Give forced hyacinths a rest and they will reward you

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Q: I was pretty successful forcing several hyacinths this past holiday season but now they have finished with the bloom. What can I do with them now? I hate to pitch them! S.H., Albuquerque

A: You can plant the spent bulbs outdoors, just not yet. Since these treasures gave you their all they would crumple if you set them out now in this cold weather.

This is what you can do to save them:

First, cut out the spent bloom stalk. Next, plant them all together in a pot with fresh potting soil. Set the pots in a spot indoors where theyll get bright light and maybe a smidgen of actual sunlight daily. Then continue to treat them as you would any houseplant, making sure they get average waterings but dont stay too soggy. Thats it for the time being.

As the season advances and the majority of winter weather passes, late March at the soonest, plant the saved bulbs outside.

Since hyacinths tend to stay short, remember to plant them in places where theyll be seen next year. Paperwhites are a bit more fragile and can easily be beat up by our windy springtime weather, so keep them a bit more tucked up when you plant them. Be sure to watch the weather to offer protection from any surprise frosts.

The existing leaves will re-feed the bulb and, if all goes as planned, theyll acclimate and bloom again for you in spring 2016!

Q: I have several bare spots in my lawn and want to reseed them. Can I do that now? N.G., Albuquerque

A: Wow! You are way too early to be thinking about seeding a lawn! The soil is far too cold to support any germinating seed. Dont waste your time or money on this project yet.

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Give forced hyacinths a rest and they will reward you