Saffron cultivation methods and precautions

Farming methods

plant

Prepare the potting soil in advance and choose fertile, loose, humus-rich soil. When choosing bulbs, you must select strong bulbs that are large, plump, and free of mold or disease spots.

In autumn, plant the bulbs in pots. In principle, one plant per pot, but depending on the size of the plant and the pot, 4 to 6 plants can be planted in one pot. Cover with 5 to 8 cm of soil after planting.

Within a week after planting, place the flower pot in a cool and ventilated place, and move it to a bright place for maintenance after a week.

Watering

Saffron is usually planted in autumn. Its growing season is winter and spring. The climate is cold and dry, so it needs proper watering.

Seedlings will emerge about 20 days after planting. Water once before emergence to facilitate emergence. Apply antifreeze water once before winter to increase the soil temperature. Water once in mid-April to reduce the damage caused by dry and hot winds.

When watering, be careful not to use ice water when the temperature is low. The water temperature should be equivalent to room temperature to prevent the soil in the pot from freezing and affecting the growth of the plant.

Fertilization

Before planting, sufficient base fertilizer should be added to the potting soil, such as cake fertilizer, stable manure, burnt soil, wood ash, chicken and duck manure, etc., and some superphosphate should also be applied.

After planting and rooting, apply a thin liquid fertilizer with a balanced nitrogen and phosphorus content every 10 days. When applying fertilizer, be sure not to apply too concentrated fertilizer, so as not to cause the leaves to grow too long and affect the growth of flower buds.

After saffron blooms in October, it should be applied once or twice with a balanced quick-acting fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to facilitate the growth and development of the bulbs, so that the bulbs can store enough nutrients for more and better flowering in the next year.

Bulb storage

From late April to early May, the above-ground branches and leaves of saffron gradually turn yellow, and the bulbs can be dug out of the pot and stored. After digging them out, the bulbs should be sorted, and those that are rotten or have disease spots should be handled promptly, either removed or thrown away.

Place saffron bulbs in a gauze bag and store them in a light, cool, ventilated place, keeping the room dry. Can be replanted in autumn.

Precautions

Variety selection

When planting saffron in winter and spring, flower lovers can choose different varieties according to their needs. It is recommended to choose spring flowering varieties as the spring environment is relatively good, and store the bulbs in time after flowering so that the flowering period will be longer.

The size of the pot

The planting pot should be a clay pot with a diameter of 15-20 cm, or a plastic pot with good air permeability. Plant 4-6 large bulbs in each pot and plant in September-October. You can also use a small pot, 3 to 5 cm black plastic pot, with one ball in each pot.