Description
Emerging from bulb-like structures called corms, crocuses are low-growing perennial flowering plants from the iris (Iridaceae) family that come back year after year for at least five years growing from one corm. In many regions, crocus flowers (Crocus spp.) mark the arrival of spring. These early bloomers can often be seen peeking up through the snow well before any other flowers appear in your landscape in January, February, or March, depending on the severity of your winter.
Crocuses grow in various conditions, including woodlands, coastal gardens, and suburban lawns. Deer usually pass over them, but rodents like squirrels, chipmunks, and mice consider crocuses a tasty snack. Bloom colors on the cup-shaped flowers include mauve, lavender, and yellow. There are over 80 crocus species, but most commercially available corms are hybrid plants derived from carefully cross-breeding selected species.
While crocuses are often called bulbs, they are technically corms (like gladiolas). The main difference between corms and bulbs is that corms are rooting structures formed from modified stem tissue, while bulbs are formed from modified leaf tissue. Once established in an area, crocuses can spread independently by developing corm offsets.
Crocuses are most often planted for early spring color, though there are also varieties that bloom in late fall and early winter. Spring crocus is not the same as saffron crocus, a fall variety that produces saffron, a common spice and colorant used in cooking. Spring crocus is an especially early-blooming variety that should be planted in the early fall. The month it blooms varies; they typically bloom within two to five weeks after the temperature rises, growing fast and beginning active growth in the spring. Spring crocuses are toxic to pets
How to grow Crocus
You can grow crocus from seed, but it can take many growing seasons for the seeds to germinate outdoors. Scatter the seeds in the fall, barely covered with soil, in a cold frame, in the fall.
You might have a better chance of sowing the seeds indoors using a seed compost mix. Barely cover the seed with the soil mix and allow the light to reach it for germination. Keep it at 65 degrees Fahrenheit or room temperature for two to four weeks. Then, "trick" it into thinking the winter season has arrived by moving the plant to 22 to 35 F for four to six weeks. To spur germination, move it to a warmer spot, about 41 to 50 F.
Indoor germination can go perfectly and only take 30 days, or it can take six months. Outdoors, germination can occur in the spring or after several years. If grown indoors, keep them potted and growing indoors for at least three growing seasons to establish fully. By the third year, they should be ready to flower and go into the ground outdoors.
How to care for Crocus
Crocuses fade quickly once the weather gets hot. Mix different crocuses in your garden to extend the bloom time. In addition, planting them where other plants will fill in and hide their foliage will help to prolong blooming and give the crocuses a chance to store energy for the next season.
As with tulips and other bulbs and corms, spring crocus corms are nourished by the dying foliage of the plants, so it's important not to trim the leaves until they are entirely yellow. This typically occurs within six weeks after they bloom. If the crocus is planted in a grassy area, refrain from mowing it until the foliage fades, as it can deprive your plant of essential nutrients.
Light
Crocuses do best in full sun, but because they bloom early in the year with little foliage on the trees, shady spots during the summer are usually fine for spring-blooming crocuses.
Soil
Crocus plants prefer a neutral soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0 and are usually not fussy about the soil type. However, well-draining soil is crucial. As with most plants with corms as roots, crocuses do not like to sit in soggy soil, which can cause them to rot.
Water
Crocuses are generally low-maintenance plants. They like to be watered regularly in the spring and fall. The corms need water throughout the winter if there is no snow cover. However, they go dormant in the summer and prefer drier soil.
Temperature and Humidity
Crocus corm hardiness varies slightly depending on which type you are growing, but most crocuses are reliable within USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8. They bloom and survive best where winters are cold since crocus corms need 12 to 15 weeks of cold temperatures, at least 35 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit, to set their blooms. Humidity usually isn't an issue, although excessive humidity can lead to rot.
Crocuses are often planted as annuals in climates where the winter temperatures are not sufficiently low to chill the corms. They can be purchased from vendors who pre-chill the corms at 35 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit for at least three months. You can also chill the corms yourself for the following spring by digging up the corms after the foliage has yellowed. Chill the corms in the refrigerator for at least 12 weeks before planting. However, do not store fruit in the same part of the refrigerator with the corms, as ethylene gas emitted by fruit can ruin crocus corms.
Fertilizer
Crocuses do not require a lot of fertilizer. They store their energy in their corms, so do not cut back the leaves until they turn yellow. A light top dressing of corm, bulb food, or bone meal in the fall is a good idea if you have poor soil. Try 2 cups of bone meal and 5 tablespoons of 10-10-10 fertilizer for every 10 square feet of soil.3 Refrain from giving fertilizer while crocuses are blooming since it can cause corm rot and flower death
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