I Didn’t Forget the Crocus This Year
October 1st is often known as New Year’s Day in the gardening calendar. It is the month when bulb planting starts in earnest. Summer weather is still stubbornly persisting, something to enjoy when remembering the next season is winter. As temperatures are starting to fall from mid-week, we can all get ready for planting.
If you have received your bulbs, remember that they do not need to be planted immediately. However, please open the box and packaging and store them in a dry, airy location.
Start with any of the bulbs that naturalise well. The following come to mind: daffodils, crocus, camassia, leucojum, snake’s head fritillaries, English bluebells, anemones, grape hyacinths (Muscari), glory of the snow (Chionodoxa), squill (Scilla) and winter aconites.
Crocus for spring colour
Crocus stand out on this list for me. Thinking about the garden in the spring I have small pockets of crocus in many areas, especially areas visible from indoors, often used as a focal point because of their deep strong colours.
Crocus to try
Crocus tommasinianus Ruby Giant
Crocus chrysanthus Snow White
Native to Mediterranean regions crocus can be used almost anywhere in the garden as long as the sun can reach them. With their neat foliage, they never become unsightly, even after flowering. Their upright goblet shaped flowers of deep intense glossy colours are stunning whether planted in generous drifts or smaller groups. The flowers will remain closed during bad weather and at night, protecting their nectar for visiting bees and butterflies on sunny days.
Growing crocus
- Plant the corms 5–7.5cm (2–3 inches) deep. Planting too deep is often the cause of crocus failing to flower and not readily increasing.
- Crocus like a well-drained sandy loam and an open sunny aspect, they need summer warmth to remain free flowering. Plant on a layer of sand if the soil is heavy and not well drained.
- Add potash (potassium containing fertilizers) when planting and they will thrive. Potash helps plants to absorb essential nutrients and supports photosynthesis.
Crocus in pots
For the patio try growing some of the winter flowering varieties in pots, this adds early seasonal colour and shows the true beauty of the flowers. Pots can be grown for indoors, simply keep them outside until the first blooms appear.
As always, my advice, buy good bulbs. Avoid mediocrity.
Enjoy
“flowers of the most perfect shining yellow colour, from afar like a hot glowing cole of fire”.
— John Gerard in his 1597 Herbal