• If you live in USDA zones 4 to 8, you can leave your hyacinth bulbs in the ground over winter.
• Once your hyacinth bulb has finished blooming, immediately remove the flowers but keep the leaves.
• You can store bulbs in a dark, cool location until growing season next year.

Hyacinths, Hyacinthus orientalis, are early blooming, perennial bulbs, infusing unique colors, fragrance and form into gardens, patio containers, and indoor displays. Popular in holiday arrangements, especially around Easter, they bloom for several weeks during March and April.

You don’t have to discard potted plants after flowers fade. With the right care, these perennial bulbs put out spring flowers for three to five years or longer. Here’s how to get the most out of your hyacinths.

What to Do With Garden Grown Hyacinth Bulbs After Flowering

Hyacinths are hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8 but can be garden-grown in most zones when given proper care. They prefer cool temperatures and perform best where winter temperatures remain in the 30°F range for extended periods.

After blooms fade, remove flowering stems but continue watering until foliage dies back naturally. Feed with a balanced fertilizer in early autumn and stop watering after leaves dry up.

In zones 3 and lower, apply heavy mulch to protect bulbs from extreme winter temperatures.

In zones 9 and higher, you’ll need to dig bulbs after the foliage dies back. Shake off excess soil and lay them out on paper in a cool, dark location for three days. Store them in mesh bags around 40°F for 12 to 14 weeks.

Replant in autumn, six to eight weeks before the first frost, to bloom again the following spring.

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What to Do With Hyacinth Bulbs After Flowering in Outdoor Containers

After flowers fade, deadhead blooms along with their stems but leave foliage to die back naturally. Keep containers in a sunny location and continue watering to keep soil evenly moist.

When leaves start to yellow, fertilize with a balanced liquid fertilizer and start to reduce watering. Once foliage withers stop watering completely. Move containers to a cool, dark location with temperatures no greater than 40°F.

Return container hyacinths outdoors when temperatures warm up in March and early April. As new growth appears, increase the amount of sun exposure and resume a regular watering and fertilizing schedule.

What to Do With Hyacinth Bulbs After Flowering Indoors

Hyacinths kept indoors are unlikely to rebloom. If you’ve grown plants in pots, you can remove the bulbs and plant them in the garden for blooms next spring. Forced bulbs are less likely to thrive and should be discarded and replaced with fresh ones.

To save indoor bulbs for outdoor planting, remove faded flowers and stems. Keep pots in a sunny location and continue watering until the foliage begins to yellow and die back. Stop watering and wait for the soil to dry before removing bulbs.

Brush off excess soil and lay bulbs in a cool, dark location for three days on brown paper. After curing, store them in a mesh bag in a cool, dark location around 40°F.

Plant your stored hyacinth bulbs in the garden six to eight weeks before the first frost.

How to Encourage Your Hyacinth to Flower Again

Remove hyacinth flowers as soon as blooms fade, but leave foliage to die back naturally. Leaves continue to absorb sunlight to energize the bulb for next year’s bloom.

Feed plants with a balanced fertilizer when bulbs sprout in early spring and again in autumn to keep them robust during dormancy. If using a granular fertilizer water well after application.