Hyacinths forcing easier than I thought, but I need to master the art of forcing

Forcing hyacints at home is easier than I thought.
If you want to do it, start it 2-3 months before you'd like to get the flowers.

You can start them from mid-September to December. Bulbs need the cold treatment 10 to 13 weeks before planting. So, it sums up to approx. 3-4 months you should start the procedure before expected blooms.

For flowering in late December, you should start planting mid-September, for February flowering, mid-October, and for March and April, mid-November.

Cold treatment is the key
After you are done with planting, water the pots thoroughly and place them in cold at 35⁰F/1⁰C to 45⁰F/4⁰C.
They should be kept moist throughout the rooting and cooling period. After 5 to 6 weeks, roots should grow out of the holes of the containers. The shoots will emerge from the bulbs.
Longer cold treatment will give you taller flowers, shorter will give smaller plants and sometimes no flowers at all.

Forcing
After bringing the bulbs home, place them in a 60⁰F/15⁰C temp., in direct sunlight. It will take 2 to 3 weeks to flower. After the flowers begin to open, take the plants out of direct sunlight to make the flowers lasting longer. There is no need fertilize it.

Spring flowering bulbs that have been forced indoors are usually of little value for outdoor plantings. After flowering forced hyacinths bulbs can be placed outdoors as soon as spring arrives. Many of them will flower in the garden. Maybe not next spring, but after 2 years.

Looking at my hyacints - conclusion is clear. White bulbs didn't get enough cold treatment.

This is how they looked 3 weeks ago.

Photo above is taken this morning, which is actually less than 2 months after planting.


ATTENTION: Hyacinths contain oxalic acid which can cause skin irritation. Before planting hyacinths, they advised to wet the bulbs and wear gloves.