As the last signs of winter melt away, up through the frozen earth pop the delightful and colorful Crocus. Crocus come in quite a few varieties and designs ranging from white to purple and stripes to solids. They vary in size and number of blooms per plant. click here to read more
Varieties
There are 2 Crocus types: Wild and Dutch Hybrids.
The wild varieties are smaller in stature. They will produce up to 20 flowers from one bulb. In addition, the wild Crocus is known for their unusual colors. There is ‘Blue Bird’ with light blue petals with white edges and bright orange middles. ‘Snow Bunting’ as its name implies is a pure vivid white.
The Dutch Hybrids are larger and only have six blooms per bulb. They will also flower later than that their wild cousins. They too come in beautiful colors like the lavender ‘Grand Maitre’.
Places to Plant Your Crocus
Crocus will work in any flowerbed, under a tree, or strewn about your lawn. Add Crocus bulbs to your rock garden. Their bright colors and dark green leaves will really pop out amongst the drab colors of the stone.
Plant your bulbs in a perfect row in a flowerbed. Crocus flowers will especially look stunning against the background of some darker green shrubs.
Or, let Crocus flowers be the center of attention. Plant a large amount of bulbs under a big tree to create a carpet of spring color. Or scatter the bulbs across your lawn. The bright hues peeping up amongst the emerald green of the grass creates a humorous polka dot effect.
Planting Buddies
Plant Crocus with other flowers that also bloom early in the season. Try using Iris and Snowdrops along with the Crocus. Or, add Crocus bulbs in front of early blooming shrubbery. Try the orangey ‘Canarybird’ with the yellow Mahonia. White ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ really stands out under ‘Loderi’s’ pink and white blooms.
Purchasing and Planting
Buy firm plump bulbs in early fall. Do not purchase bulbs that feel soft. Also stay away from bulbs with spots, mildew, or signs or growth.
In early fall dig a hole 6 inches deep and wide enough for all your bulbs. Place bone meal and compost in the hole using 1 cup per square feet. Add about 3 inches of soil and mix with the compost and meal. Place bulbs in the soil pointed end up. Keep the bulbs about 2 inches apart.
Cover the bulbs with the remaining soil and press down firmly. Water well. After the first frost add a few inches of mulch over the bulbs.
If you wish to plant Crocus bulbs in your lawn the dig up small chunks of turf. Place the bulbs tip up in the soil and add some bone meal. Replace the sod. Avoid mowing the area until the foliage dies. This will make sure they bloom the next year.
Crocus Growing Tips
Crocus like full sun or partial shade. They like well drained soil. Let the Crocus foliage die naturally so the bulb will bloom the following year. If you love color plant several varieties of up to 30 bulbs. The effect will be quite spectacular.
Keep an eye out for squirrels and other small furry creatures, as they will gobble up the Crocus bulbs. You can cover them with chicken wire or some screen. Just be sure to remove it in the spring so new growth can emerge.
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Seasonal Care
Order catalog Crocus bulbs during the summer. Be sure to order early so you will get them in time for early fall planting.
Plant your Crocus bulbs up until the first frost. If you have smaller bulbs you might want to plant them early to give them time to adjust to the gradual decrease in temperature.
In early winter cover the planted areas with mulch. This will keep the Crocus bulbs at an even temperature throughout the cold months.
In spring remove the mulch. Fertilize with bone meal after the Crocus flowers fade.
Quick Facts
Crocus will flower from late winter through to early spring. There are some types of Crocus that will even bloom in the fall. Crocus is fairly disease resistant and easy to grow. Crocus does best in zones 3-8 and will thrive in both full sun and partial shade. Be sure the soil is well drained. If not, add extra compost to the hole. Crocus will spread out up to 4 inches and will get as tall as 8 inches. And remember, spring has truly sprung when the leaf tips of the Crocus begin to peek through the melting snow!
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