How to grow crocuses at home, planting and care in a pot

Crocus or saffron is a perennial bulbous plant whose flowers resemble small tulips. There are many varieties of crocuses, differing in color and when they bloom. Some bloom in early spring, others in winter, so this plant can decorate the house even for the New Year holidays. But planting crocuses at home and further care for them differ in their specificity. In addition, it is important to choose the right variety.

The best varieties of crocuses for the home

It is best to choose Dutch varieties for planting at home. Among them, pay attention to the following:

1. Prince Claus is a white flower with purple “strokes”, its peculiarity is a strong and pleasant aroma. Flowering time is March-early April; under good conditions it can bloom even in February.
2. Blue Pearl - fully lives up to its name, which means “blue pearl”. The flowers are azure in color, yellow at the base, grow up to 8 centimeters. Blooms in early April.
3. Joan of Arc - the petals of this variety are large, white in color, which turns into lilac at the bottom. Blooms by mid-April.
4. Flower Record - the stem of this variety is small, but the flowers are large in size, the color is deep purple, becoming darker towards the bottom. Flowering time is the end of April.
5. Cream Beauty - large golden flowers, stamens - yellowish-orange. Blooms from early May.

You don't have to limit yourself to one variety. A combination of several will look more beautiful, then you will be pleased with a whole kaleidoscope of crocuses on the windowsill.

What conditions does the plant need?

Crocuses cannot be called whimsical plants, the main thing is that the following conditions are met:

1. Low temperature - up to 20 degrees, in winter even up to 10.
2. Sufficient lighting.
3. You need to water a little, but regularly.
4. Soil drainage.

After forcing, the plants should be left until the leaves are completely dry, but watering cannot be stopped. The bulbs are then left for storage.

Soil composition and pot volume and drainage

To choose the right pot, first determine how many bulbs you want to plant. Usually this is 5-10 pieces.The main thing is not to allow the bulbs to touch each other or the walls, so choose a low and wide pot. You can buy pots at a flower shop designed for forcing bulbs.

The soil requirements for crocuses are neutrality, lightness and drainage. You can take a flower substrate or prepare a mixture yourself from the following components, taken in equal parts:

• coarse sand;
• turf mixture;
• leaf mixture.

Another option is a thick layer of sand at the bottom, then soil, but this is only used if you later plan to use the crocus for propagation. Gravel, pieces of bricks, and tiles are sometimes also used for drainage. The pot itself must be placed on a tray where the water will flow out.

Choosing a place

On the one hand, these plants love light, so the south side of the house is best suited for them. But the temperature regime is also important. The ideal place is on the balcony. There, during the spring months, the necessary coolness is maintained, and by the time of flowering, in March-April, the air warms up to 16-20 degrees.

Lighting

Lighting depends on what stage of growth the plant is at. If you have just planted crocuses, then you need to keep them in a dark place until the sprout grows to 5 centimeters and becomes strong. Then you need to move the plants to a well-lit place where they will be exposed to sunlight for at least 4 hours a day. Move them into the shade again during flowering to keep the flowers open longer.

Temperature

Crocuses that are about to bloom or have already bloomed should be kept in the coolest place in the house.The ideal temperature is +14-16 degrees. At +20 and above, plants bloom for a very short time, and after a few hours they can shed their petals. At night, even frosts down to -3 are acceptable.

Humidity

Crocuses are drought-resistant, so they do not require abundant watering. But drainage is very important, otherwise the bulbs will rot. Under no circumstances should water stagnate in the ground. It is permissible to spray plants, but also infrequently and little by little.

State of rest

The crocus goes into a dormant state after all the leaves dry out. This period falls in the summer months. It is important to store the bulbs correctly; to do this, place them in a cool, dark and dry place. Watering is not required at this time to prevent the bulbs from rotting.

Features of planting bulbous crops

In order for the crocus to bloom, you need to know how to plant it correctly. Planting takes place in several stages, the first of which is the selection of bulbs.

Selection of planting material

When choosing bulbs, both their condition and size are important. The health of plants and the splendor of their flowering depend on them. Consider each one carefully:

1. Refrain from purchasing planting material if rot, spots, or any damage is visible.
2. If after purchasing you still notice that there are defects, carefully cut out this part of the onion, and disinfect the damaged areas with ash or charcoal.
3. The bulbs need to be thoroughly dried before planting (crocuses from the store have usually already been subjected to this treatment).
4. Prepared crocuses should be cleared of scales, soil and root debris.
5. The number of flowers a bulb will produce and the time it blooms directly depend on its size. Small bulbs often produce only one flower, which quickly falls off.

Botanicals will not work crocus varieties, that is, taken from flower beds - their buds are small and quickly fade.

Cooling

After purchasing, the bulbs are cooled. The temperature decrease occurs in two stages:

1. For 7-10 days the temperature should be about +20 degrees, then – 17.
2. Another 20-30 days should be kept wrapped in thick paper in the refrigerator or frost-free cellar. Temperature – from +3 to +9.

After this, the plants are ready to be planted in a pot.

Rooting

After cooling, it is necessary to prepare the soil mixture, and the prepared bulbs can be planted. They are placed at a distance of 10 centimeters from each other and from the walls of the pot. You can bury it completely, to a depth of 5-10 centimeters, or leave a “tail” on top. After this, the pot is placed in a dark and cool place and kept there for 2 months, during which the crocuses will sprout.

Planting is also allowed in which the bulbs are simply laid out on the ground, especially if you decide to plant a lot of saffron at once. Crocuses also take root successfully, but the stems are not as straight.

Crocus care

After the planted plants have sprouted, they can be taken out into the light. Proper care of flowers will make them strong and prevent them from quickly withering. But if you are not careful, the flowers fall off very quickly.

Watering and fertilizing

Once you have planted saffron, it does not need fertilizer yet. Later, as a good feeding, choose phosphorus and potassium compounds. Thanks to them, the sprouts will be strong and the buds will form faster.

They must be entered as follows:

1. The first time is when the first shoots appear. Take phosphorus and potassium in a ratio of 1 to 2.
2. The second time is when the buds are forming, the third time is after the petals fall.Each time in a 1 to 1 ratio.

Crocuses are harmed by frequent and abundant watering, which causes the bulbs to begin to rot. It’s best to do it 2-3 times a week, if you see that the soil above has become a bit dry. During the flowering period, pour water not into the pot itself, but into the pan underneath it - this way you will definitely protect the plant from excessive moisture. After half an hour, remove the remaining moisture.

Stimulation of flowering

Crocuses are a plant whose flowering is easy to stimulate, for example, if you decide to please yourself and your loved ones for a holiday. It is enough to calculate how much time it will take for the period when the saffron is in the cold and takes root. This will take about 3 months.

If you want to decorate your home for the New Year, purchase the bulbs towards the end of August or even in September. Then start cooling them right away. Plants respond to cold because for them it means winter is coming. If the desired date is March 8, refrigerate it longer.

How to care after flowering ends

After the crocuses have completely bloomed, you need to wait until the leaves dry completely and fall off. Even if they seem dry, do not pick them yourself. Remove each bulb from the ground, clean it, and then store it in a cool, dark place until the next flowering period. Before doing this, wrap it in thick clean paper. You can also plant them in open ground.

Diseases, their treatment

If crocuses are kept warm and damp, they are affected by penicillium, sclerotial, gray rot, and fusarium. Gray spots on flattened, unopened flowers indicate a viral infection. The plant cannot be cured; it will have to be destroyed and the soil treated with potassium permanganate.

The bulbs may be damaged by fungi; to prevent this, dry the bulbs before planting and check for damage. It is important to never plant new plants next to old ones to prevent the spread of disease.

Features of forcing

When forcing, adhere to the following rules:

1. Do not plant different varieties in the same container, as they have different stem heights and forcing times.
2. Plant identical bulbs next to each other. Small ones bloom later.
3. At night, put the plant in a cold place (up to +3). Then it will bloom longer.

Flowering time, if all these requirements are met, is up to 3 weeks.

Possible problems during cultivation

One of the common mistakes gardeners make is choosing the wrong plant variety. For forcing, it is preferable to choose spring varieties. Start working with them in September.

It will be difficult to achieve beautiful flowering from natural varieties, even if you carefully care for them. Excessive watering also greatly harms crocuses, which can cause the leaves to turn yellow. In general, crocuses are well suited for growing at home if all conditions are met.