🌿 Crocus

Crocus corms tend to rot in heavy, waterlogged soil, especially in winter. Moderately fertile sandy or loamy soil is ideal. Improve clayey or compacted beds by generously incorporating coarse sand and fine gravel, and avoid depressions that remain damp. Add a little well-decomposed organic matter for structure, but don't over-enrich.

Plant dormant corms in autumn (usually September-November, before the ground freezes). Choose a site with well-drained soil; full sun is preferable for good flowering, although light or partial shade is tolerated. Avoid heavy, waterlogged soil in winter. Plant the corms with the pointed end upwards, at a depth of around 7-10 cm (about 2-3× the height of the corm) and spaced at around 7-10 cm apart. Close the soil and water once to settle; then water sparingly - keep the soil just moist during establishment and growth, but never saturated. For pots/containers, use draining compost (add gravel), make sure drainage holes are clear and keep containers protected from prolonged winter humidity. After flowering, let the foliage die back naturally to recharge the corms; avoid cutting the leaves too early. Corms can be lifted and divided when clumps become crowded, ideally in the dormant period (after foliage dieback). Seed propagation: sow fresh seeds as soon as they are ripe in pots/trays of granular compost, keep them outdoors or in a cold frame for natural winter cooling, and keep them evenly moist. Germination can be slow/irregular and seedlings usually take several years to reach flowering size.

Feed sparingly. When planting in autumn (or when shoots emerge in late winter or early spring), top-dress with a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus and high-potassium "bulb" fertilizer (e.g. approx. 5-10-10) or a light application of well-decomposed compost; water after spreading.