Many people find pleasure in growing hyacinths using the water-forcing method, which has been around since the early 18th century. In our time, it has gained popularity as a commercial enterprise. At the same time, preparing hyacinths for flowering for the New Year or by March 8 at home is a procedure that goes beyond the scope of a hobby.
Table of contents
Home Distillation General Information
The traditional and simplest method for forcing hyacinths is in water. All you need are matching hourglass-shaped vases (with a wide base and narrow neck), sometimes called "hyacinth glasses".
Forcing in water is the most affordable method for flower growers
You can use other containers, focusing on the size of the bulb.
Where does the flower grow
Prepared bulbs (pre-chilled) grow in other types of growing media:
water and gravel (so that water in the reservoir does not stagnate, add charcoal) water and colored stone chips (decorative glass stones, synthetic fibers or other floristic fillers); universal (flower) soil. Air
The key element for any soil environment is air. Bulb compost is a mixture of:
sifted and sterilized loam sphagnum moss peat coarse sand or sand and fertilizer Temperature
At an average day and night temperature of 9-13 degrees in the greenhouse, hyacinths are driven out within 10-14 days (except for the varieties Marconi, Amethyst and City of Harlem, which need another 7 days).
For optimal flower formation, especially at the beginning of the forcing period, sharp temperature changes should be avoided.
A less cold effect provokes the risk of infection with phytopathogenic bacteria (ervinia, fusarium).
Forcing in a greenhouse is the path it takes on an industrial scale
Growing fragrant hyacinths at home is an easy task if you follow the basic rules. The main thing is that the bulb must develop a strong root system as it supports the plant throughout its life cycle.
Errors when forcing hyacinths
Particular attention should be paid to the selection of bulbs for forcing. Healthy is a guarantee of a beautiful and strong hyacinth! It should be smooth, dense, without damage, traces of pests.
The larger the bulb, the more flowers in the peduncle. There is also a chance that she will later produce another smaller flower.
It is with the bulb that the main mistakes made during forcing are associated. When there is no flower stem when the leaves are blooming, then most likely small (young) ones were chosen, which do not have sufficient strength. They will not bloom this season.
Another reason could be forcing at a higher temperature than it should be.
Watering, trying not to get on the bulb and sprouts, otherwise the plant will begin to rot and die.
With a lack of light, the leaves stretch too much, and become lethargic or turn yellow. Daylight hours for hyacinth are determined by 10 hours. Some growers use additional night lighting in the form of fluorescent lamps.
Hyacinth is not too picky. What you need to worry about in order to achieve a healthy and beautiful plant:
Temperature compliance with the regime during the forcing process Watering after the top soil layer in the pot dries up Lighting diffused light during flowering Hyacinth forcing process
Flowering flowers (irises, crocuses, daffodils, and so on) take a certain period of time to “cool down” before they bloom. This is called stratification. Hyacinths prefer 12-15 weeks of rest.
The best option is to purchase bulbs prepared in advance for forcing.
If you cannot buy pre-chilled ("prepared") bulbs, then you need to create artificial conditions that simulate winter. For 12-15 weeks, they are stored in a dry and cold environment (in the attic, in the garage, basement, possibly on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator) at a temperature of 3 to 9 degrees.
Bulbs are not left next to fruits that emit ethylene gas. He damages them. Do not store in a plastic bag as they can become moldy.
A cloth bag or perforated paper bag is ideal for storage.
Bulb size
Common sizes (circumference measured in centimeters) used for forcing in pots: 16/17 cm, 17/18 cm, 18/19 cm, 19 / + cm.
Varieties for distillation
The best varieties for forcing are the Dutch varieties:
"Lady Derby" (pale pink, framed with a snow-white border) "Delph Blue" (porcelain-violet) "Jan Bose" (dark crimson) Carnegie (pale white). Variety Lady Derby Variety Delph Blue Variety Jan Bos Pot
The pot (preferably not plastic, retaining moisture for an extended period) must be deep enough (shoots are usually about 6-10 cm high; in practice, this means that a pot up to 20 cm high is needed).
Planting 1 or 3-5 bulbs is considered preferable, depending on the size of the pot:
Pot diameter Number of bulbs 10 cm. 1 pc. 15 cm. 3 pcs. > 15 How much will fit without touching (at a distance of 2-2.5 cm.)
A layer of expanded clay is poured onto the bottom of the pot, then a layer of soil.
Push the bulb into the soil, which is compacted on top with a layer of sand (at least 3 centimeters). The top should be just above the rim (1.5 cm above the soil level).
As they germinate, the roots apply pressure and push the bulb out of the soil. Professional flower growers often use pieces of foam rubber with a thickness of at least 4 cm or lattices that do not allow them to be pushed out.
Humidity
After planting, the soil is well moistened, but in sufficient quantity.
An excess of water negatively affects the quality of the rooting medium, increases the risk of infection with pityial root rot.
In addition, high humidity can lead to infection with penicillin mold, which will lead to poor rooting (sometimes the plant dies).
Drainage
Drainage is critical, however, the soil must be firm enough to maintain adequate moisture during the growing season and keep the bulbs in place. For optimal watering, 1 - 1.5 cm is left between the planting mixture and the edge of the container.
The planted plants are harvested in a dark and cool place with a temperature of 5 - 12 degrees (the optimum temperature is 7 - 9 degrees) until roots develop and leaves germinate. The ideal cold working period is 8-10 weeks (depending on the variety).
During this time, the roots of the plant are formed, and the length of the stem increases.
Temperature
At temperatures below 5 degrees, the bulbs may not germinate, and at temperatures above 12 degrees, they may rot. Basements and garages provide ideal conditions (as a last resort, a refrigerator is used for distillation).
Storage in a cellar is a good option in terms of keeping the right temperature.
The readiness of the plant is determined by the appearance of green shoots about 5 cm long. And this means that it can be transferred to a bright and relatively warm room. But:
the temperature should not exceed 15-17 degrees; the plant is not exposed to direct sunlight (preferably a north window); placed away from heat sources (radiators, heaters, air streams from split systems). Watering
Care at this stage is reduced only to watering. Water should not fall on the plant, only on the soil. Hyacinth prefers moist soil, otherwise the flowering thorn will begin to wither, but not waterlogging.
The plant is turned every day to form an even and lush peduncle after about 2 weeks. If the hyacinth pot is removed overnight in a cool environment, then flowering can be extended by 5-10 days.
Blooming hyacinth for the New Year and March 8
The advantage of blooming hyacinths is that they can be pre-programmed.In order for the "rain flowers" to bloom on the windowsill for the New Year, "prepared" bulbs should be planted in late September - mid-October.
On March 8th, there is an unprecedented demand for tulips and hyacinths in flower markets
The period of forcing from planting to flowering takes about 2.5-3 months.
The recommended planting time for the plant to please with a beautiful flower is by March 8 - mid-December.
The flower stem of the hyacinth tends to stick in the embrace of the leaves. The problem is solved by removing the plant in a dark place for several days or placing a paper cone over it to "extract" the flower.
After the plant has faded, the peduncle is cut off. The leaves are removed when they are completely wilted. Faded bulbs are not used for re-forcing at home.
They can be planted in open ground in the fall (October). And next spring, the garden may be decorated with colorful and fragrant flowers (this largely depends on the type of hyacinth).
Of course, not only hyacinth is grown for certain holidays. The desire to make money makes people grow a variety of flowers. For example, we talked about how tulips are distilled by March 8.
Hyacinth bulbs strive exclusively for flowering and will do so only with simple support, delighting with aroma and spring mood at any time of the year.
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Grow amethysts at home 
Artificial crystals, natural crystals, growing SHOCKING NEWS
The invention relates to the hydrothermal synthesis of amethyst crystals for the jewelry industry using silicon-containing materials as a charge. The invention makes it possible to increase one of the main indicators of gem quality, the color intensity to at least 1.9 bel. Amethyst is grown under hydrothermal conditions using the temperature drop method. A mixture is used that has been previously recrystallized from ordinary veined quartz. During recrystallization, impurities of iron, lithium, manganese and cobalt are introduced into the charge. Amethyst is grown on seeds parallel to the faces of the large or small rhombohedrons. As a working solution, a solution of potassium carbonate with additions of iron and manganese nitrate is used. The grown crystals are subjected to ionizing radiation to impart color. 1 tab. The invention relates to the hydrothermal synthesis of amethyst crystals for the jewelry industry using silicon-containing materials as a charge. The closest in technical essence to the present invention is a method for producing synthetic amethyst. Cultivation is carried out under hydrothermal conditions by the method of temperature drop on seeds parallel to the faces of the pinacoid. In the process of obtaining amethyst from the resulting mixture, iron dioxide and manganese nitrate are added to the potassium carbonate working solution. The grown crystals are subjected to ionizing radiation to impart color. As a result, crystals of amethyst are obtained with a color intensity of at least 1.8 bel and a relative density of twins of less than 8%. The invention improves the color intensity of amethyst to at least 1.9 bel. An improvement in the color intensity in comparison with the prototype is achieved by introducing into the composition of the mixture synthesized from ordinary veined quartz, in addition to impurities of iron, lithium, manganese, additionally impurities of cobalt. All other technology is the same as in the prototype. An example of a specific execution.In the industrial cycle N 6668, in an autoclave with a volume of 1.5 m3, the dissolution chamber is filled with a synthetic charge in the amount of 675 kg, previously recrystallized from ordinary veined quartz, in a solution of potassium carbonate with the addition of soluble salts of iron, lithium, manganese and cobalt. The recrystallization of the charge is carried out on seeds parallel to the faces of the large or small rhombohedrons. According to the data of spectral-chemical analysis, the content of impurities captured by the charge quartz crystals was, wt. iron 0.0036; lithium 0.0012; manganese 0.00015; cobalt 0.0022. When synthesizing amethyst, 15 kg of Fe2O3 and 5 kg of Mn (NO3) 2 (oxidizing agent) are added to a potassium carbonate solution. Parameters in the growth mode of amethyst crystals: crystallization temperature TcroC, temperature drop T = 29oC, pressure P = 1100 kg / cm2. Thus obtained crystals of amethyst with a color intensity of 1.98 bel and a relative density of twins of less than 8% Comparative data of the proposed method and the prototype are summarized in the table. As can be seen from the table, the presence of cobalt impurities in the artificial mixture recrystallized from ordinary veined quartz makes it possible to significantly increase the color intensity of amethyst. In this case, the admixture of iron and manganese in the synthesized mixture can be reduced by an order of magnitude and this will not affect the color intensity. The proposed method is carried out using the method of temperature difference, which is widely known in the field of growing crystals of hydrothermal synthesis. The process is carried out in autoclaves with a capacity of up to 7 m3, used in domestic practice for obtaining single crystals, designed for pressure up to 1200 kgcm2 and temperatures up to 500 ° C. The autoclave has a vertical cylindrical body and is equipped with heating means for the lower and upper parts. The charge is loaded into the lower part, the seed plates are placed in the upper part. Then the autoclave is filled with working solution and sealed. Between the lower and upper parts, the required temperature difference is created and the process of crystal growth occurs. the fact that during its recrystallization from vein quartz, additionally impurities of iron, lithium, manganese and cobalt are introduced into the charge.DRAWINGSPicture 1 Picture 2
Amethyst is a precious or semi-precious stone, the most valuable, popular type of quartz. It is natural that it is being faked. You can even distinguish natural amethyst from imitation at home. 
What is offered under the guise of amethyst Natural amethyst is not considered rare or particularly expensive, but its magical and healing powers are well known. The following imitations are offered under the guise of a stone: glass; plastic; artificial crystals; other natural, but cheap stones. There is nothing wrong or dangerous in artificially obtained copies - they are grown on the basis of the same quartz. Outward and physical signs are identical to natural ones, some are even better. The difference in price is negligible. This is an intermediate link between nature and synthetics. The origin is important for personal reasons - a person simply does not like synthetics or stones are needed for magical and medicinal purposes. Often, an outwardly very similar fluorite is given out for amethyst. There are several ways to recognize the origin of a crystal. We check the authenticity of the stone Methods for identifying a mineral vary in complexity, use of tools, and degree of reliability. Visual assessment A real amethyst can be distinguished by the following features: not a particularly bright shade; uneven color; non-absolute transparency; inclusions of air, water plus microcracks are distinguishable in the structure.Synthetics are always bright, clean, evenly colored. Color Natural stone has violet, lilac, lilac - from pale to deep dark, with a bluish or reddish tint. A special case is green amethyst, or prasiolite. It is rare; this brand usually goes for fired quartz. When buying such a gem, they carefully study the documents - only Brazil and the United States can be its homeland. Light mode An easy reliable way to distinguish a natural gem from a fake. The pebble is compared in color in the shade and in the bright sun. If the original shade has not changed when the illumination is changed, the stone is natural. 
Durability An elegant violet-colored stone is harder than steel, with a Moss scale of 7. This means that it is impossible to scratch it with, for example, a steel knife. Or try to pick off a piece. But amethyst itself easily scratches glass or porcelain. This method easily detects glass or plastic counterfeits. However, it is problematic to distinguish natural amethyst specimens from artificially grown ones - the strength characteristics of both are identical. Thermal action The classic method for testing the naturalness of a gem. Natural amethyst, like any stone, has a low thermal conductivity, so it heats up slowly. The sample is taken by hand or applied to the body. If it doesn't heat up almost immediately, then it's real. The task is simplified if you compare two samples at the same time. The origin of at least one of them must be known for sure, that is, whether it is natural or artificial. The difference in heating time will be the determining factor and the result will be reliable. Water test Simple reliable method. The sample is placed in water. If the stone is natural, after a minute or two its edges will look a little pale. Such a visual effect is not reproduced by an artificial mineral, the pebble looks evenly colored along the contour and inside. Ultraviolet If possible, place the sample under an ultraviolet lamp. Natural amethyst is distinguished from artificial by the nature of the changes. Natural crystal will turn pale completely and evenly, synthetic partially and fragmentarily spotty. 
A natural source of ultraviolet rays - the sun - will give a similar result. The pebble is viewed on the street in clear weather. Microanalysis The method is simple, but meticulousness and instrumentation are required. A close examination of a sample under a magnifying glass, a magnifying glass or a microscope in a natural one will reveal the microscopic presence of gas or liquid bubbles and microcracks. Synthetic amethyst is devoid of such "defects". It is easier to grow a pure crystal than with inclusions that mimic natural ones. In it, only curved grooves are distinguishable - crystal growth lines that natural gems do not have. Real amethyst is not uniformly colored, since it consists of individual crystals, lighter or darker. The way such zoning is analyzed under a microscope depends on the color of the stones. For dark specimens, the device works as usual. To consider light ones, turn on the inversion mode, that is, the negative. If zoning is not visible in both cases, it is synthetic. You can see the stone in the frame if it is not solid. For this, a local light source is installed, precisely directed to the sample. Jewelry processing The quality of the girdle is assessed. This is a belt along the perimeter of the stone between the crown and the pavilion, that is, the top and bottom of the pebble. In natural stones it is rough, in synthetic stones it is polished. Professional methods These are spectral and X-ray structural analyzes. Available in the laboratory, expensive, but they can be guaranteed to determine the origin in problem cases. For example, only on the Spectrogram are microinclusions of goethite, which are present in amethyst, as in any quartz, are distinguishable. Conclusion The amethyst stone is beautiful and appreciated by experts.It is the number one anti-intoxication mineral. Naturally, they learned to fake it. To avoid doubts, jewelry or individual gems are bought in a trusted store, with certificates and other documents confirming the origin and quality. You can check the presented pebble yourself. There are reliable home identification methods by which imitation is immediately visible. In problem cases, it is worth contacting a gemologist or jeweler.
natural rhinestone crystals CONTENT How to grow a crystal from salt How to grow a crystal from sugar How to grow a crystal of copper sulfate How to grow a crystal from potassium alum Crystals of minerals are found everywhere in nature. Special conditions are needed for their education. For example, a rock granite consists of crystals of quartz, feldspar and mica, which crystallized one after another when the magma cooled. Beautiful hexagonal crystals of rock crystal have grown from hot aqueous solutions saturated with silica SiO2. 
natural sulfur crystals Rhombic yellow crystals sulfur grew from hydrogen sulfide waters of hot springs and geysers. On the shores of salt lakes and seas, one can see cubic crystals of rock salt - halite; white, red, yellow and even blue crystals of carnallite and mirabilite. Diamonds, the hardest crystals, formed under tremendous pressure in the so-called explosion tubes (kimberlite tubes). So, nature has created and continues to create crystals of minerals. Can we see the mystery of crystal growth? Can we grow them ourselves? Yes of course we can. And now I will tell you how to do it at home. HOW TO GROW A SALT CRYSTAL
Grown crystals of table salt In order to grow crystals of table (rock) salt (halite - NaCl), you need to put a container of water on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Then remove the container from the stove and dissolve the usual salt from the pack in it. Continuously stirring the solution, add salt until you notice that it no longer dissolves. The resulting salty solution must be filtered and poured into a flat dish, for example, in a saucer. The water will cool down and begin to evaporate, and at the edges of the saucer and at its bottom you will see transparent cubes of the correct shape - these are crystals of rock salt, halite. You can grow a large crystal, or several large cubic crystals. To do this, a woolen thread should be lowered into the container in which you dissolved the salt. When the solution cools, it will be covered with salt cubes. The slower the solution cools, the more regular crystals will have. After a while, growth will stop. To grow one large crystal, you need to choose the most correct one from the many crystals formed at the bottom, put it on the bottom of a clean glass, and pour the solution from the previous dish on top. Rest is necessary for the growth of the right crystals. Do not shake or move a table or shelf on which a container with growing crystals stands. HOW TO GROW A SUGAR CRYSTAL
You can grow sugar crystals in the same way as salt crystals. Sugar crystals can also be grown on wooden sticks and can be a beautiful addition to any festive sweet dish. Food colors added to the solution will color the sugar in all the colors of the rainbow. 
Sugar Crystals Below is a complete instruction, how to grow sugar crystals on sticks. HOW TO GROW CRYSTAL FROM COPPER CORE
Copper sulfate is sold in shops for gardeners, from it, and from slaked lime, they prepare "Bordeaux liquid" to protect plants from fungi and various diseases. 
To grow a crystal of copper sulfate (Cu SO4 * 5H2O) the correct form, you should dissolve powdered copper sulfate in water at a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius.At higher temperatures, the solubility of copper sulfate decreases. Dissolve the powder until dissolution stops. At the end of the wire or woolen thread we attach a seed - a small crystal of the same copper sulfate. Where can I get it? You can look for a larger crystal in the same bag from which you poured vitriol into the water. If this is not found, leave your solution to cool, and after a while you will see small crystals at the bottom. 
Pick one and tie (or glue) it to a wire or thread. Filter the solution. Then dip the prepared seed (crystal on thread) into it. Never immerse the seed in a hot solution! The seed can simply dissolve. A large crystal of copper sulfate grows for several weeks. The crystal, grown to the required size, must be varnished, since the moisture contained in the air will eventually lead to its melting and destruction. You can grow in an easy way beautiful copper crystals... A detailed description of the process can be found in the detailed article "How to Grow Copper Crystals". Iron sulfate crystals are grown in a similar way, a detailed article about this can be read by following the link in this proposal. HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM POTASSIUM ALUM 
grown crystals of potassium alum Potassium alum (KAI 2 * 12H2O - mineral alunite) are sold in the pharmacy in powder form. This is a good remedy that "dries the skin" and kills pathogens, this substance does not cause allergies and it is not toxic. Good crystals can be grown from potassium alum powder. Dissolve alum in warm water until saturation and filter the solution. After a few days in a calm place at room temperature, small crystals will appear at the bottom of the container. potassium alum (burnt alum) can be bought at the pharmacy From these crystals, you need to choose several pieces, the correct shape and place in another container. Then they are poured with the same solution. You can hang the seeds on thin threads (they can be glued to the thread with durable waterproof glue). Once every two to three days, the crystals must be transferred to a new glass, and the solution must be filtered and the growing crystals must be poured over again. Alum crystals grown to the required size should be varnished so that they do not melt from moisture in the air and do not lose their shape. It is desirable to prepare solutions for growing crystals with distilled water. At home, you can get an artificial malachiteusing copper sulfate and washing soda, but it will not be beautiful crystals or an openwork patterned stone, but a green or dirty green sediment at the bottom of the vessel (powder). Beautiful malachite, which practically does not differ from natural, can be obtained only on industrial equipment.
The factories also grow crystals of many minerals. But at home it is impossible to repeat this, for this you need special equipment. Most crystals (quartz, amethyst, ruby, emerald, diamonds, malachite, garnets, etc.) are grown in cast iron autoclaves under high pressure. Temperatures reach 500-1000 degrees, and pressure - 3000 atmospheres. Crystal Growing Kits set for growing crystals Now in toy stores, in large cities, sets for growing crystals have appeared on sale. From powders dihydrogen phosphate of ammonium and potassium, to which dyes are added, interesting prismatic and needle crystals can be grown. In order for the crystals to be large and beautiful enough, you must strictly follow the attached instructions. Strange, but the instructions in the box shown in the photo do not indicate which chemical is used to grow the crystals and which dye is used. Otherwise, it is quite detailed.
