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Crocus flowers photo: planting in autumn, planting dates in spring, care and distillation of saffron, reproduction of primroses in open ground. Good lighting area for crocuses. Complementary care and disease prevention

Spring has come, the snow has melted. Gardeners are waiting for the first greenery. Perhaps, none of the passers-by will be able to remain indifferent, noticing small colored snowdrops in the form of crocuses in a flower bed. How crocuses are planted in autumn in the ground for spring flowering and in summer for autumn colors, we will now tell. We will also discuss the timing of landing in different regions Russia and the level of seed penetration on different soils.

What florist does not dream about constantly blooming garden from early spring to late autumn? What kind of crops does he not plant his garden for aesthetic diversity. Therefore, he prefers to plant crocuses not only as a harbinger of warmth in spring, but also as the last colors of autumn on the eve of winter.

This flower from the iris family has about 300 varieties. In another way, this plant is referred to as saffron. But this is not the saffron from which an expensive seasoning is made. Although some use yellow stamens as a seasoning on their table. Having a short, approximately 10-day flowering period and a short pedicel, this culture is divided into two main types:

1. spring crocuses;
2. autumn crocuses.

Distinctive characteristics of colors are:

• frost resistance, fearlessness to temperature extremes and climatic changes;
• fleeting growth of bulbous children;
• unpretentiousness of the plant.

Varietal differences

As you guessed, before you start planting crocuses, you need to find out which group your variety belongs to. First, let's talk about spring-flowering species suitable for central Russia: Spring crocuses are planted in the fall so that the bulbs germinate and are saturated with useful substances. Here is a list of autumn-flowering babies that are most suitable for growing in the Moscow region and the Leningrad region: The list is small, because in our area gardeners have enough other troubles in the summer. And the autumn-flowering culture requires an early summer planting.

We determine the landing time

Planting crocuses in the fall in the ground has its own characteristics in terms of timing. After all, autumn in different regions of Russia takes place in different ways, and is also divided into early and late, rainy and dry. For a basis, let's take the fact that the culture can withstand frosts down to -5 degrees. Thanks to essential oils and waxy leaves protected from the cold, this plant loves coolness, so early autumn is not suitable for sowing corms. In the Moscow region, the most suitable month for planting is October. If October turned out to be warm, then we plant at the end of the month. Sometimes climate change pushes for planting in November, because in the heat the corm is at rest and does not develop. For us, it is important to develop nodules in the ground for survival and regrowth of roots.

In the Leningrad region, the autumn planting period can be shifted to the end of September, the beginning of October. The climate there is a little colder and a lot of humidity. Soil temperature will tell you when to plant crocuses in autumn in the Urals. If it has cooled to +10 degrees, then the landing time has come. This usually happens no later than September. Siberia is distinguished by the severity of winters, so already in August you can start planting crocuses. We will focus on the end of August, the beginning of September and measure the temperature of the earth. This climate requires mulching with a thick layer of the seat, as well as in the Urals.

Choosing bulbs and a seat

After you have decided on the choice of variety and the approximate time of planting, pay attention to the condition of the planting material. What distinguishes quality bulbs:

1. there should be no regrown roots;
2. no mechanical damage should be observed;
3. the corm should have a dense texture without soft gaps;
4. surface scales are not wet, integral, cover the entire tuber;
5. at the slightest hint of decay, either refuses to buy or discards damaged nodules in order to avoid the spread of infection;

Please note that onions should be stored in paper bags (not polyethylene). After buying, do not put them in the refrigerator before planting, otherwise, sensing heat, they will begin to actively germinate. The cold storage mode signals the approach of spring and activation. It is necessary to plant crocuses on sunny lawns or along the edges of flower beds, where there is always enough light and there is no shading from other crops. Some manage to grow them on the windowsill.

However home warmth does not contribute to the development of buds, because they contain flowering in a cool climate. It is best to plant bulbs in sandy, light soils containing organic matter in the form of compost or rotted manure. Someone prefers to cut off the top layer of turf on the lawn, and plant bulbs on the opened area. But this method is not suitable for everyone, and beginners can use it as a trial. Do not plant a plant in the place of accumulation of snow or under snowdrifts.

Note! "Planting material does not tolerate high humidity or fluid retention.

If the place for crocuses is oversaturated with water, then it should be drained. You can apply drainage, or you can do plant transplantation on the slope of a flower bed, lawn or alpine hill, where moisture quickly seeps out and leaves.

The composition of the soil plays an important role in the life of crocuses. For example, nitrogen is contraindicated for them, and phosphorus and potassium will create a good basis for growth and flowering. If the soil is heavy and clayey, then it needs to be lightened with sand. To do this, 10/12 days before planting, we dig up the landing site for 1 bayonet of an ordinary shovel, gradually adding sand. To plant crocuses, heavy soil is drained. In this case, mineral additives are not added.

Landing process step by step

Those who first started practicing snowdrop cultivation face such difficulty that they cannot wait for flowering for a long time. One of the reasons may be the untimely transplantation of bulbs during flowering. This approach knocks the plant out of the rut. Let's describe the landing in stages:

1. after digging with the introduction of potash and phosphorus additives, we break up the lumps and loosen the soil;
2. we make grooves with a pointed ripper with an intermediate distance of 6 cm. Or we place planting material in a checkerboard pattern, as you like. Since the bulbs quickly become overgrown with children and form thickening, the optimal distance of 6 cm will allow you not to plant nests for three to five years;
3. we visit the corms in the soil with the root bottom down, the sharp part up;
4. the depth of location depends on the composition of the earth and the diameter of the bulbs. The larger the bulb, the deeper the planting. In light soil, they are deepened by 10 cm, in heavy soil by 8 cm. When planting children, the distance decreases to 4 cm in sandy loam and 3 cm in loam. To make it more convenient to dig out overgrown nests, they use plastic mesh in the form of containers and deepen them into the ground;
5. we fall asleep with a nutrient mixture or fertilized soil mixed with rotted manure;
6. pour water if the autumn turned out to be dry;
7. capricious, frost-sensitive varieties can be secured by mulching them with spruce branches or peat.

Expert advice! “Since the snowdrop bloom period is short, you can extend the landscape bloom a bit by applying two tricks. Can be dropped off different types crocuses in a checkerboard pattern. Then they will bloom in different time. Another way is to arrange landings at different depths. Those that are planted deeper will bloom later.”

Reproduction of planting material and forcing

When the flowering season ends, crocuses begin to grow. How does this happen? Between upper layers husks, the so-called buds are born, which later become daughter onions. When the main bulb dies, the babies begin to grow and form a bulbous nest. This process lasts 4-5 years.

Therefore, for 4–5 years, they dig the place of growth of crocuses for further reproduction. If snowdrops were planted in containers, they are easily removed from the ground. Nests are divided by hand and sorted by size. Large ones are planted for flowering in a flower bed. Small ones in a separate place are gaining strength.

What is extrusion for?

Someone wants to speed up the appearance of buds for an upcoming event and for this purpose makes a forcing. How does this happen?

1. Only large and healthy onions are selected.
2. In mid-September, they are placed in slightly moist soil in a container or pot. They are located close to each other.
3. The pot is covered with polyethylene with small holes or spunbond for airtightness.
4. We take the pot or container to the underground or cellar.
5. After the appearance of sprouts (December, January), we set up plantings where the temperature varies within +15 degrees. We put in partial shade or cover with a newspaper, while watering the nodules with water.
6. With the advent of buds, we bring our distillation into the house and observe beautiful flowering without snow melting.

Complementary care and disease prevention

As mentioned earlier, planting and caring for bulbs is directly related to digging once every 4-5 years. After all, each corm gives life to 10 more children. Then she is reborn and dies. Although crocuses are unpretentious and disease resistant, sometimes incidents happen to them. During storage, they can be affected by rot or other fungal disease. Therefore, nodules are disinfected before planting in June or October. A weak solution of potassium permanganate or the drug "Maxim - summer resident", "Maxim - M" is diluted, and the planting material is soaked in it for about 30 minutes. This is followed by drying and planting in the ground.

Note! "Planting spring crocuses is accompanied by top dressing at different stages of plant development."

The first feeding goes in the phase of the appearance of the first sprouts. It contains potassium and phosphorus in the doses indicated in the instructions. The second top dressing with potassium phosphorus fertilizer is done during budding. The third top dressing with the same composition is carried out after flowering.

Crocuses: planting and care open ground behind them, specific knowledge is required so that this fragile and delicate flower takes root in the soil and pleases 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 autumn.

Saffrons are common throughout almost the entire territory of Eurasia and feel good in temperate climate. But, before moving on to the issue of planting and caring for outdoor crocuses, you need to choose healthy plant bulbs and allocate the right place for planting flowers in your garden.

How to choose 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 with ash or soaking in a solution of manganese.

Planting and caring for crocuses in the open field should take place in spacious flower beds (flowers are capable of a short time occupy the entire area). They should be located in an open area where there is a lot of 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 soil structure 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 saffron using simple methods. Large river sand, gravel or crushed stone, which is used as a drainage layer, will help get rid of excessive dampness. The acidity of the soil neutralizes a mixture of peat and lime, ash or rotted manure.

Planting time for crocuses in the garden

When to plant crocuses outdoors? It all depends on the type of plant 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 the spring, 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, then saffron may bloom by the frost period and eventually die. And if you plant a flower later than the first half of October, then the soil for the bulbs will be too cold, they will not be able to take root in it and simply freeze.

Autumn flowering subspecies of saffron include:

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

How to care for saffron?

Saffron is not a flower that needs abundant watering. If autumn or spring (depending on what kind of flower is planted) were 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 can simply rot.

Outdoor crocus care is fairly easy. Periodically, it will be necessary to weed the flower rows, getting rid of weeds. The soil (especially after rain) must be loosened so that the root system of plants has access to air.

Like any decorative flowers, crocuses need to be fed. However, fertilizing saffron with organic mixtures is not recommended. It is better to purchase a granular mineral supplement 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.

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

Below are photos of crocuses in the open field:

Two ways to plant crocuses - video

When touching crocus flowers flash like little spring harbingers on the canopy of bright fallen leaves, it seems as if time has flowed back. It is difficult to find a more delicate autumn-flowering plant. Opening their flowers at the end of the garden season, crocuses are the closest relatives of universal spring favorites. They are grown according to almost the same rules as ordinary crocuses, only the flowering of these plants does not occur after a long winter, but before it begins.

Saffron, or beautiful Crocus (Crocus speciosus). © Meneerke bloem

Getting to know autumn crocuses better

Crocuses, or saffrons, are a favorite among primroses. They are easy to grow and even easier to care for. But of the 15 groups, which include almost 40 species of crocuses actively used in horticulture, not all are spring flowering plants.

Large group of crocuses bloom in autumn, at the very end of the season. Autumn crocuses bloom after the beginning of leaf fall, and this spectacle - the contrast of a typical spring miniature flower and a garden withering for the winter - cannot leave anyone indifferent. Such species bloom just as briefly as spring species, but much more spectacularly.

Like spring species, autumn crocuses are suitable for growing both as a garden plant, and in a pot and even indoor culture. True, in the last rank, their flowering periods are shifted and depend on when the bulb is planted, and not on the natural cycle. It is better to use them:

• "wild" spots under bushes and trees;
• as touching accents in small groups scattered around the garden;
• in the borders and in the foreground, along the edge of the rabatok;
• near reservoirs and other water bodies;
• to decorate the lawn;
• as a seasonal accent Alpine rollercoaster or rockeries.

The best types of autumn crocuses:

1. Single yellow crocus sharoyana, the color of which is dazzling saffron. It has wide leaves and a large, graceful flower that looks like a small sun. This crocus blooms in September and October.

2. Crocus hill (or valley) in height will not exceed 12 cm, but long, up to 6 cm, petals with a milky main color and purple stripes-strokes are decorated with charming orange stains in the throat.

3. Crocus banatsky with beautiful lines autumn leaves up to 15 cm long and flowering stretching for a month, during which each bulb produces 1-2 flowers per leaf height. Its flowers are very large, spectacular, a bit like irises, with long almost five-centimeter perianth lobes, yellow-lilac anthers and a cold lilac color.

Saffron, or Banat Crocus. © Jim Murrain

4. Crocus pretty with almost round perianth lobes, a surprisingly lush bunch of stamens and beautiful game color - dark purple on large veins and lighter, watercolor on the petals themselves. Its leaves bloom only after flowering, prolonged, exciting both September and October.

5. Crocus Pallas, whose flowers look like outlandish stars. This is a plant with narrow leaves that bloom only in spring, the flowers of which appear in the second half of September and, although they reach a height of only 5 cm, are very effective. Reaching almost 5 cm in diameter, they are distinguished by a lily-shaped form and a very light, radiant white-lilac color with a beautiful bunch of stamens.

6. Crocus beautiful- one of the largest autumn-colored crocuses. Its leaves develop in spring and reach a length of 30 cm. But the real "show" begins in September, when corms produce flowers up to 7 cm in diameter, white or lilac, with surprisingly touching longitudinal veins, watercolor stains, the ideal shape of wide, pointed at the edge of the petals and a symmetrical structure. In this crocus, everything is fine - both bright orange columns with yellow specks of dust in the center, and translucent textures of mother-of-pearl petals. Crocus speciosus has a huge number of varieties painted in intense and dark blue, blue, purple colors. Among them, the most popular are:

• grade "Oksinan" with a dark purple, with an ultramarine tint, the color of wide perianths and gracefully pointed ends of the petals;
• variety "Albus" with an original cream tube and snow-white petals;
• variety "Cassiope" with amazing contrasting veins along the most delicate blue flowers;
• variety "Aitchisonu" with large, more than 7 cm in diameter, lilac flowers;
• variety "Conqueror" with azure-blue huge flowers;
• variety "Artabir" with a sky-blue color, accentuated by dark veins.

Conditions comfortable for autumn crocuses

Autumn crocuses are much more flexible in their light requirements. Crocus Sharoyan and valley loves shade or partial shade, but it is better for other species to provide diffused lighting, sunny and bright places, or at least a semi-shady location. For autumn crocuses, a growing strategy with a sunny location in spring and autumn and shaded in summer is suitable.

Sharoyan's saffron, or Sharoyan's crocus (Crocus scharojanii). © Desvil

Crocuses do not like winds and drafts, so protected areas are chosen for them. The thing is that in these plants the flowers are sensitive to cold autumn winds, and the more protection they are provided with "neighbors" - the better.

The landing site for autumn crocuses must be selected so that during the dormant period they do not suffer from getting wet, they grow in dryness and warmth. That is why you need to choose either elevated, well-drained places (for example, on alpine slides and rockeries). Another option is to lay drainage when disembarking.

Pay attention to the soil too. For crocuses, choose light, loamy soils that allow water to pass through well. The only exception is the Dutch varieties and hybrids, which tolerate even heavy soil. Make sure the soil is neither acidic nor alkaline: crocuses love neutral soils. But they are not so demanding on fertility: the richest soils and rather poor soils are suitable for crocuses.

Features of planting autumn crocuses

Before planting crocuses, a site for them must be prepared. Mix sand or fine gravel into the soil to improve drainage, and add mature manure, leafy soil to poor soil. Autumn crocuses will also gratefully respond to the application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (instead of nitrophoska, it is better to use superphosphate and potassium nitrate). It is better not to use peat or extinguish it with lime. In areas where there is a high risk of getting wet, make raised beds or lay drainage at a depth of 30-40 cm.

Saffron, or Crocus valley (hill) (Crocus vallicola). © oldtulips

Autumn-flowering crocuses require a slightly different approach to planting: if spring ones are planted in August-September, then autumn-flowered ones should be bought before flowering, which traditionally begins in September. Best timing for them - from June to the end of the first decade of August. Do not buy flowering bulbs - they will be weakened and take several years to recover.

Before planting, inspect the bulbs again: they should be heavy, with dense shells, not crushed and soft, with a clearly visible renewal bud (small tubercle). crocuses autumn bloom should “wake up” soon, and if the buds are invisible on them, it’s better not to plant them at all or plant them in a pot and watch for signs of growth.

Autumn crocuses are planted only in groups of 5 or more, placing plants at a distance of 5-6 cm between plants. Crocus bulbs are planted at a traditional depth equal to twice the height of the bulbs themselves (from 5 to 15 cm). On heavy soil, leave a distance equal to the height of the bulb from the top of the bulb to the edge of the soil. It is not necessary to strictly monitor the centimeters: crocuses, unlike many bulbs, form retracting roots and young bulbs themselves will settle down in the soil at a comfortable depth. After planting, mulch the soil with sand to keep out slugs. Be sure to mark the landing site with sticks or other markers.

Caring for crocuses that bloom in autumn

These small plants offering to enjoy spring bloom in an atypical season, easy to grow. Crocuses do not need watering, except for the coincidence of winters with little snow and extreme droughts in spring, when during the period of active growth of foliage of autumn crocuses, it is necessary to fill the need for moisture in the bulbs and water the crocuses at least several times. Plants do not need watering in autumn.

Pallas saffron, or Crocus Pallas (Crocus pallasii). © Dimìtar Nàydenov

During the entire phase of active development at the beginning of the season, crocuses need potassium and phosphorus. They can only be fed once. in early spring. Use nitrogen for autumn crocuses with caution: vigorous growth of greenery can be detrimental to flowering at the end of the season. In autumn, fertilizers for crocuses are not applied.

Digging and transplanting autumn crocuses

Crocuses can be transplanted and transferred to a new place at the same time when they are planted - from June to August for autumn-flowering species. Autumn crocuses (unless you plan to increase the number of plants and propagate crocuses, give them to neighbor friends or sell them), do not replant more than 3-5 years. Wait for signs of overflow of the "nests" and only then plant the bulbs. So the flowering will be more beautiful, and the bulbs - stronger.

After digging, the bulbs must be dried at room temperature in a well-ventilated place for 2-3 months. After drying, they remove old roots and exfoliated, bad scales, sprinkling all damage with wood ash. Bulbs with traces of rot should be discarded immediately.

Saffron, or Crocus pretty, also pretty, variety ‘Zephyr’ (Crocus pulchellus). © Meneerke bloem

Preparing for the winter

Crocuses are frost-resistant bulbs and do not need any preparation for wintering.

Diseases and pests

Autumn crocuses are considered to be more "reliable" plants than spring flowering species. They most often suffer from rot caused by excessive soil moisture, but are less commonly affected by other diseases. In new varieties, dry rot is common, which manifests itself in the beginning in small spots, then merging into whole foci. Bulbs affected by rot should be immediately discarded and destroyed. Rodents love to feast on them, therefore, with proximity to nests and increased activity on the site, it is better to plant bulbs in special nets.

Reproduction of autumn crocuses

Autumn types of crocuses are easier to propagate than spring ones: they form up to 7 daughter corms annually. Autumn crocuses form "nests" - a group of related bulbs, which, after the death of the old bulb and the formation of a new one, become independent plants. It is they that are best used to increase the collection of crocuses, because only this method preserves the varietal characteristics of plants. When digging and transplanting, daughter plants are simply separated and used as independent ones. Since they bloom for 3-4 years, usually next year most of the separated bulbs will please flowering.

Banat saffron, or Banat crocus (Crocus banaticus). © Jim Murrain

Crocus seeds can also be propagated, but this method does not allow preserving the characteristics of varietal crocuses, and the fruiting of autumn species is an irregular phenomenon and depends on the vagaries of the weather. Seeds of autumn crocuses are collected in spring, after natural stratification, sowing in the same year in summer or autumn. It is best to sow in boxes or pots, covering nonwoven fabric or black foam. Plants from the first year are grown cyclically, but they bloom only 4-5 years after sowing.

Crocus is one of the most beautiful primroses from the Iris family. But if you plant it in the spring, you can get a second flowering in the fall. The process of growing crocuses outdoors and care is quite simple. The first bright flowers in the flower bed will appear as soon as the snow melts. At this time, it blooms massively from 2 weeks to a month. There are also autumn varieties.

plant description

Crocus or saffron is a perennial bulbous plant belonging to the Iris family. The stem of the plant is not developed. The leaves are straight, dark green in color, located at the very roots. They can appear both during flowering and after it. The root is a corm up to 3 centimeters in size. It has a flattened shape, surrounded by flat scales.

crocus flowers

Flowers in a cup are only solitary, large, they are surrounded by membranous scales. They have a bright color: from rich purple to bright yellow, cream or white. Seeds are small, angular in shape. Collected in three-celled fruits in the form of boxes.

Crocuses can bloom not only in early spring, but also in autumn. It depends on the specific type of plant.

Species and varieties

All types of crocuses can be divided into two main groups:

• spring flowering;
• autumn flowering.

The most popular species that bloom in spring include:

• spring. Plants up to 17 centimeters tall, have bright purple or white flowers. One or two flowers can develop from one corm. The flowering period is up to 3 weeks;

Spring

• golden. A plant up to 20 centimeters high, blooms in April. The leaves are very narrow and long. The flowers are bright golden. Blooms for 3 weeks, until early May;
• two-flowered. Has the most varied form and flower color. The pharynx of flowers can be white or yellow. The color of the petals can be bright white or variegated. It can be white with purple stripes or lilac with brown spots;
• Tomasini. Not only flowers, but also leaves have an unusual color. They acquire a delicate lilac-pink hue. The star-shaped flowers are bright white. Up to 3 flowers develop from one corm.

Fall varieties include:

• beautiful. The plant reaches a height of 30 centimeters. The variegated flowers have a beautiful lilac color with purple streaks. There are also varieties with blue, white, bright purple or pale blue color.

Beautiful

• Banat. The plant was named after the Banat region, located in Romania. Beautiful light lilac flowers have bright yellow anthers. Plant height is from 12 to 14 centimeters;
• pretty. Plant height from 7 to 10 centimeters. The flowers have a beautiful lilac color with dark stripes.

The most popular varieties:

• Nanette. Spring variety with creamy yellow flowers. On the outer side of the inflorescences there are purple stripes;

• Blue Bonnet. Spring flowering variety with beautiful pale blue flowers;
• Lylek Beauty. Spring-flowering variety with wide open inflorescences. Their coloration combines lilac shade outside and bright blue inside.
• And G. Bowells. Spring flowering variety with quite large flowers bright yellow;
• Albus. Autumn variety with a pronounced white shade flowers;
• Oksinan. An autumn-flowering variety with variegated flowers. Inflorescences combine shades of lilac and blue with a dark perianth;
• Artabir. An autumn variety with sky blue flowers and dark bracts.

The Dutch are widely used hybrid varieties. They have especially large and beautiful flowers. It can be:

• Albion. Hybrid variety with white goblet flowers;
• Jubilee. Hybrid variety with goblet flowers lilac color with a violet-purple tint.
• Kathleen Perlow. A hybrid variety that allows you to decorate a flower bed with cup-shaped flowers white color.

Best combined with landscape design both spring-flowering and autumn-flowering varieties.

Many hybrid varieties in the spring can continue to bloom until the end of May.

Growing time

The timing of planting crocuses in open ground directly depends on the flowering time of a particular variety. It could be:

1. Spring varieties are planted in open ground in August or September. Plants that have overwintered in the open field will bloom, depending on the variety, in early April or May.
2. Autumn varieties. Landing in the ground occurs in May - June. Beautiful flowers in the flower beds will appear in September or October.

The most famous spring varieties of crocuses are one of the most beautiful primroses.

Landing in open ground

Crocus is a rather unpretentious plant. Before flowering and during it, plant care is minimal. Almost any soil is suitable for cultivation, but it grows best on light loam. It is undesirable to plant it on acidified or marshy soils. Grows very well in open, sunny areas.

Planting bulbs

To get healthy and strong plants, you need to choose the right planting material. Corms must be:

• without external defects (dark spots, traces of mold);
• mechanical damage;
• traces of rot.

Corms must be freed from external film scales and old roots before planting.

Autumn varieties of crocuses are sometimes sold in flower shops or nurseries with old flowers. Such a plant rarely takes root. It is best to purchase corms that have not yet had time to bloom. Before planting, nutrient-poor soil should be fertilized with manure or compost and dug up.

After that:

1. Dig holes up to 10 centimeters deep;
2. Drainage from expanded clay or sand is placed at the bottom of the hole;
3. Corms are placed in the wells and wrapped with earth.

If, when planting, at the same time fertilize from rotted peat, the plants will be stronger. They will definitely reward with bright and long flowering.

Crocus is a drought-resistant plant, but does not like excessive moisture. Water moderately after planting.

Crocuses require care only during the growing season. It includes:

• top dressing. Spring varieties can be fed with mineral fertilizers, such as urea. They can be stolen in March right on the snow, after which they themselves will be absorbed with melt water. To do this, I use peat, manure and nitrogenous fertilizers. The first top dressing is carried out during the period of "pecking" of the sprouts. The second top dressing is carried out during the flowering period, and the third before the dormant period;

Urea

• watering. Crocuses need it only if there was little snow in winter. Autumn varieties should be moderately watered throughout the summer.
• transfer. Once every 4 - 5 years, crocuses must be transplanted. This prevents the crushing of not only flowers, but also bulbs.

During the dormant period that occurs after flowering, crocuses do not require constant care.

Crocuses after flowering

After the spring flowering period has ended, you need to properly prepare them for the dormant period. For this:

1. Trim dried inflorescences;
2. When the leaves dry, they are also cut off. After that, the bulbs are dug up for autumn planting in the ground.

Autumn-flowering varieties of crocuses do not have to be dug up and replanted every year.

If corms are not needed as planting material, they are left to winter in the ground. To do this, it is enough to mulch them with peat or dry leaves.

bulb storage

Before storage, the bulbs are sorted and dried. The planting material preparation process includes:

1. Cleaning. Corms are thoroughly cleaned of pieces of soil, old roots and scales;
2. sorting. Damaged by pests or weakened corms are thrown away.
3. Drying. Prepared corms are laid out for drying in boxes at a temperature not lower than 22 C.

Dried bulbs are stored in a dry and dark place.

At home, crocus bulbs are stored at room temperature, in a room with good ventilation.

For more details on growing crocuses, see the video

Conclusion

Crocus, or saffron, is a perennial bulbous plant that can grow in one place from 3 to 5 years. There are more than 15 types of crocuses, which can be divided into 2 groups: spring-blooming and autumn-blooming. Crocuses are quite unpretentious to growing conditions. They are cold hardy and drought tolerant. The plant does not like high humidity.

Crocus - small and fragile, but very beautiful flower. That is why you need to know how to properly implement planting and care in the open field after them. Crocuses are also called saffron. Most often they bloom in spring, but there are already many species that bloom in autumn. These are very popular flowers, gardeners and hobbyists often want to grow them. at home. Due to its diversity and non-trivial appearance, crocuses in the garden frequent visitors, they delight the eye from early spring to late autumn.

Bulb selection and planting sites

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Most often, saffron blooms in the temperate climate zone, although there are varieties that feel comfortable in other areas. Before deciding on a planting site, you need to select healthy crocus bulbs. To crocuses in the garden grew beautiful, you need to choose healthy material and choose the right place on the site.

What should be viable and healthy bulbs:

• There should be no extra sprouts and roots.
• Healthy bulbs should be dense and firm. When they are soft and loose, they most likely will not germinate.
• If they appear on the bulbs dark spots which means they are rotten.
• Mechanical defects also indicate the unsuitability of the material.

When the material is selected, it must be processed before planting. For disinfection, remove the excess skin from the bulbs and hold them in potassium permanganate or sprinkle with wood ash.

Important! Crocuses are very fond of sunlight. It is necessary to plant them in spacious flower beds, as the flowers will occupy the entire area in a short time. You should not plant crocuses under trees with a dense crown.

It is necessary to plant crocuses in nourished, non-acidic, slightly moistened soil, which must first be carefully loosened. If the soil in the garden does not meet the requirements for crocuses, it can be made suitable using a few simple methods. In order to get rid of excessive moisture, you can use drainage from river sand, gravel or crushed stone. Adding a mixture of peat and lime, ash or rotted manure to the soil will help neutralize the acidity.

Watch the video! Two ways to plant crocuses in the soil

When to plant saffron

When should crocuses be planted outdoors? It depends on the type of plant chosen for planting. They are spring flowering and autumn.

Spring bloomers are:

• Crocus spring. Low flowers, up to 17 cm, have lilac or white buds. Bred as decorative flower from the 16th century.
• Two-flowered. motley and interesting view. Often the flower has a bluish color, and the surface of some leaves is brown. Or the flowers themselves can be white and decorated with purple stripes.
• Golden. The plant is about 20 cm tall, blooms in all shades of yellow. The surface of the petals is glossy, sometimes with brown stripes.

Important! Species that bloom in spring are planted outdoors in autumn. Optimal time landing - the end of September - the beginning of October. If the deadlines are shifted, the flower may suffer.

When planted ahead of schedule, the crocus may begin flowering before the first frost, and then it will die. If the bulbs are planted later than this period, the earth will already be too cold, the flowers will not have time to take root and strengthen well, so they will die in winter.

autumn crocuses- This:

• Crocus is beautiful. A rather tall and large plant, reaches a height of 30 cm. Its buds are blue, lilac or white with purple veins.
• Crocus is nice. Frost-resistant subspecies. Pale purple flowers are covered with dark stripes and look very impressive.
• Banat Crocus. It has unusual leaves with a silvery tint and bright lilac buds.

Important! Since these types of crocuses bloom in autumn, they are planted in open ground at the end of May or in the first half of July.

Basics of care

Saffrons do not like strong watering and moisture. If the season in which the flowers are planted is abundant in precipitation, then special watering is not required. Crocuses should be watered when the earth dries up not only on the surface, but also in depth. Otherwise, the plant bulbs will simply rot.

Care for saffron it is quite easy, the main thing is to fulfill the basic requirements:

1. Weed regularly between flower rows.
2. Periodically loosen the soil so that the root system can breathe better.
3. Feed, but do not use organic mixtures. A good fertilizer will be mineral supplement containing potassium and phosphorus. Means that contain nitrogen must be applied with caution, since sometimes a fungus appears on the bulbs from its excess.

You need to feed twice:

1. Fertilize the soil before planting the bulbs;
2. The second feeding is carried out during the period of active growth.

Pests and diseases of crocuses

Viruses. If white spots appear on the leaves of saffron and they are deformed, this is the first sign of infection with viruses. In this case, it is necessary to destroy the already infected plant so that it does not carry the virus to healthy flowers. The place where the affected plant grew is treated with potassium permanganate.

Fungus. Activated in warm and damp weather. The bulbs begin to soften and wrinkle. Often strange spots appear on them. The bulb, which is already affected by the fungus, is destroyed, and the daughters are dried in a cool place. Before planting, it is necessary to soak the bulbs in manganese or in a 0.2% solution of Fundazol.

Chlorosis. The main sign of damage is yellowing of the leaves. Often this is due to improper planting, drainage, lack of any nutrients in the soil, or damage to the bulb.

Mice and moles. They can damage tubers when they burrow through their underground passages or even drag the bulbs into their burrows because they often use them for food. Here, only cleaning dead wood within a radius of 3 meters from the landing site of crocuses will help, so that they have nowhere to place their nests. Mice do not go further than 3 meters from the nest.

Scoop butterfly caterpillars. Insects gnaw at the roots and make holes in the bulbs, looking for a place to pupate. Such bulbs, along with caterpillars, must be dug up and destroyed.

Slugs. You can get rid of them with a special solution. As a prophylaxis against slugs, when planting saffron in the ground, a “cocoon” of sand is made around the bulb.

Proper storage

After the flower has faded, the leaves are cut from it. There is no special need to dig up saffron every year for the winter. You can leave the bulbs in the ground, but they must be covered with spruce branches. If the bulbs are dug up for the winter, then they must be carefully sorted out, the bad ones rejected, and the rest cleaned of dead scales. Unusable specimens are destroyed, and bulbs with minor damage are treated with brilliant green or sprinkled with ashes. Having processed them in this way, the bulbs are placed in the shade for 7 days to dry. The next step is sorting. They are divided by size and laid out in containers in which there are holes for ventilation. stored homemade crocuses until the next landing in the ground.

Watch the video! How to plant crocuses

Incredibly beautiful spring flowers – these are crocuses. They begin to bloom in early spring and delight those around them with their colors for up to ten days. After the flowers wither, the petals are still juicy and fresh, but by mid-June their turn comes withering. Next, crocuses have a dormant period. In this article we will tell you everything that you might be interested in about crocuses.

Crocus or saffron - description

Crocus, or as it is better known by its other name, saffron, is a bulbous perennial plant. In the wild, it grows in the steppes, meadows, highlands and rare forests of the Caucasus, Crimea, Asia, the Middle East and southern Europe. Several endangered species of crocuses are listed in the Red Book. Crocus is a beautiful plant, but no matter how much you want it, it does not bloom for so long - only 7-10 days.

– This scientific name flower culture, but in the literature on floriculture, the Latin name is still distributed - crocus. This is a small flower up to 10 cm high. thin leaves linear shape, which are wrapped down. The plant has a different color, but identical bell-shaped funnel-shaped flowers. When crocuses bloom, most species open their buds at the beginning of the spring period, while some - in the fall.

Flowers appear one, two or three from each bulb. Perianth - segmented in the form of a corolla. The segments fuse into a long tube that can reach 10 cm in some species. In the absence of a stem, the perianth performs its role and brings the flower to the surface. The segmented process consists of six parts, each of which is bent at the top. A fully opened bud can reach 8 cm in diameter.

Did you know?The name crocus comes from the Greek "kroke" - thread or fiber. Saffron is consonant with the Arabic "zeferan", which translates as yellow.

Choosing a place to plant crocuses

Not many people know that crocuses can be conditionally divided into autumn and spring, and therefore planting and caring for them in the open field will vary. When choosing a place for them, keep in mind that species that are planted in the spring require more sunlight. Autumn crocuses, in turn, tolerate a little shading from coniferous shrubs. We would like to note that in the shade, many goblet-shaped saffron flowers do not fully open, but, for example, Sharoyan's autumn crocus blooms much worse under the sun than in shading.

Crocuses look very harmonious among the greenery of a grassy lawn, but you should refrain from choosing such a place. And that's why. Lawn grass requires regular mowing, and thus you can accidentally damage the foliage of saffron. As a result, the corm will not fully ripen.

From an aesthetic point of view, it is better to organize the cultivation of crocuses in the country in groups. In addition, the greatest naturalness is achieved if the bulbs are planted on different distances from each other, mimicking the spontaneous cycle of nature. To create a solid flower cover of crocuses, they need to be planted in a 3x3 cm grid. Per 1 sq. m should come out at least 50 bulbs.

Important! Before planting corms in open soil, pickle them in Fundazol or Maxim.

In such a case, as a public flower garden, the first crocus should be planted at the starting point of the edge - a fence, for example. Saffron goes well with summer bulbous plants or annuals. It is not recommended to plant it among perennial crops, because the period of their active development falls on digging and transplanting corms. Crocuses look spectacular in rock gardens. After they have faded, the bare ground can be covered with small creeping annuals.

Are crocuses demanding on soil

Due to the fact that crocuses are autumn and spring, shade- and light-loving, a reasonable question arises as to whether there are universal soils where all types of this plant are planted. In fact, there are no special requirements for soils. Any cultivated ones are suitable, but the most comfortable for development will be light and rich in humus. Saffrons love well-moistened, loose and generously fertilized soils with organic matter. But, like all bulbs, they can die from stagnant water.

If clay soils predominate on your site, then in order for crocuses to grow healthy and beautiful, care should begin with ennobling the soil. Peat and sand must be added to clay substrates and fertilized well. organic matter. For 1 sq. m the following materials are introduced: 20 kg of peat or humus, 100 g of bone meal and 50-70 g of fertilizer based on trace elements.

Important! Humus should not be introduced into cultivated soils; it is better to replace it with high-moor peat. Crocuses will not develop well and grow in an excess of nutrients, especially nitrogen.

When to plant crocuses

Most flower growers mistakenly believe that crocuses are exclusively spring-blooming plants, so they are surprised and say: “We only plant crocuses in autumn”. When buying planting material, be sure to consider one important fact: there are also autumn species that are planted in the spring. This characteristic plays a significant role, since the cycles of development of autumn and spring corms do not coincide. This is an important point in accounting and determining landing dates.

In qualified flower shops and at exhibitions, planting material for autumn-blooming crocuses is sold with the mark "Crocus autumn flowering". Spring-flowering ones can also be purchased in regular markets. Of course, in a flower shop they will select the highest quality varietal material for you, but, oddly enough, those crocuses take root better, the bulbs of which were bought in spontaneous markets, and growing them will not cause any special worries.

Did you know? Saffron was used as a medicine and incense during religious rituals. As a subtle spice that enriches the taste and color of food, saffron is used in cooking to this day.

In spring-flowering crocuses, the annual development cycle begins in March (there are some species that even have it in February) with the growth of the first leaves. For a more stable and rapid development plants need to know how to feed crocuses in the spring. Fertilizers based on phosphorus and potassium are suitable for them. They can be applied when the first sprouts appeared, then during the flowering period and at the end, when the flowers withered.

Thus, you contribute to the proper formation of the corm and nourish it sufficiently. A little later, in the month of April, flowers appear and bloom. When crocuses bloom, the buds open alternately for two to three weeks. After flowering, the leaves continue to grow until the seeds ripen. By the end of June they dry up.

All these processes occur solely due to the nutrients in the corm that have been accumulated over the past year. When the bulb is depleted, it dies off. Crocuses form a new bulb on top of the old one when the flowering time has already passed. She will become a substitute. She has the beginnings of buds for the renewal of flowers and leaves.

Over the next period of growth and death of the leaves, the bulb will already accumulate the necessary energy. Somewhere by mid-June, the corm will go into dormancy mode, and by autumn it will act again: it will grow roots and continue the process of accumulating food. Further, the process of bud formation and the resumption of harvesting of future parts of the plant will be completely completed.

Do not prematurely remove the leaves and do not transplant the plant during the growing season, so as not to puzzle over why the crocuses did not bloom in the spring. This disrupts the life rhythm of the crocus and entails a delay in development. The bulbs themselves do not die from this and eventually recover, blooming again. But rehabilitation can take up to two years, and during this time you can forget about the planting material and accidentally dig it up.

Obviously, the growth of the plant is directly related to the maturation of the bulb, and this implies that the crocus must maintain the integrity of its leaves until it wilts. Therefore, you need to help the flower in every possible way, removing the boxes with seeds that weaken the corm, and planting the material before the end of the dormant period. The best time to plant spring saffron is September, because after a while, small roots will appear on the bulbs, which are easily injured.

Life cycles of a crocus blooming in spring, are similar to the periods of colchicum. They are often confused. In order to avoid errors, you should know that saffron bulbs are much smaller - up to 2.5 cm and three stamens in a flower, when colchicum has twice as many of them. Most of the autumn crocuses begin their life cycle from flowering.

During this period, leaves grow and a replacement corm is born. Some produce leaves with a seed box and complete the formation of a new bulb by the spring, when the species described earlier begin to bloom. Crocuses that bloom in late autumn leave for the winter without finishing flowering. As a result, seeds are not formed. But this does not weaken the plant and should not be cause for concern.

In autumn-flowering crocuses, the dormant period begins a month earlier than in spring ones, therefore, the peak of corm activity occurs in August. Therefore, for the normal development of autumn crocuses in the same year, they must be planted in the period from late July to mid-August. But why don't crocuses that are purchased in a good store and planted in properly fertilized soil not bloom? The acquisition of already flowering crocuses or delays in planting dates will adversely affect the formation of future plant organs.

Late planted crocuses in the first two years only grow leaves and do not bloom. Transplanted saffrons with leaves and flowers quickly wither and enter a two-year recovery period. Crocuses that have successfully passed through the life cycle are very weakened and should receive appropriate care after flowering. This will energize them for the next year.

Did you know? The spice of saffron in ancient times was not only worth 15 times more than black pepper, but even gold. For 450 g of spice, you could buy an Arabian horse. Today, this spice is also not cheap.

Planting and propagation of crocuses

Propagation of crocuses involves two methods: seeds and daughter corms. It's not a complicated process at all.

Sowing crocus seeds

Growing crocuses from seeds is practiced much less frequently than from corms. This practice is inherent in flower growers who want to propagate a certain valuable plant species, so planting material is taken in large volumes.

Most botanical crocuses do not have problems with seed formation, but only in autumn the fruiting cycle can go astray due to the onset of early frosts. Planting material is well preserved, but in the case of autumn-blooming species, it is better to sow only harvested seeds under wintering.

Since stratified material germinates better, perfectly healthy and stronger crocuses can be grown from these seeds. Future crocuses harvested with seeds give very small seedlings, and since the weeds are “not dormant”, it is initially better to plant them in containers or boxes. Until the first sprouts appear, containers with seeds should be covered with a light-protective film or spunbond. In the second case, watering can be omitted. Seedlings will begin to bloom in 3-4 years.

Planting crocus bulbs

It is not necessary to dig up corms every winter. It is necessary to do this every three years during the summer dormancy period of crocuses in order to separate the mother bulb from the daughter tubers that have grown during this time. There can be up to ten of them, and they begin to interfere with each other.

As a result, saffron flowers are significantly reduced in size. In this case, the separation of the daughter bulbs, their transplantation and further care of the crocuses are done as follows. To collect planting material in the form of corms mother plant you can dig more often than once every three years. It is better to disturb autumn-blooming saffrons from June to August, spring-blooming - from July to September. Planting material must be removed from the ground, dried, defective scales and dead roots removed.

You should also carefully examine the bulbs for diseases. Leave only healthy material. Mechanical damage must be healed with ash or crushed coal. Until planting in the ground, they should be stored in a dry and cool place.

Care of crocuses in the open field

How to grow crocuses strong and healthy after planting, we will tell further. But know that you will not spend much effort and a lot of time.

Watering crocuses

There is no need to water saffron regularly, besides, it is very painful to tolerate moisture stagnation. Crocuses need a lot of water during the spring and autumn flowering periods. But nature helps us there too: in one case, the snow melts and gives water, in the other, autumn rains. Additional watering is organized if the winter was not snowy, and the autumn was not rainy enough. But even with insufficient moisture, crocuses successfully pass the vegetative period. Only in height they will become smaller. In summer, during periods of calm, crocuses do not need water, they prefer to rest in a dry environment.

Fertilizer and top dressing

The basis for growing all plants in the garden is top dressing, therefore, thinking about how to grow healthy and beautiful crocuses in your garden, you need to prepare a complex mineral fertilizers. Feeding crocuses has some of its own nuances. Fresh organic fertilizers are not allowed. They cause various diseases. Peat, fully decomposed manure and other mineral fertilizers will be preferred.

In early spring, during the period of active growth, you need to scatter fertilizers on melting snow. With the beginning of the vegetative period, urea can be introduced. Later, an excess of nitrogen will cause a sharp growth of leaves, which will provoke the appearance of unwanted fungal diseases in wet weather. After half a month, fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium should be introduced to the landing site. They will help better flowering and the formation of strong and healthy corms.

Care after flowering

Like many bulbs, these flowers lose their leaves by mid-summer, so you need to take special care of crocuses in your country house after they bloom. If you do not have plans to transplant the plant to a new place, then you can get by with the removal of wilted foliage. If it was decided to dig up crocuses, then best time is July.

The procedure is as follows:

1. Remove inflorescences that have faded so that the plant does not put extra effort into trying to form seeds.
2. Gradually reduce the amount of watering. So the outflow of all nutrients will gradually go to the corm
3. When the leaves turn completely yellow, the bulb needs to be dug up and dried a little at room temperature.
4. Next, peel off the scales and discard diseased and damaged daughter tubers.
5. Bulbs should be stored in a well ventilated area at a temperature within 20 °C.

Crocus transplant

Due to the abundant formation of daughter bulbs in crocuses, they need to be seated. Otherwise, a large nest of processes is formed. They become crowded, they are deformed, the flowers become smaller, and the plant loses its aesthetic appeal.

Bulbs need to be dug up after the leaves have completely died off in mid-July - early August. Store until transplanting in a warm, well-ventilated area. It is necessary to plant in flower beds in August or September at a distance equal to two or three corm diameters from each other. The hole must be dug to a depth equal to three bulbs in height.

The removed corms must be cleaned of earth, dead roots and scales, and then spread out in a single layer in a box or box. The smallest can be decomposed, for example, into candy boxes. Until August, planting material should be stored at a temperature of +22 ° C and not lower, since it is under this regime that flower buds are laid. In August, the temperature should be lowered to +20 °C. A week later - up to +15 ° С. But such conditions are difficult to create at home, and they are ideal, because only in specialized farms can you adjust the thermal regime. In our usual conditions, crocus bulbs should be placed in a dark, dry place with the possibility of good ventilation and room temperature.

Did you know? To obtain 1 kg of saffron spice, you need to collect about 600,000 stigmas from freshly blossomed crocus flowers. Hence the expression "expensive as saffron." A very reasonable statement.

The seasonal rhythm of crocuses

Spring crocus flowers can start blooming in mid-March or mid-April, provided that you grow them with all the nuances. But the timing of this event can vary significantly depending on the melting of snow and warming of the soil cover. Cases of the beginning of flowering of spring crocuses have been recorded even at the end of February.

Autumn species are more stable and constant in this case. The quality of the vegetative period depends directly on the conditions in which the recovery bud was formed last season - this applies to spring-blooming or this summer - autumn-blooming saffron.

Why don't crocuses bloom?

Many amateur gardeners and flower growers are perplexed why crocuses do not bloom when everything seems to be done correctly, but in fact there is no flower and there are only leaves. Let's deal with this problem together and decide for what reasons this is happening?

First, what can negatively affect flowering is the thickening of plantings. The daughter bulbs become so crowded that the mother tuber is able to push out of the ground only new feathers of young green leaves. The bulbs interfere with each other, so there can be no talk of flowering. The way out is obvious - to plant crocuses and give more space to new tubers.

The second reason may lie in too deep planting of onions. They just don't have the energy to bloom. They spent all their strength on punching sheets through the ground. Often, bulbous plants that are planted in sandy soil involuntarily deepen into a loose substrate.

You can correct the situation by transplanting the corms to a depth of up to 7 cm. In heavy clay soils, deepen the bulbs by no more than 5 cm.

The final reason why crocuses do not bloom in your garden, is the lack of fertilization of the soil. The main thing is to apply mineral-based preparations in a timely manner and in the required quantities. Firstly, this is done at planting: fertilizer is applied directly into the hole. Saffrons that grow in one place for many years draw all the nutrients from the soil. Such flowers must be fed in the spring, watering with a solution of mineral fertilizers. Organic fertilizers are also suitable, the best of which is compost applied to the planting hole.

Did you know? Fraudsters got the hang of forging saffron. In Iran, in the Middle Ages, hands were cut off for this. In Germany, they were buried alive or burned at the stake. In France, everything was much more humane - just a fine of 60 kg of silver.

Diseases and pests of crocuses

No matter how hard you try to take care of your garden, grow crocuses or other bulbous crops, but sometimes something goes wrong. The plant either stops at one stage of development, or loses its aesthetic appearance, or dies altogether.

The reason for this are diseases and pests:

• Viruses. The first sign of their appearance on saffron is white spots on deformed leaves. They stretch and twist at the tips. They are carried by sucking insects such as aphids, mites or thrips. The affected plant already becomes a spreader of infection by default, and it must be destroyed immediately. But do not worry if the disease has mowed down a rare species of crocus in your area. Viruses do not reach the seeds, and the plant can be revived by reseeding. Let it take some time, but you will return your flower favorites.
• Fungi. Activated in warm and damp weather. As a rule, they affect the corm of the plant. It loses its density, shrinks, and spots of unnatural color form under the scales. Such an onion must be destroyed, and the other daughters should be dried in a cool place. Before planting, they must be soaked in a weak manganese solution or a 0.2% solution of Fundazol.
• Chlorosis. With this disease, the leaves begin to turn yellow, which is not caused by a lack of any nutrients in the soil, but by mechanical damage to the tuber, poor drainage, or inappropriate growing conditions.
• Mice and moles. They damage the corms, breaking through passages under them and even taking them entirely to their homes or nibbling the roots. If the plant grows poorly, blooms poorly, then we can judge that the onions have rotted. In this case, they need to be dug up and the rotten parts removed. Treat the cut points with ash and leave for outdoors for a few hours to dry. In order not to attract mice, it is necessary to remove all deadwood and grass within a radius of three meters from the landings, because mice nest there. They will not run further than three meters from the nest.

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Saffron, or as it is mostly called, Crocus, is a magnificent spring flower belonging to the iris family. They begin to please the eye in early spring and bloom from 7 to 10 days, while the leaf of the flower does not fade until the summer itself and beautifully decorates the garden with its foliage. It is a perennial plant, so it will delight your eyes for many years. If desired, with the onset of dormancy, the crocus tuber can be dug up and stored in the sand. This is done in cases where you want to move the flower to another part of the garden or remove diseased corms.

Crocus belongs to undersized plants, reaching a height of only 10 cm. The stem of a crocus does not grow from the moment of flowering, remaining in its original form. The leaves of the flower seem to be collected in a bunch, and can grow during flowering and after it. There are also types of crocuses that do not have leaves.

Planting crocuses in open ground

Crocuses blooming in spring must be planted in the ground in autumn (preferably in the first week of October), and blooming in autumn Summer (first half of June). Although crocuses are sun-loving plants, they do well in partial shade. It is best to choose light, loose and nutritious soil for planting crocus in the ground so that they go better. Before planting crocus tubers in the ground, place fine gravel or sand - they will serve as natural drainage. crocuses acidic soils do not like it, be sure to add organic additives to the soil (compost, manure or tor with lime) so that the plant receives as many nutrients as possible. If you plant a tuber in clay soil, take care to add ash there.

To enjoy the flowering of crocuses in spring, tubers are best planted in late September - early October. In loose soil, a crocus bulb must be placed at a depth twice the size of the tuber itself. In heavy soil, it is enough to plant the bulb at a depth equivalent to its size.

When planting a crocus, be sure to keep a distance of 7-10 cm between the bulbs. If you do not intend to dig up the bulbs after flowering, but want to leave them in their original place, then in no case plant the bulbs closely with each other: for 3-4 years around it a whole colony of children can grow. After planting in the ground, be sure to water the area. Crocus tubers need to be repotted every 5 years.

Care of crocuses in the open field

• Crocuses are completely unpretentious flowers, they do not require any special care measures. Crocus tubers need to be repotted every 5 years in order to thin out.
• Crocus tubers are dug up in the summer after the leaves of the flower turn yellow. After you have dug up the tubers, they must be dried and stored somewhere in the shade.

• Before planting in the ground, due to the large presence of diseases and pests, it is strongly recommended to keep the bulbs in a solution of potassium permanganate. This will kill the fungus and prevent the spread of the disease.
• If you want to have good, large nests of tubers, it is recommended to plant them every year. Such measures will allow the children to get more space and grow.
• Crocuses are fairly drought tolerant. They should be watered in cases where winter and spring were without heavy rainfall. The height of the crocus directly depends on the moisture received.
• Do not forget that the soil must be loosened and all weeds removed so that they do not crowd the plant. During growth, crocuses need top dressing. Avoid nitrogen fertilizers, because they can provoke the appearance of a fungal disease in wet weather. So, in one calendar year, the flower must be fertilized twice: in early spring and during flowering.

Blooming crocuses in autumn

At a time when yellow leaves fall and many flowers fade, crocuses delight us with their delicate inflorescence. There are many varieties of this flower, giving the beauty of their flowering in the fall. They bloom at the beginning of leaf fall, creating a contrast between autumn and spring. Their flowering lasts from one to two weeks, but they bloom much more abundantly in autumn.

In order for crocuses to look most brightly and effectively on your garden plot, experienced gardeners It is advised to plant them in the following places:

• Under bushes and trees - they will create the effect of a snowdrop.
• In the borders, in the foreground.
• Scatter in small groups throughout the garden.
• At artificial reservoirs and fountains.
• On the alpine hills.

Unlike spring crocuses, autumn crocuses do not require as much light, and can grow in partial shade and even shade. They are not lovers of drafts and winds, so choose protected areas for their landing. It is best to provide them with “neighbors” protection from the wind. Crocuses do not like moisture, so keep in mind that if your soil is wet, use drainage when planting. Coarse sand, pebbles and even foam are perfect for natural drainage.

It is better not to water crocuses in autumn. They do not like moisture too much and therefore, if you want to enjoy the beauty of this flowering as long as possible amazing flower, do not allow excessive soil moisture.

Crocuses are perennial nodule plants. They are also called saffron. They are distinguished by very delicate and sophisticated flowering. This is a small flower, the height of which reaches 10 cm. Crocuses are various shades- white, lilac, yellow, pink. There are also variegated varieties, for example, lilac with white patches. The inflorescence itself has a bell-shaped funnel shape. From one tuber grows from one to three flowers.

Crocuses are considered early flowers, but there are varieties that begin to bloom in autumn. Varieties that are autumn-flowering need special care. Many flower growers are interested in the question of how to plant crocuses in the fall? When are crocuses planted?

What varieties are suitable for autumn planting?

In addition to the question of when to plant crocuses, another important issue is the choice of variety. Not every species is suitable for autumn planting. It is best to buy bulbs from trusted flower growers and flower shops, rather than in the market.

• Spring. Inflorescence lilac, sometimes reverse side petals have purple veins;
• Two-flowered. The shade of the inflorescences is from white to bluish with a purple tint, sometimes there are purple streaks on the petals;
• Crimean. Inflorescence white with lilac shade, "throat" bright yellow;
• Crocus Adama. The shade of the petals can be from light lavender to intense purple;
• Golden. The shade of the petals is golden yellow, most often found on the rocky slopes of Asia Minor and the Balkans;
• Yellow. The flowers are bright orange, the leaves are very thin, dark green. This variety has one distinctive feature from other species - the corm is wrapped in a membranous sheath that protrudes from the ground, giving the flower the appearance of a small bouquet.

Landing in open ground

Planting crocuses in the fall begins with the choice of location and soil. Before planting a plant, the ground must be prepared. To begin with, it is fertilized with compost and manure, and then carefully loosened.

Crocuses do not tolerate excess moisture and stagnant water, therefore, if they are planted on loamy soil in the fall, then you need to add sand in it.

The most suitable soil for planting crocuses in the fall in the ground is sandy loamy loose soil. In addition, the soil must be well-drained, because stagnant water can lead to rotting of the rhizome. 10-15 days before planting crocuses, it is recommended to dig up the ground. The introduction of mineral and organic fertilizers at autumn planting not required.

If you plant flowers on a site in partial shade, then the inflorescences will be very small, so it is better to choose well-lit areas.

Planting crocuses in the fall should be carried out without flowers. If flowering specimens were planted, then they will be able to gain strength only a year after planting.

Another important issue to study is when to plant crocuses. So that they bloom in spring, they need to be planted in October-November.

How to plant crocuses:

• First you need to prepare the soil.
• Then the bulb is lowered to a depth of 10 cm into the soil.
• The distance between each bulb should be at least 4 cm.
• After that, they need to be sprinkled with earth.
• If the selected variety is not resistant to frost, then the soil must be mulched.
• If you plant the bulbs at different depths, then, in this way, you can extend the flowering period.
• After the bulbs have been planted, they must be watered and covered with spruce or pine litter.

There is another way to grow crocus - this is planting seeds. Seeds in this case are called daughter corms. They are formed from the buds of the mother plant, which sit in the sinus of the scales. After the mother plant dies, the daughter plants form a "nest" and begin to grow on their own.

You can plant saffron in this way once every three years to separate the young bulbs from the rotten mother bulb. If there are more than ten of them, then they begin to interfere with each other's growth, and the flowers become smaller. In this case, landing is carried out extremely carefully. It is important not to damage the tender bulbs.

Crocus transplants can be done once every five years, but it's best to repot them every year after flowering to get rid of diseased and rotten bulbs.

forcing crocuses

Thanks to distillation, it is possible to ensure that saffron begins to bloom very early. To do this, you need to choose only the healthiest bulbs. Around mid-September, they are planted in containers. The soil where they will be planted should be slightly moist. Then the containers must be covered with a film, making several holes in it for air to enter.

Containers with saffron should be placed cool and dark room. In January, the first shoots begin to appear. After they have appeared, the container must be placed in a room where the air temperature will be about +15 degrees. The container must be covered with newspapers or a paper bag and do not forget to water the sprouts. The container is brought into a warm room only after the first buds appear. In spring, such crocuses can be planted in open ground.

Saffron in the country does not need careful care. It includes:

• Watering;
• Application of fertilizers;
• Protection from pests and diseases;
• Soil loosening.

1. 1. Watering.

Crocuses in the country do not need regular watering, and do not tolerate when moisture stagnates in the soil. If an excess of moisture appears in autumn or spring, then it needs to be loosened. Abundant watering is necessary only during the flowering period - in spring and autumn. In the event that little snow fell in winter, and there was little rain in autumn, then saffron needs additional watering.

If in the latitude where saffron is grown, winters are snowless, then with the appearance of the first sprouts, it must be watered. In this case, weed the soil immediately before watering. During watering, it is recommended to ensure that water does not fall on the leaves, otherwise they will begin to turn yellow. The lack of moisture saffron is also able to endure, but, in this case, the stems and inflorescences will be smaller. In the summer it can not be watered. Or do it only in hot weather.

1. 2. Fertilization.

The application of mineral and organic fertilizers is the main thing in caring for a flower. Saffron nutrition has a number of distinctive features. First, the introduction of fresh organic fertilizers is not allowed. This can lead to various diseases.

It is best to give preference to peat, completely decomposed manure or a variety of mineral supplements.

With the onset of spring, when the active growth of the flower begins, it is necessary to scatter fertilizers over the snow. When the growing season begins, you can start to make urea. A large amount of nitrogen in the soil will provoke active leaf growth, which can cause the appearance of fungal diseases in wet weather. Therefore, it is necessary to make urea in a limited amount. After half a month, you need to apply fertilizers that are rich in phosphorus and potassium, which will help cause abundant flowering, and also provoke the formation of healthy and strong bulbs.

1. 3. Pest and disease control.

Sometimes you can see that there are small holes in the bulbs. They appear due to the larvae of the click beetle. The larva is covered with a hard yellow shell.

To get rid of the click beetle at the end of April, you can scatter last year's rotted grass, hay or straw around the site. Moisten it and cover with boards. After the bugs gather there, the trap must be collected and burned. Slugs can also be found on plants. They need to be collected by hand.

If in a flower bed where saffron grows, there is a specimen that has a flattened flower with gray spots, then this is the first sign of a viral disease, the carriers of which are mice, aphids and thrips. The only treatment in this case is the immediate destruction of diseased flowers before the disease spreads further.

Saffron is one of the most beautiful plants for planting in the garden. Very often, he is treated exclusively as spring flower, but it can please with its flowering and in autumn period time. He gained his popularity thanks to the graceful flowers. They can be of a wide variety of colors: white, bright yellow, blue, various shades of purple. The plant has a fairly simple way of planting. Periodic transplantation is necessary, since many daughter bulbs can be located on one mother bulb. A large number of them prevents the growth of the flower, and the inflorescence becomes much smaller.