Crocuses look great in flower beds and flower beds. These amazing, vibrant and colorful flowers are planted in small groups. With the onset of spring, timid sprouts first peep out of the ground. They quickly turn into large buds, the diameter of which often reaches 4-5 cm. These are hybrid varieties. Crocus is a flower that grows not only in gardens, but also in wildlife, also known as saffron. It produces the world's most expensive spice of the same name.
Varieties
More often than others, hybrids with large flowers, which are distinguished by a variety of colors, are chosen for planting. Pay attention to the varieties Pickwick and Jeanne d'Arc, Grand Mater, Flower Record, Purpureus Grandiflorus.
Looking at the crocus (photos of flowers are presented in the article) Ruby Giant varieties of purple color or bright yellow Lajest Yellow, blue Blue Pearl and creamy Cream Beauty, you begin to understand that each of the presented species deserves to be paid attention to.
When crocuses bloom
The plant belongs to the Iris family.
Flowering duration does not exceed 2-2.5 weeks. However, crocuses come in autumn and spring. Knowing this, you can grow in parallel different varieties and enjoy bright bloom amazing plants.
Autumn crocuses bloom from September to November. Therefore, they need to be planted in the ground in June - August. The blooming period of spring crocuses is from March to April. They are planted in September.
How to choose the right bulbs
Crocuses can be grown from seeds or bulbs. The first option has not received proper distribution and is used only by breeders when developing new varieties. But thanks to the bulbs, you can grow the most beautiful hybrids right on personal plot.
Undoubtedly, great value acquires the decorative effect of crocus. Therefore, the most popular are flowers with a color in two shades and large buds. Reds, purples, yellows, white, blue, with stripes of different shades, cream - from their variety it is simply dizzy! Pay attention to the crocus (a photo of the flowers is in the article) - this unpretentious, but exquisite plant will become a real decoration of the garden. The best representatives are the works of Dutch breeders.
Crocus is a flower that is also grown in flower pots, and in the open field. When choosing bulbs, carefully inspect them for damage. Healthy and large in diameter planting material when planting gives 2-6 buds. If the bulb grows more than 10 cm in circumference, the number of flowers reaches a maximum (5-6 pieces). How smaller size planting material, the fewer buds the grown plant produces. Crocus flowers can be larger or smaller - the circumference of the tuber also plays a role here. An ideal bulb is necessarily dense and quite heavy, there should be no roots and shoots.
Preparing a landing site
Any plant chooses optimal conditions for growth and reproduction. For example, crocus grows better when there is a lot of light. Choose an area for planting that is well lit sunbeams... Sour soil is of little use for crocuses, and sandy loam is what you need. In such conditions, excess moisture is constantly released, its stagnation does not occur, and the plant feels good during the flowering period.
If the soil is heavy, you can dig it up with fine gravel or add sand to make the soil drained.
Crocus propagation
Those who have experience working in a personal plot know very well that any plant grows over time. Crocus is no exception. The flower that you planted 3-4 years ago has probably released hereditary bulbs. Now they are cramped, and each requires a separate place in a bright flower bed.
Wait until summer begins (and crocuses are dug up in June), carefully remove the bulbs. Now each nodule can grow separately. True, it is impossible to transplant immediately. Specific time the bulbs are kept in special conditions so that a bud is formed inside, from which a crocus flower will appear in the future. Planting such a tuber is carried out only after preparation, which we will discuss below. Follow the advice exactly, and new bright buds will soon appear in your flower bed.
Crocus flowers: planting and care
Regardless of whether you will be using tubers from your garden or purchased bulbs, they need to go through a preparation stage. Starting from the middle of summer, the planting material of this plant has been on sale. Recall that the tubers are dug up in June. Before September or October, it is necessary to find a place for their storage in order to withstand a gradual decrease in temperature.
In the first 7-10 days after purchasing (or digging up), spread the tubers on outdoors avoiding direct sunlight. The bulbs should be well ventilated and dry. Then the tubers can be stored in a closed storage room (cellar) for a week or two. After that, the bulbs are transferred to the refrigerator and stored at a temperature of 8-10 ° C until September - early October. As a result, colorful crocuses will appear on your flower bed. Flowers, the planting of which is carried out in compliance with all the rules, winter well, and also grow strong and healthy.
If the soil is saturated and heavy, then you should not deepen the tuber. It is enough to dig it into the ground at a distance equal to the height of the bulb itself. When planting in sandy loam soils, the tuber is positioned differently. Multiply the height of the bulb by 2 for the required depth.
Crocuses are watered sparingly until the flowering part begins to die off and the plant enters a dormant phase. In the spring, after the snow melts, the soil is sufficiently moistened. But if the winter was without snow, and the spring is dry, then the crocuses are watered a little. Lack of moisture will not cause the bulb to die off, but the bud may be smaller than needed for the variety.
Weeding and loosening the crocuses should be done only after the sprouts appear, otherwise the bulb can be damaged. After the cessation of flowering crocuses additional care not needed.
Top dressing
You don't have to apply a lot of fertilizer if crocus grows in your area. Flowers, the care of which involves the periodic addition of phosphorus (during flowering) or potassium (before wintering), are quite unpretentious. When planting, you can add a little compost, this will be enough for excellent flowering and strengthening the plant.
It is forbidden to apply fresh organic matter as fertilizer, since this only causes the appearance of diseases. The first feeding is carried out in the spring, when there is intensive growth. It is enough to sprinkle directly on the ground (or in the snow) the right amount mineral fertilizers.
Wintering in the ground
It is surprising that such a delicate flower can survive the coldest time of the year quite calmly.
In fact, the plant tolerates well very coldy and does not require additional protection... On the other hand, in winter, when birds and rodents have to get their food, crocus tubers can be excellent prey. That is why it is enough to cover the ground in the place where the bulbs are located with ordinary branches, and then remove them with the onset of winter. Spring came? Take your time to loosen the ground where the crocus grows. The flower should release its first shoots. And only then can the soil be cultivated. It is believed that even frosts down to -5 ° C are not terrible for this plant.
Growing at home
If you want to enjoy the blooming crocus on the balcony in own apartment, then choose the coolest room - flowers feel great at a temperature of 10 ° ... 15 ° C. Crocus is a home flower, but the most unusual thing is that it can bloom by a fixed date. You just need to create the necessary conditions and follow the procedure. Let's make a reservation right away that you shouldn't try to create a multi-colored "miracle" in one pot by mixing all possible varieties. The effect will be the opposite, since different hybrids have different timing and duration of flowering.
Purchase bulbs 3 months before the expected date. Choose a low but wide container that needs to be filled with light soil with neutral acidity. If there is ordinary soil, it is quite possible to mix it with sand. So the soil will allow water to pass through, which is necessary to create optimal conditions... Expanded clay can be poured at the bottom. Bulbs are often planted directly in a layer of sand poured on a layer of soil - this is how the roots receive the necessary nutrition, in addition, there is protection against stagnation excess moisture... Make sure that the tubers are not in contact with each other and are not near the side of the pot.
You need to store the container in dark place at a temperature of + 4 ° ... + 10 ° C for 8-10 weeks. The emergence of shoots 4-6 cm high indicates that the time has come for flowering. Conditions change slightly. Now the plant requires a lot of light and temperature rise to + 12 ° ... + 16 ° С.
Crocus flowers appear in 10-15 days and are pleasing to the eye for 2-2.5 weeks. You can extend this moment a little if at night you bring flowers to a cool room, where a temperature of + 2 ° ... + 5 ° C is created. When moistening the soil, make sure that upper layer managed to dry out a little. Crocuses are drought-resistant and excess moisture is destructive for them.
When the flowering period is over, the tubers can be dug up and allowed to rest a bit. After a couple of months, the bulbs will be ready to bloom again.
If you want to surprise guests at New Year, think about purchasing bulbs in September or early October. And then to winter holidays you will have a great occasion to present amazingly beautifully blooming crocuses on the windowsill!
In early spring, when the snow has just melted, crocuses are among the first to bloom in the garden. These beautiful bulbous flowers represent the arrival of spring. They look spectacular on lawns and flower beds, are suitable for alpine slides and can be a decoration for any flower garden. Growing crocuses in the open field is not difficult even for inexperienced gardeners, so they can often be found in summer cottages and backyards.
Description, varieties and photos of crocuses
Crocus or saffron belongs to the iris family and is a corm plant... This undersized primrose reaches a height of 10 cm.The goblet crocus flowers bloom on a short peduncle and can be orange, yellow, purple, purple, blue, cream or white... Scaly and collected in a bunch, basal narrow leaves appear before or after flowering.
Crocuses are divided into spring-flowering and autumn-flowering species. V Lately among gardeners, the most popular varieties are Dutch hybrids.
Spring blooming crocuses
Among spring primroses can be distinguished the four most famous types:
Autumn blooming crocuses
Among the plants blooming in September or October the most popular are three types:
- The Banat crocus has flowers of a light lilac color, the height of which can be up to 14 cm. The linear leaves of the plant grow up to 15 cm, and have a gray-silver tint.
- A cute crocus, 7-10 cm high and 6-8 cm in diameter, has light flowers with dark purple stripes. The plant is not afraid of light frosts and forms from 5 to 10 flowers on one corm.
- The beautiful crocus is known for its light purple, lilac, blue, white and dark blue flowers. Its leaves are 30 cm long.
Crocuses: planting and care in the open field
Crocuses are light-loving plants, so it is recommended to grow them in a well-lit place warmed by the sun's rays. For free growth, they need provide a spacious plot of land.
How to choose healthy corms?
Success good growth and abundant flowering crocuses are healthy planting material. When purchasing corms in flower shops, nurseries or markets, you should carefully consider the bulbs. They shouldn't have:
- dark spots;
- rot;
- mechanical damage.
Any defects in corms must be eliminated by first freeing them from roots and scales. After that, the damaged places sprinkle with loose coal or ash.
In some flower shops, crocuses are sold already in bloom. Such a plant may not take root, but simply dry out. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to cut the flowers, leaves and leave the plant alone. In this case, the crocus on next year it will bloom again, however, it will be able to fully recover only after two years. Therefore, you need to buy planting material even before it blooms.
Features of planting crocuses
Spring plant species in open ground are planted in autumn, and blooming in autumn - in summer.
When planting crocuses, keep in mind that they do not like wetlands and acidic soils... They prefer nutritious, loose, dry, light soil.
When preparing the site for planting crocuses, it is necessary to add to the soil:
- large river sand or fine gravel;
- peat with lime or rotted manure;
- ash, if the soil is clayey;
- a drainage layer of gravel or gravel if the soil is wet.
Autumn planting
So that the primroses delight you with their flowering in spring, on permanent place cultivation, they need to be planted in the fall. This is best done from mid-September to mid-October.
The features of planting corms include:
Rules for caring for crocuses in the garden
Growing primroses is not difficult. In order for them to grow well, develop and bloom, you just need follow some recommendations:
- From the moment of emergence, plants need regular watering. Despite the fact that crocuses are drought-resistant crops, a lack of moisture during the period of active growth can lead to shredding of corms.
- Leaves should not be removed from the plant until they are completely dry. Otherwise, the flower may weaken.
- For new buds to form and crocuses to bloom longer, withered flowers it is recommended to delete.
- After the leaves wither, caring for primroses consists in mulching the soil between them with dry leaves or a thick layer of peat.
- Every three to four years, primroses need to be planted. During this period of time, many children will grow on the corm. Autumn-blooming crocuses can be planted throughout the summer, and spring-blooming crocuses can be planted from mid-summer to late September.
When can you dig up crocuses?
Spring flowering plants start their active growth already at the end of winter or in early spring ... By mid-June, primroses have a dormant period. And in the fall, when crocuses become active again, they begin to accumulate food, grow roots, and form buds. That is why digging and planting spring plants should be done during the dormant period, which usually lasts most of the summer, starting in mid-June.
In August, the active blooming of autumn-blooming crocuses begins. At this time, they are actively forming new bulbs and growing leaves. Their rest period begins at the end of spring. Digging and planting blooming in autumn plants can be produced from early summer to mid-August.
Onions extracted from the soil are cleaned of husks and dead roots... Then they need to be dried by spreading them out in one layer in a suitable container. At home, planting material should be kept in a dry, dark room with good ventilation and room temperature.
Crocus pests and diseases
By cultivating bulbous plants in compliance with all recommendations, there should be no problems with pests and diseases.
Their main enemies are rodents, which love to eat bulbs. Therefore, it is not recommended to leave the planting material laid out for drying unattended.
The same rodents, aphids or thrips can be carriers of a viral disease. A diseased plant can be recognized by the flattened flowers in the spots. gray... Until other flowers become infected, the corms of the diseased plant must be dug up and destroyed, and the soil must be spilled with a hot solution of potassium permanganate.
When caring for crocuses, holes made by wireworms can be found in the bulbs. If there are a lot of these hard-to-touch yellow larvae on the plant, then you need to get rid of them. To do this, you can use homemade traps:
- In the spring, spread bunches of straw, hay or grass mowed last year over the plot.
- Moisten everything and cover with boards.
- After the larvae have moved into these traps, the tufts of grass will need to be collected and burned.
Improper care and damp weather can lead to fungal diseases of primroses. Fusarium, sclerocial or penicillous rot, gray fungal disease... To avoid such a problem, the planting material must be carefully examined. Before planting, it is recommended to pickle it in a fungicide solution.
Having planted primroses in your area in the fall, you can enjoy their flowering in early spring. But in order for the plants to be truly spectacular and bloom beautifully, when planting, growing and caring for them, it is necessary to follow the simple recommendations of experienced gardeners.
Crocus flowers
Crocus (Crocus) or saffron is a herbaceous bulbous perennial of the Iris family (Iridaceae). Natural places of growth of crocus are rare forests, steppes and meadows of Europe, the Middle East, Asia. This gentle exquisite flower blooms in early spring, right after the snowdrops. But there are species that delight with their buds in September and October. Crocus cultivation does not require any special skills, it is not a hassle. We will show you how to care for crocuses in the garden to enjoy the graceful flowers in spring and autumn.
An unpretentious corm primrose that is widely used in garden design.
The name crocus is more common among flower growers, although in the scientific literature the plant is called saffron. Crocus is a low-growing plant, the average height of which is 10 cm. Its stems do not form, and narrow linear-shaped leaves grow directly from the ground.
The flowers are goblet, 2 to 5 cm in diameter, located singly on short pedicels. The color of the flowers is different: yellow, orange, cream, and white, purple and lilac, blue and violet. There is also saffron with bicolor or spotted flowers. Crocuses bloom for about 2-3 weeks.
In total, about 80 species and 300 varieties belong to the crocus genus, which are divided into 15 groups. One of them includes varieties that bloom in autumn, the other 14 groups - varieties, blooming in spring... Spring crocus (Crocus vernus) has given rise to various hybrids, the most popular of which are the Dutch large-flowered varieties.
Outdoor cultivation
Growing and caring for crocuses is not difficult. As for any other flowers, you need to choose the right site for growing saffron, prepare the soil for planting, provide access to light, moisture and nutrient compounds.
Choosing a landing site
It is better to plant crocuses on sunny plot which is well lit. Although the plant reacts normally to partial shade, the flowering of crocuses growing with a lack of light will not be so abundant, and the size of the buds is small.
Crocuses do not tolerate excess moisture, therefore, the place where the thawed and rainwater, does not suit them at all.
Can saffron be planted next to other flowers? Undoubtedly. Crocus planted with tulips, daffodils and other bulbs will ensure a beautiful flower bed from early spring to summer. Newly blooming buds will replace flowers that have already faded.
In nature, crocuses grow in meadows with others perennial herbs, and when grown in the garden, it is also permissible to plant them along with peonies, daffodils and other flowers.
The soil
Saffron soil prefers light and dry, loose, fertile soil. Drainage is provided with fine gravel or coarse sand. Krokus does not react well to acidic soil, so peat mixed with lime and compost can be added to the soil for digging. Clay soil is improved by adding fine gravel or decomposed compost.
Landing
They know how to plant crocuses experienced florists... Planting depth should be equal to two bulbs if the flowers will grow on light soil. Crocus planting in heavy soil is carried out to a depth equal to one bulb. An interval of 7-10 cm is usually left between the bulbs. And for those who do not plan to transplant crocuses for 3-4 years, you can plant flowers closer - at a distance of 3 cm. After planting, the soil is watered.
When to plant crocuses depends on the time the flowers appear. Spring crocuses must be planted in the fall. And plants that bloom in autumn should be planted in June.
Crocuses can grow in one area for 3 to 5 years. During this period, many babies appear on their bulbs, and when the crocuses bloom, the area becomes a solid floral carpet. But if the plants get cramped, the number and size of flower buds decreases. Therefore, crocuses need to be planted in 4–5 years.
Do you need to dig and when?
A faded bud can be cut off, and the green leaves will turn yellow over time and dry out. Whether it is necessary to dig up crocuses after flowering, each grower decides for himself. After all, saffron is a perennial that can grow for more than one year in one area.
If the transplantation of flowers is not planned, they are not dug up, but only dried buds and leaves are cut off. In southern regions with a warm climate, the bulbs withstand the winter cold. In areas with harsh weather conditions the soil with the bulbs should be covered with small twigs or fallen leaves.
One of the main advantages of plants is that their bulbs do not have to be dug up every year.
If flowers need to be transplanted to a new site, they are removed from the soil. When to dig up crocuses depends on the flowering time. For spring plants the best time- July August September. Bulbs of varieties that bloom in autumn are harvested from June to August.
Storing the bulbs
The planting material is dried in the shade, sorted out, removing bad scales and dead roots from the bulbs. Damaged bulbs are sprinkled with ash, and sick and small ones are discarded. The material selected for planting is folded in one layer into a box or box.
According to the rules, the bulbs are stored at temperatures above 22 ° C until August, otherwise flower buds will not form. At the beginning of the last summer month, the temperature is reduced to 20 ° C, and after another 7 days - to 15 ° C. But such conditions can be ensured Botanical Garden or a flower farm. At home, store bulbs in a dry, dark and well-ventilated place at room temperature.
Crocus care in the garden
Crocus care at home is quite simple. The soil must be regularly moistened and loosened, weeds must be pulled out in a timely manner, and fertilizers must be applied if necessary.
Watering
For good growth and development of plants, the soil must be constantly moistened. As the soil dries up, young shoots need to be watered. But it is important to make sure that the top layer of the earth dries up before each watering.
Fertilization
Planting crocuses in fertile soil will provide your plants with adequate nutrition. But if the soil is poor, or the flowers have been growing in one place for more than one year, they need to be fertilized with potassium-phosphorus mineral dressings... Phosphorus provides abundant bud formation and prolongs the flowering period. And potassium is needed to maintain the health of the bulbs. As for nitrogen supplements, their excess causes fungal diseases.
Fresh organic fertilizers cause various diseases, crocuses cannot be fed with them.
During the season, fertilizing is applied to the soil three times:
- when sprouts appear;
- during the formation of flower buds;
- after flowering is complete.
When fertilizing for the first time, potassium is taken half as much as phosphorus, with subsequent feeding, equal proportions of fertilizers are applied.
Planting for distillation
Some growers in winter grow crocuses at home using the forcing method. Wherein indoor flower requires other conditions of detention. Most often, large-flowered Dutch hybrids are grown by forcing.
It is necessary to outline the estimated date of flowering, and 3.5-4 months before the scheduled date, plant the bulbs in wide, shallow containers of 5-10 pieces. The soil for planting crocuses in pots should be moisture and air permeable, loose and have a neutral environment.
Flowers in a pot are kept in a place with a temperature of 5 to 10 ° C (this can be the lower shelf of the refrigerator, basement, cellar). Two weeks before the expected flowering date, the temperature is raised: the pot is moved to the coolest place in the house, then to more warm room, and finally, put flowers under the sun on the windowsill. They will bloom soon.
With a dense arrangement of bulbs in a pot, you can get beautiful bouquet crocuses.
Problems of growing crocuses in the open field
If planting and care at home is carried out correctly, the plants are practically not exposed to diseases and insect attack.
The danger to plants is the larva of the click beetle (wireworm), which feeds on bulbs. Florists have figured out what to do with this pest. They advise in late April or early May to spread wet hay or straw over the crocus area, cover them with boards. The larvae will surely get over into traps, which then need to be burned. Also, slugs can attack plants (they will have to be collected by hand), and mice and other rodents also like to eat bulbs.
If the flower has a flattened shape, does not bloom completely, and its petals are covered with gray spots, most likely the plant is affected viral disease... Its carriers can be mice, aphids, thrips. Affected flowers should be immediately dug up and burned. Disinfect the soil with a hot concentrated solution of potassium permanganate.
Self-seeding of crocuses can also be a problem: flowers germinate in the most unexpected places and turn into a weed.
If crocuses are kept improperly at home, plants can get sick:
- gray rot;
- fusarium;
- sclerocial or penicellosis rot.
To prevent disease, it is important to plant healthy bulbs and transplant carefully. If there is still damage on the bulb, you need to sprinkle this area with ash, and before planting, soak the bulbs for 20 minutes in a solution of a fungicidal agent.
Reproduction
Flowers are most easily propagated by bulbs that form on the mother's corm. They are separated and seated one at a time.
You can also grow flowers from seeds. But it is more difficult to do this, since most often the plants lose their varietal characteristics, and begin to bloom only after 4–5 years. Therefore, this breeding method is not popular. The best option- buy plant bulbs in flower shop or a greenhouse.
Purchase features
In order for the plant to grow strong and delight with its flowers, it is important to buy high-quality planting material, carefully examine the bulbs before purchasing. They must be healthy, large, undamaged. Dutch varieties with large bulbs on the packaging bag are marked + 10. They produce 5-6 large flowers. Smaller bulbs produce 3-4, and very small ones 2-3 flowers. The size of the flowers also depends on the size of the bulbs (in selected large specimens it reaches 5–7 cm) and the height of the plants.
Planting and caring for crocus flowers is straightforward. Plants look great on alpine coaster, they can be used to decorate flower beds, borders, lawns. Flowers are beautiful on their own and go well with other bulbs. And in the conditions of an apartment, you can grow crocuses for the holiday, and admire the beautiful graceful flowers for the New Year or March 8.
Crocuses are perennial corms, distinguished by the delicate and refined beauty of the inflorescences. There are 2 types of crocuses: spring-flowering and autumn-flowering. If the flowers belonging to the first group are undemanding to care, then the specimens blooming in autumn will have to pay more attention. They are thermophilic, require regular fertilizing and watering the soil, therefore they are not so popular among gardeners. Primroses must be planted in the ground in the fall in order to contemplate the beauty of these medium-sized, but charming flowers against the background of snowdrifts. How to plant crocuses in the fall on summer cottage? A novice florist cannot do without valuable advice.
What varieties of crocuses are suitable for planting in the fall?
It is better to buy planting material from reliable gardeners or in well-established stores. When buying crocuses on the market, you can never know for sure what the plant will be in reality. May get caught unscrupulous seller, which, under the guise of spring blooming, will offer autumn blooming ones. What and how to plant crocuses in the fall? Below are the most popular types primroses.
- Spring crocus- lilac flowers, sometimes with purple veins, grows in the wild in meadows and forest glades in the Alps and Pyrenees.
- Crocus two-flowered- the color is snow-white or blue with a lilac tint, brown-purple stripes are found outside the petals.
- Crimean crocus- flowers are white with a lilac tint and a bright yellow "throat". Outer side petals inconspicuous, with gray-violet stripes.
- Crocus Adam- different color, from pale lilac to rich purple... Occurs on rocky terrain and on the steppe slopes of Transcaucasia, Dagestan, Iran.
- Crocus golden- the leaves are narrow, underdeveloped, the flowers are golden-yellow, the outside may have brownish markings. Distributed in rocky areas of Asia Minor and the Balkans.
- Crocus yellow- flowers are bright orange in color, leaves are thin, rich green. The flower has interesting feature- the corm is in a membranous shell that protrudes from the ground and gives the plant the appearance of a miniature bouquet.
When buying, you should give preference to large bulbs, the diameter of which is 9–12 cm. It is known that the larger the tuber, the more buds are formed from it in the spring.
Choosing a place on the site for planting crocuses
How to plant crocuses in autumn, what should you know about choosing a place for a flower garden? For spring-flowering species, a well-lit place is needed; with a lack of sunlight, flowers can fade without even blooming. Flowering plants look most impressive on densely planted meadows in the form of a green carpet, in this case the planting pattern should be 3x3 cm. They look no less magnificent in rockeries, against the background of austere stone, this makes their living conditions more natural. Delicate flowers very fragile, easily lose petals from gusts of wind, so plantings should be protected from drafts.
Plants are unpretentious to the composition of the soil, but it is necessary to protect the bulbs from stagnant water. If the soil on the site is too heavy, then before planting, drainage is poured to a depth of about 20 cm. Shards can be used as material, broken brick or small river pebbles. To make the soil more light, coarse river sand is introduced during digging.
How to plant crocuses in autumn, do you need to apply fertilizers to the soil? The preparation of the ridge should be done in advance, 3-4 weeks before the planned planting date, so that the fertilizers have time to partially decompose. You can increase soil fertility using compost, humus and mineral compositions containing potassium and phosphorus.
Planting crocuses in autumn
When to plant crocus tubers, each gardener decides for himself and focuses on the climate and weather forecast. But it is impossible to delay the procedure, because soon the stored tubers will have fragile roots, they can be easily injured if they are late planting. Most often, crocus planting begins on September 10 (northern regions of the country) and ends on October 5. In the southern part of the country, planting can be done much later.
How to plant crocuses outdoors in autumn? Holes are dug in the prepared area, their depth depends on the variety and size of the corms, and on average is from 7 to 10 cm.The mechanical composition of the soil also affects the depth of the bookmark, if the ground is heavy, then the bulb can be planted a couple of centimeters higher. When planting children, the depth of the hole decreases to 4–5 cm. If the gardener wants to extend the flowering period of a flower bed with crocuses, then you can resort to a little trick - to plant them at different depths. So, specimens located closer to the surface will sprout and, accordingly, bloom a few days earlier.
After planting, the garden bed is watered and mulched with sawdust or shavings. And so that in winter the plants do not freeze, on the eve of cold weather, the surface of the earth is covered with dry leaf (a layer of 15 cm is enough).
Planting crocuses in baskets
When learning how to plant crocuses in the fall, it is worth considering a method of planting corms in special baskets. The advantages of this fit are obvious - the basket will provide reliable protection from rodents and will save the gardener's time, because when grown in this way it is much easier to carry out excavation with planting material.
Disembarkation in baskets is carried out in the same way as in open ground. A layer of substrate is poured onto the bottom (you can take garden soil, after mixing it with sand and humus), and then the bulbs are placed. Next, the basket is placed in a hole dug on the site and sprinkled with earth. After flowering, the basket of crocuses can be quickly dug up, sorted out and prepared for the next season.
What should a gardener know about caring for crocuses after flowering?
Some gardeners, once having planted crocuses on the site, do not bother digging out the tubers after flowering. Subsequently, such a disdainful attitude leads to the grinding of flowers and tubers. Professionals recommend digging up the plants at the end of summer and sorting out the bulbs that have formed babies. In addition, this is a great opportunity to break another flower garden on the site or sell extra corms to neighbors or friends.
How to plant crocuses dug up after flowering in the fall? The bulbs must be dug up in June and provided with special conditions storage (gradual decrease in temperature). The first 7-10 days they should be dried in the open air, then spread out on a newspaper and brought into a room where the air temperature is kept at +21 ° C. It is important that the room is dark and dry enough. A few days later, the tubers can be placed in a cellar or vegetable store, where the air temperature will be 7-10 degrees lower, residents of city apartments can put crocuses in the refrigerator, on a shelf for storing vegetables. In such conditions, the tubers will be kept until autumn, until the time comes for planting them.
As you can see, it is not difficult to grow crocuses by planting them in the fall. Growing these dainty and undemanding flowers is sure to please both beginners and more experienced gardeners.
Video how to plant crocuses
Crocuses have a very ancient history, in which seasonings, dyes and countries from East to West intertwined with a wonderful pattern. You will be able to delve into it when you complete planting these spring flowers in your area. We will talk about this process! By the way, there are both spring flowering and autumn varieties, respectively, and the time of their disembarkation may be different.
Planting crocuses in spring is actually not very possible, because spring varieties have time to bloom long before any work on the site begins, and autumn species are best planted in summer. But you do not need to dig up the bulbs of these plants annually; it is enough to do this once every five years. Most varieties belong to, which also needs to be considered when planting.
Crocuses love light soil, so if you have heavy clay soils, you should add a fair amount of compost with ash. The choice of a landing site is very important stage, because you need to take into account the peculiarity of crocuses to wake up along with the first rays of the sun. Their bright flowers appear on thawed patches, it means that it is the places where the snow melts first, and you need to find. It makes sense to equip just such areas that will begin with the saffron bloom. Many people mistakenly plant these flowers in places where snow accumulates, for example, near paths.
But it is from the paths that we try to scatter snow on the ground around them, and this snow stays until spring, restraining the growth of flowers.
In addition, stagnant water can form in places where snow melts, which is very undesirable for these plants. Having picked up or prepared the necessary soil, crocus corms should be planted in the fall after leaf fall to a depth equal to their doubled height. Usually this distance is at least 5 cm to the surface. If this is your first time planting these flowers, it is enough to maintain a distance of 10 cm, because over time, the crocus carpet will grow and thicken itself - in good conditions each corm is capable of producing an annual growth. It is in close groups that crocuses look best.
The bulbs of these plants should be dug out no more than once every five years. Spring-flowering varieties are dug up after the leaves turn yellow, their bulbs are dried and smoothed to preserve in a cool shade until autumn. In late autumn, they should be planted back on the plots. It should be borne in mind that saffron corms are very fond of different kinds rodents, for example squirrels, easily find their recent landing sites. If you live near a forest, planting the bulbs in mesh baskets is an urgent precaution.
During germination, watch the buds - if you notice spots on individual plants, they should be dug up and destroyed, since they are infected with viruses carried by insects. By destroying diseased plants, you will avoid further contamination of neighboring corms. By the way, viruses are not able to penetrate the seeds, so if the whole variety is infected, you can restore it through planting seeds. However, it should be noted that new bulbs will bloom only after three years.
On the fertile soils there is practically no need to fertilize crocuses. If you notice some lag in growth, the next year, before the start of growth, feed the plants with superphosphate and potassium sulfate. After the end of flowering, fertilizing with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers will not interfere. Saffron practically does not need nitrogen, and its excess will cause excess growth of leaves, which in turn can lead to fungal diseases.