Contents
Crocus bulbs: when to plant
Crocuses are planted in autumn, summer, spring and even mid-November. Let’s take a closer look at each type of planting – on a flower bed and in a flower pot for forcing flowers for the holiday.
When is it better to plant crocus bulbs in open ground
The best time to plant spring crocuses is mid-September. In the southern regions, you can plant a little later. There are also autumn crocus varieties that are planted in the middle of summer. Such plants bloom in September, October or November, the flowering period depends on the variety.
Crocus bulbs are small, the largest about 3 cm, they give 3 or 4 flowers
The planting site is chosen with light fertile soil, well lit. The garden bed is prepared in advance for planting. If the soil is heavy and clayey, it is mixed with river sand and peat, adding 10 kg of each component per 1 square meter.
The bulb is planted to a depth corresponding to its diameter multiplied by 3, it cannot be screwed in so as not to damage the small roots on the bottom.
Crocuses are planted at a short distance from each other, about three centimeters, so that the flowering meadow looks more decorative. After the plants wither in late spring, annuals can be sown in their place. When to dig up the crocus bulbs for propagation depends on your desire. This can be done in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th year of growing in summer, June or July. Spring crocuses are usually dug up at the beginning of summer, and autumn ones – in the middle.
Forcing crocuses in flower pots
It is interesting to present a lively bouquet of bulbous flowers planted in a pot. You can time the gift to coincide with any date, given that the distillation process takes 3,5 months. Wanting to grow flowers for the New Year, the bulbs are planted in mid-September, for Valentine’s Day – in early October, for March 8 – in mid-November.
The bulbs are stratified before planting. They are bought in the summer and stored until August 10 in a cool basement, and then placed in the refrigerator until planting.
At the right time, the bulbs are planted tightly in a drainage pot filled with sand or light nutrient soil. Moisten the soil until the flowers germinate from a spray bottle.
Spring planting of crocuses
To prevent crocus bulbs from disappearing from a gift bouquet in a pot, they can be transplanted into the garden in spring. The densely accreted bulbs are carefully divided and planted in the prepared soil to a depth of about 10 cm, at a distance of about 5 cm. You can make a row or a clearing of crocuses.
Green leaves and roots are not cut, only dry flowers are cut. The leaves need to be allowed to dry, and only then can they be trimmed.
Plants are planted where there is good drainage, moderate watering is needed after planting. If the winters are long and long, after the beginning of autumn frosts, the flowerbed with crocuses is covered with leaves, sawdust or peat.
Most crocus varieties bloom in the spring, so they are planted outdoors in the fall. Autumn varieties of flowers are planted in summer, and for distillation – for bouquets by March 8 in mid-November.