from the center using two forks inserted carefully between clusters. Or simply divide sections of the clump with a sharp blade or shovel. Handle bulbs with care when replanting.
Inadequate Mulching
Forgetting to mulch over grape hyacinth bulbs leaves their shallow roots vulnerable to temperature extremes, drying out, and freezing and thawing cycles through winter. Spread 2-3 inches of organic mulch like shredded leaves, pine straw, or bark chips over the soil after the ground freezes in late fall. The protective mulch layer moderates
What to Do with Muscari Bulbs after Flowering
You may wonder what to do with Muscari bulbs after flowering is over and the plant stems are cut back. Generally, all you have to do is apply a little manure over them in autumn, then a layer of mulch to keep the weeds down. Water them when the weather is dry. In some cases, Muscari care after blooming may include digging up the bulbs. If the plants show signs of overcrowding that limits their blooming, you can dig them up. Do this very carefully to avoid damaging any of the bulbs. Once you have the bulbs out of the ground, separate them and plant some of them in other parts of the garden.
Post Bloom Grape Hyacinth Care
You really don’t want seeds to set on those grape hyacinth after flowering. The plant doesn’t need seeds and setting seeds depletes its energy supply. So that means grape hyacinth after flowering needs a trim. As soon as the flowers fade, trim them back with pruners or garden scissors. Remove the small flowers from the stem by running your fingers from just beneath the flower cluster to the tip of the blossom. However, leave the flower stem and do not cut it. It will provide nourishment for the bulb as long as it is green. For the same reasons, leave the foliage in place. This allows the leaves to continue to collect energy from the sun to feed the bulb for next year’s blooms. After grape hyacinth blooming season is at an end, the foliage eventually turns yellow and dies back. This happens about a month and a half after first blooming. At this point, the best post bloom grape hyacinth care requires that you clip back the stems to the ground.
Grape Hyacinth Care | Muscari armeniacum – SGD 361
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