Could You Please Recommend Where To Buy Fragrant Hyacinth Bulbs…
Mel Asked
Could you please recommend where to buy fragrant hyacinth bulbs and black nursery pots at reasonable prices? Also, I’m looking for turmeric and ginger plants (organic if possible).
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Mel in Kentucky: Hyacinth flowers are such a lovely surprise in the very early spring. By the time they bloom we are all tired of old man winter and ready for warmer weather and color in the garden. Hyacinth bulbs are planted in the fall and are available in garden centers during the late summer/fall for planting, but you might be able to find flowering bulbs for sale and if so you can plant them in your garden for many years of fragrant flowers. As for black nursery pots, you should check with your local garden centers; if they are not growers they may be happy to give them to you or sell them for a reasonable price. A lot of garden centers have nursery pot recycling programs and if this is the case they may have an abundance of them. You could also check with the Master Gardeners in your county, they might have local suggestions for you. Both turmeric (Curcuma longa) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) belong to the same family and are considered tropical plants for us in Kentucky. The rhizomes of these plants are used for culinary purposes so for planting purposes you will want to find fresh, organically grown rhizomes. You should start by checking at your local farmers’ market or natural food store. You will want to look for pieces that have plump nodes or ‘eyes’ and then plant the rhizomes about 5 inches deep with the nodes up. Both of these plants are happiest growing in morning sun and afternoon shade during the warm months and then bright filtered light indoors during the colder months. The soil should be loose, nutrient-rich, and well-drained. Both plants can reach 3 feet tall so keep this in mind when choosing your containers. It can take up to a year before you harvest your first rhizomes.
