Growing Saffron Crocuses

Every time I make Basmati rice with saffron, I sort of tighten-up all over because I recall what I had to pay for a small fraction of a gram that I bought. It's 10-15 euros/gram here)! Well, I decided to try it myself...I thought that it can't be too difficult. After washing all the garden dirt off my hands, I thought that I detected a trace of green on one of my thumbs, so I pulled-out the catalogue of the guy that I buy bulbs from and sure enough, there they were: Crocus sativus. Ah ha! This is step one, I grinned.

The first thing that I did was locate a suitable place and beggan making the soil amenable.
I found a place in the full sun, but that is protected on the eastern and western sides by some plants.
These types of crocuses like a loose, loamy soil that has a bit of chalk in it and drains well.

PLANTING: When to plant them? June/July.
I mixed a bit of sand and calcium in the soil that was to cover the bulbs.
In the bottom of the furrow, I put a layer of sand and a little bit of humus on top of that.


I nestled the bulbs in this trench, keeping them close together as advised on the package.
Most folks plant them in groups of five, or so--but I'm growing them purely for the harvesting, so I made a tightly packed double row.
I covered the bulbs with soil making them about 3-4 inches deep.
After about a month the first leaf case tips began to show themselves. I was pleased.

Today I found that about nine had bloomed.

HARVESTING: Get them in the early morning just after they have opened and the dew has dried away.
Carefully clip the flower stem well below the flower and place it gently in a paper bag and take them inside to the kitchen table. The idea is to get out of the elements to work in peace.
Now...Here is a picture showing the part that we are going to harvest. Look carefully and notice that the only bit that you want to harvest is the red-orange stigma.



--First remove all or most of the petals to expose the stamen and carefully clip it with the smallest pair of scissors that you have.
These stigmata may still have a little bit of dew on them, but even if they do not, the structure does have a bit of the plant's moisture in them so they must be thoroughly dried before storing to prevent the formation of mould, or outright rotting.
I just place them on a piece of kitchen paper on the windowsill for a few days. Then I have a special little box that I put them in to keep them dry. You could use a matchbox too, if you can find one with a tight fit.
If you keep them in a plastic container, place a sheet of absorbant paper in with the saffron threads to be sure they do not absorb or give off moisture.

And that is it. I had thirty bulbs and so my harvest will not be huge, but this is a trial. If I am satisfied, I will plant more next year.

The harvesting process is very time consuming and you really do have to have a steady hand, but I am patient and enjoy the challenge.
If you however, do not want to fool with all the hassle of harvesting, you still have some lovely-coloured flowers in the waning days of fall to delight your eyes.

 

I've wondered about growing these for some time, very encouraging so see your success. I haven't a very good sense of taste, so substituting yellow turmeric has been my fall-back in the past, but perhaps DH would appreciate the real thing (good excuse to try some new bulbs anyhow!)

 

Awww, they're so delicate looking, and tiny! Well done, I think I need some of those.

 

Ohhh well done Sjoerd!! That is probably the only plant i will order this yr for spring planting. Flower wise that is. I have had my eyes on growing them for a few yrs now. Thanks for the explaination, now i know what to expect.

There are a few breads both swedish and norwegan that love to make that uses saffron, and like you said the price is outrageous. But its obvious why!! Thank you so much for the pics!!

 

yeah, what's with you uppity Swedes ? Seems whenever I want to bake something for my Swedish friends the recipes call for either saffron or cardamom! Snooty food, lol

 

I don't think we've got any Swedes at all, CP. Granted, Frank lives there, but he's not Swedish in my eyes. *whispers*

 

when i lived in Sweden as a child, the crocus was wild there. this kind of crocus, with the saffron that is. We would just go out and pick all we wanted. I haven't seen wild ones here in Norway. But!! The kardamon is another wild plant and that i do see everywhere. I've picked the seeds or what ever you call them, i have my supply for the year. Goodness knows KB loves his raisin balls so i'll go thru the kardomon pretty fast.

I was born and raised in Sweden, i'm half Swedish and half Saa'mi. (reindeer herders in Lappland) but i live in Norway. The folks here tell me i am no longer a swede so get over it,,,lol. I have.

Franks really a Norwegan too, he just got confused when he moved from Ireland. (extremely low whisper)

 

Thanks for nice words about the saffron. This is turning out alright. It is very work intensive, but at this time of year I don't have a great deal of other stuff to do, so it's no problem for me to pick and cut the stigmas.
As with other things in gardening-- harvesting and using ones's own grown produce gives a great deal of satisfaction.
I'm glad you liked it Frank. It is surprizing how thin they dry up to though. Thirty bulbs are enough for a trial, but not enough to be serious. I think that I will buy more next year then let the bulbs multiply, then perhaps I can corner the market in Holland.

 

Growing Crocus sativus

Hi Sjoerd,
thank you for great info and picks......I guess I don't have to be intimidated anymore .....
I love to make risotto and this outrageously expensive spice is necessary ingredient.....I was looking online, comparing prices per gram.....and than I came across your info......I had a revelation.....just like you......I will try it myself.......
I just had a question about if I purchase the bulbs now, can I plant them now as well?......I live upstate NY I guess zone 6?......it's still fairly warm here.....about 60 degrees......unusual for this time of year.....
Thank you for your response....
Martina .

 

By golly
All that hard work, the beautiful flower really makes it worthwhile.

So few strands to harvest. No wonder I have to pay through my teeth when I buy saffron to make breyanis and other lovely foods.

Well done Sjoerd. ANd thnak you for the pictures and the way you make us part of the experience. 8)

 

Hello Martina,
Apparently planting the bulbs in June-July is important to their development. In any event not later than september 15th.
Most knowlegable people recommend that you plant them immediately after getting them so that they don't deteriorate at all. I have seen this on website after website...and from the seed company where I bought mine as well.

So--my advice to you is to hold off on purchasing your bulbs now and buy/order them so that you get them in your hands in July and plant tyhem the same day.

Next year I am planning to buy more bulbs and I shall plant the majority in my lottie in raised ridges. I will also fill a container full and keep it on my balcony here at home.
I was quite pleased with my results this year, as I know that sometimes the crocuses do not flower the first year.

Good luck with your experiment. You should not be intimidated by these plants--just get the soil right before planting and then forget them till the fall.

**One final word: When researching this plant, I kept coming across warnings to be alert and be as sure as you can be that when you buy your bulbs that you indeed get the Crocus sativus and not an imitation.

Palm Tree--thank you for such nice words. You know, I really enjoy doing these and it isn't alot of work actually, because before undertaking the trials, I do alot of research and make all kinds of notes--so doing the writing is a fluitje van een cent, as they say...and if I can save someone else alot of legwork, then I'm happy to do it.

 

Thank you Sjoerd......I will try next year then ......I want to plant the bulbs in 2x1 feet pots on a deck and put them away in my garage for hibernation through the summer......they will not need any sun nor water at that time I suppose......I will start with 30 bulbs as well.....and see how I do ......have a wonderful holiday and new year......
Martina

 

Sjored you always do wonderful research.This Southern woman woudn't know what to do with sapffron.Others have learned so much from this.I don't really know how to use many herbs and spices as I was taught how to cook from my mom and we were share croppers and used only what was grown by her.Its so interesting to read of all the things you do to raise your own veggies.herbs and spices.

 

Oké then Martina...I will cross my fingers for you and wish you a great success.
**Just a note: I have heard that adding a bit of bone meal mixed with the soil that you cover the bulbs with will help ensure good blooming. I have not tried this myself, but I plan to next year--at least with some of the new bulbs.

Thanks you so much for your nice post, Glenda. I guess that becoming acquainted with some herbs and spices is something that happens over time. I am a curious person by nature and so I get a bit carried-away with trying new plants and techniques from time to time my bride says.
Ach...but that's part of the fun of gardening for me. I'm just glad that you like to read my ramblings from time to time.