Saffron Corms and Seeds
Answered by: Ine Poot
Question from: Simon Pellman
Posted on: July 5, 2002

I have planted saffron seeds and put some corms in the fridge for a winter rest. How deep should they be planted?

The saffron seeds are not likely to germinate, because the commercial saffron plant is a sterile triploid – it does not occur in the wild. Because it is sterile it will have more strength to produce lots of flowers. The orangy red stringy stigmas often hanging out of the side of the lovely purple blossoms are the part harvested and dried to produce saffron. This is one of the fall flowering crocuses and like other species of these crocuses they are less winter hardy than the spring flowering species. All crocuses should be planted 7 to 10 centimeters deep and should be protected from rodents with one centimeter hardware cloth. Since a new corm is formed above the old one every year, the plant will eventually work itself out of the soil. Therefore replanting every three or four years after the leaves die down is a good idea. Mulching every year will delay the need to replant somewhat.

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