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Name: Spring-flowering crocuses
Botanical name: Crocus chrysanthus, Crocus vernus, Crocus tommasinianus. There are many species and cultivars of crocus. The name crocus is the Latin name, derived from the Greek name, krokos. Most likely, this was the species Crocus sativus, the botanical name for saffron. Crocus chrysanthus means yellow-flowered, while vernus means early or of spring. Apart from named cultivars, most of the commonly grown yellow flowers are simply Dutch yellow crocus and the purple ones are Dutch purple. Crocus tommasinianus is named after an Italian named Tomassini.
Family: Crocus is part of the iris family, the Iridaceae, with three petals laid over three more, although the structure is not entirely obvious at a glance.
Garden value
Crocuses appear in many gardens in early spring, usually in the form of a few scattered clumps. But if larger numbers are used, the effect can be remarkably impressive. Many country gardens have the space to put in a big show of crocuses and such a fine natural spectacle is very suitable for a rural setting. And it need not be very expensive. If you were to plant a hundred corms (the short underground growth of plants from which the new stem grows each year) for four or five years, you would have a fine display in a relatively short time. When planted in suitable soil in the right conditions, crocuses self-sow freely, increasing the number of flowering corms each year. You could, of course, start with fewer corms but it would take longer to achieve a big show.
The ideal location for crocuses is under the light cover of trees. Ideally, the trees should be tall enough to allow sunshine under the canopy so the light is not cut off before the crocus foliage has a chance to die back properly. If the light is cut off too soon, the corms will be weakened and will not flower as well or set as much viable seed.
At the same time, the trees should provide enough cover to weaken the grass growth underneath. While crocuses can grow in grass and survive a certain amount of competition, strongly growing grass will eventually weaken the corms and they will die out. If the trees have low branches, these can be pruned up to give the perfect conditions of partial shade, with sunshine coming in for about half the day. Although most kinds of crocus can be grown in this way, the purple and white varieties seem to survive best and most crocus lawns are predominantly of purple or white. The flowering time continues into March, depending on weather conditions.
Apart from the named varieties, the delicate, silvery-purple Crocus tommasinianus is early and is one of the most reliable. It increases rapidly by seeding itself although this may take up to four years to start flowering. When established, this species creates a carpet of slender flowers with outliers away from the main grouping where seeds have been transported.
Growing crocus
Plant the corms in autumn, when they are available in the garden centres. But now is the time to consider the idea and crocus moves readily when still with leaves. It is easy to envisage how a carpet of crocuses might look and to spot a suitable location. Apart from the requirement for light shading to reduce the vigour of grass growth, it is also possible to plant in the open, as long as the grass is not very vigorous.
If you have an area of light soil where grass does not grow well, this is ideal for crocuses, even without shading. Crocuses are native to the eastern Mediterranean area where they grow in poor gravelly soils with good drainage. The soil dries out in summer and the crocuses become dormant.
Planting is very simple. Take a small bucket of corms and a spade. Lift a sod with the spade and pop a few corms beneath. Do not plant too deeply; the corms should be placed just 5cm under the sod. If you have trouble with crows, pheasants or squirrels, you may need to consider placing fine mesh netting wire on the soil surface and cover it with a layer of soil to keep it in place, or lift the sods and place them over the wire.
Usually, it will be necessary to cut the grass beneath trees from time to time to keep it neat. This should not be done until the foliage of the crocuses has died down. The mown grass should be taken off to weaken the grass in favour of the crocuses. Removing the mown grass will not affect the crocus seeds because they will already be shed.
Sowing vegetables
The easiest vegetables to grow are lettuce, beetroot, broad beans, radish, rocket, French beans, white turnips and kohlrabi as well as onions and shallots from sets. All of these need relatively little care or effort. They are all sown directly from seed into the final area. It will be necessary in each case to thin out a surplus of seedlings. The back of the seed packets gives indications of spacings.
Remove weeds consistently by hoeing between the rows and hand-weeding along the row of the plants. All are quick developers and positive early results generate confidence and enthusiasm.
Even though this group is easy to grow, they can be difficult to find in the supermarket because they quickly deteriorate after picking and so are best eaten directly from the garden.
Apart from the vegetables that mature where they are sown, there are others that are raised from seed in a greenhouse in the case of early cabbage, cauliflower, green broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, sweetcorn, courgettes, pumpkins and butternut squash. All of these can be damaged by frost in the spring. These are only planted out at the end of May from sowings made in the first half of April.
In the case of the direct-sown varieties, follow the directions on the package carefully as regards the accuracy of this advice. The key factor is to control weeds from seedling stage. If the soil becomes very dry due to lack of rainfall after sowing, you could consider one or two good soaks.
Trees, shrubs and roses
Deciduous trees are beginning to swell buds and the sooner they are planted the better. There is not much more than three weeks left, without taking a risk on losses in summer, or a lot of watering, but there is some time still with evergreens.
Flowers
It is getting a little late for sowing seeds of the slow developers. Perennial flowers are showing good growth in many cases and lifting and dividing of herbaceous flowers can continue. This is the best time to move perennial flowers in gardens on heavy soil.
Fruit and vegetables
Plant garlic and shallot sets, if the ground is dry enough to cultivate. Sow seeds of early varieties of cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce and onions in a tunnel or glasshouse for early crops. Finish pruning of apple and pear trees and blackcurrant bushes.
Lawn
Begin lawn mowing, if not already done. There has been quite a bit of grass growth this winter in most parts and there is a lot of grass to remove. It is too early for lawn feeding. If new areas of lawn are to be sown, the ground should be cultivated now.
Greenhouse and house plants
Most greenhouse plants in pots will benefit from an increase in watering as growth begins. Sow seeds of tomatoes for greenhouse growing, also peppers and chillis. Delayed sowing will delay cropping and ripening of the tail-end of the crop next October.
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