Saffron

Your Crocuses need to be planted within a day or two of when you receive them, so make your plan when you get your shipping notification! When you’re ready to plant, dig holes 3” and 4” apart, mixing in some compost if you like. Stick the bulbs in, one per hole, with the pointy end sticking up. Fill in the holes and compress the soil firmly. Water them well - a good long soak. Stick your Plantgem marker in the middle of the area so you remember where your Crocuses live now.

These little guys reproduce like bunnies, so pick a place where there is room to grow their Crocus family. They need some sun, but can thrive in dappled light and part shade. They only need supplemental water if it’s very dry. Their bulbs hold the water and food they need.

Saffron Crocuses produce pretty little purple flowers in the fall - but more importantly - Saffron! Harvest your spice by carefully plucking the three red-orange stigma (strands) and drying them somewhere safe and warm. Store in an airtight container. A little bit goes a long way in your risotto. Wait for the foliage to wilt and turn yellow before clipping it back, so that the bulb can preserve energy for the next year's blooms.

We’re just mad about Saffron. They call it mellow yellow for a reason. As long as they get a little bit of sun, plenty of soil drainage, and room to spread, they’ll take care of themselves from there. Pull weeds around them so they don’t get crushed by the competition. Your biggest issue will be critters eating them. Plant in containers to prevent moles and voles from eating the bulbs underground. Try a homemade spicy spray or protect the plants with wire fencing to keep the deer and bunnies at a bay.