Crocus is a flower, the mentions of which are recorded in Egyptian papyruses, and are loved by many gardeners for early spring flowering. However, not everyone knows that a large number of crocus varieties bloom in autumn, decorating the garden with bright colors.
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Description of species and varieties
A short plant from the Iris family, also known as saffron and not exceeding 20 cm, has an undeveloped stem. The linear green narrowed leaves forming a bunch appear during or after the flowering phase. The root system is represented by a flat bulb with a bunch of fibrous roots. When flowering, which lasts 2-3 weeks, funnel-shaped inflorescences with a huge color palette are noted.
The species and varietal composition is divided into 15 groups, one of which contains representatives with autumn flowering periods, and the rest with spring ones.
Among the most common varieties that have become the basis for the breeding of many varieties, stand out:
- Spring crocus - corm variety is represented by plants with a shoot length of 15 cm with swamp leaves, decorated along a strip of silver color. Blooms for about 3 weeks with funnel-shaped tubular inflorescences. Based on the variety, predominantly Dutch breeders have bred a large number of varietal and hybrid crocuses.
- Two-flowered crocus - the original variety has many forms with spotted, striped or colored from different sides in different shades of petals.
- Golden crocus - a flower 20 cm high with very narrowed leaf plates. Inflorescences are represented by golden yellow petals, which in some varieties are decorated with stripes, and orange anthers. In the flower beds you can find miniature plants up to 3 cm tall of the Blue Bonnet variety, yellow-cream representatives, whose petals are decorated with a brown stripe on the outside, and the Nannet variety.
- Crocus Tomasini - spring flowers crocuses of one of the most popular species in the wild are found in deciduous forests of Central Europe. Inflorescences, resembling a star in shape, develops on a shoot 6 cm high. Common varieties: Lylek Beauty, Whitewell Perple.
- Beautiful crocus - siren-violet flowers have a characteristic longitudinal strip of purple. Garden forms can be white, blue and lilac depending on the variety - white “Albus”, blue “Artabir”, purple-blue “Oksinan”.
- Crocus is pretty - the variety is represented by stunted plants with purple Inflorescences. The flowering phase is observed in the first half of the fall season.
Planting flowers in the open ground
Planting time depends on the timing of flowering of crocuses: spring blossoms are planted in the fall, and autumn blossoms - in the summer.
Site selection and soil preparation
Crocuses grow well both in sunny areas and in partial shade. Soil for flowers needs a light, loose, dry soil with a good fertile layer, drainage and a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. The plot is prepared in advance. When digging, compost or rotted manure is added to increase fertility and sand as drainage.
Landing technology
Bulbs of culture are lowered into holes with sizes exceeding the parameters of planting material by 2 times. The distance between the landing pits should be at least 7 cm, since for 3-5 years, during which the plants are in one place, an impressive colony of children is formed in crocuses. After completion of planting, the beds are abundantly moistened.
How to care for crocus
It is very simple to take care of primroses and will not be difficult.
Watering
Drought-tolerant culture with snowy winters and the presence of rainfall in the spring season does not require additional moisture.
Soil treatment
From time to time, beds should be loosened, since crocuses need free access of air to the bulbs, which can be provided by loose soil. Simultaneously with loosening, weed removal from the site is carried out.
Fertilizing and fertilizers
Crocuses love to grow in a nutrient medium. Feeding plants is several times a season. In early spring, ammophos or azofoska is scattered on frozen ground. Before flowering, nitrogen is excluded from the composition of top dressing so as not to provoke the development of fungal diseases.
Protection against diseases and pests
Bulbs of a plant can be eaten by rodents or damaged by soil-boring wireworms, the number of which at the end of April will help to reduce the expanded bundles of straw covered with planks. Also in wet weather, you may need to collect slugs. To protect the flowers from various rot caused by the fungus, you should pickle the bulbs with a fungicide solution before planting in open ground.
When and how to dig crocus bulbs?
Bulbs of culture winter well in open ground. But every 3-4 years due to the rapid formation of children who constrain the maternal specimen, it is recommended to dig up onions.
The procedure is carried out according to the following scheme:
- Bulbs are removed from the soil and dried.
- Sick planting material is rejected.
- Bulb lesions are treated with crushed charcoal.
- Planting stock is sent to storage in a dry, cool place before landing in open ground.
Flower propagation methods
Crocuses propagate by seeds and by separating the children. The latter process is described above.
With the seed method of breeding, which is more time consuming and not so popular, the following steps are taken:
- Furrows are made in the selected area in the fall.
- Seeds are placed in the grooves at a distance of 4-5 cm and sprinkled with a centimeter layer of soil.
- Bloom crocuses grown in this way, only for 4 years
The meaning and application of crocus
Delicate flowers are used in various fields of life:
- In landscape design - flowerbeds, front gardens are decorated with primroses. Delicate flowers look spectacular on alpine slides.
- In cooking - a popular and often used spice in the preparation of various dishes, saffron is made from the stigmas of crocuses.
- In medicine - in pharmaceuticals also used spices from crocuses, which beneficially affects the nervous activity, digestive system, eyesight, heart.
The legend of the spring flower
During excavations of ancient civilizations, dated to the 17th century were found. BC e. murals depicting Greek goddesses collecting saffron. Together with these items, a beautiful legend about the crocus flower (saffron) has come down to us. The legend tells of the tragic love of a young man named Crocus for the nymph Smilaks, who led the handsome young man to the gods, who turned him into a flower with red stigmas, symbolizing the passionate feelings of a young man. There is another legend according to which the Greek god Hermes fell in love with a handsome young man who accidentally died at his hands. When the tears sprinkled on the ground, a beautiful purple saffron flower appeared in the place where they fell.
So, crocus is an elegant and undemanding flower that will adorn the garden for many years at those moments when nature has not yet woken up from a winter dream.
