Crocus
Crocus is a genus of flowering plants in the iris family comprising 90 species of perennials growing from corms. Many are cultivated for their flowers appearing in autumn, winter, or spring. The spice saffron is obtained from the stigmas of Crocus sativus, an autumn-blooming species. Cr…
How do you plant crocus bulbs for beginners?
Steps for Planting Crocuses. To plant crocus plant corms, just follow the steps below: Dig the site you’ve chosen and loosen the soil. Add some coarse sand or fine gravel to the soil to help improve the drainage. Add 5-10-5 fertilizer, and mix it well. Set the crocuses 5 inches deep, but more if your soil is sandy.
How do you take care of crocus bulbs?
Crocus and other hardy forced bulbs can be moved to the garden for future enjoyment. Remove faded flowers leaving the leaves intact. Move the plant to a warm sunny window. Water thoroughly and allow the soil to dry slightly before watering again. Fertilize with a dilute solution of any houseplant fertilizer.
Can you feed crocus bulbs in the spring?
Repeat the application as soon as the first shoots emerge in spring. But don't feed a spring-flowering crocus while it's in bloom as this may encourage corm rot to develop and shorten the life of the flowers.
What kind of fertilizer do you put on a crocus?
As corm plants that are often left in the soil for years at a stretch, all crocuses benefit from an annual fall application of bone meal mixed with water-soluble, granular fertilizer. The University of Illinois Extension recommends mixing 2 cups of bone meal and 5 tablespoons of 10-10-10 fertilizer into each 10 square feet of soil.
Do crocus bulbs need fertilizer?
Crocuses tolerate acid soil but thrive in neutral to slightly alkaline soil. The best time to fertilize bulbs is in fall, when they are sending out new roots. The next best time to fertilize is in early spring, just as the foliage begins to push through the soil.
Should I Feed crocus?
Crocuses don't need to be fed, though they will benefit from being mulched in a border.
How do you take care of crocus bulbs?
Apply a balanced fertilizer in early autumn if your spring is short and the days heat up fast; or, apply fertilizer after bulbs flower in late winter if your spring is long and temperate. ... Through the autumn, keep crocus beds watered if weather gets dry, but do not waterlog the soil.More items...
How do I get my crocus to bloom?
Not Enough Sun. If the flowers you planted last fall aren't blooming, check to make sure they're getting enough sunshine. Crocuses like full sunshine or part shade, so keep an eye on how much light they're getting throughout the day.
How many years do crocus bulbs last?
The most common bulbs gardeners love to plant are tulips, crocus, daffodil, and anemone. These flowers are all perennial bulbs that come back yearly, and will remain viable for three to five years when you supply them with good garden soil and nutrients.
Should you deadhead crocus?
You can prevent this happening by simply removing the flowers as they start to fade, thereby preventing the formation of seedpods. This technique is known as deadheading. By removing blooms as they fade, deadheading also improves the current display.
What month do you plant crocus bulbs?
Since crocus is considered a spring bloomer, you need to plant corms in late summer to early fall. Crocus requires a minimum of 15 weeks of chilling to break dormancy. The chilling period gives the corm the clue that it is not time to grow up through the soil.
What kind of soil does crocus like?
Crocus bulbs need well drained soil in a sunny to partially sunny location. They thrive in a soil pH of 6 to 7 and are tolerant of a wide range of soils. You may even grow crocus in the lawn but be careful as they will naturalize and spread to become a potential nuisance.
What do I do with my crocus bulbs after flowering?
Crocus. In warm, sunny parts of the garden and in containers, crocus can bulk up over two to three years. You can then lift and divide the corms up to six weeks after flowering has finished. Replant them immediately in a position in full sun or part shade.
Can you plant bulbs too deep?
Plant your bulbs too deep and flowers will bloom late or not at all, plus you're likely to get more foliage at the expense of the flowers. If planted too shallow, new growth will become exposed too soon, leaving it more vulnerable to damage by cold temperatures.
How many crocus bulbs can you plant together?
Plant Crocuses Together For bright clumps of blooms, plant them in groups of three to nine corms. First, choose a sunny or partly shady area. Then dig a trench three inches deep if you live in USDA Zones 6-8, or four inches deep for Zones 3-5, to provide extra insulation.
Do crocus only flower once?
Crocuses will multiply once established and create their own colonies. If you want to propagate your collection, dig up large clumps in autumn and split them into smaller ones, or clean off individual corms and pot up.
How often should you water a crocus?
Growing Crocus Maintain watering, but let the surface become dry to the touch before watering. Take care not to overwater crocus or their corms will rot. When growing crocus indoors, be sure to provide at least four to six hours of sunlight. Crocuses need plenty of sun to create those spectacular blooms.
How often do you need to water crocuses?
Crocuses develop deep roots systems, which means they do not need water year-round. They usually bloom during rainy seasons and require no supplemental water. For those times during the bloom period that the soil dries around the plant and no rain is in sight, water to a depth of about 6 inches.
How do you care for crocus after they bloom?
2:033:40Caring for Crocus Flowers Before and After They Flower - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipEven after this bloom is done. And it's withered. Leave these leaves alone don't cut them off yetMoreEven after this bloom is done. And it's withered. Leave these leaves alone don't cut them off yet don't cut them to the ground or do anything to the plant yet you want to leave these alone until.
When should I start watering saffron crocus?
The saffron flowers might start blooming after about 6-8 weeks. During blooming season, you generally don't have to water your saffron crocuses, but you can water them when there hasn't been any rain for 3-5 days.
When to remove mulch from crocuses?
In late February, remove mulches from snowdrops and crocuses so the shoots can come through. In February and March, keep plastic milk jugs or other coverings on hand to protect the flowers of crocuses and other early bloomers against the return of severe weather.
What color are crocuses?
From snow crocuses (the first to bloom) to giant Dutch crocuses, all just 2 to 4 inches tall, these blooms offer a variety in color (pinks, reds, oranges, yellows, purples, blues, and more) that stand out against the bleak late-winter landscape.
What animals eat corms?
Mice, voles, and squirrels may feed on the corms. If they are a problem, consider planting crocuses in buried wire cages. Birds sometimes pick off the flowers. Corms in storage are prone to rot and molds if kept too moist.
What does crocus mean in the language of flowers?
In the language of flowers, crocus means cheerfulness. And all the woods are alive with the murmur and sound of Spring, And the rose-bud breaks into pink on the climbing briar, And the crocus-bed is a quivering moon of fire. Girdled round with the belt of an amethyst ring. –Oscar Wilde.
How to get rid of single flowers in landscape?
Consider planting crocuses in lawns and meadows where they can form carpets, or mass them in the front of flower beds along the edge . Plant taller spring-flowering bulbs and shrubs behind the early bulbs for color contrast.
How to grow crocus in a pot?
To plant crocus plant corms, just follow the steps below: 1 Dig the site you’ve chosen and loosen the soil. 2 Add some coarse sand or fine gravel to the soil to help improve the drainage. 3 Add 5-10-5 fertilizer and mix it well. 4 Set the crocuses 5 inches (13 cm.) deep, but more if your soil is sandy.
What are crocus bulbs called?
Information about Crocus Bulbs or Corms. An early spring bloomer, crocus “bulbs” are technically corms. Like corms, they have a definite up end and down end. They are solid inside like a potato if you cut them open and they have a papery outer covering which is called a tunic.
How to grow crocuses in a rock garden?
In the rock garden and herb garden, you will want to plant crocuses under creeping phlox or mat-forming thymes. Your crocuses will come right through the ground-hugging plants. This also makes a nice display and keeps the crocus flowers from getting splashed with mud when it rains.
When to plant crocus corms?
The crocus corm that you plant in autumn gets completely used in the process of growing and flowering the following spring; it will simply dissolve and fade away. Right before the crocus plant goes dormant, it will make a new corm. In fact, each crocus usually makes many corms.
Can you plant crocuses in the shade?
Plant them in the open rather than the shade (unless you live in the south) because crocuses like plenty of sunshine. You can plant them in the lawn, but for proper crocus care, don’t cut the grass until their leaves turn yellow and disappear.
Do crocuses have a flat bottom?
Crocuses have an upside that sometimes has the tip of the shoots showing. The bottom of the corm is flattened. Don’t worry too much about which side is up during crocus flower care and planting; crocuses have contractile roots, which just means they will adjust their position downward if they feel the need.
How to naturalize crocus bulbs?
Dig a little compost or manure into the exposed soil, then plant the crocus bulbs. Roll the turf back into place and tamp it so it makes firm contact with the ground. If you’re thinking that naturalizing crocus bulbs will provide a more natural appearance, you’re right.
How long do crocus bulbs last?
Plan (and plant) your crocus lawn carefully; with any luck, the bulbs will last for several years. Plant the bulbs when the ground is cool in autumn, six to eight weeks before the first hard frost. Choose a spot where the soil drains well.
What is the name of the flower that grows on crocus?
Many gardeners who have successfully grown crocus lawns recommend C. Tommasinianus, often known as “Tommies.”. This small, star-shaped variety is available in several colors, including “Pictus,” which provides delicate lavender bulbs with purple tips, or “Roseus” with blooms are pinkish-lavender.
What color are crocuses?
Just imagine a lawn filled with blooms in colors such as bright purple, white, gold, pink or pale lavender. Once established, the thick carpets of color require surprisingly little care.
Do crocus flowers grow well in lawns?
Crocus Varieties for Lawns. Small, early blooming crocus varieties have fine- textured foliage that blends well with lawn grass. Additionally, they tend to compete with turf more effectively than larger, late-blooming types.
How to prolong crocuses bloom?
To extend the bloom time, mix different species of crocuses in your garden. In addition, planting them where other plants will fill in and hide their foliage will help to prolong blooming and give the crocuses a chance to store energy for the next season. Crocuses fade quickly once the weather gets hot.
What is a crocus plant?
Growing from bulb-like structures called corms, crocuses are low-growing perennial plants from the iris ( Iridaceae) family. In many regions, crocus flowers ( Crocus spp.) mark the arrival of spring. These early bloomers can often be seen peeking up through the snow well before any other flowers appear on the landscape.
How many species of crocuses are there?
There are more than 80 crocus species, but most of the bulbs available commercially are hybrids derived from careful cross-breeding of selected species. While crocuses are often considered bulbs, strictly speaking they are corms, as are gladiolas.
How to extend the bloom time of crocuses?
If you can't, don't worry about it too much; the plant will grow toward the light. Adding some bulb food or bone meal to the soil will ensure the plants have all the nutrients they need to get started . To extend the bloom time, mix different species of crocuses in your garden.
How long does it take for a crocus to bloom?
They have a fast growth rate and typically bloom in two to five weeks after the temperature rises and the bulbs begin active growth in spring. Botanical Name. Crocus spp. Common Name. Crocus. Plant Type. Perennial bulb. Mature Size. 6 inches tall, 1 to 3 inches wide.
What is the difference between a corm and a bulb?
Corms differ from true bulbs in that the corm is modified stem tissue, while a true bulb is modified leaf tissue. Featured Video.
What is the pH of crocuses?
Crocus plants prefer a neutral soil pH of 6 .0 to 7.0, and they're usually not fussy about the soil type. But a well-draining soil is crucial. As with most plants with bulb roots, crocuses do not like to sit in soggy soil, which can cause them to rot.
