After the long winter months, it is very pleasant to admire the primroses. The snow has just melted, the sun is still not warming much, and the first spring glades, among which crocuses are actively blooming, bring joy to gardeners. Planting and caring for these flowers is a pleasure, because they are garden decoration, medicine, dye, and spice (saffron). Here it is so diverse - crocus.
These flowers are bulbous perennials belonging to the Iris family. Their height does not exceed 25 cm. Mostly early spring makes goblet-shaped white, lilac, yellow or blue buds wake up and blossom. But some species still prefer to bloom in the fall. Nearly 100 species of these flowers exist in nature.
These plants bloom early. The flowering period usually lasts about a week, and then, closer to mid-summer, the leaves wither, and the plant begins a dormant period. Their growing season is quite short. But this period of time provides an opportunity to live their life. So crocuses are arranged. Landing and caring for them in the future have some features, but still there is nothing complicated about it.
For the successful cultivation of crocuses, you need to select strong and healthy bulbs. A place to land is better to choose a sunny one. You can plant flowers in partial shade, but then they will be small. Crocuses do not tolerate the slightest stagnation of water, which must be considered when choosing their location. Preference is given to loose, light and fertile soil. Before planting, it is advisable to fertilize the soil with compost or manure, and then dig up. Crocuses blooming in spring are planted in autumn, and autumn-blooming species at the end of summer. Large bulbs are planted in recesses up to 10 cm, and small ones - 4-5 cm. There should be a distance of at least 3 cm between them.
Crocuses (planting and care of which should be correct) require attention to themselves after germination. When green shoots appear, you need to loosen the soil and regularly water it. During flowering, moisture is very necessary for flowers. It is also necessary to fertilize crocuses for high-quality and longer flowering. The first time this is done before the start of growth, the second - when the buds are formed, the third - how they will fade. Use phosphate and potassium fertilizers for top dressing . Phosphorus is needed for flowering, and potassium is needed for the formation and development of healthy bulbs. It is undesirable to grow crocuses in one place for more than 4 years.
If crocus care is decent, then there will be no problems with reproduction. The mother onion dies after flowering, and in its place "children" are formed - they bloom after a season. You can propagate crocuses and seeds, but then flowering will have to wait about 3 years.
Crocuses are quite frost-resistant plants, they can withstand up to -18 degrees. But it is recommended to cover them for the winter with dry grass, foliage or spruce branches.
Crocuses are also resistant to pests and diseases. To protect them from rot, it is necessary to avoid excess moisture in the soil.
Poor lighting and soil poverty do not scare crocuses. Landing and caring for them, however, requires a full-fledged one. Their feature is that they are wonderfully suitable for distillation at home. In a favorable environment, you can get beautiful flowers already in the New Year or on the occasion of March 8.