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No Quibble GuaranteeHow to grow Crocus
Symbolising joy, hope and new beginnings, Crocus bring a welcome splash of colour early in the season in containers, borders or naturalised in grass.
Adored by early waking bees and pollinators, for a much-needed nectar rich feast. Thin, green foliage appears in early spring below goblet-shaped blooms.
A collection of pots full of Crocus looks wonderful on a garden table where their intricate markings and colours can be appreciated up close.
Try one of our delightful Crocus collections, carefully selected for their complimentary colour combinations, all featuring the distinctive set of glowing orange stamens for which Crocus are so famous.
Key Information
Soil pH
Position
Hardiness
Where & when to plant Crocus
Crocus are perennials, growing from corms. Reminiscent of large hazelnuts, they store energy. Plant in autumn, in sun where their star-like blooms open fully on a bright day to bask in the warm rays.
Thriving in moist, well-drained soil, Crocus will happily naturalise and multiply.
How to plant Crocus
Scatter the corms in a random pattern and plant where they land to a depth of 8-10cm and the same distance apart to allow naturalisation. If on clay, add a handful of grit. Cover with soil, water in, and then look forward to a beautiful show.
A pot of Crocus is a spring treat. Use peat-free compost and make sure your pot has drainage holes. Plant your corms almost touching, as above and cover over with 1-2cm of compost, followed by a layer of grit to help to retain moisture, keep weeds at bay, and deter slugs. Water regularly if dry.
What to plant with Crocus
Crocus grown in a pot look simply fabulous on their own, or can form the pretty, early, lower storey of a bulb lasagne. This is a method of growing layers of bulbs to bloom in succession and takes a little planning. As a rule, the later flowering, and larger bulbs such as Tulips and Narcissi should be planted in the bottom of the pot, and smaller bulbs or corms such as Iris reticulata and Crocus planted as the final layer, to bloom first.
If planting in a mixed border, Crocus should be placed at the front, perhaps with other low growing bulbs such as Snowdrops. Be careful not to overshadow Crocus with larger spring plants such as Tulips, Hyacinths, Fritillaria and Narcissi and place these bulbs nearer to the middle or back of the bed or border.
If you have room in your garden to allow Crocus to naturalise, then swathes, rings or carpets of these colourful flowers look spectacular, and early pollinators such as bumblebees will be found happily buzzing from bloom to bloom in the sunshine.
At Hayloft, we are more than happy to help if you would like any further advice or planting ideas for your Crocus. Please contact our friendly and knowledgeable Customer Care Team.
How to care for Crocus
If planted amongst grass, remember not to cut the grass until after they have flowered and died back.
With no need for deadheading, allow the foliage to turn die back naturally, giving them more time to photosynthesise and store energy ready for next year. Clumps can be divided every few years after the foliage has faded by lifting and splitting into smaller sections for replanting.
Once established, there is no need to feed, mulch, or water unless in a pot.
A tasty treat for hungry squirrels and mice, plant deeply or consider covering with netting for protection.
How to propagate Crocus
It is possible to propagate Crocus by removing the cormlets when the plant is dormant or by the division of clumps.
