Planting Fall Flowering Crocus

Fall Flowering Crocus create quick, delightful beauty in the fall garden just weeks after being planted. We ship them in August, along with the Bearded Iris, to be planted right away. They're great in the ground or in patio pots---anywhere you want to add jewel-like color for your fall garden. In just days, you'll see them poking up through the ground, and before you know it they're in bloom, just when everything else in your garden is almost finished! It's a wonderful finale of color that just won't happen without these beauties.

Colchicum Water Lily

How to Plant Fall Flowering Crocus

Plant bulbs as soon as possible after receiving them.
Read the label to see how deep to plant your crocus – This may vary for different varieties of bulbs.
Find a sunny spot in your garden that has good drainage – Crocus bulbs do not like very moist soil. You can also plant Fall Flowering Crocus in patio pots.
Dig a hole according to the depth on your package. Add organic compost if available.
Plant bulb pointy side up. Don’t worry if you can’t decipher which end this is – The flower will find its way up.
Back-fill with soil and water thoroughly to remove air pockets.

You should see blooms within 6 - 10 weeks.

Saffron Crocus

If you are planting Saffron Crocus bulbs to harvest the stamens to cook with, you will want to do this once they begin blooming.

Harvesting Saffron: When the flowers are fresh, simply remove the bright red stigmas you'll see in each flower's center; they carry the saffron spice. You can use it immediately in the fresh form, or dry it for later use. To dry your saffron, simply spread the red stigmas out for several days on a paper towel in a warm dry place. Once they're dry, store them in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place, and use the saffron whenever you like.

For more information on growing and harvesting Saffron Crocus, read our blog post: Saffron Crocus: Delightful and Delicious.

Saffron Crocus