Grape Hyacinth Leaves Are Turning Red

Question

I have bought a small pot with 7 Grape Hyacinth leaves in it and have had them bloom nicely in my house for a while when the lower flowers started wilting and the leaves started turning red and also look like they are wilting.

What is happening with the bulbs? Are they pressed together too closely? Or am I watering wrongly?
Would it help if I replanted them into different pots?

Thank you in advance for your time!

Regards,
Tanya

Answer 1

Grape hyacinths are a spring ephemeral which means they go dormant soon after blooming. It is true that the flower business often packs bulbs in closer than one would plant in the garden but this isn’t a problem for grape hyacinths. Plants must be in pots with drainage holes or you risk rotting the bulbs/roots. Water when the top inch of soil is dry – poke your finger in the soil. Overwatering and under watering create similar wilting in leaves. If they finished blooming a couple of weeks ago, they are probably going dormant. Otherwise consider using a bigger pot with standard potting mix. Here is a helpful article. Note that if you plant to keep these indoors, you’ll have to create a cold treatment to trigger another bloom.