Crocuses are some of the most beautiful of small, spring flowering bulbs. The flowers are some of the first of spring. They will bring colorful flowers long before the perennials and annuals in your garden. Crocuses grow from small, flat corms. Flowers will have six petals and be three to 5 inches in height. In the sunlight, the petals will open out flat with orange anthers and close at night.
Choosing a Bloom Season
Planting crocus bulbs
There are spring, fall and winter flowering crocuses. Spring flowers will be in varieties of bicolor, purple, blue, yellow and white opening before daffodils. The fall varieties will appear from early to late fall. The flowers are four-five tall in colors of pure white, violet-blue or lavender. Depending on the climate, the winter crocuses will be in bloom thru midwinter. These flowers will have markings at the base of the petals with contrasting stripes. The inner color will vary from the outer one. Dutch hybrids are the most widely grown. The flowers will only open in sunlight. There are several beautiful, smaller and delicate species of Crocuses.
Choosing a Location
Bulbs can be planted in various locations. A formal display can be made by grouping one color of bulbs in areas. Bulbs can be planted in rock gardens, between paved areas, along banks or in flowerbeds. Crocuses need to have protection from strong wind. They can grow in any garden soil that is well drained. The bulbs much prefer sand and humus in the soil. Crocuses will thrive in a moderately fertile soil with full sun exposure or even partial shade.
Soil
A poor soil can be improved by mixing peat moss or well-rotted compost and adding some bone meal and mixing thoroughly. This mixture needs to sit for a few days before planting. A good mixture would be for one two-gallon bucket of peat moss or compost added to each square yard of soil. The bone meal could be added at a rate of five pounds per 100 square feet. A planting tool that is narrow and no more than four inches wide is best for digging a deep hole for the bulb. Humus needs to be placed in the bottom of each hole then the bulb planted. For Dutch crocuses, the depth needs to be four inches, for other species three inches is required. Place the bulb in the hole with the pointed side upward, and then cover with the fertile soil mixture. You might want to put this soil in a container and then add to each hole as you plant and above the planting. If bulbs are planted closely to the surface of the ground, they will be more prone to damage from alternate freezing or thawing. Bulbs can be adversely affected by heat in the summer when planted close to the surface. The bulbs like a cool soil during the dormant period. You might want to place some stakes by each grouping of bulbs to mark the edges so avoid damage from putting in other plants later in the area.
Weed Control
Bulbs will need very little attention during the season of growing. When weeds form, they can be removed by a gardening tool such as a hoe or by hand. Careful attention needs to be paid when not weeding by hand to avoid damage to the plant. Watering will be needed if the area is very dry to promote growth and perhaps mild fertilization. The growing cycle is complete only when leaves turn yellow and flowers fade. The foliage needs to be allowed to open before removing the bulb from the ground or by cutting for flower arrangements as the plant needs nutrients for future growth. Mice, squirrels and other small rodents may bother your bulbs. Pests can be deterred by placing wire over the bulbs as they come out in the spring.
Storing Bulbs out of Season
You may choose to leave the bulbs in the ground for several years or to lift them. One reason for lifting is to allow room for other plants to grow. To lift the bulb, insert a fork tool into the ground below the bulb, carefully lifting without damaging. When the bulb is lifted, discard the rotted or pulpy bulbs. You may store the bulbs in a trenched area of about 12 feet wide and five to 6 inches deep. Lay a wire or netting over these bulbs after placing them in the ground at a slight angle. This wire or netting will allow you to know exactly where the bulbs are resting. If you choose to bring the bulbs inside, place them in some peat moss and leave the trays in a cool place. Before storing, remove dead leaves, skins, and roots from each of the bulbs. Bulbs can be separated from the parent plant to allow for propagation. The bulblets attached to the parent need to broken off and then stored in flats. The bulbs must have air circulation to prevent them from molding.
Crocuses provide so much beauty to your home garden with just a little care and attention. Years of enjoyment can be derived from the proper care of the bulbs and plants.
Speak Your Mind