Can I successfully grow saffron?
QInspired by reading articles about growing your own saffron, I planted some crocus. One or two flowered in their first year but this autumn, there has been no sign of them. Where did I go wrong?
AThere is a small chance your saffron crocus might still be poised to perform, so don’t rush to dig over the patch of soil where corms were planted. The spice saffron comes from the three bright, burnt orange-red stigmas arising from the centre of each flower of Crocus sativus, whose fragrant, mauve blooms are a lovely surprise in October and November. They appear at the same time as narrow grassy leaves that eventually reach 1ft (30cm) tall and remain verdant all winter, finally dying back in June.
It is thought that saffron originated from Crete, we’ve been growing it in the uk since 1350 and it was very popular in Tudor times. I first tasted it in Cornish saffron cake and buns, but it is used widely in Mediterranean and middle eastern rice dishes, stews and soups.
Corms are available to plant from late July to early August and if you made them wait too long, or they were on the small side, this might explain why there were only a few flowers last autumn. These are fussy plants and will only grow well if you stick to the rules. If planted too shallowly, they might feel the cold or suffer from dryness at a crucial point.
They love the sun even when dormant and can easily be overshadowed by other plants. Corms prefer a dryish summer and are almost worth covering, particularly rainy summers. Heavy, waterlogged soils are another pet hate.