Time to plant large-flowered crocuses. Growing and caring for crocuses in the open field Crocuses Zhanna Dark planting and care

Early spring. Around the black earth. But after hibernation, the first sprouts appear.
Crocuses are one of the primroses that delight the eye after the snow melts.
On the eve of March 8, you can see bright flowers in pot markets. Want one for your windowsill? Take care of forcing.

The forcing process is not complicated.

You'll need:
- bulbs;
- bowl;
- Earth.

For my experience, I chose snow-white crocuses. The variety is called Joan of Arc in honor of the French national heroine.
I bought Dutch bulbs in Castorama for 88 rubles.
1 pack contains 10 bulbs.

The bulbs are packed in a ventilated (with holes) frosted bag with a cardboard information plate.

It is impossible to consider the quality of the bulbs in the store.

From the table you can find out: size, number of bulbs, tips for planting in open ground.

distillation.
Preparation in distillation begins at the end of September to October. Some plants can be planted for distillation in November.
First you need to inspect the bulb. We look at the subject of irregularities, diseases.
Heads got caught good quality. They have no damage. The color of the heads is even, dark brown. The bulbs are dense, without sprouted roots.

First you need to harden the bulbs. Bulbs are placed in a cool place with a temperature of about 3-9 degrees. This temperature is easy to maintain in a refrigerator or basement. Hardening lasts about a month.
The hardening period turned out to be short - about 3 weeks. Then I took the bulbs out of a cool place and planted them in a wide bowl.
The bulbs should be about half sunk into the ground. After planting in bowls, the flowers must be removed in a cool place. This is done to artificially create "normal" natural conditions; develop the root system of the plant.
I planted bulbs at the end of October. For some time I had to support the pots in the refrigerator until cool weather set in.

You need to get the bulbs 2 weeks before the planned date.

Do you want flowers by February 14th? Bring flowers at the end of January.
Would you like a bouquet of crocuses by March 8? Submit in mid-February.

In October-November, due to too warm weather, the flowers were in the refrigerator. In December, crocuses "wintered" on the loggia.
In January, frosts began. The temperature on the loggia dropped. In early January, she brought in a cache-pot so as not to freeze the heads unprotected by snow.

For long flowering, ideally, you need to maintain a temperature of 10 degrees. This is easy to do on a heated loggia.
achieve desired temperature in the apartment could not, so the plants grew quickly. I tried to keep it in the coolest place: on the window. The first greenery appeared after a week in a warm room.

The first buds formed after a month.

The pioneer crocus bloomed purple.

Then the second, third - all purple. A pair of flowers had light purple veins.
February blizzards are raging outside the window. Snow lies. And I have a bright purple meadow of flowers at home!
The purple lawn stood for about 2.5 weeks.

My crocuses are more like the Flower Record variety.
Did the manufacturer mess up? Or deliberately planted a different variety? Mystery.
This is not the end of flower care. After the end of flowering. I need to keep watering. Wait for the leaves to dry out. After that, watering is stopped.
When all the greens dry up, the bulbs are dug out of the ground. Cleaned, examined for diseases. Then they are sent for storage in a refrigerator or cellar.

bulbs. In a similar way, I managed to increase the number of bulbs. New ones have grown. Harvest is collected.

A small flower bed with purple flowers gave a lot of pleasant moments. Among the cold and snowstorm is a small island of spring. If it were not for the confusion with the colors, I would not have been pleased.

What do these spring flowers look like:

Large-flowered crocuses or dutch hybrids crocuses were bred at the end of the 19th century, as a result of crossing spring, yellow and narrow-leaved crocuses. Unlike wild-growing species, they bloom a little later - from March to April. But what kind of flowers do they have? This is just a miracle! They are large and bright: pot-bellied cups of flowers and reach a height of 5-10 cm. The petals are painted in the most intense colors: purple, purple, yellow, blue, lilac. Snow-white and striped two-tone varieties are also common. In the center are contrasting bright yellow stamens. Flowers solitary or in "bouquets" of 2-3 pieces.

Large-flowered crocuses are one of the most hardy types of crocuses. Therefore, they should grow in every garden! The foliage of large-flowered crocuses appears at the end of flowering. Outwardly, the leaves look like blades of grass. In the center of each leaf there is a light strip.

Dutch large-flowered crocus varieties used for distillation at home. If you are new to forcing, we recommend purchasing a Dutch planting material. These bulbs are already sorted and prepared for forcing. Having landed them, you will not have problems with distillation. Such bulbs in specialized stores can be purchased until the New Year.

To have blooming to large-flowered crocuses for the New Year, purchase the bulbs at the end of August - the first half of September, and immediately start cooling. This is done so that the bulbs "believe" that winter has come. If you need blooming crocuses by March 8, just increase the cooling period. You can calculate the flowering time in advance. Bulbs cool and take root for about three months.

When choosing planting material, pay attention to the appearance of the bulbs so that there is no damage (rot or mold), they should be dense to the touch.

Application:

These crocuses look good in group plantings in flowerbeds, lawns, under the crowns of trees, borders and rock gardens. Suitable for growing in pots and tubs. Grow in full sun or partial shade. They bloom for a long time - from 10 to 17 days, depending on the variety. In order to save space in a flower bed or in a container, crocuses can be planted on top of others. bulbous plants. Divide and replant every four to five years. Attention! Mice can eat corms. The flowering period is March-April. Plant height - 8-15 cm.

The best varieties :

Crocus vernus pickwick (Pick Wick)

Crocus Yellow Giant – New! Hybrid. Crocus "Yellow Giant" is absolutely amazing! This variety has sunny golden yellow flowers with an orange tinted centre. It multiplies quickly and blooms very early. Its color, winter hardiness and early flowering make this plant popular and in demand among flower growers. Other name: spring saffron. A perennial ephemeroid plant that belongs to the Kasatikov family. This is one of the late flowering crocuses. This variety captivates with large elegant flowers! Each corm forms several golden yellow flowers with a sheen. They open on sunny days and close on rainy days and at night. The shape of the flowers is cup-shaped. The stigmas are yellow-orange. The leaves are shiny, narrow, dark green. This hybrid is ideal for growing in containers. Plant height - about 10 cm, width - 5 cm. It blooms for 3 weeks in March-April.

Crocus vernus Flower Record (Flaver Record) - this flower attracts bees, butterflies, birds to the garden, as their large flowers of light blue with a hint of purple are emphasized by yellow-hot, thin queens that can be seen from afar. They reach a height of 12 cm and look great in a clearing or on an alpine hill. Bloom in April.

Crocus vernus Jeanne d' Arc (Jeanne d'Arc) This plant is suitable for growing both indoors and outdoors. It has snow-white flowers with a pale lilac base. They reach a height of 8-15 cm and look great in a clearing or on an alpine hill. Bloom in April.

Crocus Remembrance - hybrid. Other name: Spring saffron. This is one of the late flowering crocuses. First appeared on the market in 1925. This variety captivates with large elegant flowers! Each corm forms several purple-lilac flowers with a silvery sheen. They open in sunny weather or when it is clear and close in rainy weather and at night. The shape of the flowers is cup-shaped. The stigmas are yellow-orange. The leaves are shiny, narrow, dark green. They begin to grow from the bulb during flowering, and fully develop after flowering. It looks good in groups on lawns, in rockeries, in a flower bed in compositions with other early-flowering low-growing plants. Ideal for growing in containers. Plant height - 10-15 cm, width - 5 cm. It blooms for 3 weeks in March-April.

Crocus Grand Maitre - Hybrid. Giant crocus! Other name: Spring saffron. An ephemeroid plant that belongs to the Kasatikov family. Released in 1924. This is one of the late flowering crocuses. And you can't take your eyes off the beautiful flowers! They are large, bell-shaped, funnel-shaped, lavender blue with a slight hint of purple. Branched stigmas that peep out of the corolla are orange in color. They create a bright accent and attract attention. The leaves are shiny, narrow, dark green in color, with a silvery-white mark in the middle of the leaf. They begin to grow from the bulb during flowering, and fully develop after flowering. Corms are large, flattened. They usually produce 2 flowers. This variety grows up to 8-15 cm in height and up to 7 cm in width. Ideal for growing in open ground and in containers. Flowering time is mid-spring.

Crocus King of the Striped (King of the Striped) - white petals with lilac-purple stripes and yellow stamens look very beautiful. When closed, the crocus flower resembles a glass in its shape, and when open, it resembles an asterisk. In height, these flowers reach 8-13 cm. They bloom in March - April.

Crocus Yellow Giant – New! Hybrid. Crocus "Yellow Giant" is absolutely amazing! This variety has sunny golden yellow flowers with an orange tinted centre. It multiplies quickly and blooms very early. Its color, winter hardiness and early flowering make this plant popular and in demand among flower growers. This is one of the late flowering crocuses. This variety captivates with large elegant flowers! Each corm forms several golden yellow flowers with a sheen. They open on sunny days and close on rainy days and at night. The shape of the flowers is cup-shaped. The stigmas are yellow-orange. The leaves are shiny, narrow, dark green. Plant height - about 10 cm, width - 5 cm. It blooms for 3 weeks in March-April.

Crocus Flower Record(Flower Record) - this flower attracts bees, butterflies, birds, as their large flowers of light blue color with a hint of purple are emphasized by yellow-hot, thin queens that can be seen from afar. Crocus is one of the earliest flowers to appear after winter. They reach a height of 12 cm and look great in a clearing or on an alpine hill. Bloom in April.

Crocus vernus pickwick (Pick Wick) - small light petals with purple plumage look good on an alpine hill or in flower beds. It is possible to grow crocus in pots. They reach a height of 8-13 cm. They usually bloom in April.

Crocus vernus Negro Boy (Negro boy) - dark purple petals with a purple-black base are combined into one flower with bright yellow stamens. They reach a height of 10 - 15 cm and look great in a clearing or on an alpine hill. Blooms in March - April. The best time for planting - August-September, when the plant is still at rest. Optis = low time for planting: autumn, until early November.

Crocus or saffron is very popular among many flower growers. This flower impresses with a variety of shades of its petals., they can be painted in purple, pink, yellow or lilac.

Crocus is a corm perennial plant belonging to the genus Iris. In nature, this flower grows in meadows, steppes and rare forests of central and southern Europe.. Also, saffron can be found on the Black Sea coast, in Asia and the Middle East.

Some species of crocus are considered endangered and are listed in the Red Book.

On average, the height of the plant is 10-15 centimeters.. The leaves growing directly from the ground are linear, narrow in shape, with the edges of the plate slightly twisted. They are painted in rich green color with whitish veins in the middle. Leaves appear towards the end of flowering and continue to grow after the buds wither.

Crocus is also characterized by the presence lower leaves, forming right in the ground and enveloping the young shoot.

The corm of this plant is formed in the lower internode of the flowering shoot and lives only one year. That is, during the growing season and flowering, nutrients are actively consumed, and in the spring, the old corm is replaced by a new one.

At different types crocus corms are different from each other. Usually, they are spherical or slightly flattened and covered with brownish or burgundy scales. The diameter of the corm is 2-3 centimeters, in the lower part there are dense urinal roots.

The stem of saffron is completely absent; instead, a long peduncle is pulled out of the ground, resembling a long tube. The flower itself consists of 6 petals, which, when fully opened, form a funnel-shaped bud with a diameter of 7-8 centimeters. From afar, the saffron flower resembles a bell.

In wild species of crocus, the petals are simpler, monochromatic, most often colored in yellow, orange, blue, purple or White color. hybrid varieties they can boast of two-tone coloring or the presence of spots and other bizarre patterns.

Crocuses bloom only in clear, sunny weather.

As a fruit, a box is formed in such a plant, consisting of 3 lobes. Initially, it develops underground, and comes to the surface with the help of a perianth tube only after full maturation.

The most popular varieties of Crocus

Flower growers have a huge number of species and varieties of crocus, so everyone can choose the perfect option for themselves. Usually, this plant is usually divided into two groups, these are autumn or spring flowers. In the first case, the buds bloom in early autumn, and in the second in April-May.

Among flower growers, spring varieties are the most popular, because they are neither more attractive and decorative:

Kathleen Pirlow ( Kathleen Parlow)

Such a plant blooms in record time and pleases with its beautiful appearance within 2 weeks. Petals are painted in snow-white color, on average, the diameter of the flower is 6 centimeters;

Joan of Arc

This variety is distinguished by its resistance to adverse weather conditions and various diseases. White flowers adorned with pale purple strokes on the inside of the petals appear early enough. Fully opened buds reach a diameter of 6 centimeters;

Susian ( Crocus susianus)

Small flowers, with a diameter of only 3 - 4 centimeters, appear very abundantly and boast good resistance to a variety of climatic conditions. Petals dyed golden, while on their outer side there are dark purple strokes;

King of Striped ( King of the Striped)

Flowers with a diameter of up to 5 centimeters are painted white with the addition of light purple spots.. There are dark purple stripes on both sides of the petals;

Little Dorrit ( Little Dorrit)

The petals of a crocus of this variety are painted in a delicate blue color, while they have dark purple touches. On average, flowering lasts 12-14 days., the diameter of the bud is 5-6 centimeters;

Remembrance ( Remembrance)

large flower, with a diameter of 6-7 centimeters usually painted in purple. It should be noted that a dark spot is located at the base of the perianth, and the outer petals have a more saturated shade than the inner ones;

Yellow Mammutch ( Yellow Mammoth)

characteristic feature varieties is the duration of flowering, which is 18-20 days. The petals of the plant are painted in rich yellow color., the diameter of the flower is 5-6 centimeters.

Terms for planting a flower in open ground

The timing of planting crocuses in open ground depends on the type of plant chosen.:

1. varieties, blooming in spring , it is customary to plant in late August-early September;
2. Plants that bloom in autumn, transferred to open ground in early to mid-summer.

Compliance with planting dates is a very important component in the cultivation of crocuses. This is due to the fact that the flowers must have time to take root and gain strength before flowering, which usually occurs almost immediately after the snow melts.

planting rules

When planting crocus in open ground, it should be borne in mind that this plant prefers sunny areas, but it can also grow in more shaded places.

Before planting a plant, it is necessary to prepare the soil, it should be light, loose and nutritious.:

1. Crocuses do not tolerate excessive moisture, therefore, in the place where they will grow, it is recommended to build drainage from fine gravel or coarse river sand;
2. To improve soil quality it is dug up with the addition of compost or rotted manure;
3. To lower the level of soil acidity during digging peat with lime or ash is added to organic fertilizers.

Before planting, be sure to check the planting material, it should not have any signs of damage.

When planting a plant in loose soil, the bulb is deepened by 6-8 centimeters, and if the soil is heavy, then it is planted so that the upper part is flush with the ground. On average, the distance between two flowers should be 7-10 centimeters. Water the soil thoroughly immediately after planting.

Care after landing

Caring for crocuses is very simple and understandable even for a novice gardener.

Watering the plant is necessary only if the winter was snowless and the spring without rain.. This is due to the fact that saffron tolerates drought well and does not tolerate strong waterlogging of the soil.

Immediately after the snow melts, the soil on the site is loosened and cleaned of weeds and other debris. Such work is repeated every 1-2 months.

During active growth and flowering, crocuses need to receive as many nutrients as possible.:

• early spring straight complex mineral fertilizers are scattered on melting snow with the calculation of 35-40 grams of substance per 1 square meter soil;
• the second top dressing is carried out during flowering while using phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

Crocuses do not tolerate fresh organic matter, so it should never be used to feed plants.

Care after flowering

An interesting feature of crocuses will be the ability to form many daughter bulbs, due to which the flowers grow strongly and a neat planting turns into a chaotic carpet. Besides, small onions begin to interfere with each other, due to which the quality of the grown plants suffers greatly, they become smaller, and the color of the petals fades.

It is necessary to dig bulbs out of the ground every 3-5 years. P such work is carried out in the middle of summer, during the dormant period of the plant:

1. For spring varieties from mid-July to early September;
2. For autumn varieties from mid June to early August.

After the bulbs are removed from the soil, they are thoroughly dried, cleaned of damaged scales and diseased roots are removed. Then planting material is processed using crushed coal or ash.

Store bulbs in a dry, well-ventilated room at room temperature. Any boxes can be used as containers, but planting material should be laid out in only one layer.

Preparing for winter

Immediately after planting and over the next 3-5 years, the plant will overwinter in the open field, so it must be prepared for the onset of cold weather. For this, after the crocus leaves turn yellow, the area with flowers must be mulched thick layer of peat or dry foliage.

By growing crocuses in your area, you can slightly bring the onset of spring. In addition, given the variety of varieties of this plant, with its help, beautiful and dissimilar garden compositions are created.