How to plant crocuses in autumn. Autumn planting of crocuses - the key to spring flowering

The appearance in the spring of the first flowers of crocus (the Latin name for saffron) is always welcomed by gardeners with great enthusiasm and a considerable dose of optimism, as it invariably signals the arrival of spring and the opening of the summer season. Yellow, white, blue-violet positive flowers captivate with their tenderness, brightness, originality of a cupped shape. That is why they can be seen so often on alpine slides, rockeries, flower beds, in garden compositions. This plant is indispensable in containers, borders, and lawns. In addition, saffron is simply doomed to success due to its bitter spicy taste and strong smell, as well as the yellow coloring matter that is obtained from it. How to plant and care for an unpretentious flower will be discussed in our article.

Popular varieties of crocuses

Crocus differs in terms of flowering by:

The most popular autumn varieties of crocuses are:

Important! The most famous and common are spring crocuses, so further we will talk about their planting and growing.

When to Plant Crocuses in Spring and Fall

Like almost all bulbs, crocuses are planted in the fall. As for certain autumn dates for planting in open ground, this is approximately the second half of August - September, although landing can be delayed and until October. In general, it is best to plant the bulbs 2-4 weeks before the first frost, so that they definitely do not have time to germinate. So, you need to be sure to focus on the climatic conditions of your region of residence.

However, recently these beautiful ones began to appear on sale in the spring, so they often began to be given in flowerpots on March 8th.

So, after they fade, they can be quite successfully planted in the garden. In other words, crocuses can be planted in the spring, about in the beginning of April.

Tips for Choosing Quality Crocus Bulbs

In order for crocuses to decorate your garden in early spring, you must choose the highest quality plant bulbs, namely, before buying, you should carefully examine it:

• it should not have any signs of disease: mechanical damage, rot, stains and sores;
• the bulb should be healthy: dense and well-dressed, that is, covered with dry scales;
• the bulb should not have regrown roots and stems;
• it is better to choose the largest bulbs.

Planting crocuses in open ground

When planting crocuses in open ground, it is necessary to focus on choosing the most suitable place in the garden, the appropriate soil for planting bulbs, as well as on the mandatory preparation and processing of bulbs before planting.

Optimal place in the garden and suitable soil for planting bulbs

Despite the fact that crocuses are photophilous plants, they are often planted in flower beds and under the trees, because they can bloom already in late February-early March (some varieties later - in April-May), when there are no leaves on the trees yet, and accordingly, there will be no lack of sunlight either.

It is especially beautiful to plant saffron bulbs directly on, because, as a rule, it falls on April-May, and by that time the crocuses will already have faded, and their green mass will be gone.

In general, for saffron, it is better to choose the most sunny place in the garden, without drafts, that is, closed from strong winds.

As you know, bulbous plants do not tolerate stagnant water, because of this they begin to rot. Therefore, the optimal soil for planting crocuses should be well-drained and relatively light, that is, loam or sandy loam is ideal.

If you are a “happy” owner of heavy (clay) or insufficiently fertile land, then for the successful cultivation of saffron, it should be well fertilized before planting flowers.

When digging, sand or humus should be added to clay soil when digging (based on approximately 10-15 kg per 1 sq. M beds), peat (0.5 kg per 1 sq. M) and superphosphate (40 grams or 2 tablespoons per 1 sq.m).

If you have poor and sandy land, then add peat, humus or compost to it during digging (about 5-10 kg per 1 sq. M of beds).

Note! So that the roots of crocuses have somewhere to break through, any soil needs to be dug up 20-25 centimeters (on a shovel bayonet)

Preparation and processing of bulbs before planting

All bulbous plants must be treated before planting in the garden to prevent the formation of various rots and other diseases. There are several ways to dress crocus bulbs. The easiest way to process is a pink solution of potassium permanganate, you can also use special fungicides, such as "Maxim Dachnik" or "Fundazol", various growth stimulants, such as "Epin", "Kornevin" or "Heteroauxin" will also go.

Important! As a rule, the average time for pickling bulbs is about 20-30 minutes, the consumption rate of the drug is 2 ml per 1 liter of water, but be sure to read the attached instructions first.

Planting in autumn

Advice! Choose the best for disembarkation overcast morning or evening after sunset, a dry and sunny day is the most unfavorable time for planting almost any crop.

Step-by-step instructions for planting crocus bulbs in open ground in the fall:

1. Choose the best place in the garden.
2. Prepare the planting hole by digging and fertilizing the soil.
3. If the soil is very heavy, and there is a possibility of stagnant moisture, then pour a layer of sand on the bottom.
4. The bulb should be planted bottom down, top up, not on its side.
5. The planting depth of crocuses, like all bulbs, is 3 bulb heights, that is, it is about 5-7 centimeters.
6. Saffron is a family plant, so the bulbs must be planted at a minimum distance from each other, that is, about 3-6 centimeters. However, if you plan on digging them up, it's best to plant them thicker.
7. Cover with soil and water generously.
8. After planting, mulch the place with fallen leaves or spruce branches. This will be a kind of shelter for crocuses for the winter.

Video: two ways to plant crocuses in open ground in autumn

Landing in the spring

In order to transplant crocuses donated in spring from a pot into open ground, you need to do the following:

1. Cut off all flower stalks, leaves do not need to be removed.
2. Pull out of the pot along with the earth and divide.
3. Plant at the same distance and at the same depth as when planting in the fall.
4. Further, all manipulations are similar: cover with earth, water and mulch.

Video: planting crocuses in spring

Care for crocuses in the open field: growing rules

Crocuses do not require special care, so they can be called quite unpretentious flowers. However, in order for them to look more neat and bloom profusely, they still need some garden manipulations, namely:

• if necessary, loosening and weeding from weeds (in early spring and after flowering);
• moderate watering;
• timely feeding.

In spring, crocuses practically do not need watering, but after they bloom, closer to summer, if the weather is dry, then at least once a week they should be slightly moistened (especially if the soil is too sandy), but not in no case do not overfill, so that the tubers do not rot. If autumn has settled dry, then it will be great to carry out a couple of moderate waterings.

More productive development of plants can contribute to the timely application of mineral fertilizers.

Every year it is best to do 2 top dressings of crocuses:

1. In early spring, even in the snow, that is, before the start of the growing season, it is required to use nitrogen fertilizers, such as urea (urea) or ammonium nitrate, or better, complex nitrogen-phosphorus top dressing, such as nitrophoska.
2. Before or after flowering, it is reasonable to fertilize the plant with any complex potassium-phosphorus fertilizer, for example, superphosphate (preferably double) or potassium monophosphate, it is also good to feed with ash (just sprinkle in a circle).

How to care for crocuses after flowering: digging and storing bulbs

In one place, saffron can be grown for about 4-5 years. To dig up or not to dig up crocus bulbs depends on how much the bushes have grown. If the plantings are too thick, then the flowers may become smaller, that is, in this case it makes sense to get the bulbs. As a rule, the time of digging comes when the leaves of the plant turn yellow and begin to dry out, that is, 2-4 weeks after flowering, approximately in May-June.

Next, they need to be sorted out, thrown out too sick and damaged, the rest cleaned from the ground and put to dry for a week. Then sort by size and store in a cardboard box in a dry and well-ventilated room (at a temperature of + 15-20 degrees) to plant again in late summer - early autumn.

Video: what to do with crocuses after flowering

If there is no need for reproduction, then after the crocuses fade and the leaves wither, they should be cut and mulched - covered for the winter (if this was not done when planting).

By the way! Crocuses can also be propagated using seeds. More details in the video below.

Video: how to propagate crocus seeds

Why crocuses do not bloom: reasons

Often gardeners complain that their crocuses do not bloom at all. There may be several reasons for this:

1. Perhaps you have planted early spring varieties, so you simply do not have time to see them bloom, because the country bus can start running quite late, for example, only from April, and they can have time to bloom as early as March.
2. On the contrary, you could plant autumn crocuses, whose flowering does not begin until September-October, but their leaves also appear in the spring and die off by the end of May-beginning of June.
3. Mice often like to feast on flower bulbs. About how to deal with rodents in the garden, told
4. There was an excessive division of the bulbs, which is why they simply could not bloom due to a banal lack of strength after the breeding process.
5. The planting was too deep, or the soil is too heavy or clayey, because of which the sprouts cannot break through to the light.

The decisive steps in planting crocuses in spring and autumn should be choosing the right location in the garden, choosing the right soil, and how to properly prepare and treat the bulbs before planting. In addition, in the culture of beginner flower growers, there should be rational care in the open field and care after flowering. And then captivating crocuses will only delight you!

In contact with

How right crocuses or saffron? Saffron is a more correct name, and crocus is a Russian derivative of the Latin name.

As soon as the first spring days come, the garden is decorated with flowering crocuses. It is these garden bulbous flowers that show others that spring is coming. Both amateurs and professional gardeners love to decorate the plots with these primroses, because their thin stems show up from under the melting snow and gracefully reach for the sun.

Crocus flowers begin to break through a thin layer of snow along with delicate snowdrops and scillas. After their appearance, it is generally accepted that the summer season has opened, and it is time to go out of town and enjoy spring and "spring work".

Even the most inexperienced grower can grow them in his garden. That is why all summer cottages are decorated with these amazing flowers.

Characteristics and description of saffron

Photo crocus flowers, which fully testify to all their unusualness and beauty, belong to the Kasatikov family. There are about 20 varieties. In its natural environment, it grows on rocky slopes and meadows located high in the mountains of the Crimea, the Caucasus, the Mediterranean, Central Asia, and also in central Europe.

As a rule, almost all varieties bloom with the onset of spring, but you can find varieties that begin flowering in autumn, the so-called autumn-blooming crocuses.

white crocuses

A feature of unusual primroses is no aboveground shoots. In addition, they are characterized by large, upward looking inflorescences. During their flowering, the blooming flowers can be compared to glasses or funnels, consisting of six petals growing from a corm. After the buds are fully bloomed, they are cup-shaped or star-shaped.

On personal plots, you can grow not only the original species, but also beautiful and large hybrids bred by professionals. The timing of planting crocuses in the fall in the Moscow region, for example, is similar to growing in other cities of the country.

Saffron stigmas are dried and used as a natural yellow dye or spice in many countries since ancient times. Not all varieties are suitable, but only sowing crocus, Altava (Crocus alatavicus) or beautiful saffron, from the "nominal" Palasi variety, aka Crocus pallasii. More detailed information can be viewed.

Crocus varieties with photos and names

The Iris family, where Saffrons belong, has about 80 species, most of which have excellent decorative qualities and are widely used in the landscape. Crocus and Crociris, these two groups divide this plant genus.

Crociris includes only one species, the Banat crocus or C. Banaticus. The height of which varies from 10 to 14 cm. It is characterized by funnel-shaped perianths, the color of which can be soft purple or saturated purple. It occurs naturally in Romania. Flowering begins in September. It is quite rare, but multiplies easily. It has an original shape similar to.

If we talk about the genus Crocus, then it is worth noting that it includes the remaining varieties.

Among the spring-blooming are:

• botanical C. botanical
• C. largeflowering hybrids

Varieties of botanical primroses:

These include small-flowered varieties growing in the natural environment.

• Crocus golden or chrysanthus -C. chrysanthus

The height of this species is about 20 cm. It is endowed with narrowed leaves that break through the soil along with buds. Flowering begins in the days of April and lasts, not too long, to the great regret of the fans, somewhere around 15-20 days. Has a golden yellow tint. The outer part of the petals is shiny, often with darker strokes and stripes, the perianth segments are curved. You can find varieties of various colors obtained by crossing various species. Sometimes there are two-color hybrids.

If we compare them with the Dutch species, then it is worth noting that the chrysanthus has smaller inflorescences, and blooms buds much earlier. They are also able to produce several flowers from one bulb.

Popular varieties:

• Tomasini - Crocus tommasinianus

Since 1847, it has been considered the most sought-after species. In the wild, it can be found in deciduous forests and on the hills of Hungary, as well as the cities of the former Yugoslavia. It can be distinguished from other varieties by pink-lilac petals, which are sometimes decorated with a white border. After full opening, the buds become star-shaped with a snow-white throat and tube. One bulb can produce about 3 flowers, whose height reaches 6 cm. Flowering begins in mid-spring and lasts about 3 weeks.

The following varieties are distinguished:

1. Lylek Beauty. The diameter of fully opened buds reaches 3 cm. It is characterized by yellow anthers and oval, slightly elongated narrowed lobes. The outer side of the petals is lilac, the inner side is slightly lighter.
2. "Whitewell Purple". Large, fully opened flowers reach up to 4 cm in circumference. Flat lilac-violet hue petals have elongated lobes. The length of the white tube reaches 3.5 cm.

• Scottish or two-flowered crocus - C. biflorus

Crocus primroses in the wild can be found in the south and south-west of Europe, in Asia Minor and in the Caucasus. This variety has red and purple flowers with yellow stigmas.

There are the following varieties:

1. "Alexandri". It has incredible decorative qualities. It is characterized on the outside by saturated purple petals with a snow-white edging. Its inside is white. Due to the variety of colors it is in incredible demand.
2. 'Parkinsoni' has straw-yellow outer petals, the inside of which is pure white with an orange center and small blue flecks that dot the pith.
3. "Albus" has snow-white petals, without any color splashes.
4. Variety "Fairy" decorates the spring garden with hatching bluish - bluish flowers.

• Sieber - C. sieberi

These tricolor crocuses are not easy to find in a flower bed, as our gardeners rarely use them in landscape design, even though they are the most beautiful of all varieties. You can meet in Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia in mountainous areas. Height varies from 8 to 10 cm, differs from other members of the family in its tricolor color. In nature, you can see the petals, the color of which varies from soft pink to deep purple with a yellow center and orange stamens.

Varieties:

1. Bowlesis White. Among the snow-white petals you can see a rich orange throat.
2. "Atticus". The flower is blue in color with a yellow-orange center.
3. "Tricolor". The upper part of the petals is a rich purple, while the lower part is slightly lighter. The throat is bright yellow.

• Crocus Korolkova - C. korolkovii Maw ex Regel

It is a low Central Asian species, the shoots of which reach up to 6 cm. It has orange flowers, the outer part of which is decorated with red stripes. You can find varieties bred in Russia by local breeders. Therefore, the species has a “Russian name”.

The most famous:

1. "Glory to Samarkand"
2. "Kiss of Spring"
3. "Tiger"

• Spring crocus - C. vernus

It is one of the most common types. Their beauty can be seen from the photo of crocuses in spring. In nature, they are found in meadows located high in the mountains of the Alps and the Pyrenees. Single inflorescences are painted lilac or purple and reach up to 5 cm in circumference. Thanks to this species, various hybrids have been created that are grown all over the planet. As a rule, they are divided into two groups, large-flowered and Dutch.

• Nigro Boy. It has a goblet shape of about 4-5 cm. At the base, the petals are saturated purple, the rest of them are lilac-lilac. Flowering begins in early spring and lasts until June.
• Flower Record lilac magenta tone.

Large-flowered Dutch hybrid crocuses

colorful primroses

Large-flowered include all Dutch varieties, which are based on the spring crocus, which was described above.

Dutch hybrids are unpretentious in care and produce many large flowers, the size of which is much larger than the species from which they were bred. First appeared in 1897. Today, there are more than 50 varieties, which are divided into categories according to their color.

• The first includes snow-white and white with multi-colored splashes.
• The second includes varieties of purple, lilac and lilac.
• The third contains reticulate or striped flowers, some of which are decorated with a speck at the base.

Flowering begins in May and lasts for 10-17 days.

On the territory of Russia, you can grow the following species:

1. "Albion" with snow-white glasses with a diameter of about 4 cm and a purple pipe, the length of which reaches 5 cm.
2. "Vanguard" has a cupped shape of blue-lilac color and a circumference of about 4 cm. The elongated oval petals are decorated with small spots that become darker towards the base. A bluish lilac tube about 4 cm. It begins to please with its flowering in April.
3. "Jubilee" will delight you with their glasses of blue color with an almost imperceptible purple-violet tint. At the base of the petals there is a clearly defined light purple speck, and a narrow light strip runs along their edge. Gently purple pipe in length does not exceed 5.5 cm.
4. "Sniper Banner" is a glass that reaches 4 cm in diameter. The oval lobes are painted gray-lilac on the outside, and lilac on the inside with a denser mesh. In the center there is a small but clearly defined dark lilac speck. The 4 cm tube is saturated with a lilac-lavender hue.
5. 'Kathleen Parlow' is a variety that will brighten up your garden with its unusual flowers. If you are interested in how photo crocuses bloom, which shows all their unusualness, then you should find out that they produce cup-shaped snow-white flowers, the circumference of which is about 4 cm. There are small lilac strokes in the center on the inside of the petal, they are also decorated with 5 cm of white tube.

Crocuses blooming in autumn

It is worth noting the following varieties, the flowering of which begins in September or October:

• The Banat variety has gently lilac flowers and reaches a height of up to 14 cm. Gray-silver linear leaves reach about 15 cm.
• Crocus pretty grows to about 7-10 cm and their circumference is about 6-8 cm. Light glasses are decorated with dark purple stripes. This species is not afraid of minor frosts. The number of flowers formed on one bulb varies from 5 to 10 pieces.
• Beautiful autumn-blooming crocus is characterized by soft purple lilac, snow-white, deep blue and blue flowers. It has rather long leaves, the size of which can reach 30 cm.

There are the following varieties:

1. Albus is a snow-white flower with a cream-colored tube.
2. Artabir - pale blue flowers, the bracts of which are darker.

Planting time: when to plant crocuses?

Remember the golden rule!

Primroses that bloom in the spring should be planted in the fall, and those that bloom in the fall should be planted in the ground in the summer.

It is necessary to opt for sunny and slightly shaded areas. They will also do well in the shade.

If you are wondering how to plant crocuses in the fall, then you should know that they prefer light, dry, nutritious and loose soil. To make tender sprouts break through more easily.

Be sure to drain the chosen place by pouring gravel or coarse-grained river sand into the hole.

Do not hesitate to use organic fertilizers, which are:

• vegetable compost
• rotted manure material
• quality peat

Important! Crocuses will not grow in soil with high acidity.

If the earth is clay, then add ash to it. There are varieties that do not like to grow in soil with high humidity. For such species, it is worth building high beds, the drainage layer of which consists of crushed stone or gravel.

How to plant crocuses in autumn

If you dream of filling your garden with small bushes blooming in spring, then you need to plant them in open ground in September.

In one place, the plant grows from 3 to 5 years. During this period, small children are formed on the corm, which also release sprouts. A few years later, in the place where a couple of bushes once grew, a continuous flowering carpet is formed. After five years, plant overgrown bushes.

Forcing primroses

Crocus planting in the fall you already know the timing of planting, now it's time to study how the plant is planted for distillation. Most flower growers dream of blooming their favorite plants at a time when they are not supposed to open buds. This is precisely the reason why they decide to grow crocuses in a pot at home. It is not difficult to make this from a corm. For this purpose, as a rule, large-flowered Dutch varieties are used. You will need planting material of the same size, which must be planted in wide pots. By placing 5-10 bulbs in a shallow container, you will soon be able to get a blooming bouquet of your favorite crocuses.

Bulbs are planted in porous, light, well-drained neutral soil. Regardless of where you will plant the plant, whether it be a pot or a personal plot, it is imperative to drain the soil.

After flowering is over, do not get rid of the bulbs. Be sure to water them and, using weak mineral dressings, fertilize them. After the foliage has turned yellow, it is worth reducing watering, and soon stop it altogether. When the foliage is completely dry, remove the corms from the container, remove all the earth from them and wrap them in a paper towel. It should be stored in a box in a dark, not damp place. With the onset of autumn, plant them again in open ground. The timing of planting crocuses in the fall in the middle lane is no different from planting bulbs in other regions.

How to determine a good bulb or not

Growing crocuses outdoors is pretty easy, but in order for them to grow healthy, you need to choose the right bulbs.

Before buying, pay attention to the condition of the planting material of saffron bulbs. You should not buy them if they have:

1. mechanical damage
2. dark spots
3. rot

If the tuber has minor damage, then they must be removed, getting rid of the scales and roots. All damaged areas should be treated with loose coal or ash.

In some specialized stores, customers are invited to purchase flowering plants (more often this is done as a gift by March 8). But it should be borne in mind that such bushes may not take root, which will lead to their death. To prevent this from happening, it is worth removing all the flowers and leaves from the bush, allowing the plant to rest. Such a procedure will allow them to release flowers for the next year, but in order to fully restore their strength, it will take about two years. If you want your crocus to bloom in its first year of planting, you need to purchase planting material before it begins to bloom.

Crocus cultivation and care in the garden

Growing bushes in your garden is quite simple. By following certain rules, you can achieve their lush flowering and rapid growth.

• As soon as the first shoots appear, it is necessary to water them in a timely manner. These primroses are drought-resistant, but at the time of vegetation they need a sufficient amount of moisture.
• Until the foliage is completely dry, in no case do not remove it from the shrubs, as this can lead to their weakening
• Removing dead flowers will allow the crocuses to form new buds, which means they will last longer in bloom.
• When the foliage has withered, be sure to mulch the soil between the plants, using peat or dry leaves for this purpose.
• Three to six years after the initial planting, it is necessary to plant primroses. The fact is that during this time a baby is formed on the bulb. Those crocuses that bloom in autumn can be planted in the summer, those that bloom in spring should be planted from July to October. The timing of planting crocuses in autumn in Siberia is preferable to start in early August.

How and when to transplant crocus bulbs

There is no need to remove corms from the soil before the onset of cold weather, but it is necessary to transplant them in July, when they hibernate, once every 4 years.

This procedure is carried out in order to remove numerous children that have grown over this period from the mother bulb, the number of which varies from 1 to 10.

If you do not transplant the plant, then its flowering will not be so lush, and the flowers will be crushed. These symptoms will serve as a signal to remove the bulbs from the ground.

In the event that you need planting material, then you can carry out the procedure a little more often.

The time for transplanting babies depends on the variety grown:

1. tubers of autumn-flowering bushes should be removed from the soil from the beginning of summer to its end
2. spring flowering varieties are dug up from July to September

Be sure to dry the extracted corms, rid them of damaged scales and dead roots. Sort out planting material, removing diseased specimens. If they have any mechanical damage, then they should be treated with crushed coal and ash. They must be stored in a cool dry place. The timing of planting crocuses in the fall in the Urals is exactly the same as for specimens grown in Siberia.

How to propagate

As it has already become known, the plant can be propagated by dividing the bulb. Based on the type chosen, the baby will begin to bloom after 3 to 4 years. Spring varieties can be propagated using seeds, but they will delight you with their flowering after only five years. This is the reason why this method is practically not used for reproduction. In specimens that bloom in autumn, the seeds do not have time to ripen, so this method cannot be used for reproduction.

What pests and diseases can harm

With proper planting and cultivation, no pests and ailments will be terrible for your primroses.

If you care for primroses incorrectly or they grow in a damp climate, this can lead to fungal diseases. They can become infected with fusarium, sclerocial or penicial rot, gray fungal disease. To avoid infection, carefully inspect the planting material, and before planting it in open ground, be sure to treat it with a fungicide solution.

The use of saffron in the landscape

Flowers similar to crocuses blooming in autumn will look great next to such beautiful bushes, just remember that Crocus flowers like to be in the foreground or next to neighbors of the same size. Thanks to amazing colorful plants, you can decorate your garden and enjoy them for a long time. But the most important advantage is that they do not need special care, which means that even amateur gardeners can grow them.

When decorating your garden, do not forget to consider that all plants must be in harmony with each other. If you are wondering what flowers to plant next to a crocus, then you should know that any low plants that bloom at the same time as primroses will look great next to them.

Forcing crocuses: growing in a pot in winter on a windowsill

Too deep planting slows down the development of crocus, but contributes to the formation of large bulbs. Sometimes young plants form retracting roots and deepen themselves.

Planting depth regulates the growth of crocus nests: when the corm is deepened by 5 cm, up to 10 children can be obtained, with a deeper embedding, there will be fewer children, but the crocus bloom will last longer and the nest will need to be divided less often - once every 4-5 years.

In the photo: Yellow crocuses - a beautiful variety

How to plant crocuses in autumn

Make holes of the depth you need at a distance of 6-10 cm from each other, but if you want to create a thicker mat, the distance between the bulbs can be 3-5 cm. However, it should be noted that the corms quickly become overgrown with children even with such a dense arrangement of the bulbs in the ground you will soon have to plant crocuses. After planting, crocuses are watered, but only if you planted them in dry soil.

Crocus care after planting

Autumn crocus care outdoors

For the warm days remaining before winter, the corms should have time to acquire roots. Crocuses do not need fertilizers in autumn, they will need them only in the spring. Crocuses are watered when the soil in the area becomes dry, and after watering the soil is carefully loosened. If weeds appear, remove them, and if heavy rains begin amid a cold snap, try to protect the planting of crocuses from excessive moisture by covering it with a film.

Crocus care in winter

Many species and varieties of plants are cold-resistant, but some crocuses freeze in winter without shelter. To prevent this from happening, after the first frost, loosen the soil in the area and mulch it with a layer of peat, dry fallen leaves, or cover it with spruce branches.

In the photo: Blooming spring crocuses

Transplanting crocus in the fall to another place

In one place, crocuses can grow for 5-6 years, but it is better to plant them once every 3-4 years. Each faded bulb will give the next season 2, and sometimes 4 bulbs and 5-10 babies, and if they are not replanted at least once every 3-4 years, the site will soon overgrow, and the crocuses will turn into a weed. When transplanting, crocuses are propagated. When to transplant crocuses - in spring or autumn? Transplanting crocuses in the fall, like planting crocuses in the fall, is carried out at the same time - from September to November.

The corms are dug up in the middle of summer when the crocuses are at rest. The signal that it is time to remove them from the ground is the yellowing of the leaves of the plant. Corms are cleaned, sorted out, removing damaged or diseased ones, dried in the air in the shade for a week. Then you need to separate the nests: only those children who themselves easily move away are separated from the corms. All planting material is soaked for half an hour in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate, then dried and placed in a cool dry place for storage.

When September comes, crocus corms are planted in pre-prepared soil in the order that was described in our article.

In the photo: Growing crocuses in the garden

How to store crocuses before planting in the fall

How and where to store crocus corms before planting in the ground? After all, three months should pass from the moment they are removed from the soil until the autumn planting. Disinfected with potassium permanganate and dried corms are laid out in a single layer in a wooden box and stored in a room with a temperature of at least 22 ºC until August. From the beginning of August, it is desirable to lower the temperature of the content to 20 ºC, and closer to September - to 15 ºC.

It is under such conditions that Dutch professionals store crocus corms, but since it is difficult for amateur gardeners to organize such conditions, planting material is stored until autumn at room temperature.

Autumn-flowering corms are planted in the garden in August, and spring-blooming crocuses - from September.

Crocuses: planting and caring for them in the open field require specific knowledge so that this fragile and delicate flower takes root in the soil and pleases the eyes of the owners with its colorful petals. Another name for the plant is saffron, and most gardeners believe that it blooms exclusively in spring. However, breeders have long developed special varieties of crocuses that can bloom in autumn.

Saffrons are distributed throughout almost the entire territory of Eurasia and feel good in temperate climates. But, before moving on to the issue of planting and caring for outdoor crocuses, you need to choose healthy plant bulbs and allocate the right place for planting flowers in your garden.

How to choose viable saffron bulbs:

Even healthy parts of future flowers require pre-treatment before planting. It is necessary to peel off the old skin from the bulbs and disinfect them by sprinkling with ash or soaking in a solution of manganese.

Planting and caring for crocuses in the open field should take place in spacious flower beds (flowers can occupy the entire area in a short time). They should be located in an open area where there is a lot of sunlight. Therefore, it is not recommended to plant saffron under trees with a dense crown.

The soil for crocuses of all subspecies should not be excessively wet. The soil structure should be loose, nutritious, light and not acidic. Do not be afraid if the soil in the garden does not meet these requirements, it can be made suitable for saffron using simple methods. Large river sand, gravel or crushed stone, which is used as a drainage layer, will help get rid of excessive dampness. The acidity of the soil neutralizes a mixture of peat and lime, ash or rotted manure.

Planting time for crocuses in the garden

When to plant crocuses outdoors? It all depends on the type of plant that the gardener has chosen, but they are all divided into flowers that bloom in spring or autumn.

Spring flowering plants include:

Since the flowering of these subspecies of ornamental flora occurs in the spring, crocuses are planted in open ground in the fall. They should be planted from late September to early October.

If spring-flowering varieties are planted earlier than the second half of September, then saffron may bloom by the frost period and eventually die. And if you plant a flower later than the first half of October, then the soil for the bulbs will be too cold, they will not be able to take root in it and simply freeze.

Autumn flowering subspecies of saffron include:

Flowers bloom in the garden in autumn, and therefore crocuses are planted in the ground in spring (late May) or early summer (first half of July).

How to care for saffron?

Saffron is not a flower that needs abundant watering. If autumn or spring (depending on what kind of flower is planted) were rich in precipitation, then they should be watered only when the soil becomes dry, not only on the surface, but also in depth. Otherwise, the plants can simply rot.

Outdoor crocus care is fairly easy. Periodically, it will be necessary to weed the flower rows, getting rid of weeds. The soil (especially after rain) must be loosened so that the root system of plants has access to air.

Like any decorative flowers, crocuses need to be fed. However, fertilizing saffron with organic mixtures is not recommended. It is better to purchase a granular mineral supplement enriched with potassium and phosphorus. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers should be applied with caution, in small doses, as they can provoke the growth of fungus on the plant bulbs.

Top dressing should be applied in at least 2 stages: first fertilize the soil before planting crocuses, and then during their period of enhanced growth.

Below are photos of crocuses in the open field:

Two ways to plant crocuses - video

When touching crocus flowers flash like little spring harbingers on the canopy of bright fallen leaves, it seems as if time has flowed back. It is difficult to find a more delicate autumn-flowering plant. Opening their flowers at the end of the garden season, crocuses are the closest relatives of universal spring favorites. They are grown according to almost the same rules as ordinary crocuses, only the flowering of these plants does not occur after a long winter, but before it begins.

Saffron, or beautiful Crocus (Crocus speciosus). © Meneerke bloem

Getting to know autumn crocuses better

Crocuses, or saffrons, are a favorite among primroses. They are easy to grow and even easier to care for. But of the 15 groups, which include almost 40 species of crocuses actively used in horticulture, not all are spring flowering plants.

Large group of crocuses bloom in autumn, at the very end of the season. Autumn crocuses bloom after the beginning of leaf fall, and this spectacle - the contrast of a typical spring miniature flower and a garden withering for the winter - cannot leave anyone indifferent. Such species bloom just as briefly as spring species, but much more spectacularly.

Like spring species, autumn crocuses are suitable for growing both as a garden plant, and in a pot and even indoor culture. True, in the last rank, their flowering periods are shifted and depend on when the bulb is planted, and not on the natural cycle. It is better to use them:

• "wild" spots under bushes and trees;
• as touching accents in small groups scattered around the garden;
• in the borders and in the foreground, along the edge of the rabatok;
• near reservoirs and other water bodies;
• to decorate the lawn;
• as a seasonal accent on alpine slides or rockeries.

The best types of autumn crocuses:

1. Single yellow crocus sharoyana, the color of which is dazzling saffron. It has wide leaves and a large, graceful flower that looks like a small sun. This crocus blooms in September and October.

2. Crocus hill (or valley) in height will not exceed 12 cm, but long, up to 6 cm, petals with a milky main color and purple stripes-strokes are decorated with charming orange stains in the throat.

3. Crocus banatsky with beautiful linear autumn leaves up to 15 cm long and blooming for a month, during which each bulb produces 1-2 flowers per leaf height. Its flowers are very large, spectacular, a bit like irises, with long almost five-centimeter perianth lobes, yellow-lilac anthers and a cold lilac color.

Saffron, or Banat Crocus. © Jim Murrain

4. Crocus pretty with almost round perianth lobes, a surprisingly lush bunch of stamens and a beautiful play of color - dark purple on large veins and lighter, watercolor on the petals themselves. Its leaves bloom only after flowering, prolonged, exciting both September and October.

5. Crocus Pallas, whose flowers look like outlandish stars. This is a plant with narrow leaves that bloom only in spring, the flowers of which appear in the second half of September and, although they reach a height of only 5 cm, are very effective. Reaching almost 5 cm in diameter, they are distinguished by a lily-shaped form and a very light, radiant white-lilac color with a beautiful bunch of stamens.

6. Crocus beautiful- one of the largest autumn-colored crocuses. Its leaves develop in spring and reach a length of 30 cm. But the real "show" begins in September, when corms produce flowers up to 7 cm in diameter, white or lilac, with surprisingly touching longitudinal veins, watercolor stains, the ideal shape of wide, pointed at the edge of the petals and a symmetrical structure. In this crocus, everything is fine - both bright orange columns with yellow specks of dust in the center, and translucent textures of mother-of-pearl petals. Crocus speciosus has a huge number of varieties painted in intense and dark blue, blue, purple colors. Among them, the most popular are:

• grade "Oksinan" with a dark purple, with an ultramarine tint, the color of wide perianths and gracefully pointed ends of the petals;
• variety "Albus" with an original cream tube and snow-white petals;
• variety "Cassiope" with amazing contrasting veins along the most delicate blue flowers;
• variety "Aitchisonu" with large, more than 7 cm in diameter, lilac flowers;
• variety "Conqueror" with azure-blue huge flowers;
• variety "Artabir" with a sky-blue color, accentuated by dark veins.

Conditions comfortable for autumn crocuses

Autumn crocuses are much more flexible in their light requirements. Crocus Sharoyan and valley loves shade or partial shade, but it is better for other species to provide diffused lighting, sunny and bright places, or at least a semi-shady location. For autumn crocuses, a growing strategy with a sunny location in spring and autumn and shaded in summer is suitable.

Sharoyan's saffron, or Sharoyan's crocus (Crocus scharojanii). © Desvil

Crocuses do not like winds and drafts, so protected areas are chosen for them. The thing is that in these plants the flowers are sensitive to cold autumn winds, and the more protection they are provided with "neighbors" - the better.

The landing site for autumn crocuses must be selected so that during the dormant period they do not suffer from getting wet, they grow in dryness and warmth. That is why you need to choose either elevated, well-drained places (for example, on alpine slides and rockeries). Another option is to lay drainage when disembarking.

Pay attention to the soil too. For crocuses, choose light, loamy soils that allow water to pass through well. The only exception is the Dutch varieties and hybrids, which tolerate even heavy soil. Make sure the soil is neither acidic nor alkaline: crocuses love neutral soils. But they are not so demanding on fertility: the richest soils and rather poor soils are suitable for crocuses.

Features of planting autumn crocuses

Before planting crocuses, a site for them must be prepared. Mix sand or fine gravel into the soil to improve drainage, and add mature manure, leafy soil to poor soil. Autumn crocuses will gratefully respond to the application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (instead of nitrophoska, it is better to use superphosphate and potassium nitrate). It is better not to use peat or extinguish it with lime. In areas where there is a high risk of getting wet, make raised beds or lay drainage at a depth of 30-40 cm.

Saffron, or Crocus valley (hill) (Crocus vallicola). © oldtulips

Autumn-flowering crocuses require a slightly different approach to planting: if spring ones are planted in August-September, then autumn-flowered ones should be bought before flowering, which traditionally begins in September. The best time for them is from June to the end of the first decade of August. Do not buy flowering bulbs - they will be weakened and take several years to recover.

Before planting, inspect the bulbs again: they should be heavy, with dense shells, not crushed and soft, with a clearly visible renewal bud (small tubercle). Autumn blooming crocuses should soon “wake up”, and if the buds are invisible on them, it is better not to plant them at all or plant them in a pot and watch for signs of growth.

Autumn crocuses are planted only in groups of 5 or more, placing plants at a distance of 5-6 cm between plants. Crocus bulbs are planted at a traditional depth equal to twice the height of the bulbs themselves (from 5 to 15 cm). On heavy soil, leave a distance equal to the height of the bulb from the top of the bulb to the edge of the soil. It is not necessary to strictly monitor the centimeters: crocuses, unlike many bulbs, form retracting roots and young bulbs themselves will settle down in the soil at a comfortable depth. After planting, mulch the soil with sand to keep out slugs. Be sure to mark the landing site with sticks or other markers.

Caring for crocuses that bloom in autumn

Offering to enjoy spring blooms in atypical seasons, these small plants are easy to grow. Crocuses do not need watering, except for the coincidence of winters with little snow and extreme droughts in spring, when during the period of active growth of foliage of autumn crocuses, it is necessary to fill the need for moisture in the bulbs and water the crocuses at least several times. Plants do not need watering in autumn.

Pallas saffron, or Crocus Pallas (Crocus pallasii). © Dimìtar Nàydenov

During the entire phase of active development at the beginning of the season, crocuses need potassium and phosphorus. They can be fed once in early spring. Use nitrogen for autumn crocuses with caution: vigorous growth of greenery can be detrimental to flowering at the end of the season. In autumn, fertilizers for crocuses are not applied.

Digging and transplanting autumn crocuses

Crocuses can be transplanted and transferred to a new place at the same time when they are planted - from June to August for autumn-flowering species. Autumn crocuses (unless you plan to increase the number of plants and propagate crocuses, give them to neighbor friends or sell them), do not replant more than 3-5 years. Wait for signs of overflow of the "nests" and only then plant the bulbs. So the flowering will be more beautiful, and the bulbs - stronger.

After digging, the bulbs must be dried at room temperature in a well-ventilated place for 2-3 months. After drying, they remove old roots and exfoliated, bad scales, sprinkling all damage with wood ash. Bulbs with traces of rot should be discarded immediately.

Saffron, or Crocus pretty, also pretty, variety ‘Zephyr’ (Crocus pulchellus). © Meneerke bloem

Preparing for the winter

Crocuses are frost-resistant bulbs and do not need any preparation for wintering.

Diseases and pests

Autumn crocuses are considered to be more "reliable" plants than spring flowering species. They most often suffer from rot caused by excessive soil moisture, but are less commonly affected by other diseases. In new varieties, dry rot is common, which manifests itself in the beginning in small spots, then merging into whole foci. Bulbs affected by rot should be immediately discarded and destroyed. Rodents love to feast on them, therefore, with proximity to nests and increased activity on the site, it is better to plant bulbs in special nets.

Reproduction of autumn crocuses

Autumn types of crocuses are easier to propagate than spring ones: they form up to 7 daughter corms annually. Autumn crocuses form "nests" - a group of related bulbs, which, after the death of the old bulb and the formation of a new one, become independent plants. It is they that are best used to increase the collection of crocuses, because only this method preserves the varietal characteristics of plants. When digging and transplanting, daughter plants are simply separated and used as independent ones. Since they bloom for 3-4 years, usually next year most of the separated bulbs will please flowering.

Banat saffron, or Banat crocus (Crocus banaticus). © Jim Murrain

Crocus seeds can also be propagated, but this method does not allow preserving the characteristics of varietal crocuses, and the fruiting of autumn species is an irregular phenomenon and depends on the vagaries of the weather. Seeds of autumn crocuses are collected in spring, after natural stratification, sowing in the same year in summer or autumn. It is best to sow in boxes or pots, covering with non-woven material or black foam. Plants from the first year are grown cyclically, but they bloom only 4-5 years after sowing.

Crocus is one of the most beautiful primroses from the Iris family. But if you plant it in the spring, you can get a second flowering in the fall. The process of growing crocuses outdoors and care is quite simple. The first bright flowers in the flower bed will appear as soon as the snow melts. At this time, it blooms massively from 2 weeks to a month. There are also autumn varieties.

plant description

Crocus or saffron is a perennial bulbous plant belonging to the Iris family. The stem of the plant is not developed. The leaves are straight, dark green in color, located at the very roots. They can appear both during flowering and after it. The root is a corm up to 3 centimeters in size. It has a flattened shape, surrounded by flat scales.

crocus flowers

Flowers in a cup are only solitary, large, they are surrounded by membranous scales. They have a bright color: from rich purple to bright yellow, cream or white. Seeds are small, angular in shape. Collected in three-celled fruits in the form of boxes.

Crocuses can bloom not only in early spring, but also in autumn. It depends on the specific type of plant.

Species and varieties

All types of crocuses can be divided into two main groups:

• spring flowering;
• autumn flowering.

The most popular species that bloom in spring include:

• spring. Plants up to 17 centimeters tall, have bright purple or white flowers. One or two flowers can develop from one corm. The flowering period is up to 3 weeks;

Spring

• golden. A plant up to 20 centimeters high, blooms in April. The leaves are very narrow and long. The flowers are bright golden. Blooms for 3 weeks, until early May;
• two-flowered. It has the most diverse shape and color of flowers. The pharynx of flowers can be white or yellow. The color of the petals can be bright white or variegated. It can be white with purple stripes or lilac with brown spots;
• Tomasini. Not only flowers, but also leaves have an unusual color. They acquire a delicate lilac-pink hue. The star-shaped flowers are bright white. Up to 3 flowers develop from one corm.

Fall varieties include:

• beautiful. The plant reaches a height of 30 centimeters. The variegated flowers have a beautiful lilac color with purple streaks. There are also varieties with blue, white, bright purple or pale blue color.

Beautiful

• Banat. The plant was named after the Banat region, located in Romania. Beautiful light lilac flowers have bright yellow anthers. Plant height is from 12 to 14 centimeters;
• pretty. Plant height from 7 to 10 centimeters. The flowers have a beautiful lilac color with dark stripes.

The most popular varieties:

• Nanette. Spring variety with creamy yellow flowers. On the outer side of the inflorescences there are purple stripes;

• Blue Bonnet. Spring flowering variety with beautiful pale blue flowers;
• Lylek Beauty. Spring-flowering variety with wide open inflorescences. Their coloration combines a lilac hue on the outside and a bright blue on the inside.
• And G. Bowells. Spring-flowering variety with rather large bright yellow flowers;
• Albus. Autumn variety with a pronounced white shade of flowers;
• Oksinan. An autumn-flowering variety with variegated flowers. Inflorescences combine shades of lilac and blue with a dark perianth;
• Artabir. An autumn variety with sky blue flowers and dark bracts.

Dutch hybrid varieties are widely used. They have especially large and beautiful flowers. It can be:

• Albion. Hybrid variety with white goblet flowers;
• Jubilee. A hybrid variety that has goblet flowers of lilac color with a violet-purple hue.
• Kathleen Perlow. A hybrid variety that allows you to decorate a flower bed with cup-shaped white flowers.

It is best to combine spring-flowering and autumn-flowering varieties in landscape design at the same time.

Many hybrid varieties in the spring can continue to bloom until the end of May.

Growing time

The timing of planting crocuses in open ground directly depends on the flowering time of a particular variety. It could be:

1. Spring varieties are planted in open ground in August or September. Plants that have overwintered in the open field will bloom, depending on the variety, in early April or May.
2. Autumn varieties. Landing in the ground occurs in May - June. Beautiful flowers in the flower beds will appear in September or October.

The most famous spring varieties of crocuses are one of the most beautiful primroses.

Landing in open ground

Crocus is a rather unpretentious plant. Before flowering and during it, plant care is minimal. Almost any soil is suitable for cultivation, but it grows best on light loam. It is undesirable to plant it on acidified or marshy soils. Grows very well in open, sunny areas.

Planting bulbs

To get healthy and strong plants, you need to choose the right planting material. Corms must be:

• without external defects (dark spots, traces of mold);
• mechanical damage;
• traces of rot.

Corms must be freed from external film scales and old roots before planting.

Autumn varieties of crocuses are sometimes sold in flower shops or nurseries with old flowers. Such a plant rarely takes root. It is best to purchase corms that have not yet had time to bloom. Before planting, nutrient-poor soil should be fertilized with manure or compost and dug up.

After that:

1. Dig holes up to 10 centimeters deep;
2. Drainage from expanded clay or sand is placed at the bottom of the hole;
3. Corms are placed in the wells and wrapped with earth.

If, when planting, at the same time fertilize from rotted peat, the plants will be stronger. They will definitely reward with bright and long flowering.

Crocus is a drought-resistant plant, but does not like excessive moisture. Water moderately after planting.

Crocuses require care only during the growing season. It includes:

• top dressing. Spring varieties can be fed with mineral fertilizers, such as urea. They can be stolen in March right on the snow, after which they themselves will be absorbed with melt water. To do this, I use peat, manure and nitrogenous fertilizers. The first top dressing is carried out during the period of "pecking" of the sprouts. The second top dressing is carried out during the flowering period, and the third before the dormant period;

Urea

• watering. Crocuses need it only if there was little snow in winter. Autumn varieties should be moderately watered throughout the summer.
• transfer. Once every 4 - 5 years, crocuses must be transplanted. This prevents the crushing of not only flowers, but also bulbs.

During the dormant period that occurs after flowering, crocuses do not require constant care.

Crocuses after flowering

After the spring flowering period has ended, you need to properly prepare them for the dormant period. For this:

1. Trim dried inflorescences;
2. When the leaves dry, they are also cut off. After that, the bulbs are dug up for autumn planting in the ground.

Autumn-flowering varieties of crocuses do not have to be dug up and replanted every year.

If corms are not needed as planting material, they are left to winter in the ground. To do this, it is enough to mulch them with peat or dry leaves.

bulb storage

Before storage, the bulbs are sorted and dried. The planting material preparation process includes:

1. Cleaning. Corms are thoroughly cleaned of pieces of soil, old roots and scales;
2. sorting. Damaged by pests or weakened corms are thrown away.
3. Drying. Prepared corms are laid out for drying in boxes at a temperature not lower than 22 C.

Dried bulbs are stored in a dry and dark place.

At home, crocus bulbs are stored at room temperature, in a room with good ventilation.

For more details on growing crocuses, see the video

Conclusion

Crocus, or saffron, is a perennial bulbous plant that can grow in one place from 3 to 5 years. There are more than 15 types of crocuses, which can be divided into 2 groups: spring-blooming and autumn-blooming. Crocuses are quite unpretentious to growing conditions. They are cold hardy and drought tolerant. The plant does not like high humidity.

Crocus is a small and fragile, but very beautiful flower. That is why you need to know how to properly implement planting and care in the open field followed by. Crocuses are also called saffron. Most often they bloom in spring, but there are already many species that bloom in autumn. These are very popular flowers, gardeners and hobbyists often want to grow them. at home. Due to its diversity and non-trivial appearance, crocuses in the garden frequent visitors, they delight the eye from early spring to late autumn.

Bulb selection and planting sites

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Most often, saffron blooms in the temperate climate zone, although there are varieties that feel comfortable in other areas. Before deciding on a planting site, you need to select healthy crocus bulbs. To crocuses in the garden grew beautiful, you need to choose healthy material and choose the right place on the site.

What should be viable and healthy bulbs:

• There should be no extra sprouts and roots.
• Healthy bulbs should be dense and firm. When they are soft and loose, they most likely will not germinate.
• If dark spots appear on the bulbs, then they are affected by rot.
• Mechanical defects also indicate the unsuitability of the material.

When the material is selected, it must be processed before planting. For disinfection, remove the excess skin from the bulbs and hold them in potassium permanganate or sprinkle with wood ash.

Important! Crocuses are very fond of sunlight. It is necessary to plant them in spacious flower beds, as the flowers will occupy the entire area in a short time. You should not plant crocuses under trees with a dense crown.

It is necessary to plant crocuses in nourished, non-acidic, slightly moistened soil, which must first be carefully loosened. If the soil in the garden does not meet the requirements for crocuses, it can be made suitable using a few simple methods. In order to get rid of excessive moisture, you can use drainage from river sand, gravel or crushed stone. Adding a mixture of peat and lime, ash or rotted manure to the soil will help neutralize the acidity.

Watch the video! Two ways to plant crocuses in the soil

When to plant saffron

When should crocuses be planted outdoors? It depends on the type of plant chosen for planting. They are spring flowering and autumn.

Spring bloomers are:

• Crocus spring. Low flowers, up to 17 cm, have lilac or white buds. It has been bred as an ornamental flower since the 16th century.
• Two-flowered. A colorful and interesting look. Often the flower has a bluish color, and the surface of some leaves is brown. Or the flowers themselves can be white and decorated with purple stripes.
• Golden. The plant is about 20 cm tall, blooms in all shades of yellow. The surface of the petals is glossy, sometimes with brown stripes.

Important! Species that bloom in spring are planted outdoors in autumn. The optimal landing time is the end of September - the beginning of October. If the deadlines are shifted, the flower may suffer.

When planted ahead of schedule, the crocus may begin flowering before the first frost, and then it will die. If the bulbs are planted later than this period, the earth will already be too cold, the flowers will not have time to take root and strengthen well, so they will die in winter.

autumn crocuses- This:

• Crocus is beautiful. A rather tall and large plant, reaches a height of 30 cm. Its buds are blue, lilac or white with purple veins.
• Crocus is nice. Frost-resistant subspecies. Pale purple flowers are covered with dark stripes and look very impressive.
• Banat Crocus. It has unusual leaves with a silvery tint and bright lilac buds.

Important! Since these types of crocuses bloom in autumn, they are planted in open ground at the end of May or in the first half of July.

Basics of care

Saffrons do not like strong watering and moisture. If the season in which the flowers are planted is abundant in precipitation, then special watering is not required. Crocuses should be watered when the earth dries up not only on the surface, but also in depth. Otherwise, the plant bulbs will simply rot.

Care for saffron it is quite easy, the main thing is to fulfill the basic requirements:

1. Weed regularly between flower rows.
2. Periodically loosen the soil so that the root system can breathe better.
3. Feed, but do not use organic mixtures. A good fertilizer will be a mineral fertilizer containing potassium and phosphorus. Means that contain nitrogen must be applied with caution, since sometimes a fungus appears on the bulbs from its excess.

You need to feed twice:

1. Fertilize the soil before planting the bulbs;
2. The second feeding is carried out during the period of active growth.

Pests and diseases of crocuses

Viruses. If white spots appear on the leaves of saffron and they are deformed, this is the first sign of infection with viruses. In this case, it is necessary to destroy the already infected plant so that it does not carry the virus to healthy flowers. The place where the affected plant grew is treated with potassium permanganate.

Fungus. Activated in warm and damp weather. The bulbs begin to soften and wrinkle. Often strange spots appear on them. The bulb, which is already affected by the fungus, is destroyed, and the daughters are dried in a cool place. Before planting, it is necessary to soak the bulbs in manganese or in a 0.2% solution of Fundazol.

Chlorosis. The main sign of damage is yellowing of the leaves. Often this is due to improper planting, drainage, lack of any nutrients in the soil, or damage to the bulb.

Mice and moles. They can damage tubers when they burrow through their underground passages or even drag the bulbs into their burrows because they often use them for food. Here, only cleaning dead wood within a radius of 3 meters from the landing site of crocuses will help, so that they have nowhere to place their nests. Mice do not go further than 3 meters from the nest.

Scoop butterfly caterpillars. Insects gnaw at the roots and make holes in the bulbs, looking for a place to pupate. Such bulbs, along with caterpillars, must be dug up and destroyed.

Slugs. You can get rid of them with a special solution. As a prophylaxis against slugs, when planting saffron in the ground, a “cocoon” of sand is made around the bulb.

Proper storage

After the flower has faded, the leaves are cut from it. There is no special need to dig up saffron every year for the winter. You can leave the bulbs in the ground, but they must be covered with spruce branches. If the bulbs are dug up for the winter, then they must be carefully sorted out, the bad ones rejected, and the rest cleaned of dead scales. Unusable specimens are destroyed, and bulbs with minor damage are treated with brilliant green or sprinkled with ashes. Having processed them in this way, the bulbs are placed in the shade for 7 days to dry. The next step is sorting. They are divided by size and laid out in containers in which there are holes for ventilation. stored homemade crocuses until the next landing in the ground.

Watch the video! How to plant crocuses

There is something mysterious and touching in the picture, which can be observed with the arrival of spring, when primroses stretch their fragile stems with delicate buds straight from under the snow towards the sun. It causes delight, surprise and a storm of positive emotions, which is why crocuses are so loved by gardeners: planting and caring for them does not take much effort and does not require special costs, and the result is inspiring. Popular and cultivation of these bulbous flowers at home.

Soil and site requirements

For planting crocuses in the garden, it is advisable to choose an open area that warms up well and is illuminated by the sun. But their cultivation in open ground will be successful in the shade of deciduous trees. In early spring, when the time comes for crocuses to bloom, their branches are not yet covered with dense foliage and do not obscure the light they need so much from the plants. In heavily shaded places: under coniferous trees, near the walls of various buildings, the development of perennials slows down. They form fewer buds, which also do not fully bloom. The natural environment for crocuses are meadows, where perennial grasses are found in abundance in their neighborhood. This makes it possible to plant them on the site next to ornamental plants of medium height: peonies, ivy.

Primrose bulbs are demanding on the level of soil moisture. So that growing crocuses does not end with their rapid decay and death, it is important to choose a dry, well-drained site for them. You can determine a suitable place for flowers by meeting 2 requirements:

• moisture does not stagnate on it after melting snow or rain;
• groundwater is located far from the surface of the earth.

Loose soils are ideal for crocuses, providing their bulbs with free access to air and moisture and rich in nutrients. Light loams are well suited for them. It is impossible to call a culture demanding in terms of soil quality. Its cultivation is also possible on depleted soil. Some hybrid varieties of crocuses are successfully bred in areas with dense clay soil.

Mandatory conditions for the full development of flowers are a neutral soil reaction and good drainage. If you have to plant plants in acidic soil, lime, dolomite flour, ash, and chalk are first added to it. They will help optimize the content of hydrogen ions in the earth and create favorable conditions for the development of crocuses.

Dense clay soil before placing the bulbs in it must be made more porous by adding coarse-grained river sand, well-rotted compost or fine gravel.

You can enrich the soil for flowers by digging it with organic fertilizers. Suitable for this compost, rotted manure, peat.

Landing features

Planting crocuses in open ground, depending on their variety, can be carried out in summer or autumn. If the flowering period of a plant falls in the spring, its corms are placed in the soil in September. The depth of the hole depends on the structure of the earth on the site. When planting in loose soil, it is equal to 2 bulb diameters. In a situation where the soil in the garden is dense and heavy, the depth of the hole is made equal to 1 diameter. A drainage layer of gravel, coarse river sand, broken brick, crushed stone or pebbles is laid on its bottom. If the selected crocus variety is afraid of moisture, the beds for it should be made high.

Bulbs should be planted at a distance of at least 7-10 cm from each other. They are carefully inspected beforehand, rejecting damaged and diseased ones. Growing crocuses will require regular transplants, which are carried out every 3-5 years. During this time, many children appear on the bulbs, and the flower bed begins to resemble a lawn completely covered with flowers. Therefore, initially it is better to plant plants at a significant interval. After placing the bulbs in the ground, the beds are watered abundantly.

If a variety of crocuses is chosen for breeding, the flowering period of which falls in autumn, they are planted until mid-summer. Then their tender buds will bloom in September or October. The cultivation of such varieties has its own specifics. It is not recommended to plant them in open ground with collected or already opened buds. Otherwise, the chances of successful survival of the plant are negligible.

If the crocus with buds wilted after being placed in the ground, it is necessary to cut off the withered foliage and flowering stem from it. He will release new ones next year. However, the plant will fully bloom only after 2 years, when its bulb has accumulated enough strength.

Crocus Forcing Secrets

You can also admire the graceful buds of crocuses in winter. They feel comfortable at home, while taking care of them in a pot is not at all difficult. Ideal for forcing Dutch plant varieties with large flowers. Their bulbs are subjected to a thorough inspection, selecting approximately the same size.

For breeding crocuses at home, it is better to use shallow, but wide containers. 5-10 bulbs are planted in them, depending on the size of the pot. The soil is poured into it neutral, light, porous, well-permeable to air and water. Drainage is laid at the bottom of the pot. This element when planting crocuses is required both in the garden and at home.

When the bulbs fade, they do not stop caring for them. They need to be watered and fertilized. For top dressing, complex mineral compositions intended for indoor plants are usually used, dissolving them in water in a smaller proportion than indicated by the manufacturer. They begin to gradually reduce watering at home when yellowness begins to appear on the leaves of the crocus. After they have completely dried out, the bulbs are removed from the pot and the remains of the soil are carefully removed from them. Then, wrapped in a clean napkin, they are placed in a cardboard box, which is placed in a dark and dry place. Bulbs are stored there until the beginning of autumn, and with its arrival, the time comes for their planting in the garden.

Agricultural rules

Caring for crocuses in the open field will not take much time. They practically do not need watering. It will be necessary to moisten the soil in the beds only if there was no snow in winter, and rain in spring. The amount of water received by the bulb only affects the height of the plants; in general, they tolerate drought well. In summer, watering crocuses is even harmful; in the dormant phase, dry soil is preferable for them.

The essential elements of flower care include:

• top dressing;
• regular loosening of the soil;
• weed removal.

During the period of active growth, plants need to be fed. Fresh organic fertilizers are contraindicated for them, their application can provoke various diseases. Feed them only with mineral compounds. Of these, it is better to choose those that contain a lot of phosphorus and potassium and little nitrogen. Its excess in the soil stimulates the active growth of extra leaves on flowers, which can cause them to be affected by fungal diseases. It is especially dangerous in wet weather. It is permissible to use peat or manure to enrich the soil, but only completely rotted.

Two feedings are recommended. The first is carried out in early spring, while the snow has not yet melted, scattering complex fertilizer over it. Crocuses are fed the second time when 14-21 days have passed since the beginning of their flowering, using preparations with a minimum nitrogen content. During this period, plants especially need potassium. It helps their bulbs turn into high-quality and healthy planting material. After the foliage on crocuses turns yellow, they are left alone until the end of the season.


Crocuses are wonderful plants that are one of the first, after long dull months filled with snow and cold, to fill the garden with bright colors and give a charge of positive emotions. The very personification of spring, they look spectacular on the alpine hills, giving them a unique charm. It will be impossible to take your eyes off the magnificent living carpet if you plant them in a dense canvas on a flower bed or lawn. And their cultivation in pots at home will allow you to admire the magnificent flowering in winter.

In addition to their high decorative qualities, crocuses are surprisingly unpretentious; even an amateur with no experience in gardening can handle their planting and reproduction. They need minimal care in the form of fertilizing, loosening the soil and weeding. Plant crocuses in your garden and you won't regret your decision for a minute!