Since crocus is considered a spring bloomer, you need to plant corms in late summer to early fall. This article has been viewed 6,458 times. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. For a 1-inch-tall crocus bulb, use a 5-inch-deep pot (3 inches of soil, 1 inch for the bulb, ... Plant bulbs in layers in deeper containers, with large bulbs deeper and small bulbs closer to the surface. To retrieve corms from a previous planting, dig them up and separate them before replanting. Dig a hole 12 inches (30 cm) to 18 inches (46 cm) deep in the area you're considering planting your crocuses. If you want to know how many bulbs you need per variety, you can check this number in the details of every variety. ... How many saffron crocus bulbs do you need? Plant bulbs in groups or clusters rather than spacing them in a single line along a walkway or border. There are 26 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. By using our site, you agree to our. If the soil takes an hour or more to drain, the drainage is poor. Plant each crocus bulb about 4-5 inches deep (with the pointy end up). Plant corms 1.5 inches deep in their plant containers. Others say bone meal is unnecessary at this time and invites pests to dig around, which could dislodge your crocus bulbs. Smaller bulbs, like crocus, snowdrops, dwarf Irises, scilla, anemones and lilies of the valley, can be planted fairly close together, 1′ to 2′ apart will create a nice cluster. If you want to fill your garden with colour next spring, plant bulbs from October to December, before the first frost. For more help in calculating area—including for circular, triangular or irregularly shapes—and more bulb-per-square-foot recommendations, see the Bed Area Calculations page of Colorblends.com. Space bulbs so they aren't planted on top of one another. For best results, plant the bulbs within a month after receiving them. The effect of crocuses is especially beautiful when they are planted in large numbers. If I'm going to dig a hole for bulbs, I want maximum results for my efforts, so daffodils and companion bulbs get planted together. Bulbs: Practical Advice and the Science Behind It. References. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. How long does it take for the crocus to sprout if potted indoors? Crocuses are pretty, small flowers that bloom early in the spring at the first signs of warm weather. They are prone to rot and mold when exposed to air and moisture over time. If there are no sprouts after one week, the bulbs may be too weak to produce flowers. % of people told us that this article helped them. I think nothing of planting 100 crocus or scilla in an area where I would put 25 tulips or daffodils. If your garden is home to burrowing rodents, such as mice and voles, plant your crocus bulbs in wire cages to keep pests away. Often, suggested spacings on the care tag can be ignored and bulbs can be placed much closer together. Dig a hole 5cm deep and plant bulbs 15cm apart. Test your soil to determine if the area you want to plant your crocuses drains well. The soil should typically be 5-10% organic matter. How to Plant Crocuses. Saffron thrives best in an alkaline desert soil where a hot climate will be found. Plant crocus bulbs (corms) in informal groups, just three inches deep and 2-3 inches apart. The pointy part should face up. Last Updated: September 6, 2019 Use a bulb fertilizer. Plant most bulbs at two to three times their depth. Discard or compost the original crocus bulbs. Single flowers get lost in the landscape. Ensure a beautiful show by planting bulbs at the proper depth — usually three times the height of the bulb is just fine. Space them 3" apart on center and plant 3” deep. Choose your favorite color of crocus to make your garden unique. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Plant many crocus bulbs together for a unique and pretty “carpet” effect. The temperatures could be around 60 tiers or decrease throughout the time of the day. Smaller varieties (like … Try to plant them within a week or 2 after purchase. Wondering how many bulbs to buy to fill a certain area? More on growing crocuses: Some fertilize at planting time with bone meal. In many regions, digging and storing crocus bulbs isn’t necessary but, in cold climes, the corms will have a better chance of survival when lifted and dried. Saffron grows best in full sun (8+ hours per day). Planting taller flowers behind your crocuses can provide nice visual contrast in … It's difficult to change the natural drainage of the soil, as factors such as slope of the land and sun play a large role. You want at least three inches of soil above the top of the bulb. When To Plant Crocus Bulbs (Corms) Spring-blooming Crocus are hardy in zones 3-8 and are planted in fall, as long as you can still work the ground. Don’t plant them more than 4′ apart or they start to lose their impact. 3 Allium Bulbs per square foot for most tall, classic varieties (like Globemaster and Gladiator). Smaller bulbs, including crocus and snowdrops, plus small-bulbed species or cultivars of tulips and daffs, should be spaced about 4 … It's recommended that 5 large tulips are planted per square foot. How much organic matter you need will depend upon the size of your garden. As well, though, bulbs like narcissi will form offsets and will need dividing sooner if planted extremely close together. You can protect your crocus bulbs buy planting them under a wire mesh. The job of … Water well immediately after planting. Plant the bulbs in groups or clusters rather than spacing them in a single line. Although many people call them bulbs, crocuses actually have corms. If you choose to remove the bulbs until the next growing season, it is important to know when to dig up crocus bulbs. Aim to plant in groups of at least six, as the more bulbs that are grouped together, the better the display. For daffodil bulbs, that generally means digging a hole 4 to 6 inches deep. Plant a few … 16 Crocus Bulbs per square foot. Typically, 25 to 50 bulbs may be needed to make an impressive show. The tag that comes with your bulbs should indicate their proper spacing. There are various ways of planting crocus en masse in grass. You can grow saffron in beds, borders or containers, but for best results and natural swathes, plant them in large groups where these delicate flowers can make a big impact and produce a generous crop. Plant 2 inches deep and provide 2 to 3 inches of spacing. Consult a store associate to determine which variety of crocuses will best suit the aesthetics of your garden. Resources such as the Old Farmer's Almanac and the National Weather Service can help you pinpoint when the first hard frost is likely to come to your area. * The longer I design with bulbs, the closer together I plant them! To determine the number of bulbs you need to fill a certain space, multiply its length by its width, in feet, to find the area. * The smaller the bulb, the larger the grouping. Crocuses tend to look best in clusters of at least 10, as the flowers are small. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/82\/Grow-Crocus-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Grow-Crocus-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/82\/Grow-Crocus-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid4992058-v4-728px-Grow-Crocus-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"