Have you had your small grape hyacinths self seed? I never have until last year. The year before I ordered and planted Giant Hyacinths. Could these be what are seeding? I've tried to look it up but couldn't find out much. Just curious as I'll be quicker on dead-heading this year, just in case.
Grape hyathyins and the wild hyathyins self sow freely where I live and are considered a nuisance by many. I've had them seed and grow between the patio pavers and heavily laid and packed gravel. I sometimes enjoy the blooms before pulling the whole plant up, or what will come easily. I am a pretty lazy gardener and in my yard they have naturalized in several areas to be mown after they bloom.
Wow. I have trouble keeping both grape hyacinths & regular hyacinths alive after the first year or two!
It has me scratching my head, because like Palustris--mine self seed like mad...to the point of invasive-ness. I also got rid of hands-full of them this spring. I put them over on the slope of the train trestle across the canal from me. Now, if they come up, I can enjoy them form a distance. Yes, you could try a different location and perhaps work the ground to make it loose and add some compost. It might help. They like moist ground that not very rich, and is of a neutral pH to a bit limey (chalky). A bit of shade is not a bad thing. These are conditions that you can create yourself. I believe that it is worth a try.
Thanks Sjoerd! I think I will try them again. My famly used to grow them when I was a child, & they did very well for us back then.
Oké then. I forgot to tell you that in my garden, where I originally planted them, they did nothing and eventually just disappeared. The next place in the garden ~16m NE from the original place I planted them and they went absolutely nuts! I hope you will have success, I have no reason to suspect otherwise for you.
Good to know Sjoerd. Our soil tends to be acidic. I'll try a different place. By the way, have you ever grown litchi tomatoes? A friend grew them last year & I sampled one. Interesting flavor, a cross between a tomato & a cherry. They grow 5 feet tall with thorns. I am trying to start some from seeds & having a bit of trouble. I plan to contact the seed house to see what they suggest.
Now CM, that is a good adventure! I have never tried litchi toms. There are not a large variety that I can try actually...my new trials ought to have some sort of resistance to disease, as tom and and spud blight is all too common here. I am excited for you and will be really interested to learn how they will work this season. Nat6urally, I would like to see some piccies when there is something to photograph. My soil tends to be slightly on the acid side of neutral. We may have similar soils.
