Planting and Care - Saffron Crocus

Saffron Crocus Guide
Planting and Growing Your Saffron Harvesting Your Saffron
Plant your fall blooming saffron crocus bulbs as soon as The precious saffron spice is made from the 3 fiery red-
you receive them in a well-drained location in full sun. orange stigmas borne in the center of each pretty lily-
Because they are Mediterranean natives, your saffron shaped crocus blossom. While it can take hundreds of
crocus bulbs like relatively dry conditions and soil that is blossoms to get a commercially useful amount, for home
moderately rich in organic material. If gophers, mice, or use, you will need the stigmas from the flowers
voles are a problem in your area, underwire the bed with produced by at least 10-12 bulbs to get the amount used
wire screen or plant in containers. in most recipes. As bulbs increase in size and number of
blooms each season, your harvests of saffron stigmas
In the garden, plant bulbs 3-4 inches deep and 4 inches will dramatically increase. The 2nd and 3rd year’s yields
apart, or 3 inches apart if planting in containers. Saffron are considered the best, as each bulb will yield up to 6 to
crocus bulbs, which can easily handle early fall frosts, 9 flowers or 18 to 27 stigmas.
will grow 4-6 inches tall with grassy foliage. Pretty
striped violet blossoms will appear 5-8 weeks after Pluck only the brilliant orange-red stigmas from the
planting the first season, blooming for about 3 weeks. center of each flower in midmorning when the crocus is
The grass-like leaves may emerge with flowers or soon fully opened up and still fresh. These saffron stigmas,
after they appear. Do not cut the leaves: they produce which are conventionally called “threads” in most
recipes, must be completely dried to preserve them for
nutrients, enabling bulbs to grow larger each season.
cooking. Using a paper plate or paper towel place them
After several months bulbs go dormant, leaving no in the sun or a warm, dry
traces above the ground, until blossoms appear again in place. After drying, store
fall. Occasionally, flowers do not appear until the 2nd them in an airtight jar.
fall season. Be sure to mark the planting area, so you
don't inadvertently dig the crocus bulbs while they are in Using Your Saffron
natural dormancy throughout spring and summer. Steep the saffron threads in
hot liquid – water, broth, or
Your saffron crocus planting will reliably increase in
milk, depending on what
size and numbers every season. After 4-6 years, dig up
the recipe requires – for
and transplant to avoid crowding. Bulbs are reliably
about 15 minutes. Add
perennial in USDA zones 6-9, but do fine in warmer
steeping liquid with threads
areas of zone 5b if mulched well after bloom is finished.
early in the cooking
Overwintering bulbs in Cold Climates: In very cold process and the threads will
winter areas, bulbs must be dug up and brought indoors continue to release color
for the winter. After the first frosts, but before ground and wonderful flavor.
has frozen solid, dig and store bulbs in containers deep
Saffron adds delicious flavor and golden color to breads,
enough to cover them completely with dry peat moss or
desserts, rice dishes and main courses from countries as
sand. Store in a cool (40-50°F), dry place, such as a
varied as England, India, the Middle East, Scandinavia
basement. Plant them out in spring after all danger of
and throughout the Mediterranean. You’ll find that
frost has passed, but don't water until you see new
saffron threads from your garden add exquisite flavor to
growth in early autumn.
your cooking; it is a true gardening pleasure to grow
Another method is to plant the bulbs 2 inches deep in your own!
clay or plastic pots filled with a well-drained soil mix,
putting the pots in the ground with their rims about 2
inches below the soil surface, so the pots don't show
above ground. Don’t forget to mark their location so you
don’t dig in pots by mistake. After bulbs die back in late
fall, bring pots into your basement and store dry for the
winter. Set pots of bulbs back out the following spring.
6060 Graham Hill Rd. Felton, CA 95018 • 888-880-7228 • [email protected] • reneesgarden.com

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Saffron Crocus Guide

Planting and Growing Your Saffron Harvesting Your Saffron

6060 Graham Hill Rd. Felton, CA 95018 • 888-880-7228 • [email protected] • reneesgarden.com

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