How to plant crocuses in autumn. Planting crocuses in autumn in open ground and caring for them - step by step instructions. Optimal place in the garden and suitable soil for planting bulbs

The appearance of the first crocus flowers in spring ( Latin name saffron) is always welcomed by gardeners with great enthusiasm and a considerable dose of optimism, as it invariably signals the arrival of spring and the opening of the summer season. Yellow, white, blue-violet positive flowers captivate with their tenderness, brightness, originality of a cupped shape. That is why they can be seen so often on alpine slides, rockeries, flower beds, in garden compositions. This plant is indispensable in containers, borders, and lawns. In addition, saffron is simply doomed to success due to its bitter spicy taste and strong smell, as well as the yellow coloring matter that is obtained from it. How to plant and care for unpretentious flower will be discussed in our article.

Popular varieties of crocuses

Crocus differs in terms of flowering by:

The most popular autumn varieties of crocuses are:

Important! The most famous and common are spring crocuses, so further we will talk about their planting and growing.

When to Plant Crocuses in Spring and Fall

Like almost all bulbs, crocuses are planted in the fall. As regards certain autumn terms landing in open ground, then this is approximately the second half of August - September, although landing can be delayed and until October. In general, it is best to plant the bulbs 2-4 weeks before the first frost, so that they definitely do not have time to germinate. This means that it is necessary to focus on climatic conditions your region of residence.

However, in recent times these beautiful ones began to appear on sale in the spring, so they often began to be given in flowerpots on March 8th.

So, after they fade, they can be quite successfully planted in the garden. In other words, crocuses can be planted in the spring, about in the beginning of April.

Tips for Choosing Quality Crocus Bulbs

To in early spring crocuses have decorated your garden, you should choose the highest quality plant bulbs, namely, before buying, you should carefully examine it:

it should not have any signs of disease: mechanical damage, rot, stains and sores;
the bulb should be healthy: dense and well-dressed, that is, covered with dry scales;
the bulb should not have regrown roots and stems;
it is better to choose the largest bulbs.

Planting crocuses in open ground

When planting crocuses in open ground, it is necessary to focus on choosing the most suitable place in the garden, the appropriate soil for planting the bulbs, as well as on the mandatory preparation and processing of the bulbs before planting.

Optimal place in the garden and suitable soil for planting bulbs

Despite the fact that crocuses are photophilous plants, they are often planted in flower beds and under the trees, because they can bloom already in late February-early March (some varieties later - in April-May), when there are no leaves on the trees yet, and accordingly, there will be no lack of sunlight either.

It is especially beautiful to plant saffron bulbs directly on, because, as a rule, it falls on April-May, and by that time the crocuses will already have faded, and their green mass will be gone.

In general, for saffron, it is better to choose the most sunny place in the garden, without drafts, that is, closed from strong winds.

As you know, bulbous plants do not tolerate stagnant water, because of this they begin to rot. Therefore, the optimal soil for planting crocuses should be well-drained and relatively light, that is, loam or sandy loam is ideal.

If you are a “happy” owner of heavy (clay) or insufficiently fertile land, then for successful cultivation saffron, it should be well fertilized before planting flowers.

When digging, sand or humus should be added to clay soil when digging (based on approximately 10-15 kg per 1 sq. M beds), peat (0.5 kg per 1 sq. M) and superphosphate (40 grams or 2 tablespoons per 1 sq.m).

If you have poor and sandy land, then add peat, humus or compost to it during digging (about 5-10 kg per 1 sq. M of beds).

Note! So that the roots of crocuses have somewhere to break through, any soil needs to be dug up 20-25 centimeters (on a shovel bayonet)

Preparation and processing of bulbs before planting

All bulbous plants must be treated before planting in the garden to prevent the formation of various rots and other diseases. There are several ways to dress crocus bulbs. The easiest way to process is a pink solution of potassium permanganate, you can also use special fungicides, such as "Maxim Dachnik" or "Fundazol", various growth stimulants, such as "Epin", "Kornevin" or "Heteroauxin" will also go.

Important! As a rule, the average bulb treatment time is about 20-30 minutes, the consumption rate of the drug is 2 ml per 1 liter of water, but be sure to read the attached instructions first.

Planting in autumn

Advice! Choose the best for disembarkation overcast morning or evening after sunset, a dry and sunny day is the most unfavorable time for planting almost any crop.

Step-by-step instructions for planting crocus bulbs in open ground in the fall:

Choose the best place in the garden.
Prepare the planting hole by digging and fertilizing the soil.
If the soil is very heavy, and there is a possibility of stagnant moisture, then pour a layer of sand on the bottom.
The bulb should be planted bottom down, top up, not on its side.
The planting depth of crocuses, like all bulbs, is 3 bulb heights, that is, it is about 5-7 centimeters.
Saffron is a family plant, so the bulbs must be planted at a minimum distance from each other, that is, about 3-6 centimeters. However, if you plan on digging them up, it's best to plant them thicker.
Cover with soil and water generously.
After planting, mulch the place with fallen leaves or spruce branches. This will be a kind of shelter for crocuses for the winter.

Video: two ways to plant crocuses in open ground in autumn

Landing in the spring

In order to transplant crocuses donated in spring from a pot into open ground, you need to do the following:

Cut off all flower stalks, leaves do not need to be removed.
Pull out of the pot along with the earth and divide.
Plant at the same distance and at the same depth as when planting in the fall.
Further, all manipulations are similar: cover with earth, water and mulch.

Video: planting crocuses in spring

Care for crocuses in the open field: growing rules

Crocuses do not require special care, so they can be called quite unpretentious flowers. However, in order for them to look more neat and bloom profusely, they still need some garden manipulations, namely:

if necessary, loosening and weeding from weeds (in early spring and after flowering);
moderate watering;
timely feeding.

In spring, crocuses practically do not need watering, but after they bloom, closer to summer, if the weather is dry, then at least once a week they should be slightly moistened (especially if the soil is too sandy), but not in no case do not overfill, so that the tubers do not rot. If autumn has settled dry, then it will be great to carry out a couple of moderate waterings.

More productive development of plants can contribute to the timely introduction mineral fertilizers.

Every year it is best to do 2 top dressings of crocuses:

In early spring, even in the snow, that is, before the start of the growing season, it is required to use nitrogen fertilizers, such as urea (urea) or ammonium nitrate, or better, complex nitrogen-phosphorus top dressing, such as nitrophoska.
Before or after flowering, it is reasonable to fertilize the plant with any complex potash-phosphorus fertilizer, for example, superphosphate (preferably double) or potassium monophosphate, it is also good to feed with ash (just sprinkle in a circle).

How to care for crocuses after flowering: digging and storing bulbs

In one place, saffron can be grown for about 4-5 years. To dig up or not to dig up crocus bulbs depends on how much the bushes have grown. If the plantings are too thick, then the flowers may become smaller, that is, in this case it makes sense to get the bulbs. As a rule, the time of digging comes when the leaves of the plant turn yellow and begin to dry out, that is, 2-4 weeks after flowering, approximately in May-June.

Next, they need to be sorted out, thrown out too sick and damaged, the rest cleaned from the ground and put to dry for a week. Then sort by size and store in cardboard box in a dry and well-ventilated room (at a temperature of + 15-20 degrees), to land again in late summer - early autumn.

Video: what to do with crocuses after flowering

If there is no need for reproduction, then after the crocuses fade and the leaves wither, they should be cut and mulched - covered for the winter (if this was not done when planting).

By the way! Crocuses can also be propagated using seeds. More details in the video below.

Video: how to propagate crocus seeds

Why crocuses do not bloom: reasons

Often gardeners complain that their crocuses do not bloom at all. There may be several reasons for this:

Perhaps you have planted early spring varieties, so you simply do not have time to see them bloom, because the country bus can start running quite late, for example, only from April, and they can have time to bloom as early as March.
On the contrary, you could plant autumn crocuses, whose flowering does not begin until September-October, but their leaves also appear in the spring and die off by the end of May-beginning of June.
Mice often like to feast on flower bulbs. About how to deal with rodents in the garden, told
There was an excessive division of the bulbs, which is why they simply could not bloom due to a banal lack of strength after the breeding process.
The planting was too deep, or the soil is too heavy or clayey, because of which the sprouts cannot break through to the light.

The decisive steps in planting crocuses in spring and autumn should be right choice locations in the garden, selection of suitable soil, and proper preparation and handling of bulbs before planting. In addition, in the culture of beginner flower growers, there should be rational care in the open field and care after flowering. And then captivating crocuses will only delight you!

In contact with

An early flower, which pleases the eye with the first ray of spring sun, is proudly called crocus. This flower is widely known as saffron. Crocuses are planted in autumn. The right amount of fertilizer must first be applied to the soil, since this flower prefers loose, fertile soil.

Crocuses: a brief description of the plant

This plant belongs to the Iris family. About 80 of its species and more than 300 varieties are known. Crocuses are divided into two large groups:

those that bloom in spring;
those that bloom in summer.

Their flowering period is very short - no more than 10 days.

The main features of the above flower:

resistance to unforeseen atmospheric phenomena;
tendency to rapid reproduction;
unpretentiousness in care.

In one place, these flowers can grow for 5 years.

Crocuses: planting in autumn. Landing dates

Planting these plants depends on their type. The timing of planting crocuses is as follows:

late spring or early summer (autumn flowering);
October-November (spring-flowering).

You just need to remember the main rule: this process is carried out only when the plants are in a period of absolute rest. Crocuses are planted before winter in the ground. Gardeners recommend buying crocus bulbs in August or September. At this time, the plant is at rest. If the autumn weather pleases with warmth, then the timing of planting crocus may move slightly until mid-November.

The above plants blooming in autumn, buy in June or early August.

Planting crocuses in the fall in the ground is characterized by the following features:

the leaves of the plant wither and turn yellow;
they die over time;
the bulb remains weak, but alive.

In the first spring after the above planting, crocuses may not bloom at all.

Locations and soil for flowers

This plant needs well prepared soil. It is fertilized with compost and manure, in addition, it is well loosened. It is not good for a flower to have an excessive amount of moisture and stagnant water. Therefore, if crocuses are planted in the fall, a little sand must be added to the soil, especially clayey.

The best soil for this plant is, of course, sandy light soil. The site must be well-drained, as stagnant water causes the plant to rot.

So that the flowers are not small, it is important for them to choose a place that is well lit. It is important that the plants do not shade the trees. Although this plant grows well in partial shade.

Soil fertilization also needs to be taken seriously. It is important to remember: for crocuses, nitrogen is a great danger. That's why the best option for him are fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium. After all, the first trace element is necessary for the formation of crocus buds and the extension of the flowering period. The second micronutrient is important

Planting crocuses in the fall in the ground

It is necessary to plant or transplant these plants without flowers. If, nevertheless, flowering specimens were planted, then they will gain strength only after about two years.

Planting crocuses before winter is carried out by the following method: the bulb is lowered to a depth of 10 cm. The distance between these plants must be observed and be at least 4 cm.

The thickness of the soil layer above the planting material is at least twice the diameter of the bulb. This is when the ground is loose. But in the case of heavy soil, this indicator is only a single diameter of the planting material.

To prolong the flowering time of this plant, gardeners use a little trick: they plant crocus bulbs in separate holes at different depths. This will allow you to enjoy the beauty of crocus flowers for at least a week longer.

After planting, the land where the plants are planted is watered a little and slightly covered with coniferous litter. This will keep moisture longer, as well as protect plants from severe frosts in the event of a snowless winter.

Reproduction of crocuses by seeds

These plants reproduce with their "children" - these are daughter corms. They are formed from the kidneys, which sit in the sinus of the scales. When the old corm dies, new children begin to grow on their own, forming a kind of "nest". It turns out a group of related bulbs. The above method is the most effective method on the reproduction of plants such as crocus flowers. Planting and care in this case are done very carefully so as not to damage the bulbous material.

The corm grows every year and becomes larger. As a result, many so-called children are formed. When it becomes crowded for them, and they are already beginning to interfere with each other, they must be seated.

If conditions permit, it is important to plant the children of one bulb of a particular species in groups. This one blooms about 4 years after planting.

The second method of reproduction of crocuses is carried out by seeds. But this method is only suitable for spring flowering plants. Crocuses, which bloom in autumn, bear fruit irregularly, because early severe frosts prevent them from setting seeds.

Sow this planting material in small pots or boxes. This will allow small seedlings not to get lost among large ones, and they will also be better protected from weeds. The pot must be covered with a black film and make sure that they do not dry out. If the leaves of the seedlings die off completely, they can be sprayed a little with Roundup. But care is important here so as not to make the soil too wet, as this can provoke rotting of seedlings. Seedlings bloom in about 5 years.

Crocus Care

Plants such as flowers do not require special complex observation of themselves; there are only a few rules:

once every few years they must be thinned out, because in favorable conditions each corm gives birth to up to 10 children annually and is getting larger;
the process of digging in spring-flowering plants is carried out in the summer after the yellowing of their leaves;
bulbs are dried and stored in the shade.

In addition, it should be noted that there are many diseases and pests in plants such as crocuses. Planting and care in the fall is carried out taking into account the following recommendations:

Before planting in open ground, it is advisable to hold the bulbs of the plant in a solution of potassium permanganate. This will prevent the development of fungal diseases in the planting material.
It is necessary to store crocus bulbs in the house, that is, away from rodents. These are the main enemies of the plant.

Also, to get good nests of corms, gardeners recommend planting them every year. This will give the kids more room to grow.

forcing crocuses

It is distillation that helps to achieve ultra-early flowering in crocuses. Only the healthiest bulbs are suitable for this purpose. Somewhere in September, gardeners recommend planting them in pots. The soil in the container should be slightly damp. The pots should be covered with a film, first make several holes in it for ventilation.

This container with planting material is placed in the basement or in any dark and cool place. In early January, the first shoots appear. After that, the pot is cleaned in a room with an air temperature of up to 15 degrees Celsius, where it is shaded with paper bags. It is also important not to forget to water the plant.

A week after this, gardeners are advised to remove the film from the pot. Bring them into warm room necessary when the first buds already appear. Flowering of crocuses depends on the temperature in the room: the lower it is, the longer they bloom.

Kicked out crocuses in the fall can be safely planted in open ground.

The best partners for crocuses

Gardeners note spectacular flowering and growth of these flowers close to the following plants:

mahonia;
boxwood;
yew;
galanthus;
helleborus;
primrose;
erythroniums;
erantis.

The use of crocuses

These plants are widely used for the following purposes:

to create beautiful landscape design site;
as a gift for the holidays (Valentine's Day, March 8);
as a seasoning in cooking;
as food coloring.

This plant is also widely used in alternative medicine. On the basis of crocus, special eye drops and general tonic tinctures are made, since saffron has antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties.

Planting crocuses in the fall in the ground provides an opportunity to enjoy the flowering of this plant in early spring. But so that these flowers do not disappoint you and grow really beautiful and spectacular, it is important to follow some simple recommendations for planting them.

Crocus (or saffron(, forms a genus of herbaceous corm plants of the Iridaceae family. In nature, crocus-saffron grows in the steppes, forests and meadows of the Mediterranean, Central, Southern and Northern Europe, Asia Minor and Central Asia and the Middle East. Scientists have described about 80 species and 300 varieties of crocuses For modern gardeners, the crocus is interesting because it is one of the earliest and very beautiful primroses.However, there are crocuses that bloom in autumn.

Crocus is a short plant, reaching a height of about 10 cm. Flattened or rounded bulbs of crocuses reach a diameter of 3 cm, they are dressed in scales and have a bunch of fibrous roots. The stem of crocuses does not develop. Appearing during or after flowering, narrow, linear, basal leaves are collected in a bundle and covered with scales. Single goblet crocus flowers with a diameter of 2 to 5 cm white, cream, blue, lilac, purple, yellow or orange color, blooming on a short leafless peduncle, surrounded by membranous scales. There are varieties of crocuses with a spotted or two-tone color. Mass flowering of crocuses lasts from two to three weeks.

Crocus planting in open ground

When to plant crocuses

Spring crocuses are planted in the ground in autumn, and autumn-blooming in summer, the site is chosen sunny, although crocuses grow well in partial shade and even in the shade. The soil for growing crocuses is preferably light, dry, loose and nutritious. When preparing a site for crocuses, it is advisable to place fine gravel or coarse gravel in the soil for drainage. river sand. As an organic additive, compost, rotted manure or peat with lime are added to the soil for digging, since acidic soils don't like crocuses. Ash is added to clay soil. For those species that do not tolerate wet soils, arrange high beds with crushed stone or gravel as a drainage layer. Planting material must be free of flaws and damage.

Planting crocuses in autumn

To see the flowering of crocuses in spring, their bulbs are planted in open ground in September. Planting crocuses in loose soil involves planting the bulb to a depth twice its size. If the soil is heavy, then a depth of one size will suffice. The average distance between the bulbs is from 7 to 10 cm. After planting, the area is watered. Do not thicken the planting, because in one place crocuses grow from 3 to 5 years, and during this time one bulb is overgrown with a whole colony of children, and the area with crocuses turns into a continuous carpet of flowers. After a five-year period, crocuses need to be planted.

Planting crocuses for distillation

Many flower growers yearn in winter without their favorite garden flowers, so even in winter time grow them in their apartment. The easiest way to grow a bouquet is from bulbs, including crocuses. For distillation, large-flowered Dutch varieties are most suitable. Bulbs of crocuses of approximately the same size are planted from five to ten pieces in shallow wide pots in order to get a whole bunch of primroses by the appointed time. The soil for crocuses planted in forcing should be neutral, loose, air and water permeable. The procedure and conditions for forcing crocuses are described in THIS article.

Crocus bulbs are not thrown away after flowering, they continue to be watered and even fed with a weak solution of complex mineral fertilizers for indoor plants. When the leaves begin to turn yellow, watering is gradually reduced until it stops completely. After the leaves have completely dried, the bulbs are removed from the pot, cleaned of soil, wrapped in a napkin, put in a cardboard box and stored in a dark, dry place until planted in open ground in the fall.

Crocus care in the open field

How to care for crocuses in the garden

Crocus care is easy. They need to be watered only if the winter was snowless and the spring without rain. The height of crocuses depends on the amount of moisture received, but in general they are quite drought-resistant. The soil on the site must be loosened and freed from weeds. During active growth crocuses need top dressing, and the use of fresh organic matter is unacceptable. But crocuses love mineral fertilizers, but to a greater extent they need phosphorus and potassium, but an excess nitrogen fertilizers in wet weather can provoke fungal diseases. The first time complex mineral fertilizers at the rate of 30-40 g per m² are applied in early spring over the snow, the second top dressing, with a reduced dose of nitrogen, is carried out during flowering.

After the foliage on spring-blooming crocuses turns yellow, you can forget about them until autumn, unless, of course, the time has come to dig their bulbs out of the ground. Autumn-flowering varieties will remind you of themselves when their flowers open in September.

Crocus transplant

It is not necessary to dig up crocus bulbs for the winter every year, but once every three to four years in the middle of summer, when crocuses have a dormant period, this is necessary, because for such long term the mother corm greatly increases due to the many daughter bulbs, which annually, depending on the type and variety, grow from one to ten. The bulbs begin to interfere with each other, and this makes the crocus flowers smaller.

When to dig up crocuses

Bulbs are planted once every three to five years, but if you need planting material, you can dig, divide and transplant crocus bulbs more often. Bulbs of autumn-flowering crocuses, again depending on the type and variety, are dug from June to August, spring-flowering bulbs - from July to September. The bulbs removed from the ground are dried, defective scales, dead roots are removed from them, diseased bulbs are rejected, and mechanical damage is treated with crushed coal or ash. Before landing in the ground, they are stored in a cool and dry place.

The annual cycle of the spring-flowering crocus begins with the regrowth of leaves in late winter or early spring. Their dormant period comes closer to mid-June. In autumn, crocuses become active again, begin to grow roots and accumulate food. At the same time, the process of formation of the renewal bud is completed. That is why it is very important to keep the leaves of crocuses intact during the dormant period. Digging up spring-flowering plants, as well as their planting, is carried out during the dormant period, that is, from mid-June to the end of summer.

The cycle of autumn-flowering crocus usually begins in August with flowering, during which the growth of leaves and the formation of a replacement corm occurs. And they have a dormant period a month earlier than spring-flowering ones. Therefore, it is necessary to dig up bulbs of crocuses blooming in autumn, if such a need has arisen, from the beginning of June to mid-August.

Crocus care after flowering

When the flowers fade, the flower stalks can be cut, but the green crocus bushes will decorate your garden for a long time until the leaves turn yellow and fade. Once the leaves have dried naturally, the bulbs of the spring-flowering varieties can be dug up and dried to be planted again in September. However, as already mentioned, crocus bulbs do not need to be dug up every year. If you planted them no earlier than three years ago, and soil is still visible between the crocus bushes, just mulch the area with crocuses for the winter with a thick layer of peat or dry leaves.

Crocus breeding

The reproduction of crocuses by daughter bulbs, or babies, which are separated from the mother bulb during transplantation, we have just described. Planting crocuses in the ground after dividing the bulb is carried out according to the rules described in the relevant section. Depending on the variety or species, the separated and planted baby will bloom in the third or fourth year. Spring crocuses also reproduce by seeds, but crocuses from seeds bloom only in the fourth or fifth year, therefore seed propagation not as popular as vegetative. Seeds of autumn-flowering crocuses in our conditions do not have time to ripen.

Crocus bulb storage

After being removed from the soil, crocus bulbs are dried in the shade, cleaned of soil, dead roots and scales, laid out in one layer in a box or box. The smallest bulbs can be laid out in candy boxes. Until August, the storage temperature must be at least 22 ºC, because more low temperature interfere with the bookmark flower buds. In August, the temperature is lowered to 20 ºC, and a week later to 15 ºC. But this ideal conditions storage, which are created only in specialized farms. At home, before planting, crocus bulbs are sent for storage in a dark, dry place with room temperature and good ventilation.

Crocus diseases and pests

Subject to the rules of agricultural technology, crocuses are almost not affected by either diseases or pests from the insect world. The worst enemy of crocuses is rodents, field mice, which eat flower bulbs with pleasure, so do not leave planting material laid out to dry unattended. It is very convenient to keep them in egg cartons, arranged in cells.

Sometimes in the bulbs of crocuses, holes made by the wireworm, the larva of the click beetle, are found. It is yellow in color and hard to the touch. If there are a lot of pests on crocuses, at the end of April or beginning of May, lay out bunches of last year's unripe grass, hay or straw over the site, moisten them and cover them with boards - wireworms will gladly move into these traps, after which the traps with larvae are burned at the stake. If necessary, this unpleasant procedure must be repeated. Sometimes crocuses are harmed by slugs, which have to be collected by hand.

The problem can be self-seeding of crocuses and their germination in the most unexpected places, as a result of which the culture degenerates into a weed.

Sometimes you can find in a flower bed with crocuses a specimen with flattened flowers in spots of gray on the petals that do not fully open. This is a sign of a viral disease, which can be carried by mice, thrips and aphids. Sick plants should be immediately dug up and destroyed before the disease spreads to other plants. The soil where the flowers affected by the virus grew is disinfected with a strong hot solution of potassium permanganate.

With improper or insufficient care, crocus in the garden can hit fungal diseases gray, penicillinous or sclerocial rot, as well as fusarium. Warm and damp weather increases the risk of disease. To avoid this problem, carefully inspect the planting material upon purchase, try not to damage the bulbs when digging, and if you still accidentally scratch or cut the bulb, sprinkle the wound with ash and dry it when room temperature. Before planting, dress the planting material in a fungicide solution.

Crocus species and varieties

All varieties of crocuses are classified into 15 groups. The first group includes autumn-flowering crocuses, and the remaining 14 groups represent spring-flowering species and varieties of crocuses. The spring crocus species was the basis for many varieties and hybrids, most of which belong to the authorship of Dutch breeders. The most popular commercial varieties are classified as Dutch hybrids. Another group of commercial varieties popular in culture is Chrysanthus, which was formed by hybrids between golden crocuses, two-flowered and its hybrids. We offer you a brief introduction to these groups and their best varieties.

spring blooming crocuses

CROCUS SPRING(Crocus vernus) grows up to 17 cm high. The corm is flattened, covered with mesh scales, the leaves are narrow, linear, dark green with a longitudinal silvery-white stripe. Purple or white flowers with a long bell-funnel-shaped tube in the amount of one or two develop from one corm and bloom in the spring for about three weeks.

CROCUS BI-FLOWER(Crocus biflorus) occurs naturally from Italy to Iran, as well as in the Caucasus and Crimea. It has a variety of natural forms: with flowers white color, lilac-blue with brown spots on the outer part of the petals, white with purple-brown stripes, white on the inside and purple-brown on the outside. The flowers are white or yellow.

CROCUS GOLDEN(Crocus chrysanthus) grows on the rocky slopes of the Balkans and Asia Minor. It reaches a height of 20 cm, its corm is spherical, but flattened, the leaves are very narrow, the flowers are golden-yellow in color with perianths that fold back, shiny from the outside. Some forms have brown stripes or tan marks on the outer side of the petals. Anthers orange, columns reddish. Blooms in April for three weeks. In culture since 1841. In floriculture, the following varieties are common:
❀ Blue Bonnet- flowers up to 3 cm long with pale blue perianth and yellow throat.
❀ Nanette- a variety with large yellow-cream flowers with purple stripes on the outside.
❀ I. G. Bowels- crocus with very large bright yellow flowers on the inside and gray-brown on the outside.

CROCUS TOMASINI(Crocus tommasinianus) grows naturally in deciduous forests and on the hillsides of Hungary and the countries of the former Yugoslavia. It has pink-lilac tepals, sometimes with a white border around the edge. The open flowers are star-shaped with a white throat. The flower tube is white. Up to three flowers up to 6 cm high develop from one corm. This species blooms in April for three weeks. Crocus Tomasini, one of the most popular species, has been cultivated since 1847. The most famous varieties:
❀ Lylek Beauty- wide open, almost flat flowers up to 3 cm in diameter with yellow anthers and oval-elongated narrow lobes of lilac color on the outside and a lighter shade on the inside.
❀ Whitewell Purple- large, wide open, almost flat lilac-violet flowers up to 4 cm in diameter with narrow elongated lobes. White tube up to 3.5 cm long.

In addition to those described, such spring-flowering crocuses are known in culture: narrow-leaved, reticulated, Crimean, Korolkov, Imperate, Sieber, yellow, Heufel, Ankirian, Alataevsky, Adam, Corsican, Dalmatian, Etruscan, Fleischer, Mal and the smallest.

autumn blooming crocuses

CROCUS BEAUTIFUL(Crocus speciosus) grows on the edges of forests in the mountainous regions of the Crimea, the Balkans and Asia Minor. Its leaves reach a length of 30 cm, lilac-purple flowers with longitudinal purple veins up to 7 cm in diameter bloom in early autumn. In culture since 1800. known garden molds of this species with dark blue, white, light blue, lilac and light purple flowers. The best varieties:
❀ Albus- a white-flowered variation with a cream-colored tube.
❀ Artabir- flowers of heaven blue color with bracts covered with dark veins.
❀ Oksinan- Violet-blue flowers with a dark perianth and sharp leaves.

CROCUS PRETTY(Crocus pulchellus) - very beautiful plant with light purple flowers in a dark strip, the diameter of which is from 6 to 8 cm, and the height is from 7 to 10 cm. 5-10 flowers open on each plant in September or October. Crocus pretty is not afraid of light frosts.

CROCUS BANAT(Crocus banaticus) grows in the Carpathians, Romania and the Balkans. The name was given in honor historical area Banat located in Romania. It has linear silver-gray leaves up to 15 cm long. Graceful light lilac flowers with yellow anthers rise 12-14 cm above the ground surface. The outer tepals are up to 4.5 cm long, the inner ones are narrower and two times shorter. Cultivated since 1629.

Autumn-flowering crocuses are also grown in the culture: beautiful, Pallas, hill, Sharoyan, Gulimi, hololithous, Kardukhor, medium, Cartwright, Kochi, trellised, medium, yellow-white and late.

Dutch hybrids, or large-flowered crocuses are unpretentious and prolific spring-flowering plants, the flowers of which are on average twice as large as the flowers of the original species. The first varieties of Dutch hybrids appeared in 1897. Now there are already more than 50 of them, and they are divided into groups according to the color of the flowers. The first group includes varieties with pure white flowers or white with a spot of a different color at the base of each bract lobe. The second group combines varieties with purple, lilac and lilac color. The third represents varieties with a mesh or striped color of flowers with or without a spot at the base of the lobes. Hybrids bloom during May, flowering lasts from 10 to 17 days. We recommend you several varieties that grow well in our climate:

❀ Albion- white goblet flowers up to 4 cm in diameter with rounded lobes, with a tube up to 5 cm long in a rare purple stroke.
❀ vanguard- cup-shaped, open bluish-lilac flowers up to 4 cm in diameter with elongated oval lobes with small spots of a darker color at the base, with a bluish-lilac tube up to 4.5 cm long.
❀ Jubilee- goblet flowers of blue color with a barely noticeable purple-violet hue and with a clear light purple spot at the base of the lobes, as well as a narrow light border around the edge. The tube is light purple, up to 5.5 cm long.
❀ Sniper Banner- goblet flowers up to 4 cm in diameter with oval lobes of a mesh color - a light grayish-lilac hue on the outside and with a densely lilac mesh on the inside. The lobes of the inner circle are a lighter shade than the lobes of the outer. At the base of the lobes there is a small but very distinct dark purple spot. Tube up to 4 cm long dark lilac.
❀ Kathleen Parlow- cup-shaped white flowers up to 4 cm in diameter with a short lilac stroke at the base of the inner lobes and with a white tube up to 5 cm long.

CHRYSANTUS- spring-flowering hybrids, in the formation of which golden crocuses, natural forms of two-flowered crocus and their hybrids participated. The flowers of plants of this group are not as large as the flowers of the "Dutch", but among the chrysanthus there are many varieties with yellow and bluish flowers. The most famous varieties:
❀ Gypsy Girl- cup-shaped, wide-open flowers up to 3.5 cm in diameter, light yellow inside with a dark yellow throat, and yellowish cream outside. There is a small brown spot on the inside of the lobes. Cream-colored tube up to 3 cm long with dusty purple strokes.
❀ Marietta- wide open, almost flat flowers up to 3.5 cm in diameter with oval narrow dark cream lobes with a yellow throat, outside at the base of the lobes of the outer circle, covered with thick dark lilac stripes, a greenish-brown spot. Tube up to 3 cm long, light gray-green.
❀ Lady Killer- cup-shaped, almost flat flowers up to 3 cm in diameter with oval elongated white lobes from the inside, the lobes of the inner circle are white on the outside, and the outer ones are dark purple with a white border and a small dark gray spot at the base. Violet bud, tube up to 3 cm long, dark purple-violet hue.
❀ Saturnus- wide open, flat flowers up to 3.5 cm in diameter with slightly elongated tops of the lobes of the outer circle. The color is yellowish-cream with a bright yellow throat. Outside, at the base there is a greenish-brown spot, the lobes of the outer circle are streaked with thick lilac strokes. The tube is grayish-green, up to 2.5 cm long.

Where to buy crocus bulbs

The Scientific and Production Association "Gardens of Russia" has been implementing the latest achievements in the selection of vegetable, fruit, berry and ornamental crops into the wide practice of amateur gardening for 30 years. The association uses the most modern technologies, a unique laboratory of plant micropropagation has been created. The main objectives of the NGO "Gardens of Russia" is to provide gardeners with high-quality planting material of popular varieties of various garden plants and novelties of world selection. Delivery of planting material (seeds, bulbs, seedlings) is carried out by Russian post. We are waiting for you for shopping: NGO "Gardens of Russia"

Crocuses: a brief description of the plant

This plant belongs to the Iris family. About 80 of its species and more than 300 varieties are known. Crocuses are divided into two large groups:

those that bloom in spring;
those that bloom in summer.

Their flowering period is very short - no more than 10 days.

The main features of the above flower:

resistance to unforeseen atmospheric phenomena;
tendency to rapid reproduction;
unpretentiousness in care.

In one place, these flowers can grow for 5 years.

Crocuses: planting in autumn. Landing dates

Planting these plants depends on their type. The timing of planting crocuses is as follows:

late spring or early summer (autumn flowering);
October-November (spring-flowering).

The above plants that bloom in autumn are bought in June or early August.

Planting crocuses in the fall in the ground is characterized by the following features:

the leaves of the plant wither and turn yellow;
they die over time;
the bulb remains weak, but alive.

In the first spring after the above planting, crocuses may not bloom at all.

Locations and soil for flowers

The best soil for this plant is, of course, sandy light soil. The site must be well-drained, as stagnant water causes the plant to rot.

Soil fertilization also needs to be taken seriously. It is important to remember: for crocuses, nitrogen is a great danger. Therefore, the best option for him are fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium. After all, the first trace element is necessary for the formation of crocus buds and the extension of the flowering period. The second trace element is important specifically for the bulbs of the plant.

Planting crocuses in the fall in the ground

It is necessary to plant or transplant these plants without flowers. If, nevertheless, flowering specimens were planted, then they will gain strength only after about two years.

Planting crocuses before winter is carried out by the following method: the bulb is lowered to a depth of 10 cm. The distance between these plants must be observed and be at least 4 cm.

Planting crocuses at home has another important recommendation. If these plants are not frost-resistant enough, they must be mulched.

Reproduction of crocuses by seeds

These plants reproduce with their "children" - these are daughter corms. They are formed from the kidneys, which sit in the sinus of the scales. When the old corm dies, new children begin to grow on their own, forming a kind of "nest". It turns out a group of related bulbs. The above method is the most effective method for propagating plants such as crocus flowers. Planting and care in this case are done very carefully so as not to damage the bulbous material.

If conditions permit, it is important to plant the children of one bulb of a particular species in groups. This planting material blooms approximately 4 years after planting.

The second method of reproduction of crocuses is carried out by seeds. But this method is only suitable for spring flowering plants. Crocuses that bloom in autumn do not bear fruit regularly because early hard frosts prevent them from setting seeds.

Crocus Care

Plants such as crocus flowers do not require special complex observation of oneself. Landing and care has only a few rules:

once for several years they must be thinned out, since under favorable conditions each corm gives rise to up to 10 children annually and becomes larger;
the process of digging in spring-flowering plants is carried out in the summer after the yellowing of their leaves;
bulbs are dried and stored in the shade.

In addition, it should be noted that there are many diseases and pests in plants such as crocuses. Planting and care in the fall is carried out taking into account the following recommendations:

Before planting in open ground, it is advisable to hold the bulbs of the plant in a solution of potassium permanganate. This will prevent the development of fungal diseases in the planting material.
It is necessary to store crocus bulbs in the house, that is, away from rodents. These are the main enemies of the plant.

Also, to get good nests of corms, gardeners recommend planting them every year. This will give the kids more room to grow.

forcing crocuses

A week after this, gardeners are advised to remove the film from the pot. It is necessary to bring them into a warm room when the first buds already appear. Flowering of crocuses depends on the temperature in the room: the lower it is, the longer they bloom.

Kicked out crocuses in the fall can be safely planted in open ground.

The best partners for crocuses

Gardeners note spectacular flowering and growth of these flowers close to the following plants:

mahonia;
boxwood;
yew;
galanthus;
helleborus;
primrose;
erythroniums;
erantis.

The use of crocuses

These plants are widely used for the following purposes:

to create a beautiful landscape design of the site;
as gift flowers in pots for the holidays (Valentine's Day, March 8);
as a seasoning in cooking;
as food coloring.

In early spring, crocuses are the first to open their fragile flowers. They stand out well on bare ground, attracting attention. With their help, bright clearings are created, which in the springtime begin a flowering parade. Fragile and delicate flowers do not need special care, but it is necessary to adhere to some rules when planting and caring.

Description and characteristics of spring primrose, photo

Some varieties of crocuses are listed in the Red Book, they can be found in the mountains of the Crimea and the Caucasus. In horticulture, hybrid crocuses are grown in a variety of colors: blue, white, yellow, lilac and two-tone.

The leaves of crocuses grow in a bunch, appear simultaneously with the flower or later. Flowers bloom on a sunny day cloudy weather or in the evening they are closed. The flowering period lasts up to one month, sometimes less. This largely depends on the weather. Crocuses are small-bulbous plants whose height does not exceed 10 cm. The height of some hybrids can reach 15 cm. Most species have a simple goblet-shaped flower, there are varieties with double flowers.

Bright and delicate crocuses are rightly called spring primroses. In order for the branches to please with their appearance, it is necessary to choose the right corm, on which the further development of the plant depends.

Planting crocuses: how to choose a corm

The success of growing crocuses depends on the right planting material. It is better to buy bulbs in August or September, when they are at rest.

What to look for when buying:

The bulb should not be loose and lethargic. Healthy planting material is dense and heavy.

No sprouted roots or shoots.

Corms with mechanical damage are discarded. Pests and pathogens settle in them, which will lead to infection of the entire planting.

On a healthy bulb, there are no traces of rot and dark spots.

Before planting crocuses, the bulbs are cleaned of old scales and disinfected. They are kept in a solution of potassium permanganate or sprinkled with ash.

Growing crocuses: choosing a site for primrose

Before planting crocuses in a flower garden, it is worth picking appropriate place where the plants will feel comfortable.

These flowers need space, as they grow quickly. A clearing for crocuses should be well lit and warmed up by the spring sun. The flower is grown in open areas or under trees, where in spring there is enough light for growth and development.

In modern design, group plantings of crocuses are used on lawns, lawns or in the garden. Flower growers often grow crocuses on the Mauritanian lawn. The main condition is good lighting, only then the earth warms up quickly after the snow melts, and the crocuses will delight you with beautiful flowering.

What kind of soil is needed for planting crocuses

These flowers are neutral to the soil, but do not tolerate waterlogged soils and stagnant water. The flower grows well on loam and sandy soils. Nutrient supplements in the form of mineral fertilizers are introduced into too depleted land.

When planting crocuses in open ground, the holes are filled with rotted manure and humus. To the bottom landing pit lay drainage in the form of crushed stone, gravel or crushed bricks. Sand and peat are added to heavy soil.

Crocuses tolerate drought well, but excess moisture leads to root rot, so you should not forget about drainage when planting. This is one of important conditions when growing crocuses in open ground.

When to plant crocuses in the garden (photo)

From correct timing landing depends a lot. late boarding leads to the fact that the unrooted bulb freezes out in winter. If planted too early, the plants may sprout before the onset of winter and die.

Planting dates depend on the variety of crocuses that are grown in the garden. There are autumn flowering and spring flowering plants. Planting depth depends on the size of the bulb.

Autumn flowering hybrids are planted in spring. Optimal time planting from early May to early June.

Spring hybrids are planted in autumn, from the second half of September to the end of October.

Many nurseries sell autumn flowering crocus hybrids in blooming form.Planting such a flower should take place according to special rules.

1. All leaves and peduncles are cut off from the corm. That will allow the plant to adapt to new conditions much faster.

2. In the year of planting, flowering, most likely, will not occur, but in next year it will be brighter.

You need to buy crocuses before flowering, as it greatly depletes the plant and takes a year to recover. Further growth and development is greatly slowed down.

What care does crocus need (photo)

A flower like a crocus does not require special care. It is enough to fertilize it in a timely manner and dig out the bulbs. In summer, the plant does not need abundant watering.

It is better to fertilize crocuses during the period of active growth - in the spring. Granules of mineral fertilizers are scattered directly on the snow, which fall into the soil and gradually nourish the flower. It is also useful to feed crocuses organic fertilizers. Apply humus and peat. During the flowering period, it is useful to make phosphorus-potassium supplements.

Reproduction of crocuses

Crocuses form daughter bulbs, which are planted from the mother plant. This method of reproduction allows you to fully preserve all the varietal qualities of a young flower.

transplant daughter bulbs held every four years. In this case, the number of children directly depends on the size of the mother bulb. The larger it is, the more children are formed on it. Shallow planting will help increase the number of daughter bulbs. Young plants after transplantation bloom in a few years.

It is not worth neglecting the transplant, otherwise the flowers and bulbs of crocuses become smaller, or even completely disappear.

Why dig bulbs

When caring for a crocus, we must not forget about digging. It is carried out depending on the plant variety. It is recommended to dig up crocuses annually, after the leaves have completely dried out and the onset of a dormant period.

After digging, the bulbs are sorted and the diseased and damaged ones are discarded. Then they remove old scales from them, the remains of the roots and lay them in storage. Bulbs should be stored in a well-ventilated area at temperatures up to 20 degrees until planting.

Growing crocuses without digging leads to thickening of nests, diseases and lack of flowering.

Problems when growing crocuses in open ground (photo)

All bulbous plants have their weaknesses.

viral infections;

Fungal infections;

Damage by rodents.

Planting damaged corms leads to infection with viral diseases, which appear as light spots on leaves and buds. The flowers become ugly and do not open. Such plants are rejected, and the landing site is treated with disinfectants.

Poor care and non-compliance with the conditions for growing crocuses leads to the occurrence of fungal diseases. The bulbs soften and become unusable. As a preventive measure, corms are dried and treated with special means before storage.

The main pests of bulbous plants are mice, hares and other rodents. They find bulbs, dig them up, eat them. Often, for planting crocuses and other bulbs, special baskets are used that protect plants from rodents.

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For me crocuses- mountain flowers. You go up, the summer heat remains below, and the snow has just melted on the pass ... And crocuses - yellow, blue - a sea of crocuses, you don’t know where to step so as not to trample on delicate petals.

Crocus is otherwise known as saffron. The saffron color (a shade of yellow) is the color of the stigmas of the crocus. Of these, they made saffron dye, as well as saffron seasoning.

In the climate of the Middle Strip, crocuses bloom in early spring or late autumn. Spring flowering species are more common on sale.

Crocuses can be grown in the country. True, it must be borne in mind that spring crocuses are snowdrops, primroses, respectively, bloom in early spring, even before the start of active work in the garden. That is why my parents do not plant crocuses in the country. And my family and I live in the village all year round. Our Spring begins with crocuses on thawed patches.

Planting crocuses

When to plant

Spring-flowering crocuses are planted in late August - September, autumn-flowering species - in summer. Unlike tulips, crocus bulbs do not need to be dug up annually. It is enough to do this once every 5 years.

How to plant

The first time, out of inexperience, I planted crocuses directly in our heavy clay soil. In the spring, they painfully made their way to the light, bloomed late and unfriendly. Crocuses love light soil, so it is recommended to add compost with ashes to the bed. There should also be no spring stagnation of water; in flooded areas, drainage is needed - sand or expanded clay.

In light soils, the crocus corm is planted to a depth of twice its height, in heavy soils - smaller, but so that at least 5 cm remains from the bottom of the bulb to the surface of the earth. The distance between plants during planting is 10 centimeters. Over time, the carpet will compact itself.

Crocus Care

Crocuses do not require special care. Once every few years they should be dug up and thinned out, because in good conditions each corm produces several babies annually. Spring-blooming crocuses are dug up in the summer after their leaves turn yellow. The bulbs are dried and stored in the shade until autumn.

Where to get bulbs

At the neighbors. Firstly, it's free, and secondly, you know how they bloom. Crocus babies are formed annually.
To buy in garden center bulbs and plant them according to all the rules (see above).
In the spring, purchase potted potted crocuses from the garden center. In this case, you will immediately “kill two birds with one stone” - treat yourself to early flowers, and at the same time you will acquire planting material. What to do with expelled crocuses - read on the labels. There, as a rule, there is a detailed instruction on bringing plants to flowering.

Where to plant crocuses

Crocuses bloom on thawed patches. This means that they should be planted where thawed patches appear first of all - in a sunny place, and in no case under a huge snowdrift that grows when snow is dropped from the roof or when clearing paths.

Crocuses look good in large close groups. Landscape designers are advised to place them on an alpine hill. Alpine slide I don't, my crocuses live in a flower bed among perennials. Their leaves do not spoil after flowering general form, so crocuses do not have to be hidden under the hosts. Non-lazy gardeners can plant seedlings of annuals at the beginning of summer.

Forcing crocuses. For non-lazy

How to achieve ultra-early flowering of crocuses? Of course, competent distillation. In winter, even the Lazy Gardener sometimes wants to look for extra activities.

Only the highest quality corms are suitable for distillation. In September-October, they are planted in pots with light, moist soil. At the same time, the bulbs are planted more often and smaller than usual. The pots are covered with plastic bags with holes for ventilation and put in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator or a cold basement.

In early January, the first sprouts should appear. Then the pots should be moved to a cool room with a temperature of 10-15 degrees and shaded (with paper bags, for example). Don't forget to water.

We open the plants after about a week. If you have the opportunity to highlight them with a special lamp - use it.

Only after the appearance of buds, crocuses are brought into a warm room. However, the lower the temperature in the room, the longer they will bloom.

In autumn, driven out crocuses can be transplanted into open ground.

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When to plant tulips. Do you need to dig?

In early spring, bulbous gardens bloom not only tulips and hyacinths, but also crocuses. Their small delicate multi-colored buds can decorate any flower bed. In order for crocuses to bloom in spring, corms are planted in autumn before winter. When and how to plant crocuses in autumn in open ground, planting dates in different regions, read our article.

When to plant crocuses in autumn in open ground

Planting dates for crocuses

In order for flowers to bloom in early spring, corms are planted in autumn. Before frost, they should have time to develop roots, at the same time, crocuses should not germinate. Therefore, they are planted three weeks before the onset of frost.

When to plant crocuses in autumn in Siberia

In regions with short summer planting bulbs are engaged until mid-September. However, autumn often pleases with warm days, so you should focus on the weather forecast.

When to plant crocuses in autumn in the Urals

Here you also need to focus on the temperature of the air outside. Bulbs are planted in the Urals no later than the end of September, but at the beginning of the month, in the middle or last days, it depends on the vagaries of the weather.

When to plant crocuses in the fall in the suburbs

AT middle lane planting bulbs are engaged in October. If the positive temperatures will please the whole month, you can plant bulbs even in early November.

Planting crocuses before winter in the ground

The flower garden where crocuses will grow should be in a well-lit place. In the shade, the buds of bulbous flowers may not open. Therefore, it is not recommended to place a flower bed under shrubs and trees.

Bulbs like light, well-drained soils. A flower bed for them is prepared two weeks before planting, enriching light soil with compost, and heavy soil with a mixture of sand and humus. No more fertilizers are applied to the soil. The earth with sand or compost is dug up to a depth of 20 cm.

How deep to plant crocuses

The depth of planting is determined by the size of the bulbs and the composition of the soil:

children are planted to a depth of 4-5 cm;
large onions are deepened by 8-9 cm.

On heavy soils, the planting depth is reduced by 1-2 cm, otherwise the bulbs will hatch for a long time in the spring. However, deep-planted crocuses bloom longer and their nests grow more slowly, so they are divided once every four years.

How to plant crocuses in autumn

Often, gardeners plant bulbs so that in spring crocuses bloom in a multi-colored or plain carpet. To do this, the distance between the bulbs is made from three to five centimeters. But with such a dense planting, a nest with corms will need to be dug out in a year or two. Therefore, it is recommended to plant crocuses with a distance of 6-10 cm.

The bulbs are placed in prepared furrows, the bottom of which is recommended to be covered with coarse sand. Sprinkle the top of the bulbs with soil and water. If the ground is damp or rain is expected in the coming days, you do not need to water the plantings.

Crocus care after planting

Autumn crocus care outdoors

While the temperature is above zero in autumn, the bulbs grow roots, so in dry weather, when the soil dries, the plantings are watered. So that the earth does not become covered with a crust, and air enters the bulbs, after watering or rain, the soil must be carefully loosened.

If the weather is cold and wet, the plantings should be covered with a film, otherwise the onions will get wet and start to rot.

Crocus care in winter

Crocuses are unpretentious bulbous plants and perfectly tolerate the winter cold under a layer of snow. However, some varieties are more picky and it is better to cover them for the winter. To do this, when frost sets in, you can pour peat, fallen leaves on the flower bed or cover the plantings with spruce branches.

Now you know the timing of planting and how to properly plant crocuses in your garden in the fall so that they will delight you with their flowering in early spring. However, it should be remembered that every 3-4 years bulb nests should be planted. To do this, they dig them up in the summer, store them, and plant them in open ground in the fall.

You can find out if you follow the highlighted link.

They belong to the iris family. These perennials are one of the most popular among bulbs in summer cottages and private plots. Relatively unpretentious, have good resistance to different kind bad weather, multiply rapidly - all this has become the reason for the popularity of crocuses.

Planting crocuses before winter

In a relatively mild climate, you can safely plant bulbs not only with the advent of spring, but also before winter. The first step is to choose the right planting material. It is very important that all bulbs are in a complete shell, without overgrown stems or roots, and must be healthy.

Planting crocuses in the fall should be done only with quality bulbs. The fact is that all fungal diseases are very difficult to cure, and in autumn conditions of high humidity it is completely impossible.

How to plant crocuses in autumn?

For the work to be crowned with success, it is enough to observe several important points. Consider the basic rules for planting crocuses in the fall.

The peculiarity of this culture is that it is very important for the bulbs not to overmoisten the ground. That is why in most cases it is worth adding coarse sand, gravel or something similar to the soil for better breathability.
The most whimsical varieties are generally desirable to be planted only on artificial hills. To do this, before planting crocuses before winter, we lay good layer drainage from crushed stone and gravel and make a high bed. You can plant bulbs on, this too a good place them.
Planting crocuses in the fall is done only in neutral or slightly acidic soils. For this purpose, only rotted manure or completely decomposed peat is allowed from fertilizers. You can add some lime. If you want to make mineral supplements, only those with a high content of phosphorus and a minimum of potassium are suitable.
Before planting crocuses in the fall, dig up the ground about two weeks in advance.
The depth of planting crocuses depends on many factors. If you want a friendly flowering, we deepen all the bulbs equally. To extend the flowering period a little, increase the planting depth. Ideally, on light soils, the hole for adult bulbs is about 10 cm; for heavy soils, this value is 9 cm. For children, these figures fluctuate between 5cm and 4cm, respectively.

Planting time for crocuses in autumn

It all depends on when you want to bloom. The timing of planting crocuses, which will bloom in spring, fluctuate quite widely from mid-September to November. It largely depends on weather conditions and temperature.

In any case, it is better not to delay too much and plant the bulbs in October. Then the roots will have time to develop and the plant will be strong enough. It is also worth considering the nature of the soil on the site, the frequency of precipitation.

Crocuses - planting and care in the fall

Almost all species that bloom in spring period, demanding on the intensity of lighting. It is best to select open places and make group landings. If you want to create a natural meadow, the bulbs should be planted at different distances from each other. For a carpet of flowers, a 3x3 cm grid is used and at least 50 bulbs are planted per 1 sq. m.

When planting crocuses in the fall, you may encounter the problem of rodents. You can solve it by landing in special containers. You simply plant the bulbs in a container with earth (be sure to prepare good drainage holes) and place it all in the soil on the site. In this way, you can protect the plants from mice and at any time remove the bulbs from the ground without causing damage.