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Is "bulb fibre" strictly necessary to grow indoor hyacinths in non-draining pots?

FiddlingOnFiddlingOn Posts: 84
in Plants
Bought some prepared hyacinths bulbs today thinking I'd just pot them up using some multi-purpose compost I had at home but after reading instructions on the card that came with them it seems "bulb fibre" is required. I'm wondering if this is strictly necessary, as I don't want to buy a bag of the stuff just to plant 4 bulbs when I've MP compost going spare. Does anyone successfully grow indoor hyacinths in non-draining bowls just using bog standard garden compost (or soil improver stuff also going spare for that matter)?

This is the bowl I was thinking of using, although perhaps it should be a bit deeper (pot's only about 2.5" high) to allow the roots to anchor better so they don't just keel over once in flower...?

Mm, perhaps I didn't think this through...  

Posts

  • FiddlingOnFiddlingOn Posts: 84
    THANK YOU, PANSYFACE. I DID DITHER OVER WHETHER TO PURCHASE SOME HYACINTH VASES. BETTER MAKE MY MIND UP SOON IF I WANT THEM OVER CHRISTMAS! 
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited October 2022
    What you need is water retention, ease of rewetting and, as you say stability.   Any fertiliser would be a waste, but I don't think it would do any harm.  

    In a classical hyacinth jar, only water is used.  I think perhaps a bit of charcoal.  Clean shingle would be excellent.  The roots will knit together to provide stability so your bowl should be OK.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • FiddlingOnFiddlingOn Posts: 84
    @bede mm, that's an idea - clean shingle. Although thinking about it, I suppose I could just get a bag of bulb fibre as it probably doesn't have a limited best usage time like compost that eventually loses its goodness, meaning I could keep the remains of the bulb fibre bag for use in subsequent years. Thanks for your input.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited October 2022
    Another idea for next year.

    I no longer force hyacinth bulbs.  My wife buys already-forced bulbs in small plastic pots at the almost-flowering stage.  I think she gets them from a stall in a market, but I'm sure they are widely available.  She is able to choose plants of equal size and state of development, whereas mine used to come at different times.

    Of course you won't get a wide choice of varieties.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • FiddlingOnFiddlingOn Posts: 84
    That's interesting Bede, sounds like a more cost effective way to do it while guaranteeing similar size plants. I see online that Wickes sells small bags (10L) of bulb fibre so I think I'll buy a bag and keep for next year and also find a deeper pot.
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