How long does saffron take to grow
How To Grow Saffron: The Most Expensive Spice
Table of Contents
The most exotic and sought-after rare spice in the world, the saffron crocus is a beautiful bloom that people love all over the world. While the flower itself is small, if you’re growing saffron, it’s for the even smaller three stigmas that lie in its center. Once dried, the saffron loses 90% of its weight, making it worth more than several times its own weight in gold. It’s easy to learn how to grow saffron! This hardy little bloom is a delight to behold and well worth space in the garden!
Grown from corms instead of seeds, the saffron crocus is primarily grown in Iran. Over 90% of the saffron consumed around the world grows there. This is in large part due to the labor-intensive harvesting and drying of the stigmas, and the relatively cheap labor force in Iran. However, the saffron crocus bulbs (called corms) are relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain for gardeners wanting to add this bloom to their gardens.
Packed full of nutritional benefits, this spice is said to help with heart disease and depression. Many even say that handling the flowers and stigmas can cause uncontrollable laughing and joy!
Farmers in the US have been growing the saffron crocus since the 17th century when the Pennsylvania Dutch first brought these little bulbs to the US. It’s possible to farm this spice here if labor costs permit. Grown in a raised bed garden or containers, this plant can fit anywhere! Just keep in mind, a family of 4 needs at least 150-200 corms for a year’s worth of cooking.
Quick Care Guide
Love saffron? Learn how to grow saffron in your garden! Source: kightp| Common Name(s) | Saffron crocus |
| Scientific Name | Crocus sativus |
| Days to Harvest | 6-8 weeks |
| Light | Full sun |
| Water: | Moderate water during production; no water during dormancy |
| Soil | Well-drained sandy to loamy soil |
| Fertilizer | Compost or bone meal |
| Pests | Rabbits, voles, mice, gophers, saffron bulb mite |
| Diseases | Corm rot |
All About Saffron Crocus
As the petals unfurl, the flower’s center opens to the sunlight.
Source: LindaHThe world-renowned saffron crocus is by far the most expensive spice in the world. It’s known not just for its vibrant red color, but also for its scarcity. With 220,000 flowers needed to make a single kilo of dried spice, this spice needs several fields in production to make a crop worth selling.
The Crocus sativus has traditionally been used in Middle Eastern, Indian, Greek, and Spanish cooking but has since been incorporated into food all over the globe. The plant is believed to have originated in Minoan-era Crete and thrives in other similar temperate regions of the world. You can plant saffron on farms, in the garden, or in containers. The crocus saffron will adapt to any number of growing conditions.
The saffron crocus is a short and stubby flower that produces a purple cup-shaped bloom in beautiful jewel tones. The leaves or foliage are more like green spikes that look like pine needles and the entire plant is 4 inches tall at maturity. There are three stigmas in the center of the plant and this is the portion of the plant that is known as ‘saffron’.
It is a brightly colored red-orange tri-pronged thread that emerges from the base. It is shockingly bright and incredibly easy to spot. Only a single flower is produced from each bulb, however, each bulb does reproduce as it goes into its dormancy season over summer.
The saffron life cycle can generally be broken down into 5 stages. Saffron crocus bulbs sprout 6-8 weeks after planting in late fall to early winter. It flowers and develops leaves and then begins to develop daughter corms while heading into dormancy.
Planting Saffron Crocuses
If you’re growing saffron crocus, it’s ideal to start the bulbs in the late summer or early fall. Your growing zone will dictate the exact time. If in USDA zones 3-6 plant them in August, if in USDA zones 7-10, try for September.
Plant saffron corms about 4 inches deep and 4 inches apart, although a bit closer together for dramatic effect won’t do much harm. Some people even grow 12 per square foot. Be sure to plant the bulb pointed size down in the planting hole.
Care
The yellow center gives way to three slender red stigmas. Source: graibeardIt’s quite easy to grow saffron crocus bulbs! A great addition to the herb garden, this brilliant spice is great for beginners and a hardy corm that will come back year after year. There are just a few rules to follow to make sure these little guys have the right growing conditions.
Sun and Temperature
For gardeners wishing to learn how to grow saffron crocus, most will find that saffron is easily grown in their climates. While not all will be able to grow saffron and leave the corms in the ground year-round, most will find that with a few adaptations, these plants will grow well almost anywhere. How is that? The saffron crocus thrives in temperate regions and is adaptable to growing zones 6-10. It needs a full day’s sun (at least 8 hours) and a steady warmth at the end of fall.
It’s after the stigmas have been harvested that growers need to watch out for the temperature.
In zones below USDA zone 6, the winters get too cold for the corms to overwinter in-ground. You’ll need to lift the bulbs and store them over winter to protect them from extreme cold. In zones 8-10, you’ll need to bring in the saffron crocus bulbs and artificially ‘winterize’ them in order for the saffron crocus bulbs to know to sprout the following season.
Water and Humidity
It’s wonderful to see a blooming crocus in the landscape. However, be careful not to overwater these beautiful and hardy little saffron flowers. In the days leading up to harvest, saffron crocuses need only a moderate amount of water, about a 1/2 an inch a week from the time of planting to harvest. After the saffron has been harvested, stop watering altogether. This will encourage the crocus to complete its life cycle and go dormant.
When watering, it’s best to use a drip irrigation hose to evenly water your harvest. Using a strong hose or watering can accidentally damage these fall-blooming plants.
Soil
Saffron crocuses are a fairly hardy plant and tolerate sandy soils to loamy soils. They can even be grown in poor soils if the soil is partially amended with compost or bone meal. The one requirement needed is that the soil is well-draining. Soil that retains too much water will invite rot, one of the very few problems to affect the wonderful saffron spice.
Fertilizing
For gardeners who want to learn how to grow saffron, this fall-blooming flower is pretty low maintenance. The saffron flowers do not require much in the way of fertilizing. However, if amending poor soil or fertilizing overwintered in-ground corms, add 1 inch of compost over the ground where the crocus corms have been planted. Alternatively, you can amend the soil with some bone meal at the time of planting. Given the quick bloom time of the plant, and the tiny crop, little is truly needed in order for these bulbs to produce.
Pruning
The only time a saffron crocus is pruned, is when it’s harvested.
Using sharp scissors or your hands, gently separate the flower from the stem and separate the petals from the stigma. Be sure to leave the foliage to allow the bulbs to slowly develop daughter bulbs as it heads into dormancy.
Propagation
The saffron crocus is exclusively propagated by allowing each corm to complete its full life cycle. After the saffron flowers have been harvested, the leaves need to be allowed to die back. It’s during this time that ‘daughter’ bulbs develop. If desired, you can dig up these new corms and select the healthiest to store for the next year’s growth, or cover with mulch and leave them until the following fall if your climate is amenable.
Harvesting and Storing
The stigma is the part we use for culinary color and flavor. Source: graibeardThe saffron spice is a somewhat labor-intensive spice to pick and store. This is why the spice costs so much despite it being a rather easy plant to grow. The bright red stigmas of this wonderful plant are a beautiful and eye-catching sight, and easily signal when they’re ready to be picked.
Harvesting
The time window for harvesting saffron crocus is pretty short. You’ll ideally need to visit your garden mid-morning while you’re in the harvest window. Saffron is best harvested in the morning on a dry day when the sun has not yet begun to beat down on the flower. This is usually about 6-8 weeks after the corms are planted. Wait until the bloom is partially open to pick the flower. Snip the bottom portion of the flower without taking any of the leaves. You’ll want to first open up the flower, letting all the parts fall onto a table or napkin, and pick out the stigma gently either by hand or with tweezers.
Storing
Saffron threads are finicky, they can’t take too much sunlight before their quality starts to degrade. After picking, immediately store them indoors in a shaded area.
Saffron threads can be used immediately after picking (within a 24 hr period), or it can be dehydrated for long-term storage. If drying there are two methods available.
For a small crop, try drying on a paper towel on a shaded table or shelf. They should be dry within 3 days. If using a dehydrator, spread the threads out evenly on a dehydrator sheet and dehydrate for 3 hours at 45 degrees.
After drying, the stigmas need to be sealed in an airtight container in a dry place. Try wrapping the stigmas in foil or another light blocking material to store them for the long term as sunlight degrades the quality of this spice. Commercial sellers use black plastic to shield them from the sun.
Don’t be surprised when your saffron loses much of its weight! The dehydration process strips 90% of the weight from the stigma!
Troubleshooting
These lovely flowers are beautiful ornamentals as well! Source: antonychammondFortunately for people who grow saffron crocus, these bulbs have relatively few predators and growing problems. Aside from the hungry rabbit or gopher, this hardy little bulb is sometimes affected by rot or mites, but rarely at that.
Growing Problems
Growing saffron crocus is thankfully a pretty easy task! This plant is blessed with very few growing problems. However, it’s important to keep in mind your growing area if growing in regions dissimilar from its native environment of Greece. It performs best in USDA zones 5-8; while it can grow in zones 9-10, be careful not to plant too early as it will need cool temperatures to flower. If it’s too hot, the corm may produce just leaves and none of the flowers we crave.
Pests
Most of the pests that affect the saffron crocus are small mammals. The bulb of the saffron plant is a very delicious nugget of nutrients that can be dug up and eaten by a variety of animals such as rabbits, gophers, voles, and mice. These corms are especially susceptible to attack during the winter months when food is scarce.
The saffron bulb mite is a small .8mm long beetle-looking bug that causes the plant to grow in a stunted manner.
The flowers will grow shorter with thinner leaves as well. It’s best to prevent it as the short-lived plants cannot be truly cured once the problem shows itself, but you can consider spraying the corms with miticide before planting.
Diseases
While fortunate to not suffer from too many diseases, corm rot is a definite concern for growers with soil that retains too much water. Corm rot is actually a collective term for several different fungal diseases including Rhizopus, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium. They all manifest themselves by rotting the bulb and foliage of the plant and making them appear yellow or brown in appearance. These rots, similar to root rot, can be avoided by planting in well-draining soil and reducing watering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where does saffron grow best?
A: Saffron grows best in well-draining soil with full sun and a moderate amount of nutrients.
Q: Is it profitable to grow and sell saffron?
A: It can be profitable to grow and sell saffron.
However, as much of the cost is from the labor-intensive process of harvesting, that will be a big factor in its profitability.
Q: Is saffron easy to grow?
A: It’s pretty simple to grow saffron crocus if you have a sunny location with well-draining soil.
a step-by-step guide to grow saffron |
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Wondering how to grow saffron? Our expert guide to growing and harvesting saffron will help you cultivate this fragrant spice with ease.
A luxurious, vivid spice that has been around for centuries, saffron comes from a flower called crocus sativus, also known as the ‘saffron crocus’. A beautiful, purple flower with bright red threads (stigmas), these threads are what make the saffron spice. Saffron can only be harvested by hand over a short period of time in the fall season, with each flower only producing a very small amount of the spice, which explains why saffron is one of the most desired and expensive spices in the world.
Here we explore how to grow saffron at home and address some of the most common questions asked about this unique and valuable spice.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
How to grow saffron
Below we take you through our simple step-by-step guide on how to grow saffron.
- To grow saffron at home, you will need to buy some crocus sativus (saffron crocus) corms or bulbs, the more you have, the more saffron you will be able to harvest.
- Plant the bulbs in late summer. They can be planted in grass in well-drained soil, as well as in pots or in a cool greenhouse. If planted in grass, the plants are great for edging a path or border, or work well in clusters in a flower-bed or rockery.
- Plant the bulbs in small clumps, around 5cm deep and 5-10cm apart.
- Once planted, ensure the soil gets plenty of sunshine and does not become waterlogged.
- The flowers will bloom in fall before the leaves. The bright red threads must be picked and dried quickly as the flowers unfortunately wilt after just one day.
Delicately remove the threads using tweezers, each flower produces only three stigmas. - Leave the threads on a paper-towel indoors for a few days until they are fully dried out, then store in an air-tight container in a warm, dry place. You can then crush the stems to make a powder and add the saffron to many a recipe, both sweet and savory, with the spice adding a sweet, earthy taste.
- After the plants have flowered, leave the plant to die naturally and prune when it turns yellow.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Is saffron easy to grow?
If you have the right planting conditions saffron is easy to grow. Once you have planted the bulbs the plants need little attention, you just need to remember to pick the precious threads as soon as the flowers bloom.
Where does saffron grow best?
Saffron grows best in an area of well drained soil that gets plenty of direct sunlight - make sure the soil does not become waterlogged as this will ruin the plant growth.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
How fast does saffron grow?
Your bulbs need to be planted towards the end of the summer season and the threads harvested in autumn. The flowers can bloom as little as four weeks after planting but generally it will be between six to ten weeks.
How much saffron do you get from one plant?
The reason why saffron is so expensive and desirable is each flower only produces a tiny amount of the spice. Around fifty flowers will produce one teaspoon of the spice so the more flowers the more spice you can harvest! The good news is a small amount of saffron can go a long way, the spice has a strong taste so you only need to add a pinch to your cooking to taste the flavor.
Zara joined Homes & Gardens in February 2022 as a Content Editor. After studying English Literature at University, she worked as an Ecommerce Website Editor, Content Writer and Buying Intern at multiple independent businesses within the luxury retail and lifestyle sectors.
Her role at Homes & Gardens unites her love, experience and passion for the world of design and desire to create inspiring written content. She enjoys nothing more than discovering new trends, brands and products, whether that be in fashion, interior design or lifestyle.
Growing saffron - what the plant likes, planting and care, how and when to harvest
Growing saffron is an exciting process. In addition, saffron is known as an exquisite and very expensive spice. But that's not the only thing he's good at.
The flower from which it is extracted is beautiful and unusual. It decorates the autumn garden, and then a piece of it gives the dishes a peculiar taste. We will talk about how to grow saffron further.
Contents:
- 1 What is saffron
- 2 Cultivation of saffron
- 3 Where, when and how to plant saffron crocus
- 4 Care of saffron and method of container growing
What is saffron
The history of this flower, in contrast to its lifespan, is very long.
The saffron flower is mentioned in the writings of ancient Egyptian and Assyrian healers.
Flowering saffron outdoors
Translated from the Greek "crocus" - thread or fiber. And the second name "saffron" in Arabic sounds like "zeferan", that is, "yellow".
The value of a crocus is its stigma. These are peculiar small antennas of red-orange color. They stand out well against the background of the blue flower. Only from them is real saffron made.
In ancient times, saffron was used:
- For dyeing fabrics yellow. The plant got its name because of its stigmas, after drying, they look like thin threads. With the help of two such threads, three liters of water can be dyed.
- For aromatherapy. The smell of saffron was supposed to relax and calm the believers in the service of the gods.
- As a condiment. Subtle sweet aroma with barely noticeable bitterness enriches the taste of food and improves digestion.
- For food preservation.
In ancient times, there were no refrigerators and food could be preserved for a short time with the help of saffron. - For medicinal purposes. The saffron seed is still used in the East to relieve pain and as a heart remedy, as in ancient times.
Thanks to all these qualities, saffron was a very popular spice. Its cost has always been very high. This is because it can only be grown and harvested by hand.
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For the correct cultivation of saffron, it is important to familiarize yourself with the biological characteristics of such a plant, as well as to study the structure and appearance of the flower.
Common saffron is sometimes also called common crocus. This culture belongs to perennial herbaceous plants.
Family - Iris. The bushes of this flower are small, about 15-30 cm. The culture propagates by small bulbs, about 2-3 cm in diameter.
A characteristic feature of the plant is the absence of a stem. A bud and foliage immediately begin to develop from the top of the bulb. Up to three buds can appear from one bulb. Flowers can be purple, lilac, yellow or orange.
Since the spice is prepared from the stigma, they are of the greatest interest and value. The pistil of the bud has three tubular orange or reddish stigmas. Although the saffron flower is very beautiful, it fades rather quickly. In the future, fruits are formed - saffron seeds, which are in the box.
The most common species bloom in the spring, although some varieties release buds in the fall. There are a lot of varieties of the described plant.
Where does saffron grow? The highest quality spice is obtained from the Kashmir variety, which is cultivated in India. The stamens are dark red, quite long and very fragrant.
This species is the most difficult to grow, for this reason, the spice obtained from the described culture is not often found on the market and has a high cost.
There is also a Spanish variety. It is also considered quite high quality and in demand. This species is represented by several varieties. The first Coupe where I use only the upper parts of the stamens.
When harvesting the spice from the Superior variety, the whole part of the stigma is used, so the finished product is not so rich in smell and taste. However, it is this variety that is often found on sale.
We would like to note that there are inexpensive substitutes for the popular spice. This, for example, American saffron - herbaceous plants for open ground. Still, under the indicated name, turmeric roots or crushed marigold buds are often sold.
It is important to add that you should not try to prepare the spice yourself from crocuses grown in a flower bed. There are a lot of varieties, some of them can be poisonous.
If the flower variety is not absolutely known, it is better to grow saffron only for decorating the house and garden.
Growing saffron
Saffron is created in several steps:
Planting a bulb. Crocus sativus bulbs are used for this purpose. It looks like autumn colchicum, which is very poisonous.
Stigmas help distinguish plants. Crocus saffron has fewer of them, only three. But his rival boasts of six red stigmas.
Cultivation. When planted in spring, the plants are dormant all summer. At this time, they accumulate strength to bloom with their precious flowers. The buds appear immediately along with the leaves.
Collection. This is the most important step in the preparation of the "golden spice", as saffron is still called all over the world. Three precious stigmas must be removed from the flower on the very day when it blooms. If you miss the moment, then the stigmas, like the flower, will fade.
To collect the stigmas, the flower is cut or plucked from the plant.
It should not be pulled out with an onion. The bulb after harvest remains in the ground or is dug up for winter storage. With the help of tongs, miniature scissors or sensitive thin fingers, the stigmas are removed from the flower and deposited in a separate container.
Drying. No less important is the mode of drying the stigmas. This process must be carried out in a warm, ventilated area, avoiding direct sunlight.
Storage. It is recommended to store saffron threads in a glass container, which should not be exposed to light for a long time.
Each step in the cultivation of saffron, carried out in accordance with the rules, will lead to the desired result in the form of a fragrant seasoning.
Where, when and how to plant saffron crocus
Saffron flower photo
How to grow saffron in the country? Crocus saffron or simply saffron prefers:
Light. The sunniest place in the garden is what you need for it. Spices need the sun to add flavor and color later.
Drainage. This is a prerequisite for growing autumn crocus. The plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture. It also does not respond to temporary dryness of the soil.
Moderate watering. In autumn, the air temperature is not very high, so frequent watering should be avoided. The plant needs one good moisturizing once every seven days.
The soil around the plant must not be wet. Allow it to dry out a bit between waterings, but not dry out.
Fertile permeable soil. On light soils, crocus sowing grows better than on clay soils. When creating soil for planting, it is necessary to add clean, clay-free sand.
In order to grow saffron:
It is necessary to calculate the required amount of planting material. Saffron is a very economical spice. For any dish, three stigmas are enough.
The number of bulbs depends on how many meals a family prepares with saffron per year. As a trial planting, it is enough to purchase 10 bulbs.
Purchase planting stock.
It is best to purchase bulbs from a reputable garden center. With this method, the grower sees what he is buying and can select bulbs without signs of disease or damage.
Buying online is also a good option if the store specializes in selling branded planting material. But in this case, all efforts can be nullified by the poor performance of the delivery organization. The bulbs are quite easy to dry out or damage during transportation.
Prepare the site. In the garden soil you need to add sand and a little humus. Heavily fertilized soil will cause the flower to gain green mass at the expense of flowering. After that, all ingredients must be thoroughly mixed and loosened.
Lat. Crocus sativus
A bed is dug to a depth of 10 cm. Small crushed stone or expanded clay is poured on its bottom with a layer of 3-5 cm. The soil mixture is poured on top. The bulbs must be at least 5 cm below the ground.
Plant bulbs. Planting is done in May in well-warmed ground.
Crocus bulbs are neatly placed in the groove with the bottom down and sprouts up.
Plantings are covered with the remaining earth from above. It is not necessary to compact the earth. The main thing is that the bottom of the bulb is in good contact with the soil.
After that, the earth can be slightly moistened with warm water with the addition of potassium permanganate to a pale pink color.
Collect flowers in time. This is one of the most important and delicate stages.
For the sake of this moment, saffron crocus is grown.
Proper preparation and landing is 30% of success. The rest is for good planting varietal material and competent care.
Saffron care and container growing method
After planting, the plant must be well cared for. Despite the fact that it is at rest all summer, it needs:
Regular removal of weeds. Weeds take nutrients from the soil that are necessary for the development of crocus. Weeds shade plantings, which is harmful for bulbs.
In such a climate, they can quickly rot.
Keeping the soil loose. This procedure ensures the permeability of the soil to air and eliminates stagnant water.
Moderate watering. The frequency of watering depends on the condition of the soil. It doesn't have to be constantly wet. Once every five or seven days will be enough.
Saffron spice
Top dressing. As top dressing when growing saffron crocus, it is best to use mineral fertilizers. Well suited for this purpose, such as Fertika, Aqua, AVA.
Organics are applied to the soil during planting. During the growing season, organic fertilizers such as manure or humus are not recommended.
Prevention of pests and diseases. The pests of the crocus seed include, first of all, mice. They love his delicious onions. In order to avoid attack by rodents, you need to plant saffron in containers made of metal mesh. Now in the garden centers there is a wide variety of them.
The best prevention against diseases is treatment before planting. As a preparation for treatment, you can use ordinary potassium permanganate or phytosporin.
Other pests, aphids and slugs, appear when the plant care regime is not followed. Stronger drugs have to be used against them:
- Actellik
- Aktara
- Golden spark
Shelter for the winter. Crocus seed plantings are able to withstand frosts down to -25 ° C. In areas with such and more severe conditions, it is better to cover the bulbs for the winter with peat, humus, wood chips. The thickness of the cover layer should not exceed 10 cm.
Under no circumstances should the cover be made of polyethylene or other air- and moisture-tight materials. Under such shelter, the bulbs rot.
An alternative to outdoors is growing crocus in containers and pots. With this content, the bulbs will be under the supervision of the grower and will remain until the next harvest without damage.
The container for planting saffron must be wide enough and at least 15 cm deep.
How does saffron grow?
The bottom must be filled with a drainage layer of coarse sand or fine expanded clay. Soil for planting can be used universal or prepared independently from garden soil, humus and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1. Vermiculite must also be added there to increase moisture capacity.
After the plants have faded in the open field, the bulbs are planted in a container with prepared soil and removed in a dark, frost-free room.
When the sunny days of March come, the pots with plantings are placed in a bright place with a temperature of about 15 °C. With regular, but not excessive watering, sprouts appear after two weeks.
These crocuses bloom earlier than in the open field and decorate the house. The nuance when growing at home is to ensure sufficient sunlight. With its deficiency, the flowers become "papery" and the stigmas are very weak.
While watching the video, you will learn about growing saffron.
You can and should experiment with different ways of growing crocuses. Perhaps the florist will find his own unusual way of growing saffron.
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Exemplary Homestead » Site archive » Saffron cultivation, planting and care
They are all divided into autumn-blooming and spring-blooming. For the cultivation of saffron to obtain raw materials for medicines and seasonings, only one variety is used - crocus sowing. This is an autumn-flowering variety of crocus. It is not found in the wild anywhere.
Crocuses for growing in the field are the most adaptable Dutch hybrids, large-flowered varieties of crocuses. For example, varieties "Grand Maitre", "Vanguard", "Gell" and others.
In the catalogs you can find a variety of types of crocuses - yellow crocuses, white, golden, two-tone, purple.
Planting saffron
For healthy, beautiful flowers, you need to choose a quality planting material. Healthy plant bulbs, as well as bulbs of other flowers (hyacinths, tulips, daffodils) should be free from traces of rot and mechanical damage. The color of the bulbs should be even, without spots. The scales of the bulbs should fit snugly against the body of the bulbs. The bottom must also be intact, without damage and sprouted roots on it.
Depending on the size of the bulb and the variety of the plant, either one or several flowers may grow from it. Crocus corms can produce up to five babies per season. Baby bulbs are smaller than the parent bulb, and good flowers from them can grow only after one season, when they gain weight. Under favorable weather conditions, crocuses grow in the same place for several years. These plants reproduce quickly, forming bright clearings, but gradually the flowers will become smaller, as the number of plants increases and the soil under them is depleted.
It is very important to choose the right place for planting saffron. Although these plants grow normally in partial shade, the best place for the development and growth of the largest flowers will be a well-lit place. You do not need to use a place for planting crocuses, from where water is difficult to drain. In these places, the bulbs can rot. This plant is drought tolerant, and a slight deficit of moisture is better for it than an overabundance.
Crocus flowers thrive in cultivated, breathable soils. On heavy clay soils, it is necessary to add sand, peat, and also provide drainage by pouring a layer of fine gravel or sand. On light soils, soddy soil and humus should be added. Acidic soils need to be limed. The land for planting must be prepared in advance, at the same time introducing the main fertilizer into it.
Spring-blooming crocuses are usually planted in September or October to a depth of about 5-10 centimeters, autumn-blooming in July or September to a depth of about 8-10 centimeters. Planting depth should be approximately two to three bulb diameters. It is necessary to plant a little smaller on heavy soils, and on light ones, respectively, a little deeper. Leave a distance of about 10 cm between the bulbs.
Saffron care
Growing crocuses is not particularly troublesome. This plant is not capricious. Crocus is quite resistant to cold snaps. It is able to withstand temperatures down to -18 ° C, but it is better to cover the plantings with foliage for the winter, or spruce branches, or a layer of peat.
Crocus usually blooms when the soil is still wet from melted snow and does not require additional watering. Crocus is a drought-resistant plant, but with a lack of moisture, it can produce smaller flowers. To obtain full flowering, you need to moderately water crocuses if there is not enough moisture in the soil.
For proper development and normal flowering, crocus flowers need to be fed. The best fertilizer for crocuses is decomposed humus, as well as compost soil (about 10 kg per 1 m2). This fertilizer should be applied when preparing the soil for sowing flowers in it.
During the whole season it is necessary to carry out several top dressings with mineral fertilizers. The first top dressing - on the site where crocuses are planted, potassium and phosphorus are added in early spring, when the snow has not yet melted, at the rate of 80-100 g per 1 m2, in a ratio of 2: 1. When the plants begin to grow actively and the formation of buds, a second top dressing should be carried out, with the same calculation, but in a ratio of 1: 1. It is also necessary to feed the plants during flowering (35 g per 1 m2).
Some gardeners find it a good idea to dig up the bulbs every year and store them in cellars until the next planting. This allows you to sort out the bulbs, removing diseased and weak ones from among them, and as a result, get larger flowers, as well as protect the bulbs from garden mice that can eat them.
Saffron at home
You can also grow saffron in a pot. The purpose of forcing is to get a flowering crocus plant at home by a certain date or just in the winter, when the plants in the garden are still far from flowering. The forcing of spring-blooming large-flowered crocuses of the Dutch selection is best done. To do this, you need to pick up bulbs of the same variety and size, so that in one pot there are plants of the same height and bloom at the same time.
The bulbs are dug up in the garden in August or September, or in the spring after the leaves have died down if the plants have flowered in a pot. After that, it is necessary to keep the bulbs at room temperature (about 24 degrees), ventilate the room well, for two weeks. Then you should remove the bulbs for storage.
It is not always possible to grow a flowering crocus by a certain date. This largely depends on the variety, the size of the bulb, external factors, but you can determine the approximate time.
To get flowers by a certain date, the bulbs must be kept at rest at a temperature of +5-+9 degrees, without planting in the ground.
