Crocus planting and care outdoors in siberia

varieties ❀ planting ❀ care

 

Crocus (or saffron (, forms a genus of herbaceous bulbous plants of the Iris family. In nature, crocus saffron grows in the steppes, forests and meadows of the Mediterranean, Central, Southern and Northern Europe, Minor and Central Asia and the Middle East. Scientists have described about 80 species and 300 varieties of crocus Crocus is interesting for modern flower growers because it is one of the earliest and most beautiful primroses, but there are crocuses that bloom in autumn.

   

Crocus plant is short, reaching a height of about 10 cm. Flattened or rounded crocus bulbs reach a diameter of 3 cm, they are dressed in scales and have a bunch of fibrous roots. Crocuses do not develop a stem. Narrow, linear, basal leaves that appear during or after flowering are collected in a bunch and covered with scales. Single goblet crocus flowers with a diameter of 2 to 5 cm, white, cream, blue, lilac, purple, yellow or orange, blooming on a short leafless peduncle, surrounded by membranous scales. There are varieties of crocuses with spotted or two-colored coloration. Mass flowering of crocuses lasts from two to three weeks.

 

 

Crocuses planting in open ground

 

When to plant crocuses

 

Spring crocuses are planted in the ground in autumn, and autumnal ones in summer, the plot is chosen sunny, although crocuses grow well in partial shade and even in the shade. The soil for growing crocuses is preferable to be light, dry, loose and nutritious. When preparing a plot for crocuses, it is advisable to place fine gravel or coarse river sand in the soil for drainage. As an organic additive, compost, rotted manure or peat with lime are added to the soil for digging, since crocuses do not like acidic soils. Ash is introduced into clay soil. For those species that do not tolerate wet soils, they arrange high beds with crushed stone or gravel as a drainage layer. The planting material must be free from defects and damage.

 

Planting crocuses in autumn

 

To see the blooming of crocuses in spring, their bulbs are planted in open ground in September. Planting crocuses in loose soil involves planting the bulb to a depth of twice its size. If the soil is heavy, a depth of one size is sufficient. The average distance between the bulbs is from 7 to 10 cm. After planting, the area is watered. Do not thicken the planting, because crocuses grow in one place from 3 to 5 years, and during this time one bulb grows over a whole colony of children, and the area with crocuses turns into a solid carpet of flowers. After a five-year period, crocuses need to be planted.

 

Planting crocuses for forcing

 

Many growers yearn without their favorite garden flowers in winter, so even in winter they grow them in their apartment. The easiest way to grow a bouquet is from bulbs, including crocuses.Large-flowered Dutch varieties are most suitable for forcing. Crocus bulbs of about the same size are planted from five to ten pieces in shallow wide pots in order to get a whole bunch of primroses by the appointed time. The soil for crocuses planted for forcing should be neutral, loose, air and water permeable. The procedure and conditions for forcing crocuses are described in THIS article.

Crocus bulbs are not thrown away after flowering, they continue to be watered and even fed with a weak solution of complex mineral fertilizers for indoor plants. When the leaves begin to turn yellow, watering is gradually reduced until it stops completely. After the leaves have completely dried out, the bulbs are removed from the pot, cleaned of soil, wrapped in a napkin, placed in a cardboard box and stored in a dark, dry place until planting in open ground in the fall.

 

 

Crocus outdoor care

 

How to care for crocuses in the garden

 

Crocus care is simple. They need to be watered only if the winter was snowless and the spring was without rains. The height of the crocuses depends on the amount of moisture received, but in general they are quite drought-resistant. The soil on the site must be loosened and freed from weeds. During active growth, crocuses need additional feeding, and the use of fresh organic matter is unacceptable. But crocuses love mineral fertilizers, but they mostly require phosphorus and potassium, but an excess of nitrogen fertilizers in wet weather can provoke fungal diseases. For the first time, complex mineral fertilizers at the rate of 30-40 g per m² are applied in early spring in the snow, the second top dressing, with a reduced dose of nitrogen, is carried out during flowering.

After the foliage on spring-blooming crocuses turns yellow, you can forget about them until autumn, unless, of course, the time has come to dig their bulbs out of the ground. Autumn flowering varieties will remind you of themselves when their flowers open in September.

 

Crocus transplant

 

It is not necessary to dig up crocus bulbs every year for the winter, but once every three to four years in the middle of summer, when the crocuses have a dormant period, it is necessary to do this, because over such a long time, the mother corm increases greatly due to the many daughter bulbs, which every year, in depending on the type and variety, it grows from one to ten. The bulbs begin to interfere with each other, and from this the crocus flowers become smaller.

 

When to dig up crocuses

 

The bulbs are planted once every three to five years, but if you need planting material, you can dig up, divide and transplant crocus bulbs more often. Bulbs of autumn-flowering crocuses, again, depending on the species and variety, are dug up from June to August, bulbs of spring-flowering ones - from July to September. The bulbs extracted from the ground are dried, defective scales, dead roots are removed from them, diseased bulbs are discarded, and mechanical damage is treated with crushed coal or ash. Before landing in the ground, they are stored in a cool and dry place.

The annual cycle of spring-blooming crocus begins with the regrowth of leaves in late winter or early spring. Their dormant period begins closer to mid-June. In autumn, crocuses become active again, begin to grow roots and accumulate food. At the same time, the process of formation of the renewal bud is completed. That is why it is very important to keep the crocus leaves intact during the dormant period. The digging of spring flowering plants, as well as their planting, is carried out during the dormant period, that is, from mid-June to the end of summer.

The cycle of an autumn-flowering crocus usually begins in August with flowering, during which leaves grow and a replacement corm is formed. And their dormant period begins a month earlier than that of spring-flowering ones. Therefore, it is necessary to dig up the bulbs of crocuses blooming in autumn, if such a need is ripe, from early June to mid-August.

 

Crocus care after flowering

 

When the flowers fade, the stalks can be cut off, but the green crocus bushes will decorate your garden for a long time until the leaves turn yellow and fade. Once the leaves have dried naturally, the spring-flowering bulbs can be dug up and dried to be planted again in September. However, as already mentioned, it is not necessary to dig up crocus bulbs every year. If you planted them no earlier than three years ago, and soil is still visible between the crocus bushes, just mulch the crocus area for the winter with a thick layer of peat or dry leaves.

 

 

Crocuses reproduction

 

We have just described the propagation of crocuses by daughter bulbs, or babies, which are separated from the mother bulb during transplantation. Planting crocuses in the ground after dividing the bulb is carried out according to the rules described in the corresponding section. Depending on the variety or species, the separated and planted baby will bloom in the third or fourth year. Spring crocuses also reproduce by seeds, but crocuses from seeds only bloom in the fourth or fifth year, so seed propagation is not as popular as vegetative propagation. The seeds of autumn-flowering crocuses do not have time to ripen in our conditions.

 

 

Crocuses storage of bulbs

 

After being removed from the soil, crocus bulbs are dried in the shade, cleaned of soil, dead roots and scales, laid out in one layer in a box or box. The smallest onions can be arranged in candy boxes. Until August, the storage temperature should be at least 22 ºC, because the lower temperature will prevent buds from forming. In August, the temperature is lowered to 20 ºC, and a week later to 15 ºC. But these are ideal storage conditions that are created only in specialized farms. At home, crocus bulbs are stored in a dark, dry place with room temperature and good ventilation before planting.

 

 

Crocus diseases and pests

 

Subject to the rules of agricultural technology, crocuses are almost not affected by diseases or pests from the world of insects. The worst enemy of crocuses is rodents, field mice, which gladly eat the bulbs of flowers, so do not leave the planting material laid out to dry unattended. It is very convenient to keep them in egg cartons, laid out in the cells.

Sometimes in the bulbs of crocuses, holes are found made by a wireworm - the larva of a click beetle. It is yellow and hard to the touch. If there are a lot of pests on crocuses, in late April or early May, spread bunches of last year's unripe grass, hay or straw over the site, moisten them and cover them with boards - wireworms will gladly get into these traps, after which the traps with larvae are burned at the stake. If necessary, this unpleasant procedure must be repeated. Sometimes crocuses are harmed by slugs, which have to be collected by hand.

Self-seeding of crocuses and their germination in the most unexpected places can become a problem, as a result of which the culture is reborn into a weed.

Sometimes you can find a specimen in a flowerbed with crocuses with flattened flowers in gray spots on the petals that do not fully open. This is a sign of a viral disease, which can be carried by mice, thrips and aphids. Diseased plants should be immediately dug up and destroyed before the disease spreads to other plants. The soil where the flowers affected by the virus grew is disinfected with a strong hot solution of potassium permanganate.

With improper or insufficient care, the crocus in the garden can be affected by fungal diseases of gray, penicillous or sclerocial rot, as well as fusarium. Warm and damp weather increases the risk of illness. To avoid this problem, carefully examine the planting material when buying, try not to damage the bulbs when digging up, and if you do accidentally scratch or cut the bulb, sprinkle the wound with ash and dry it at room temperature.Before planting, etch the planting material in a fungicide solution.

 

 

Crocus species and varieties

 

All crocus varieties are classified into 15 groups. The first group includes autumn-flowering crocuses, and the remaining 14 groups represent spring-flowering species and varieties of crocuses. Spring crocus was the basis for many varieties and hybrids, most of which belong to the authorship of Dutch breeders. The most popular commercial varieties are classified as Dutch hybrids. Another popular group of commercial varieties in culture is Chrysanthus, which was formed by hybrids between golden, two-flowered crocuses and its hybrids. We offer you a quick introduction to these groups and their best varieties.

 

Spring blooming crocuses

 

CROCUS SPRING (Crocus vernus) grows up to 17 cm high. The corm is flattened, covered with mesh scales, the leaves are narrow, linear, dark green with a longitudinal silvery-white stripe. Purple or white flowers with a long tube, bell-funnel-shaped, in the amount of one or two, develop from one corm and bloom in spring for about three weeks.

 

 

CROCUS TWO-FLORAL (Crocus biflorus) occurs naturally from Italy to Iran, as well as in the Caucasus and Crimea. It has a variety of natural forms: with white flowers, lilac-blue with brown spots on the outside of the petals, white with violet-brown stripes, white on the inside and violet-brown on the outside. The pharynx of flowers is white or yellow.

 

 

CROCUS GOLDEN (Crocus chrysanthus) grows on the rocky slopes of the Balkans and Asia Minor. It reaches a height of 20 cm, its corms are spherical, but flattened, the leaves are very narrow, the flowers are golden-yellow in color with the perianths bending back, shiny from the outside. Some forms have brown streaks or tan marks on the outside of the petals. Anthers are orange, columns are reddish. Blooms in April for three weeks. In culture since 1841. The following varieties are common in floriculture:
❀ Blue Bonnet - flowers up to 3 cm long with a pale blue perianth and yellow fauces.
❀ Nanette - a variety with large yellow-cream flowers with purple stripes on the outside.
❀ I. Gee. Bowels - crocus with very large bright yellow flowers on the inside and gray-brownish on the outside.

 

 

CROCUS TOMAZINI (Crocus tommasinianus) naturally grows in deciduous forests and on the hillsides of Hungary and the countries of the former Yugoslavia. It has pink-lilac perianth leaves, sometimes with a white border around the edge. The open flowers are in the shape of a star with a white throat. The flower tube is white. From one corm develops up to three flowers up to 6 cm high.This species blooms in April for three weeks. Crocus Tomasini, one of the most popular species, has been cultivated since 1847. The most famous varieties:
❀ Laylek Beauty - wide-open, almost flat flowers up to 3 cm in diameter with yellow anthers and narrow oval-shaped narrow lobes of lilac color on the outside and a lighter shade on the inside.
❀ Whitwell Purple - large, wide-open, almost flat purple-violet flowers up to 4 cm in diameter with narrow elongated lobes. White tube up to 3.5 cm long.

 

 

In addition to those described, such spring-flowering crocuses are known in the culture: narrow-leaved, reticulated, Crimean, Korolkova, Imperate, Sieber, yellow, Geufel, Ankyrian, Alataevsky, Adam, Corsican, Dalmatian, Etruscan, Fleischer, Malia and the smallest.

 

Autumn blooming crocuses

 

CROCUS BEAUTIFUL (Crocus speciosus) grows on the edges of forests in the mountainous regions of Crimea, the Balkans and Asia Minor. Its leaves reach a length of 30 cm, lilac-purple flowers with longitudinal purple veins up to 7 cm in diameter bloom in early autumn. In culture since 1800. Garden forms of this species are known with dark blue, white, blue, lilac and light purple flowers. The best varieties:
❀ Albus - white-flowered variation with a cream-colored tube.
❀ Artabir - flowers of sky-blue color with bracts covered with dark veins.
❀ Oksinan - The flowers are violet-blue with a dark perianth and sharp leaves.

 

 

CROCUS GOOD (Crocus pulchellus) is a very beautiful plant with light purple flowers in a dark strip, the diameter of which is from 6 to 8 cm, and the height is from 7 to 10 cm. On each plant in September or October, 5-10 flowers open. The cute crocus is not afraid of light frosts.

 

 

CROCUS BANATIAN (Crocus banaticus) grows in the Carpathians, Romania and the Balkans. The name was given in honor of the historical region of Banat, located in Romania. It has linear silvery-gray leaves up to 15 cm long. Graceful light lilac flowers with yellow anthers rise 12-14 cm above the ground surface. The outer tepals are up to 4.5 cm long, the inner ones are narrower and twice as short. It has been cultivated since 1629.

 

 

In culture, autumn-flowering crocuses are also grown beautiful, Pallas, Holmovoy, Sharoyana, Gulimi, holo-flowered, Kardukhor, medium, Cartwright, Kochi, trellised, medium, yellow-white and late.

Dutch hybrids, or large-flowered crocuses, are unpretentious and fertile spring-flowering plants, the flowers of which are on average twice as large as those of the original species. The first varieties of Dutch hybrids appeared in 1897. Now there are more than 50 of them, and they are divided into groups according to the color of the flowers. The first group includes varieties with pure white flowers or white with a spot of a different color at the base of each lobe of the bracts. The second group combines varieties with purple, lilac and lilac colors. The third represents varieties with a net or striped color of flowers with or without a spot at the base of the lobes. Hybrids bloom during May, flowering lasts from 10 to 17 days. We recommend you several varieties that grow well in our climate:

❀ Albion - white goblet flowers up to 4 cm in diameter with rounded lobes, with a tube up to 5 cm long with a rare lilac streak.
❀ Vanguard - cupped, open bluish-lilac flowers up to 4 cm in diameter with elongated oval lobes with small spots of a darker color at the base, with a bluish-lilac tube up to 4.5 cm long.
❀ Jubilee - goblet blue flowers with a barely noticeable purple-violet tinge and with a clear light purple spot at the base of the lobes, as well as a narrow light border along the edge. The tube is light purple, up to 5.5 cm long.
❀ Sniper Banner - goblet flowers up to 4 cm in diameter with oval lobes of mesh color - a light grayish-lilac shade on the outside and with a densely lilac mesh on the inside. The lobes of the inner circle are lighter in color than the lobes of the outer one. At the base of the lobes there is a small but very clear dark lilac speck. The tube up to 4 cm long is dark lilac.
❀ Kathleen Parlow - cupped white flowers up to 4 cm in diameter with a short lilac streak at the base of the inner lobes and with a white tube up to 5 cm long.

 

CHRIZANTHUS - spring-flowering hybrids, in the formation of which golden crocuses participated, natural forms of two-flowered crocus and their hybrids. The flowers of this group are not as large as the flowers of the "Dutch", but among the chrysanthus there are many varieties with yellow and bluish flowers. The most famous varieties:
❀ Gypsy Girl - cupped, wide-open flowers up to 3.5 cm in diameter, light yellow inside with a dark yellow throat, and yellowish cream outside. There is a small brown speck on the inside of the lobes. The tube up to 3 cm long is cream-colored with dusty lilac streaks.
❀ Marietta - wide-open, almost flat flowers up to 3.5 cm in diameter with oval narrow dark cream lobes with a yellow throat, outside at the base of the lobes of the outer circle, covered with dense dark purple stripes, a greenish-brown spot.A tube up to 3 cm long in a light gray-green shade.
❀ Lady Keeler - cupped, almost flat flowers up to 3 cm in diameter with elongated oval lobes of white color from the inside, the lobes of the inner circle are white outside, and the outer ones are dark purple with a white border and a small dark-gray spot at the base. Purple bud, tube up to 3 cm long, dark purple-violet hue.
❀ Saturnus - wide-open, flat flowers up to 3.5 cm in diameter with slightly elongated tops of the lobes of the outer circle. The color is yellowish cream with a bright yellow throat. Outside, at the base there is a greenish-brown spot, the lobes of the outer circle are streaked with thick lilac strokes. The tube is grayish-green, up to 2.5 cm long.

 

 

Where to buy crocus bulbs

 

The Scientific and Production Association "Sady Rossii" has been introducing the latest achievements in the selection of vegetable, fruit, berry and ornamental crops into the wide practice of amateur gardening for 30 years. In the work of the association, the most modern technologies are used, a unique laboratory for microclonal reproduction of plants has been created. The main tasks of NPO Sady Rossii is to provide gardeners with high-quality planting material for popular varieties of various garden plants and novelties of world selection. Delivery of planting material (seeds, onions, seedlings) is carried out by Russian post. We are waiting for you for shopping: NPO "Sady Rossii"

An early flower that pleases the eye with the first ray of the spring sun is proudly called crocus. This flower is also widely known as saffron. Crocuses are planted in autumn. The required amount of fertilizer must first be applied to the soil, since this flower prefers loose, fertile soil.

Crocuses: a short description of the plant

This plant belongs to the Iris family. About 80 of its species and more than 300 varieties are known. Crocuses are divided into two huge groups:

• those that bloom in spring;
• those that bloom in summer.

Their flowering period is very short - no more than 10 days.

The main features of the above flower:

• resistance to unforeseen atmospheric phenomena;
• tendency to reproduce rapidly;
• unpretentious care.

In one place, these flowers can grow for 5 years.

Crocuses: planting in autumn. Landing dates

The planting of these plants depends on their species. Crocus planting dates are as follows:

• late spring or early summer (autumn flowering);
• October-November (spring flowering).

You just need to remember the main rule: this process is carried out only when the plants are in a period of absolute dormancy. Crocuses are planted in the ground before winter. Gardeners recommend buying crocus bulbs in August or September. At this time, the plant is at rest. If the autumn weather pleases with warmth, then the crocus planting dates may shift slightly until mid-November.

The above plants blooming in autumn are purchased in June or early August.

Planting crocuses in the ground in autumn is characterized by the following features:

• the leaves of the plant wither and turn yellow;
• they die off over time;
• the bulb remains weak, but alive.

In the first spring after the above planting, crocuses may not bloom at all.

Locations and soil for flowers

This plant needs a well-prepared soil. It is fertilized with compost and manure, in addition, it is well loosened. Excessive moisture and stagnant water are not good for a flower. Therefore, if crocuses are planted in autumn, a little sand should be added to the soil, especially clayey.

The best soil for this plant is, of course, light sandy loam soil. The area must be well drained, as stagnant water leads to rotting of the plant.

Ideally, it is recommended to dig up the area in 10-15 days when the time for planting crocuses comes up. In the fall, when planting bulbs, you do not need to carry away any fertilizers.

So that the flowers are not small, it is important for them to find a place that is well lit. It is important that the plants do not shade the trees. Although this plant grows well in partial shade.

Soil fertilization also needs to be taken seriously. It is important to remember: nitrogen is a great danger for crocuses. Therefore, the best option for him is fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium. After all, the first trace element is necessary for the formation of crocus buds and the extension of the flowering period. The second trace element is important precisely for the bulbs of the plant.

Planting crocuses in the fall in the ground

It is imperative to plant or transplant these plants without flowers. If, nevertheless, flowering specimens are planted, then they will gain strength only after about two years.

Crocus planting before winter is carried out by the following method: the bulb is lowered to a depth of 10 cm.The distance between these plants must be observed and be at least 4 cm.

The thickness of the soil layer above the planting material is not less than double the diameter of the bulb. This is when the ground is loose. But in the case of heavy soil, this indicator is only one-time the diameter of the planting material.

The above recommendations for the planting depth of these bulbs do not need to be strictly observed. Since crocuses have the ability to regulate it on their own: by the formation of pulling roots.

Planting crocuses at home has another important recommendation. If these plants are not hardy enough, they must be mulched.

To extend the flowering time of this plant, gardeners go for a little trick: they plant crocus bulbs in separate holes at different depths. This will allow you to enjoy the beauty of the crocus flowers for at least a week longer.

After planting, the land where the plants are planted is watered a little and slightly covered with coniferous litter. This will keep the moisture longer, as well as protect the plants from severe frosts in the event of a snowless winter.

Crocus propagation by seeds

These plants reproduce by their "children" - these are daughter corms. They are formed from the buds that sit in the sinus of the scales. When the old corm dies off, new babies begin to grow on their own, forming a kind of "nest". It turns out a group of related bulbs. The above method is the most effective method for propagating plants such as crocus flowers. Planting and care in this case are done very carefully so as not to damage the bulbous material.

The corm grows every year and becomes larger. As a result of this, many so-called babies are formed. When it becomes cramped for them, and they are already beginning to interfere with each other, they must be seated.

If conditions permit, it is important to plant children of one bulb of a particular species in groups. This planting material blooms approximately 4 years after planting.

The second method of reproduction of crocuses is by seeds. But this method is only suitable for spring flowering plants. Crocuses, which bloom in the fall, bear irregularly because early severe frosts prevent them from setting seeds.

Sow this planting material in small pots or boxes. This will allow small shoots not to get lost among the large ones, and they will also be better protected from weeds. The pot must be covered with black foil and make sure that they do not dry out. If the leaves of the seedlings die off completely, they can be slightly sprayed with Roundup. But care is important here so as not to make the soil too wet, as this can provoke rotting of the seedlings. Seedlings bloom for about 5 years.

Crocus care

Plants such as crocus flowers do not require special complex observation. Planting and leaving has only a few rules:

• once every few years they must be thinned out, since in favorable conditions each corm produces up to 10 children annually and becomes larger and larger;
• the process of digging out of spring-flowering plants is carried out in the summer after their leaves turn yellow;
• the bulbs are dried and stored in the shade.

In addition, it should be noted that there are many diseases and pests in plants such as crocuses. Planting and care in the fall is carried out taking into account the following recommendations:

• Before planting in open ground, it is advisable to hold the plant bulbs in a solution of potassium permanganate. This will prevent the development of fungal diseases in the planting material.
• It is necessary to store crocus bulbs in the house, that is, away from rodents. These are the main enemies of the plant.

Also, to get good nests of corms, gardeners recommend planting them every year. This will give the kids more room to grow.

Forcing crocuses

It is forcing that helps to achieve very early flowering in crocuses. Only the healthiest bulbs are suitable for this purpose. Somewhere in September, gardeners recommend planting them in pots. The soil in the container should be slightly damp. The pots should be covered with a film, first make several holes in it for ventilation.

This container with planting material is placed in a basement or in any dark and cool place. The first shoots appear in early January. After that, the pot is removed to a room with an air temperature of up to 15 degrees Celsius, where it is shaded with paper bags. It is also important not to forget to water the plant.

A week later, gardeners are advised to remove the film from the pot. It is necessary to bring them into a warm room when the first buds already appear. The blooming of crocuses depends on the temperature in the room: the lower it is, the longer they bloom.

Expelled crocuses in the fall can be safely planted in open ground.

The best partners for crocuses

Gardeners celebrate the spectacular flowering and growth of these flowers close to the following plants:

• mahonia;
• boxwood;
• yew;
• thuja;
• galanthus;
• helleborus;
• primrose;
• erythroniums;
• erantis.

Application of crocuses

These plants are widely used for the following purposes:

• to create a beautiful landscape design of the site;
• as gift flowers in pots for the holidays (Valentine's Day, March 8);
• as a seasoning in cooking;
• as a food coloring.

Also, this plant is widely used in alternative medicine. On the basis of crocus, special eye drops and fortifying tinctures are made, since saffron has antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties.

Planting crocuses in the ground in autumn provides an opportunity to enjoy the flowering of this plant in early spring. But so that these flowers do not disappoint you and grow really beautiful and spectacular, it is important to follow some simple recommendations for planting them.

In early spring, crocuses are the first to open their fragile flowers. They stand out well on bare ground, attracting attention. With their help, bright glades are created, which in springtime begin a flowering parade. Fragile and delicate flowers do not need special care, but it is necessary to adhere to some rules when planting and caring.

Description and characteristics of spring primrose, photo

Some varieties of crocuses are listed in the Red Book, they can be found in the mountains of the Crimea and the Caucasus. In horticulture, hybrid crocuses of various colors are grown: blue, white, yellow, lilac and two-color.

Crocus leaves grow in a bunch, appear simultaneously with the flower or later. Flowers bloom on a sunny day, and are closed on cloudy weather or in the evening. The flowering period lasts up to one month, sometimes less. It depends more on the weather. Crocuses are small-bulbous plants, the height of which does not exceed 10 cm.Some hybrids can reach 15 cm in height.Most species have a simple goblet flower, there are varieties with double flowers.

Bright and delicate crocuses are rightfully called spring primroses. In order for the branches to please with their appearance, it is necessary to choose the right corm, on which the further development of the plant depends.

Planting crocuses: how to choose a corm

The success of crocus cultivation depends on the correctly selected planting material. It is better to buy bulbs in August or September, when they are dormant.

What to look for when buying:

• The bulb should not be loose and lethargic. Healthy planting material is dense and heavy.

• No sprouted roots or shoots.

• Corms with mechanical damage are discarded. Pests and pathogens settle in them, which will lead to infection of the entire planting.

• A healthy bulb is free from rot and dark spots.

Before planting crocuses, the bulbs are cleaned of old scales and disinfected. They are kept in a solution of potassium permanganate or sprinkled with ash.

Growing crocuses: choosing a site for primrose

Before planting crocuses in a flower garden, it is worth choosing a suitable place where the plants will feel comfortable.

These flowers need space as they grow quickly. The crocus clearing should be well lit and warmed up by the spring sun. The flower is grown in open areas or under trees, where in the spring there is enough light for growth and development.

In modern design, group planting of crocuses is used on lawns, lawns or in the garden. Florists often grow crocuses on a Moorish lawn. The main condition is good lighting, only then the ground will quickly warm up after the snow melts, and the crocuses will delight you with beautiful flowering.

What soil is needed for planting crocuses

These flowers are neutral to the soil, but do not tolerate swampy soils and stagnant water. The flower grows well on loam and sandy loam soils. Nutrient supplements in the form of mineral fertilizers are applied to too depleted soil.

When planting crocuses in open ground, the holes are filled with rotted manure and humus. At the bottom of the planting pit, drainage is laid in the form of crushed stone, gravel or crushed brick. Sand and peat are added to heavy soil.

Crocuses tolerate drought well, but excess moisture leads to decay of the roots, so when planting, you must not forget about drainage. This is one of the important conditions for growing crocuses outdoors.

When to plant crocuses in the garden (photo)

Much depends on the correct landing date. Planting late causes the unrooted bulb to freeze in winter. If planted too early, plants can sprout before winter and die.

Planting dates depend on the variety of crocuses that are grown in the garden. There are autumn flowering and spring flowering plants. Planting depth depends on the size of the bulb.

Autumn flowering hybrids are planted in spring. The optimal planting time is from early May to early June.

Spring hybrids are planted in the fall, from the second half of September to the end of October.

Many nurseries sell blooming crocus hybrids in autumn. The planting of such a flower should take place according to special rules.

1. At the corms, all the leaves and peduncles are cut off. That will allow the plant to adapt to new conditions much faster.

2. In the year of planting, flowering will most likely not come, but next year it will be brighter.

You need to buy crocuses before flowering, as it greatly depletes the plant and takes a year to recover. Further growth and development is greatly slowed down.

What care does a crocus need (photo)

A flower such as a crocus does not require special care. It is enough to fertilize it in a timely manner and dig up the bulbs. In the summer, the plant does not need abundant watering.

It is better to fertilize crocuses during the period of active growth - in the spring.Granules of mineral fertilizers are scattered right on the snow, which fall into the soil and gradually nourish the flower. It is also helpful to feed the crocuses with organic fertilizers. Humus and peat are used. During the flowering period, it is useful to make phosphorus-potassium supplements.

Crocus reproduction

Crocuses form daughter bulbs, which are deposited from the mother plant. This method of reproduction allows you to fully preserve all the varietal qualities of a young flower.

Daughter bulbs are transplanted every four years. Moreover, the number of babies directly depends on the size of the mother's bulb. The larger it is, the more children are formed on it. Shallow planting will help increase the number of daughter bulbs. After transplanting, young plants bloom in a few years.

You should not neglect the transplant, otherwise the flowers and crocus bulbs become smaller, or even disappear altogether.

Why dig up the bulbs

When caring for a crocus, one should not forget about digging. It is carried out depending on the type of plant. It is recommended to dig up crocuses annually, after the leaves have completely dried out and the dormant period has begun.

After digging, the bulbs are sorted and discarded sick and damaged. Next, old scales, remnants of roots are removed from them and stored. Store the bulbs in a well-ventilated area at temperatures up to 20 degrees until planting.

Growing crocuses without digging leads to thickening of the nests, diseases and lack of flowering.

Problems when growing crocuses in the open field (photo)

All bulbous plants have their weak points.

• viral infections;

• fungal infections;

• spoilage by rodents.

Planting damaged corms leads to infection with viral diseases, which are manifested by light spots on the leaves and buds. The flowers become ugly and do not open. Such plants are discarded, and the planting site is treated with disinfectants.

Poor care and non-observance of the conditions for growing crocuses leads to the occurrence of fungal diseases. The bulbs soften and become unusable. As a preventive measure, corms are dried and treated with special agents before storage.

The main pests of bulbous plants are mice, hares and other rodents. They find bulbs, dig them up, eat them. Often, for planting crocuses and other bulbs, special baskets are used to protect plants from rodents.

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For me crocuses - mountain flowers. You go up, the summer heat remains below, and the snow has just melted on the pass ... And the crocuses are yellow, blue - the sea of ​​crocuses, you don't know where to step so as not to trample the delicate petals.

Crocus is also called saffron. The saffron color (shade of yellow) is the color of the stigmas of the crocus. It was from them that the saffron dye was made, as well as the saffron seasoning.

In the climate of the Middle Strip, crocuses bloom in early spring or late autumn. On sale, spring-flowering species are more common.

Crocuses can be grown in the country. True, one must bear in mind that spring crocuses are snowdrops, primroses, respectively, bloom in early spring, even before the start of active work in the garden. That is why my parents do not plant crocuses in the country. And my family and I live in the village all year round. Our Spring begins with crocuses on thawed patches.

Crocus planting

When to plant

Spring-flowering crocuses are planted in late August - September, autumn-flowering species in summer. Unlike tulips, crocus bulbs do not need to be dug up annually. It is enough to do this every 5 years.

How to plant

For the first time, out of inexperience, I planted crocuses directly in our heavy clay soil. In the spring, they painfully made their way to the light, bloomed late and uncomfortably. Crocuses love light soil, so it is recommended to add compost with ash to the garden bed.There should be no spring stagnation of water either; in flooded areas, drainage is needed - sand or expanded clay.

In light soils, crocus corms are planted to a depth of twice its height, in heavy soils - smaller, but so that at least 5 cm remains from the bottom of the bulb to the surface of the earth. The distance between the plants when planting is 10 centimeters. Over time, the carpet will be compacted by itself.

Crocus care

Crocuses do not require special care. Once every few years, they should be dug up and thinned out, since in good conditions each corm produces several children annually. Spring-flowering crocuses are dug up in the summer after their leaves turn yellow. The bulbs are dried and stored in the shade until autumn.

Where to get the bulbs

1. At the neighbors. Firstly, it's free, and secondly, you know how they bloom. Crocus babies are formed annually.
2. Buy bulbs in the garden center and plant them according to all the rules (see above).
3. In the spring, purchase expelled crocuses in a pot in the garden center. In this case, immediately "kill two birds with one stone" - pamper yourself with early flowers, and at the same time you will acquire planting material. What to do with the expelled crocuses - read the labels. There, as a rule, there are detailed instructions for bringing the plants to bloom.

Where to plant crocuses

Crocuses bloom on thawed patches. This means that they must be planted where thawed patches appear first of all - in a sunny place, and in no case under a huge snowdrift that grows when snow is dropped from the roof or when paths are cleared.

Crocuses look good in large, tight groups. Landscape designers advise placing them on an alpine slide. I don't have an Alpine slide, my crocuses live in a flower bed among perennials. After flowering, their leaves do not spoil the general appearance, so crocuses do not have to be hidden under the hosts. Lazy gardeners can plant annual seedlings to them at the beginning of summer.

Forcing crocuses. For the non-lazy

How to achieve early blooming of crocuses? Of course, a competent distillation. In winter, even the Lazy Gardener sometimes wants to look for additional activities.

Only the highest quality corms are suitable for forcing. In September-October, they are planted in pots with light damp soil. In this case, the bulbs are planted more often and smaller than usual. The pots are covered with plastic bags with ventilation holes and placed in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator or in the cold basement.

The first shoots should appear in early January. Then the pots should be moved to a cool room with a temperature of 10-15 degrees and shaded (with paper bags, for example). Don't forget to water.

After about a week, we open the plants. If you have the opportunity to illuminate them with a special lamp, use it.

Only after the buds appear, crocuses are brought into a warm room. However, the lower the room temperature, the longer they will bloom.

In the fall, expelled crocuses can be transplanted into open ground.

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