Crocus planting and care in the open field

Crocuses are planted in pots, open ground and for forcing. They are distinguished by a wide palette of colors, there are lilac, yellow, lilac, etc. They decorate the garden with flowering for two or more weeks. But not everyone knows how to care for flowers, so more on that below.

General information about culture

Saffron, or crocus, is a representative of the Iris family. Refers to the genus of perennial corms. Reaches up to 15 cm in height.

The size of the bulb can be up to 3 cm in diameter. One, rarely 2-3, flowers grow from it. By color, they are divided into two groups:

yellow-flowered - from yellow to orange;
blue-flowered - from light lilac to dark purple.

Outdoor crocus care activities

Saffron leaves are linear and basal, covered with scales below. Present during and after flowering.

The seeds of the plant are angular and small in size, the fruit is a three-celled capsule.

Origin story

In the East, crocuses began to be grown before our era. They were mentioned in the writings of Hippocrates, Solomon and Homer. Introduced to Europe during the Crusades. First they began to cultivate in the countries of the western Mediterranean.

For your information! The first decorative species appeared in European botanical gardens in the 16th century. Spring, narrow-leaved and yellow crocuses marked the beginning of a large number of varieties.

Dutch hybrids have taken the lead in terms of commercial success. The formation lasted for several centuries. The countdown for modern commercial varieties is from the beginning of the twentieth century.

Benefit

Saffron is used in cosmetology. It is found in balms, creams and gels. You can make your own care products at home. The plant nourishes, rejuvenates and improves skin structure.

Medicinal properties of crocus:

calms the nervous system;
helps to get rid of headaches;
the best remedy for worms;
improves brain activity;
prevents cancer cells from spreading;
is a strong antioxidant;
improves liver function;
effective in ICD;
has a positive effect on male sexual function.

Note! Dried stigmas of sown saffron were used as a spice in BC to this day. To add a special taste, color and aroma, it is added to pilaf, fish and meat dishes.

Features of caring for crocuses in the garden

Nasturtium planting and care in the open field

It is not difficult to take care of the plant, it is unpretentious, but you need to follow the rules of agricultural technology.

Soil selection

Crocuses prefer areas with light and well-drained soil. Sandy loam is suitable, since it perfectly absorbs moisture during the period of snow melting. Do not grow in acidic soil.

Crocus species growing outdoors

If the soil does not allow water to pass through well, drainage is necessary. During digging, fine expanded clay or coarse sand is introduced.

Watering and humidity

Crocuses need moisture if the winter was without snow and there was no rain in the spring. Water the soil as it dries up after the sprouts appear. Before each event, loosening is carried out so that the water soaks it well. The liquid should be poured without touching the leaves.

Stagnant water will harm the bulbs. The amount of moisture received affects the height of the plants.

Important! Spraying is not necessary.

Top dressing

Crocuses need mineral fertilizers, especially phosphorus and potassium. On the other hand, nitrogenous ones are harmful. An excess of them in wet weather can cause fungal diseases.

In early spring, complex mineral fertilizers are added at the rate of 30 g per 1 m². The next one is produced during the flowering period with a fertilizer with a lower nitrogen content. If you add nutrients in the fall when planting in the holes, you do not need to feed after winter.

Planting and caring for crocuses does not take much time. The main thing is to prevent stagnation of water and fertilize on time.

Crocus species

Bone sap planting and care in the open field

Most of the spring varieties bloom in April.

Description of crocus species:

spring. Flowers in the form of a funnel-shaped bell are short, white or lilac. Duration of flowering - three weeks in mid-April - early May;
Thomasini. When opened, it looks like a star. The color of the petals is lilac or pink, but a white rim may be present. The beginning of the flowering period is April, the duration is up to 20 days;
two-flowered. Differs in forms depending on the variety. Flowers can be purple, milky, orange, blue, and some have spots on the petals. Flowering lasts three weeks;
sowing. The corm has a spherical shape with a diameter of 2.5 cm. Large flowers are white, pale purple and yellow. Blooms up to 20 days in late August - mid September.

Many autumn species bloom in September.

Description of popular types:

Banat. Lilac or lavender funnel-shaped flowers with yellow anthers. Flowering begins in September, lasts more than a month;
pretty. Light purple flowers are arranged in 5-10 pieces. on a plant, they reach a height of 10 cm, their diameter is 6-8 cm. Flowering occurs in September-October;
Sharoyan. Flowers are yellow, goblet. The peak of flowering is September-October.

Features of autumn and spring planting

When crocuses are planted in open ground - in summer or autumn, it depends on the variety. If they bloom in spring, corms are buried in the ground in September.

Irises - planting and care in the open field

If the variety does not tolerate moisture, make high beds. Pre-planting material is sorted out and unusable specimens are removed. The gap between the seedlings should be 7-10 cm. If it is not kept, a large number of children will appear in 3-5 years without transplanting, and the area will be completely filled.

When to plant autumn blooming crocuses? It is best to do this before the middle of the summer season.

Important! Plants with recruited or opened buds will take root hard, their planting is irrelevant.

If, after placing in the soil, the bud wilted, remove the flowering stem and wilted leaves. The bush will start up new ones next year, but will bloom only after two.

Planting crocus seeds

With this method, flowering can be observed several years after sowing. It will be possible to collect seeds only from spring varieties, since autumn ones do not have time to ripen.

Seed preparation

The planting material is being prepared. There are three processing methods:

soak for half an hour in a growth stimulator;
disinfect in a weakly concentrated solution of potassium permanganate;
stratify. It is necessary for spring planting; in winter, seedlings go through this process in the garden in a natural way. The seeds are placed in a container with sand and refrigerated for three weeks.

Soil preparation

For autumn sowing, the site is prepared in September. They dig up the soil, add peat, which will make it moisture-consuming and breathable, which is what is needed for the germination of seedlings. So that it becomes porous and lumps do not form, sand is added.

Landing in open ground

When it is best to plant crocuses in the garden, it is in the middle of September. Primroses and their seeds are highly winter-hardy.Sowing is carried out in prepared soil to a depth of 1 cm, maintaining a gap between seedlings of 4-5 cm. They will bloom in the third year.

Digging the soil before planting crocuses

When to transplant crocuses

It is best to do this from September to November. Flowers grow in one place for 5-6 years. It is advisable to plant them every 3-4 years. Corms are dug out during the dormant period in the middle of the summer season after the leaves turn yellow. They are cleaned, diseased and damaged units are selected, then dried in the shade for a week. Children are separated, disinfected for 30 minutes. in a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate and leave until disembarking in a cool dry place.

Bulb planting

Before embedding in open ground for preventive purposes, future seedlings are treated with potassium permanganate, a growth stimulator or fungicides (vitaros, maxim, etc.). The solution is prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions.

What is the best way to plant crocuses? In special containers, then they will not creep over the site. A distance of 3-5 cm is maintained between the planting material.The bulbs are buried into the soil at three heights: small - 5-6 cm, large units - 10 cm.

Note! If the winter is cold, the place with the seedlings is covered with foliage or spruce branches.

Process features

How to plant crocuses on the site correctly is in a place lit by the sun. In the shade, flowers may be small or not appear at all.

Due to the lack of nutrients, peat and leaf humus (5 kg per 1 m²) are introduced into the sandy soil for digging. Peat, 0.5 kg of lime per 1 m² and rotted manure are added to clay soil.

Important! Additionally, 40 g of superphosphate is added per 1 m², but only a month after lime.

Sandy loam and loamy soil is enough to dig up to the depth of the shovel bayonet.

Planting by children

A faded bulb can give up to 10 babies. The nest is carefully divided and independent units are planted. They are buried in the ground to different depths: small - 4-5 cm, larger - 10-12 cm.If they grow in one place for several years, a gap of 6-10 cm should remain between the plants, if dug up annually - 3-5 cm.

Crocus corm with babies

For your information! If there is not enough space, the flowers will grow small, and the flowering will not be plentiful. Transplant will solve this problem.

Crocus problems

Plants infect fungal and viral diseases. In the first case, the pathogens:

rot;
rust;
mosaic;
chlorosis.

In the second case, the sources of infection are nematodes and rodents, which damage the integrity of plants.

Fungal diseases affect flowers, foliage and corms.

Root rot

Due to poor aeration, soil density or excess moisture, brown ulcers appear on the bulbs. Copper sulfate or Bordeaux liquid will help to cope with the problem.

Rust

When infected, orange spots are formed on the scales of the bulbs, and the pads of the same color are formed on the green leaves. There are several reasons for the occurrence:

excess nitrogen fertilizers in the ground;
a lot of moisture;
watering is incorrect.

For your information! The same remedies will help to destroy the disease as from rot.

Mosaic

Light yellow spots are formed on the deciduous cover, gray bloom on the flowers. As a result, they deform. There can be two reasons: violation of soil aeration and mechanical damage to corms. Copper sulfate and Bordeaux liquid are used to combat the disease.

Chlorosis

A change in leaf color to yellow usually provokes a lack of nutrients in the soil, poor drainage or inappropriate growing conditions can affect. Fungicides gamair or phytosporin will help get rid of the disease.

Proper planting and grooming of crocuses will help prevent the development of diseases.

Rodents and insects are fought with special preparations and manual methods.

Scoops

Insect caterpillars feed on plant roots: they damage the bulbs by making holes. You can find them in the autumn when weeding the site.

When the caterpillars are about to pupate, they are dug up and destroyed.

Mouse

Pests break through holes in the soil, gnaw at the roots and can drag the bulbs into their burrows. The damaged units rot, the plants grow poorly and look oppressed in spring.

To prevent rodents from appearing, you must:

do not leave curtains;
cover crocuses with branches during winter;
use ultrasonic scarers.

Important! To protect against rodents, the plants are planted in baskets. On damaged corms, buds will not tie.

Slugs

The shellfish are harvested from the plots regardless of the presence of saffron. You can fight them with special preparations or surround the bulbs with coarse sand.

Note! Proper planting and caring for crocuses does not guarantee protection from rodents and insects, you need to resort to preventive measures in advance.

Slugs are dangerous pests of crocuses in the open field

Difficulties in growing

When buying, you need to clarify what kind of planting material. If you plant early spring on the site, you may not see flowering, since saffron will fade in March.

Why crocuses did not bloom:

violation of the development cycle - the bulbs were dug up ahead of time;
prematurely removed the deciduous cover - the greens must dry completely;
non-observance of the regime during the storage of planting material. You need to start with a high temperature, gradually reducing to a low one at the last stage;
no flowering - the site has been reborn. Crocuses are planted if they have been grown for several years in one place.

Crocuses, planting and care in the open field for which will not be a big hassle, bloom very effectively. Knowledge of the rules of agricultural technology will help to avoid mistakes when growing. A flower bed with homemade flowers will decorate the site in spring or autumn.