Where does saffron grow best


How To Grow Saffron - BBC Gardeners World Magazine

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Saffron is a spice used mainly as a seasoning in dishes like curries, risottos and fish dishes, but is also used as a food colouring agent. It’s the world’s most expensive spice by weight, owing to the number of plants needed to harvest a modest amount. Saffron is thought to be native to the Mediterranean and parts of Asia, but is grown widely across Iran, as well as parts of Spain, France, Italy and India.

Saffron strands are the stigmas of the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus. While they’re easy to grow you’ll need to buy a lot of saffron bulbs – around 150 flowers will produce one gram of saffron. Saffron crocuses flower in autumn.

How to grow saffron

Saffron crocus bulbs are widely available from mail-order bulb and seed companies. Plant them in summer in moist but well-drained soil and water well. To harvest the saffron strands, simply remove using tweezers, and dry them before using them to add delicate colour and flavour to a range of dishes.

Advice on buying

Crocus sativus bulbs

Where to buy saffron bulbs

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You Will Need

Step 1

Plant the saffron crocus bulbs in late summer, in pots or borders, in a warm, sunny spot. Space them 15cm apart, at a depth of about 10cm, then firm down the soil and water in well.

Planting saffron crocus bulbs

Step 2

When the crocuses flower in autumn, harvest the saffron strands by removing the long, bright orange-red stigmas from the centre of the flowers using tweezers. Each flower produces just three stigmas, so harvest them carefully.

Harvesting the saffron strands

Step 3

Lay out the harvested stigmas on a paper towel to dry out thoroughly for a few days in a warm, dry place, then store in an air-tight container. Use sparingly in a wide range of dishes, both savoury and sweet, where they will add colour and flavour.

Drying the saffron strands

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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 NameCrocus sativus
Days to Harvest6-8 weeks
LightFull sun
Water:Moderate water during production; no water during dormancy
SoilWell-drained sandy to loamy soil
FertilizerCompost or bone meal
PestsRabbits, voles, mice, gophers, saffron bulb mite
DiseasesCorm rot

All About Saffron Crocus

As the petals unfurl, the flower’s center opens to the sunlight. Source: LindaH

The 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: graibeard

It’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: graibeard

The 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: antonychammond

Fortunately 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.

Growing Tips: Care, Planting and Transplanting, Fertilizing and Soil Peter Pete, Watering, Pruning, Diseases and Pests

Saffron (crocus flower) has been known since antiquity: incense, spices, medicines and dyes were made from its flowers. Graceful saffron opens in clear weather, and closes at night and cloudy weather. This wonderful flower blooms in spring - in March-April, but there are varieties that bloom in autumn.

There are many varieties of crocus: yellow with 2-3 golden-yellow flowers; golden-flowered with golden yellow flowers; Susian with bronze and gold petals; spring and Thomas saffron with lilac, blue and white flowers, and others that differ in color, size and flowering time.

Planting

Spring flowering bulbs should be planted in the ground in September, autumn blooming in August. They are buried in the soil by 6-8 cm, and the children - by 3-6 cm. The optimal distance between the bulbs is 3 cm.

How to grow a saffron flower. It can grow in open sunny places and in partial shade, but still choose sunny places - the flowers will be larger and brighter. Before planting, apply organic fertilizers: rotted manure, PETER PEAT lowland peat of the Agro line or compost. Feed the plant with complex mineral fertilizers (30-40 g / m²), which include mineral fertilizers containing several nutrients - these are potassium nitrate, ammophos, diammophos, nitroammophos, nitrophoska, karbofoska, azophoska, etc. You can use a special complex fertilizer for colors. 1st top dressing - before flowering, the second - after. For the winter, mulch saffron with peat and protect with spruce branches or covering material.

Tip: To protect the saffron from rodents, plant the bulbs in bulb baskets.

Conditions of maintenance and care

Growing saffron is a rather complicated process: it loves fertile soil and requires certain climatic conditions. Plant it in well-lit areas, preferably on hills, providing good drainage. The soil should be loose and with a sufficient amount of lime. With proper care for saffron and moderate watering, they are not afraid of any diseases.

Attention! The saffron flower is drought tolerant, so it does not need to be watered even when flowering. During the dormant period, watering is also not recommended.

Propagation

The plant is propagated by bulbs - this is the most effective way of propagating saffron, which allows you to save the variety. Depending on the species, each bulb can form from one to ten children per season. After 3-4 years, many such baby bulbs will appear that interfere with each other, so it is necessary to transplant them.

Bulbs need to be replanted from June to August: saffron leaves turn yellow - feel free to get down to business. Dig up the bulbs, sort them out, discard the sick ones. Dry the healthy ones in the shade and remove before planting in a well-ventilated room with t = 17-20 ° C. Saffron can also be propagated by seeds, sowing them in the garden in September-October to a depth of 1 cm.

Diseases and pests

Although the saffron flower is unpretentious, growing saffron in open ground is fraught with some diseases. The most common of these are rot and leaf rust. But most often rats, birds, rabbits encroach on the plant. To prevent disease, provide the plant with careful watering: water it only under the root, avoiding water on the leaves. Inspect the saffron regularly, and remove the infected areas at the first sign of disease. The most effective insecticides are Bordeaux liquid and copper-soap solution of vitriol.

Saffron is versatile and looks great in rockeries, flowerbeds, flowerpots, near ponds and in compositions with shrubs. Make friends with saffron, and it will exquisitely decorate your site, pleasing to the eye and giving a good mood!

Growing saffron - what the plant loves, 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.

Content:

What is Shafran

History of this flower, from the duration of his life is very long. The saffron flower is mentioned in the writings of ancient Egyptian and Assyrian healers.

Flowering saffron in the open field

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:

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.

Expert opinion

Yuliya Yuryevna

I have a large garden and garden, several greenhouses. I love modern methods of plant cultivation and soil mulching, and I share my experience.

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For the correct cultivation of saffron, it is important to get acquainted 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 stage 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 material. 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 at 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 regimen is not followed. Stronger drugs have to be used against them:

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?

A drainage layer of coarse-grained sand or fine expanded clay must be poured onto the bottom. 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.


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