In early spring, as soon as the snow melts in the garden, crocuses (or saffron) bloom in the flower beds. It’s easy to grow this representative of the Iris family. Flowers grow well, exploring new territories. However, you should adhere to the timing and features of planting Crocus in the open ground.
When to plant crocuses
The planting procedure of this perennial plant can be carried out not only in spring, but also in autumn. This defines the species of crocus. For the “autumn” variety, the “correct” period for planting bulbs is autumn, and then in early spring crocuses will decorate the garden with their delicate flowering for up to 10 days. And if the variety belongs to the "spring" group, then it must be planted exclusively in the spring.
If the variety and planting time do not coincide, the plant is difficult to take root. For the same reason, it may not rise at all. Increasingly, gardeners are moving flowers grown in flowerpots into the ground. This should be done in the spring, around the beginning of April.
Crocus planting in open ground
Autumn flower is less whimsical than spring, however, choosing the optimal time in autumn it is important to remember, among other things, the influence of climatic conditions. It is impossible to precisely indicate the term - it can be the second half of August and October. It is optimal to plant the bulbs 2–4 weeks before the first frost, in order to avoid untimely germination and subsequent death of tender sprouts.
Important! Many varieties of autumn-blooming crocuses are planted since mid-July.
A successful landing is guaranteed by the following nuances:
- correctly determine the location on the site;
- choose the right soil composition;
- Prepare and process planting material in advance.
Video: two ways to plant crocuses in the soil
The desired state of the bulbs
Potential planting material should be dug out of the soil when it is at rest (August or September).
Did you know? For 30 g of spice «saffron» it is required to collect manually 80 thousand flowers. That is why it is the most expensive in the world.
Externally, the bulbs should be:
- without damage and dents;
- without sprouted sprouts and roots;
- it feels dense and heavy.
How and what to process before planting
Pre-treatment of the bulbs will prevent infection by various diseases and the appearance of rot.
Processing (pickling) can be carried out:
- pink potassium permanganate solution;
- special fungicides;
- growth stimulants.
Suitable soil
Crocuses are photophilous, but already at such an early flowering time, almost the entire garden or cottage is open to sunlight, so choosing a place for a flower bed will not be difficult. It is important that it is protected from strong winds. A few weeks before planting, you should dig a selected area, which will facilitate the weak roots of the process of further germination.
Important! PBulb sediment should be closer to the surface if the soil is clayey in composition, and therefore more dense and heavy.
The success of growing this plant directly depends on the characteristics of the soil, namely:
- Crocuses prefer soft and loose soil.
- Waterlogging should not be allowed.
- The clay composition is recommended to be diluted with sand.
- Organic fertilizers (rotted compost or manure) must be added in advance.
Landing depth
It is not necessary to plant too deeply, since the root system deepens itself well enough as it grows.
For small bulbs, the recommended depth is 5–7 cm, for larger ones - up to 12 cm. Usually, when planting bulb plants, the depth is three heights of the bulb.
The distance between the bulbs
Saffron is ranked as a “family group”, therefore, it is recommended to plant flowers of 8-12 pcs., Observing not too large distance between plants (3-6 cm). The maximum distance is 10 cm.
Winter preparations
Crocuses are frost-resistant plants. Winter is not dangerous for them, they do not need additional shelter in the cold season. If the region of growth of the described plant differs in too harsh a climate, you can cover the planting with foliage, branches or coniferous spruce branches.
Transplant in the fall
Since saffron hibernates safely in the ground, there is no need to dig it out. If there is no desire to transplant flowers to another place, you can not disturb them for a maximum of 5 years. Whether a transplant is required or not depends on how much the plants have grown on the site.
Crocuses are easily propagated by children. If the bulb is old enough, there are already a lot of children on it, and it becomes crowded in the landing hole. In this case, plants should be planted to avoid fading flowers. About a month after flowering, when the foliage turns yellow and begins to dry, you can dig out the bulbs.
Video: crocus propagation and transplantation
Disease and Pest Prevention
Pests that pose a special danger to saffron include:
- mice
- scoops;
- wireworms;
- slugs;
- aphid.
It is not recommended to plant flowers near uncultivated areas. You can protect the flowerbed from mice by covering its surface for the winter with coarse branches. From other pests, the main means of salvation are directed drugs.
Did you know? Saffron as a spice is an excellent preservative - dishes that are seasoned with them are well stored outside the refrigerator.
Diseases that can kill crocus:
- Viral. The flower is compressed or deformed, and the bud does not open completely.
- Fungal. The plant begins to rot.
To prevent viral diseases, it is necessary to fight against ticks and aphids, which are carriers of ailments. And you can prevent fungal diseases by carefully selecting the bulbs before planting, in order to detect the appearance of mold or decay in time. Pretreatment should also not be neglected.
Ill flowers must be removed and destroyed so as not to endanger healthy plants. Even gardeners without experience can plant crocuses and create favorable conditions for their growth. Bright spring flowers with delicate elongated petals will be an adornment of your flowerbed immediately after the snow cover has disappeared for more than one year in a row!
