After a long winter, gardeners eagerly await the first flowers that appear in spring. Crocus plants are among the first little flowers to start growing when the weather warms up. You can sometimes see the petals appear through the snow.
It’s easy to spot the bright purple, yellow and flecks of white in the dreary winter landscape. Not only are these flowers pleasing to the eye, but they attract local wildlife to your garden.
They are popular with honey bees, bumblebees and honey bees because the flowers produce a large amount of pollen. Plus, there are a variety of crocus plants to choose from, depending on your taste.
Let’s start our guide with an overview of crocus varieties.
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Varieties of crocus plants
Crocus plants are small perennials that grow from an underground bulb. These flowers are composed of plants in the Crocus genus, consisting of several different species. Crocus plants come in different colors, such as white, yellow, red, and lilac.
Generally, crocus plants grow up to 3 to 6 inches tall.
A common species for planting in the vegetable garden is the wood crocus or “Tommies” (Crocus tommasinianus). There are many cultivars of this species, including the charming ‘Ruby Giant’, which has vibrant purple-purple petals with a bright orange stigma in the center.
- ‘Dorothee’ (C.chrysanthus) has bright yellow petals with a white band.
- “Pickwick” (C. vernus) is a vigorous grower with silvery lavender petals.
- ‘Flower Record’ (C. vernus) is massive, with red and purple flowers with a white and yellow center.
- ‘Snow Bunting’ (C.chrysanthus) is an award-winning vigorous flower with snow-white petals.
- ‘Albus’ (C. speciosus subsp. specious) has pure white petals with a yellow stigma.
- Tuscan crocuses (C. Etruscan) is a species with lavender petals.
- Saffron crocuses (C.sativus) is one of the best-known crocus plants. Saffron comes from the stigmas of this plant and grows in zones 6-9.
Buy crocus plants
Spring crocuses such as C. tommasinianus and ‘Dorothee’ (C.chrysanthus) can be purchased at garden centers or online during the fall since you are planting spring varieties in the fall. You plant them as dormant bulbs and wait for them to bloom when the weather warms up.
In contrast, autumn crocus plants like the Tuscan crocus (C. etruscus) can be found in stores in the summer. Fall types of crocuses should be planted in early September and will bloom that year.
Planting crocuses
Crocuses grow in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 8, although you may have to wait until later in the year to see the petals bloom in cold regions.
Ideally, they should be planted in partially sunny areas.
Note the information card when growing crocuses so you know when to expect flowers to bloom. You can write the date in a garden journal to remind you when to expect the flowers to bloom.
Once you’ve chosen the right location, it’s time to plant your crocus. Spring and autumn varieties of crocuses will need similar climatic conditions.
The best place to plant spring crocus flowers is in areas with lots of grass or open space. This allows you to make the most of their appearance and sprinkle some color into green spaces.
Be careful if you plant them in the lawn, as they can become problematic when they naturalize. This can lead to overcrowding and spreading into areas where you don’t want them.
Place the bulb 3 inches deep in the ground or three times as deep as the length of the bulb. The optimal location for crocus plants is well-drained, loose, rich soil. The pH should be between 6.0 and 7.0.
Planting of autumn crocuses often takes place at the end of summer. After the first year, the crocus plants will be triggered to bloom in subsequent years when the temperature drops. So don’t worry if the plants don’t flower the first year.
Plant indoors or in containers
You can grow some varieties in containers, such as Dutch hybrids. Place crocus bulbs 3-4 inches deep for container growing.
You can also monitor flower blooms by placing containers of crocuses in warm indoor environments to encourage them to produce petals.
There are two options for keeping your containers warm: cool frames or dark sheds.
Caring for Crocuses
Once your crocus plant has been planted in its new home, you will need to follow proper care techniques so that it can continue to bloom in subsequent years. If you plant crocuses outdoors, there is no need to water them unless you receive very little rain.
However, for crocus containers, you may occasionally need to fill the soil with water. This is important in the summer when it is hot and the ground becomes dry. You can test moisture levels by sticking your fingers into the top layer and testing it.
Fertilizer
The only time you need to apply fertilizer is when the flowers are wilting, but the leaves are still alive. If you are growing in containers, you can use liquid food to give them extra nutrients.
For example, you can use a potassium-rich liquid fertilizer when the leaves are still present.
You don’t need to prune crocus plants too often, as they thrive best when they die back and bloom again on their own. However, if you want to improve the appearance, you can prune the dead leaves as they appear.
Common pests and diseases
The main pests to watch out for when planting croci are squirrels and voles. These little animals love to come and dig up the bulbs. You can prevent squirrels from destroying your crocus plants by placing netting over the bulbs after planting. Voles can be prevented by planting in containers.
Prevent pets or livestock from digging up the bulbs. A net should also do the trick for pets.
Otherwise, these plants do not suffer too much from pests and diseases. Sometimes your bulbs can be affected by fungal diseases if they are kept too long in humid areas.
To avoid fungal growth and problems, you need to pay attention to the watering schedule and the location of the plants. Do not overwater and do not plant in heavy clay or poorly drained soil.
Environmental problems
One of the common environmental problems is wilt. Wilting is manageable if you identify the problem early.
Wilting can result from bulbs not being planted at the correct depth. If they are too shallow, they dry out too quickly.
Alternatively, wilting can also be caused if the plant is waterlogged or does not receive enough water during the early stages of planting.
Your crocus might also grow slowly. This may be due to local wildlife nibbling on the bulbs or you planted the bulbs too deep in the ground.
The final problem with crocus plants is when they refuse to bloom. If your crocus plants have been growing for years, the bulbs may have become compacted in the ground. You can solve this problem by digging up the bulbs and planting them in a new location.
Otherwise, the plants might need feeding, might be too shaded, or might be too old and need replacing.
Use Crocuses
Crocuses grow well in the ground, but they are not the best cut flowers. They have short stems and a short life. One option for harvesting crocus plants is to arrange them in a bud vase.
If you planted saffron, you can also harvest the stigma. The best time to harvest saffron is early in the morning when the flowers are fully open. Then you can simply remove the stigmas with your hands and let them dry in a cool space.
Saffron will keep best in a sealed container in your kitchen cupboard.
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