When to plant crocuses. Spring protection of garden plants from pests and diseases. Preparing for landing

early flower, which pleases the eye with the first ray of spring sun, is proudly called crocus. This flower is also widely known as saffron. Crocuses are planted in the fall. It is necessary to first add to the soil required quantity fertilizers, since this flower prefers loose, fertile soil.

Crocuses: a brief 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 unexpected weather conditions;
• tendency to reproduce quickly;
• ease of care.

These flowers can grow in one place for 5 years.

Crocuses: planting in autumn. Landing dates

Planting these plants depends on their type. The dates for planting crocuses 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 is warm, then the crocus planting dates may shift slightly until mid-November.

The above plants, which bloom 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.

Location and soil for flowers

This plant needs well-prepared soil. It is fertilized with compost and manure, in addition, it is well loosened. Excessive amounts of moisture and stagnation of water are not good for the flower. Therefore, if crocuses are planted in the fall, you need to add a little sand to the soil, especially clayey soil.

The best soil for this plant is, of course, sandy loamy light soil. The site must be well drained, since stagnation of water leads to rotting of the plant.

To prevent the flowers from being small, it is important to choose a place for them that is well lit. It is important that the plants do not shade the trees. Although this plant grows well in partial shade.

Fertilizing the soil also needs to be taken seriously. It is important to remember: nitrogen is a big danger for crocuses. That's why the best option for it are fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium. After all, the first microelement is necessary for the formation of crocus buds and prolongation of the flowering period. The second microelement is important

Planting crocuses in the ground in autumn

These plants must be planted or replanted without flowers. If you do plant flowering specimens, they will gain strength only after about two years.

Planting crocuses before winter is carried out using the following method: the bulb is lowered to a depth of 10 cm. The distance between these plants must be maintained and be at least 4 cm.

The thickness of the soil layer above the planting material is at least twice the diameter of the bulb. This is when the ground is loose. But in the case of heavy soil, this figure is only one times the diameter planting material.

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

After planting, the ground where the plants are planted is watered a little and lightly covered with pine litter. This will retain moisture longer and also protect the plants from severe frosts in the event of a snowless winter.

Propagation of crocuses by seeds

These plants reproduce by their “children” - these are daughter corms. They are formed from buds that sit in the axil of the scales. When the old corm dies, new children begin to grow independently, forming a kind of “nest”. It turns out a group of related bulbs. The above method is the most effective method on the propagation of 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 and becomes larger every year. As a result of this, many so-called children are formed. When they become crowded and begin to interfere with each other, they definitely need to be seated.

If conditions permit, it is important to have children from one bulb specific type plant in groups. This one blooms approximately 4 years after planting.

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

This planting material should be sown in small pots or boxes. This will allow small seedlings not to get lost among large ones, and they will also be better protected from weeds. The pot must be covered with black film and ensure that they do not dry out. If the leaves of the seedlings die completely, they can be sprayed a little with Roundup. But here it is important to be careful not to make the soil too wet, as this can cause rotting of the seedlings. Seedlings bloom at approximately 5 years.

Crocus care

Plants such as flowers do not require particularly complex self-monitoring; they have only a few rules:

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

Additionally, 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 plant bulbs in open ground, it is advisable to keep them in a solution of potassium permanganate. This will prevent the development of fungal diseases in the planting material.
• Crocus bulbs must be stored indoors, 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 allow children to have more room to grow.

Forcing crocuses

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

This container with planting material is placed in the basement or in any dark and cool place. The first shoots appear in early January. After this, 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 after this, gardeners advise removing the film from the pot. Enter them into warm room necessary when the first buds appear. The flowering of crocuses depends on the temperature in the room: the lower it is, the longer they bloom.

Driven out crocuses can be safely planted in open ground in the fall.

The best partners for crocuses

Gardeners note spectacular flowering and growth of these flowers near the following plants:

• Mahonia;
• boxwood;
• yew;
• galanthus;
• Helleborus;
• primrose;
• erythronium;
• erantis.

Application of crocuses

These plants are widely used for the following purposes:

• to create a beautiful landscape design plot;
• as gifts for the holidays (Valentine's Day, March 8);
• as a seasoning in cooking;
• as a food coloring.

This plant is also widely used in alternative medicine. Based on the crocus, special eye drops and restorative tinctures are made, since saffron has antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties.

Planting crocuses in the ground in the fall provides the opportunity to enjoy the flowering of this plant already 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 bloom in many flower beds. They are so charming in their miniature that they are often given as gifts right in the pots. But it’s not enough to just push the corm into the ground. I would like to present a blossoming flower. Moreover, it should be timed to coincide with a certain date.

How to grow crocuses at home? It's actually very easy. The secret of forcing is to imitate natural natural processes. This can be done by the most novice gardener. And if he prepares the planting material correctly and takes high-quality material, then success is guaranteed.

What bulbs to plant

The first thing to do is choose good planting material. Unlike other bulbous plants, the size of crocuses is measured not by diameter, but by circumference at its widest point. We need packaging with the number 10 plus on it. From such raw materials the largest flowers on thick stems are obtained. And up to 6 pieces at the same time.

If there is a smaller number on the package, then there will be fewer colors accordingly. They themselves will be small.

Choose for yourself varieties bred in Holland. These are mostly hybrids. They work very well at home. Native or natural plants produce small flowers or do not bloom at all. Why then all the work? And don’t confuse it with plants, blooming in autumn. During your forcing, they just have a period of deep rest after flowering.

But it’s not enough to be seduced by beautiful photo on cardboard. You need to have some more idea about making the right choice corms. They must meet the following requirements:

1. Firm and elastic. Press the raw material lightly. It should spring pleasantly. Softness indicates beginning damage.
2. Smell it if possible. If there is even the slightest odor of mold, put it off without regret. Such material was stored in inappropriate conditions.
3. Carefully inspect the bulbs. They should not have dark or damp spots or visible damage.

Once you have made your choice and brought your purchase home, take your time. Quarantine the bulbs. Dark, cool place. Look at them in about 10-12 days. Everything is fine? Are there any signs of disease, mold or rot? This means you can plant safely.

Advice. Buy corms when they are in season. This time is from the end of July to the end of September.

Which pot to choose

The material of the container does not matter. Its size is much more important. Shallow but wide containers are suitable for crocuses. A group of plantings in one bowl looks very impressive. And decorated with fine gravel or pebbles, it’s actually a masterpiece.

It will be enough to take a pot 12-14 cm high. But be sure to have wide drainage holes. And it is installed not in a pallet, but on a stand. This will allow excess liquid to drain. Crocus bulbs react very nervously to stagnant water. They immediately begin to rot and wither.

How to plant

If you chose large mature corms, then try to leave at least 2.5 cm between them. This will allow the glasses of crocuses to unfold in all their glory.

The planting depth should be such that only the very tip remains on the surface. Let's take a step-by-step look at how to plant crocuses correctly:

1. Place at the bottom of the pot thick layer drainage. These are broken shards, bricks, fine gravel, marble chips. Pebbles and expanded clay will also work.
2. Then pour in some soil. Its composition is simple. It's in equal parts garden soil, sand and peat. Everything should be loose and permeable.
3. Place the bulb bottom down.
4. Holding it with one hand, fill it to the top with the other with a mixture of sand and peat.
5. Watered. As soon as the water has drained, remove it for rooting.

The difference in the composition of the soil mixture allows the roots to firmly hold the plant in the container, and the bulb to have as little contact with water as possible.

For example, you need a blooming crocus by January 1st. We do all the necessary calculations. The bulb should be planted on September 24th.

Care and maintenance during the cold period

Now we have come to the point where we take on the role of creator. That is, we artificially create conditions of detention that are as close as possible to natural ones. To do this, for 12 weeks you need to place the containers with the bulbs in a dark, cool place with high humidity air. Temperature from +4 to +8°C. Humidity not lower than 70%.

The refrigerator is no good, it's too dry. It's too warm under the bathroom. Insulated loggia or balcony - lots of light. A barn, cellar, basement, or subfloor will do. Just be careful, corms are very tasty to many rodents.

Water your pastures periodically as needed. Humidify the air around you by spraying or watering. And watch the temperature. Too high will cause the crocuses to wake up prematurely. Too low can cause rot and mold. And absolutely exclude the slightest lighting.

It is not possible to often go down to the cellar or basement to water containers with corms? Then cover them with thick film. Just be sure to make a few small holes. This is necessary for ventilation and evaporation of condensate.

Next stage
As soon as 15 days remain before the expected date, the bowls with corms are pulled out for forcing. Just don’t change the lighting intensity dramatically and temperature regime. An approximate procedure is as follows:

1 day. They took it out of the cellar and placed it near front door on the floor. It's a little cool and dark there.

Day 3. They placed the pot on a stand, a table, a nightstand in the back of the coolest room.

Day 5 They moved it close to the window, but covered it from the central heating radiator.

Day 7 They put it on the windowsill. We do not open the battery. We do not put insulation under the pot, because the roots should still feel cool.

14-15 day. We admire the blossoms.

All these days, do not forget to water the crocuses as the top layer dries. Periodically spray with a spray bottle. Just don't flood them like fire engine. The soil mixture should be slightly moist, but not soggy. Otherwise the crocuses will quickly lose decorative look or they will turn yellow and wither.

If you did everything correctly, then you can admire the beautiful flowers for up to 11 days in a row. At the same time, no one canceled the usual care. And be sure to cover the flowers from direct sun rays. This prolongs flowering well.

Do not rush to get rid of the corms after they delight you with their beautiful flowering. They can still be planted in a flowerbed or garden. After all, in one place they can grow for up to 5 years. And during this time they will bring you large offspring. Small bulbs can be grown and planted everywhere. Or use milk growing at home.

To do this, it is necessary not to change the maintenance regime. Peduncles that have served their purpose are carefully removed. For example, scissors or pruning shears. This will prevent nutrients from being withdrawn from the uterine bulb.

Around the beginning of June, all the leaves will turn yellow and dry out. This is the most natural time for crocuses to retire. Until this moment, you will need to feed the plant twice with a complete complex mineral fertilizer. Preference is given to a composition that contains the most phosphorus and potassium, but a minimum of nitrogen. The feeding solution is prepared in accordance with the instructions on the package. Each manufacturer has its own.

Crocuses do not offer organic food. This can cause root rot and other diseases. After all, in natural natural conditions they are used to living in mountainous areas with poor soil that has a neutral reaction. And organic matter means nitrogen and soil acidification.

After the entire above-ground part has dried, you need to carefully remove the corm from the soil. We shake it off and carefully inspect it for mold, disease, and signs of rotting. Everything is fine? Is the bulb clean? Dry it in a dark, cool place for about 9-11 days. Next, cut off the roots, dry leaves, and stems. Remove the falling husks. And put it back in a dark and cool place until autumn planting into the ground.

We inspect the planting material approximately once every three weeks. We discard dried and diseased crocus corms, if any.

1. After quarantine, but before planting, be sure to disinfect the corms, containers and soil. By any means at hand. Good results are obtained by soaking for 20 minutes in a strong solution of potassium permanganate and spraying with phytosporin. Do not neglect this procedure, you will avoid many problems.
2. Crocuses are not fed at home. They have enough nutrients from bulbs. An excess will lead to deformation or complete absence of flowers.
3. Plant one variety and corms of the same size in one container. Otherwise, you will have to observe the following picture: flowers of one variety are adjacent to the withered leaves of another. Or faded buds next to unopened ones. Ugly and unprofessional. It’s better to plant them in separate pots. This will make it easier to care for. Moreover, one flower also looks elegant and impressive in a pot if it is well-groomed and healthy.
4. Don't listen to those who advise you to use crocuses for culinary purposes. You will eat innocent flowers. IN Food Industry Only the stigmas of the flowers are used. And even then, of a certain variety, purple seed crocuses. Dutch hybrids were clearly not bred for the purpose of producing fragrant spices. They are intended to give flowers and are completely unsuitable for food. Otherwise they write such nonsense in every article without even bothering to find out the truth. And many people fall for this stupidity and pluck the poor plants. Stuffed into sauces or baked goods. And they wonder: where is that divine aroma and beautiful color?
5. Do not try to grow crocuses from seeds yourself at home. This is a whole science with strict requirements for conditions, temperatures and stratification period. You'll get tired of waiting and dancing around with a tambourine. Although, if you are a biologist, botanist or just an experimenter by nature, then give it a try. Maybe it will work out.

How to grow crocuses at home? It turns out it's quite simple. By following the recommendations, you can enjoy flowering on the windowsill yourself. Or adjust the process to your birthday. Agree, an original gift.

Video: how to plant crocuses in a pot

Crocus (Crocus) or saffron is a herbaceous corm plant of the Iris family. The aquatic habitats are steppes, forests, meadows of the Southern, Northern, Central Europe, Mediterranean, Middle East, Asia Minor and Central Asia.

The word "crocus" translated from Greek means "fiber, thread", and translated from Arabic“saffron” means “yellow” (the stigmas of the flower are colored yellow). The crocus was first mentioned in Egyptian papyri.

In floriculture, crocus is known as a spring primrose, but there are also species that bloom in autumn.

Botanical description

Crocus is a low-growing herbaceous plant about 10 cm high. Underground part: a flattened round bulb with a diameter of about 3 cm, shrouded in scales, a bunch of fibrous roots is attached to the bulb. There is no stem.

The leaves are linear, narrow, appear before or after flowering. A single goblet-shaped corolla with a diameter of 2-5 cm appears on a leafless peduncle. They can be colored white, cream, blue, lilac, purple, yellow, Orange color, there are two-color ones, decorated with spots and stripes. In general, the flowering period lasts 2-3 weeks.

How to plant crocuses in the garden

• in open ground spring crocuses carried out in the fall, autumn-flowering ones - in the summer.
• Choose a sunny area; they will grow normally in partial shade or shade.
• The soil needs to be nutritious, loose, light.
• When digging the area, add rotted manure, compost or peat with lime. IN clay soil add ash.

• Plant the bulb to a depth of 2 times its size; if the soil is heavy, a depth of 1 size is sufficient.
• Maintain a distance of 7-10 cm between plants. Do not thicken the plantings, since crocuses can grow in one place for 3-5 years, forming many “children” - the area will turn into a continuous carpet of flowers.
• Water well after planting and mulch the soil with fine organic matter or humus.

You can plant crocuses for forcing. Forcing is a way to force a plant to bloom in room conditions out of season. Dutch large-flowered varieties are best suited.

• Take bulbs of approximately the same size, plant 5-10 pieces in a shallow bowl.
• The soil must be loose, water-, breathable, and neutral.

• Plant the bulbs evenly, slightly pressing them into the soil and leaving almost no space between them, sprinkle with soil to the level of the growth point of the above-ground part, and water moderately.
• Keep in this form in a cool place for 3-4 months at a temperature of +0 to +10°C.
• In advance, a week or two before the desired flowering date, remove the crocuses and place them in a warm, bright place, open and water.
• Soon shoots will appear and the plants will bloom.

• After forcing the bulbs, do not throw them away: continue to water them, feed them with complex mineral fertilizers. When the leaves begin to turn yellow, gradually reduce watering until it stops completely. After the leaves dry out, remove the bulbs, clean them of soil, wrap them in a napkin, and place them in cardboard box, store in dry dark place before planting in open ground.

Caring for crocuses in the garden

Caring for crocuses is very easy.

Watering

If the winter was snowless and the spring without rain, a need arises. In general, crocuses are drought-resistant. Periodically loosen the soil and remove weeds.

Feeding

• During active growth, apply complex mineral fertilizers; applying fresh organic matter is not recommended.
• Add more potassium and phosphorus; an excess of nitrogen (especially in damp weather) is fraught with fungal diseases.
• Apply the first fertilizing before flowering (30-40 g of fertilizer per 1 m²), the second during flowering.

After flowering

When the spring crocuses fade and their leaves turn yellow, you can forget about them until the next season. Care for fall-blooming crocuses in the same way.

After flowering, faded inflorescences should be cut off. Green leaves will decorate the garden for a long time. When they dry out, dig up the bulbs as necessary.

Mulch the remaining crocuses over the winter with peat or dry leaves.

When to dig up crocus bulbs?

The need for digging arises after 3-4 years. During this time, the mother bulb will acquire many daughter bulbs, which will interfere with each other, and the flowers will become small. You can dig up, replant, divide the bulbs more often.

You can dig up spring-blooming crocuses from July to September, and autumn-blooming ones from June to August.

Dig up the bulbs, clear the soil, remove dead scales, and place them in a single layer in a box or cardboard box. Ideal storage: Until August, keep the air temperature at 22 ºC, from August lower it to 20 ºC, and from the middle of the month lower it to 15 ºC. Such conditions are provided in specialized farms. At home, you can store it at room temperature in a dark, dry place with good ventilation before planting in open ground.

Propagation of crocuses by bulbs

Reproduction is carried out by separating daughter bulbs. Carry out planting following the agricultural techniques described earlier. Flowering will occur in the 3rd or 4th year of life, depending on the variety and species.

Growing crocuses from seeds

Spring-blooming crocuses can be propagated. Flowering of crocuses grown from seeds will occur approximately 4-5 years after planting in open ground, so this method of propagation is not very popular.

• You can sow before winter (autumn) or grow seedlings in spring (sow in mid-March to early April).
• In both cases, the seeds must first be soaked in a growth stimulator for 30-40 minutes, then kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
• To sow seedlings, the seeds also need to be stratified.
• Sow the seeds sparsely in a bowl with damp sand; do not bury them in the soil, but simply spread them over the surface. Then cover with film and place in the vegetable section of the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks or dig in the garden and cover with spunbond.
• Then take out the bowl and place it in a warm, lit place.

• When the seedlings appear, carry out the first watering using a fine spray.
• Grown plants are planted in separate pots or on permanent place in the garden.

Diseases and pests of crocuses

Penicillium, sclerocylus, gray rot, Fusarium - diseases that affect crocuses. Warm, damp weather contributes to this. If you see flattened crocus flowers covered with gray spots, this is a sign of a viral disease. Affected plants must be dug up and destroyed.

Treat the soil with a fungicide. To avoid such problems, inspect the bulbs for damage before planting. If any damage is found, sprinkle the area with ash or treat it with a fungicide and dry it.

Bulbs can be damaged by wireworms (click beetle larvae). They yellow color, hard to the touch. At the end of April-beginning of May, spread last year's unripe grass, hay or straw around the area, moisten it and cover it with boards. This works like a trap. Burn them at the stake along with the larvae.

Collect slugs by hand.

Field mice can eat succulent crocus bulbs. To prevent this from happening, it is better to use different zones landings (several groups per different areas). In case of invasion, use ultrasonic repellent.

Types and varieties of crocus with photos and names

Crocuses are classified into 15 groups. The first is autumn-flowering, the rest are spring-flowering. Dutch hybrids, Chrysanthus group - the most popular varieties in commerce.

Let's look at spring bloomers.

Reaches a height of 17 cm. It has become the basis for breeding many species and varieties. Leaves are standard. The funnel-shaped flowers are white or purple. It blooms for about a month.

Crocus biflorus Crocus biflorus

The corolla can be pure white, white with brown-violet stripes, white inside and brown-violet outside, lilac-blue with external spots of brown.

Golden crocus Crocus chrysanthus

Reaches a height of 20 cm. Golden-yellow flowers have an orange throat.

Varieties:

• Blue Bonnet - has large (3 cm in diameter) flowers of a soft blue color.
• Nanette - yellow-cream corollas decorated with outside purple stripes.
• I. G. Bowels - a large corolla is bright yellow inside, brownish outside.

Crocus tommasinianus Crocus tommasinianus

The perianths are pink-lilac, with a white border along the edge. The opened corolla takes the shape of a star. 1-3 peduncles appear from one bulb.

Popular varieties:

• Lilek Beauty - the corollas are about 3 cm in diameter. The petals are oblong, the color is lilac: darker on the outside and lighter on the inside.
• Whitewell Purple - the opened flowers look almost flat, their diameter is 4 cm. The color is lilac-violet.

Autumn-blooming crocuses

Beautiful crocus Crocus speciosus

The oblong leaves extend up to 30 cm. Large flowers up to 7 cm in diameter are painted in a lilac-violet hue, with longitudinal veins of a purple hue. There are forms with white, blue, dark blue, lilac, light purple colors.

The best varieties are:

• Albus - snow-white flowers.
• Artabir - has flowers of a delicate blue hue with dark veins.
• Oksinan - has violet-blue flowers.

Crocus pulchellus

The height is 7-10 cm. Light purple corollas with stripes of a darker shade reach a diameter of 6-8 cm.

Banat crocus Crocus banaticus

The leaves are silver-gray in color and stretch 15 cm in length. The flowers are light lilac and large.

Among the autumn-flowering crocuses, it should be noted: Sharoyan, Pallas, Gulimi, holoflowered, medium, trellised, yellow-white, Kardukhor, Kochi, Cartwright.

Dutch crocus hybrids

Crocus white photo

Spring-blooming crocuses with large flowers. There are more than 50 of them. Based on color, they are divided into groups:

1. Pure or white, with a spot of various shades at the base.
2. Purple, lilac, lilac flowers.
3. They have a striped, lattice-like color.

Their color begins in May and lasts 10-17 days.

The following varieties grow well in temperate climates:

• Albion – White flower with a diameter of 4 cm, the length of the tube reaches 5 cm, covered with strokes of a lilac hue.
• Vanguard - has bluish-lilac flowers with spots of a darker shade.
• Jubilee - at the base of the corolla there is a clear light purple spot, the corollas are blue with a violet tint.
• Sniper Banner - light grayish-lilac petals inside are covered with a thick mesh of lilac shade.
• Kathleen Parlow – white flowers with streaks lilac color.
• Chrysanthus are hybrids that bloom in spring.

The most famous varieties:

• Gypsy Girl - the corolla is light yellow on the inside and yellow-cream on the outside. The cream-colored pipe is decorated with touches of dusty purple.
• Marietta - the spot at the base of the corolla is greenish, the corollas are dark cream, there are stripes of a dark lilac shade on the outside, the tube is gray-green.
• Lady Killer: the inner lobes are white, the outer lobes are white inside, and on the outside they are dark purple, have a white border and a bluish spot at the base.
• Saturnus is a yellow-cream flower with a bright yellow throat. The outer lobes are covered with thick streaks of lilac.

Crocuses. Planting and care

Care: the plant needs care.

Planting and flowering dates: spring crocuses are primroses. They are planted in the fall, and their flowers appear in the second or third year.

Frost resistance: Crocus bulbs are dug up for the winter.

Crocuses are popular in gardens and are one of the first to decorate spring flower beds. The duration of their flowering is 8-15 days.

general description

In nature, crocuses grow in North Africa, Europe, Asia. Their homeland is the Middle East. Crocuses are bulbous plants. One bulb produces 1-4 short stems on which flowers are located. The height of crocuses is no more than 10-15 cm. Their leaves are long, narrow, with parallel veins and hard. There is a silver stripe running down the middle of the leaves. Most of the leaves develop after the flowering period. Crocus flowers are goblet-shaped or cup-shaped, brightly colored (white, yellow, blue, purple, lilac), up to 5 cm in diameter. Due to the short stem, they are not suitable for cutting.

Crocuses. Varieties

Different varieties of spring crocuses differ in size, shape and color of flowers (table).

Table. Varieties of crocuses

End of table.

Crocuses. Growing conditions and care

Many types of soil are suitable for growing crocuses, especially light ones with a high content organic matter and good drainage properties. They don't grow on acidic soils and wetlands. Also, do not plant them in places with significant accumulation of snow. In the spring it will take a long time to melt, and the soil will become very wet. For crocuses, it is better to choose a place that is well-lit and protected from the wind.

The soil for growing crocuses is not fertilized with fresh manure, as this harms them.

To improve drainage properties, sand or fine gravel is added to the soil.

Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers has a positive effect on the flowering of crocuses. The first time they are brought in is before the snow has melted. The second time - during the flowering period. Use 1 tbsp per 1 m2 of soil. l. nitrophoska or liquid organo-mineral fertilizers intended for bulbous plants.

Crocuses are drought tolerant and need to be watered infrequently. Even without watering middle lane They will not be lost to Russia.

The soil with crocuses is mulched with peat or covered with fallen leaves for the winter. Otherwise, in very severe cold weather, the plants will freeze. If the crocuses have not sprouted in the spring, then you should not dig them up. They may well begin to grow next year.

Reproduction and growth characteristics

To propagate crocuses, their bulbs, children and seeds are used. Planting is carried out in September, so that the bulbs have time to take root in the soil, but do not have time to germinate. They are embedded in the soil to varying depths, depending on their size. A distance of 6-10 cm is left between the bulbs. To obtain planting material, the bulbs are planted deeper, then they will grow larger. At shallow planting sprouts will appear faster.

Crocuses do not grow well next to all plants. Create comfortable conditions for them in a flower garden it is possible if you bury a flower in the place of planting clay pot 7-8 cm in diameter without a bottom. The roots of the crocuses will begin to grow deeper and will not come into contact with neighboring plants. With this planting, they will grow well even next to cereals.

Crocuses grow in one place for up to 5-6 years. However, in order for them to bloom large flowers, they are recommended to be replanted every 3-4 years.

When planting seeds, you can wait for crocuses to bloom only in the 3rd or 4th year.

Problems during cultivation

Most often crocuses suffer from fungal and viral infection, chlorosis. The most dangerous pests for them are caterpillars, slugs, mice, and moles.

Use in decoration Crocuses grow well and look good next to other bulbous plants and primroses. They are usually planted along the edges of flower beds, mixed borders and borders. They are beautiful when planted in groups (15-20 bulbs each) and in rockeries. It is recommended to plant around them summer plants, then the site will be decorated with a garden all the time. Crocuses look very impressive next to coniferous trees and bushes. On lawns, saffron is planted where the grass has not grown too much. Then they mow it no earlier than the end of June (after the ground part of the crocuses dies).

Good partners for crocuses are scylla, muscari, and primrose.

Crocuses: planting and care open ground they require specific knowledge so that this fragile and delicate flower took root in the soil and pleased 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 time. However, breeders have long developed special varieties of crocuses that can bloom in the fall.

Selection of planting material and planting site

Saffrons are distributed throughout almost the entire territory of Eurasia and thrive in temperate climates. But, before moving on to the issue of planting and caring for crocuses in the open ground, you need to select healthy plant bulbs and highlight right place for planting flowers in your garden.

How to Select Viable Saffron Bulbs:

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

Planting and caring for crocuses in the open ground should take place in spacious flower beds (the flowers can take over the entire area in a short time). They should be located on open area, where there is a lot 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 structure of the soil 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 saffrons using simple methods. Large river sand, gravel or crushed stone, which is used as a drainage layer. The acidity of the soil is neutralized by the mixture and lime, ash or rotted manure.

Time to plant crocuses in the garden

When to plant crocuses in open ground? It all depends on the plant variety 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 spring period, then crocuses are planted in open ground in the fall. They should be planted from late September to early October.

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

Autumn-flowering saffron subspecies include:

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

How to care for saffron?

Saffron is not a flower that needs a lot of watering. If autumn or spring (depending on what type of flower is planted) was 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 may simply rot.

Caring for crocuses in open ground is quite easy. Periodically you will need to weed the flower rows, getting rid of weed. The soil (especially after rain) must be loosened so that root system plants gained access to air.

Like any decorative flowers, crocuses need feeding. However, it is not recommended to fertilize saffron with organic mixtures. It is better to purchase granulated, 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.

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

Below are photos of crocuses in open ground: