Crocus
How To Grow
Plant them in full sun
Space them 3-4 inches apart,
Plant 2-3 inches deep,
Plant lots of them in the same area. Groupings of 20 to 30 in each spot will give you a good show.
Here’s a few facts about this bulb.
Interestingly enough, established clumps bloom earlier than first year plantings. When they bloom isn’t a major problem for combining other plants (not too many other plants are that early) to get color combinations but do understand that the established clumps will beat the newly planted ones.
Also, if you have to plant yellow-flowering varieties, do so where your dogs or cats will chase away the birds. I’ve seen it more than once where birds will peck away at yellow flowers ignoring other colors. Yellow bulbs would never establish themselves out of the radius of family pets.
The bulbs you normally see in garden centers are the large flowering hybrid types. These hybrids are the result of many years of intense hybridization and they give us the largest flowers and the most color of any crocus. They do tend to flower a little later than the species crocus so by planting both the hybrids and species, you can extend your bloom time by a week or more. The hybrids are the best ones to use in forced containers as they have larger blooms and respond well to growing in pots.
Crocus Species
If I had to recommend a Crocus species to look for, it would be C. vernus. This species is definitely later than the hybrids and is relatively easy to find. This plant blooms a week later than the hybrids. If you combine this species with other species, you’ll extend bloom times both earlier and later than the colorful hybrids.
I note that C. vernus also handles more water than most of the family so they will persist in gardens that are watered regularly (unlike most others that deteriorate quickly with heavy watering). If you have trouble keeping crocus from year to year, do not plant annuals over top of them and insist on watering the annuals.
Naturalizing Crocus
If you want to naturalize these spring flower bulbs, you’re in great company. It is an easy bulb to grow naturally by tucking it into lawns or other wild areas. I had several clumps that thrived in deep cracks in rocks that never got any garden attention other than admiration in the spring.
C. nudiflorus is the single best crocus for naturalizing and you can usually find these at good garden centers. This plant is a native of grasslands so it feels right at home in your lawn. Let me suggest you mow your lawn a little higher in the spring to allow the crocus foliage to rejuvenate the bulbs. This will also be good for your lawn.
Click here to ask a questions about growing crocus
Do You Need Gardening Advice?
