Growing Crocuses

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Crocuses

By Catherine Boeckmann

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Age-Old Wisdom meets Modern Tools

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When it seems like winter will never lose its icy grip, the dainty crocus pushes through the snow to put on a show of colorful revival. Plant this perennial flower in the fall for an early spring delight! Here’s how to plant, grow, and care for crocuses in your garden!

From snow crocuses (the first to bloom) to giant Dutch crocuses, all just 2 to 4 inches tall, these blooms offer a variety in color (pinks, reds, oranges, yellows, purples, blues, and more) that stand out against the bleak late-winter landscape. Many have strong perfumes that lure bees out of their hives in February or March.

Crocus bulbs (technically called “corms”) not only provide winter garden color, but they naturalize, meaning that they spread and come back year after year—with minimum care—for an ever-larger display. As a bonus, deer, squirrels, and rabbits rarely bother early little crocus corms.

Planting

When to Plant Crocuses

Before the ground freezes in the fall, crocus corms can be planted most anywhere, except in the dense shade on the north side of buildings or under thickets.
Ideally, plant crocus corms 6 to 8 weeks before a hard frost is expected and when the soil temperature is below 60°F (16°C). This is usually during September and October in the northern U.S. and Canada, and October and November in the southern United States.

Choosing and Preparing a Planting Site

Choose a planting site where there is well-draining soil; bulbs will rot in soggy, compacted ground.
Before planting, work in organic matter such as compost, peat, or something like shredded leaves to a depth of at least 10 inches.

How to Plant Crocuses

Plant crocus corms 3 to 4 inches deep (with the pointy end up). After planting, water well.
Plant bulbs in groups or clusters rather than spacing them in a single line along a walkway or border. Single flowers get lost in the landscape. Plant a few inches apart, and plant in groups of 10 or more.
Consider planting crocuses in lawns and meadows where they can form carpets, or mass them in the front of flower beds along the edge.
Plant taller spring-flowering bulbs and shrubs behind the early bulbs for color contrast.
Learn more about planting fall bulbs.

Crocus field
A carpet of crocuses makes for a wonderful spring sight!

Care

How to Care for Crocuses

Apply a balanced fertilizer in early autumn if your spring is short and the days heat up fast; or, apply fertilizer after bulbs flower in late winter if your spring is long and temperate. The crocuses will have a chance to use the extra nutrients to produce bigger carbohydrate stores.
Through the autumn, keep crocus beds watered if weather gets dry, but do not waterlog the soil. Cover the beds with mulch before the winter.
In late February, remove mulches from snowdrops and crocuses so the shoots can come through.
In February and March, keep plastic milk jugs or other coverings on hand to protect the flowers of crocuses and other early bloomers against the return of severe weather.
If you have crocuses growing in your lawn in mid-Spring, don’t mow until their leaves have died down.

Pests/Diseases

Mice, voles, and squirrels may feed on the corms. If they are a problem, consider planting crocuses in buried wire cages.
Birds sometimes pick off the flowers.
Corms in storage are prone to rot and molds if kept too moist.

Recommended Varieties

‘Bowles White’ produces white flowers with deep golden yellow throats in early spring. It grows 2 to 3 inches tall.
‘Flower Record’ has single pale violet flowers in spring to early summer. It grows 4 to 5 inches tall.
‘Pickwick’ is a striped crocus with alternating pale and dark lilac and dark purple bases. It’s 4 to 5 inches tall and blooms in spring to early summer.
‘Tricolor Crocus’ is a beauty. Each narrow flower has three distinct bands of lilac, white, and golden yellow. It grows 3 inches tall and blooms in late winter and early spring.
‘Purpureus Grandiflorus’ has abundance violet flowers with purple bases. It grows 4 to 5 inches tall and blooms spring to early summer.

Crocuses in Snow
Crocuses peaking up through the snow.

Wit & Wisdom

In the language of flowers, crocus means cheerfulness.

And all the woods are alive with the murmur and sound of Spring,
And the rose-bud breaks into pink on the climbing briar,
And the crocus-bed is a quivering moon of fire
Girdled round with the belt of an amethyst ring.
–Oscar Wilde

Reader Comments

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crocus sinking

hi, my sister has crocus in bloom but the stem sunk back in the ground, flower is still blooming. Any reason why

Crocus

I just bought some crocus plants if you are flowering it's late March in Missouri can I replant them in the yard?

When the crocus is done

When the crocus is done flowering, stop watering it, let the foliage die back, and put the pot in an out-of-the-way place. In the early fall, remove the bulbs from the pot and plant them outdoors.

Question about moving them

Sorry if this was already answered in the comments.
I have some crocus flowers that are blooming in the yard of a house I just moved into. It is late Feb. I wanted to move them. Should I wait until they are done blooming to dig up the bulbs and then plant them in the fall where I want or will they survive if I move them now? Do they need direct sunlight?

Don't Croke the Crocuses

Hi, Sara: It’s best to wait and replant them in the fall, and yes, they do need direct sunlight! Thanks for asking!

crocus in pots

after putting pots in an out of the way place till fall do I keep watering or just let it stay dry

I have some crocus bulbs that

I have some crocus bulbs that have never been planted. It is now mid February and my crocus outside are already blooming. Should I plant the bulbs now for flowering next year or wait until the fall to plant them? If I have to wait til the fall, how should I store them until then?

If the bulbs are dry just put

If the bulbs are dry just put them in a paper bag and store them in a cool dry spot. Just remember to plant them in the fall.

Crocus

Will the Crocus survive and live in doors
Through the winter ?

Crocus in winter

Hi, Linda, Crocus need a cool period (but not a freeze) to bloom properly, so the answer is no, they will not live indoors.

Planting my Crocus

I live in Washington, DC don't know my zone but when should I plant my crocuses.

This is to anybody that

This is to anybody that knows,
My dad and myself found a plant with white fuzzy fur on it, and there is also a plant growing from the middle of it.
Does anybody know what this plant is?

Dear Sir / Mam, I have a crop

Dear Sir / Mam,

I have a crop of tricolour blooming crocus in my garden.Please may I know whether I can pick the anthers for use as a food colouring?

It is not crocus sativus.

Thanking you,

K.S.Silva

Hi all :O) I need a bit of

Hi all :O)
I need a bit of advice please
I am shortly moving away from my local area (Cambridge UK) and no longer will be able to tend my mother's an father's graves.
So I had the idea of planting both snowdrops and crocuses on both graves, so there would be some early colour on the graves before the cemeteries strict lawn mowing regime (1st cut in mid April)
OK so snowdrops worked perfectly but crocuses came up blind 2 shows only
So before I move away I want to put crocuses in now before I move
I know crocuses should be planted late August to December, but I wont be here!
If I put crocus bulbs in now (mid March) will they appear before next spring? and if they do and get cut by mower this spring / summer, will they in spring 2016 reappear and have flowers?
I have tried to obtain crocus bulbs locally, and crocuses in the green unsuccessfully
Or can you suggest an alternative flower or way round my problem
OK that's in all advice and suggestions appreciated

Huge THANKS in expectation

Pete *S*

How about Mums?

I have Miss Saigon variety of

I have Miss Saigon variety of purple crocuses in small they were one of those growing kits for X-mas and I would like them to flower again in December to early January.
I live tropical climate: the house is cooler than outside but the windows are made with coloured glass to keep cool and the sun out; outside temperature averages 30-40C except in cold season when it can get as cold as 22C at night but never under 20C. Monsoon is tricky as I cannot shield the plants from too much rain while keeping them outside. Would it be possible to keep these plants alive and have them flower again? I can keep the small pots in my fridge, but what shall I do the rest of the time? And when do I put the corms in the fridge?

Sorry, I should have said

Sorry, I should have said bowls, not pots: there is no drainage.

Hi there, Can I plant Crocus

Hi there,
Can I plant Crocus in tropical climate? We have no snow in the winter and not cold enough to freeze the ground

yes, probaly.

Hi there. I have just picked

Hi there. I have just picked some crocus' from an exposed paddock (dug down to get all of bulb). It was dry and the flowers were prolific. We have had heavy frosts this year (Monto QLD) which sounds like the reason they were so prolific. Just wondering if these babies will survive? Still flowering, roots at end of bulb are fat and wet (I've kept them moist). Should I plant them and hope for the best? They still look super healthy.

Although the saffron crocus

Although the saffron crocus was bred for saffron production don't all crocus produce saffron?

We have crocus bulbs but are

We have crocus bulbs but are not yard-digging people. Will our bulbs do nicely permanently in pots? According to some comments I read, crocus needs some cold temps to properly bloom. Leave pots outside or in chilly garage for winter? Thanks.

can i plant crocuses in

can i plant crocuses in toronto canada ? if yes pl let me know where to plant, inside or out side

Hi, Sanjay: You sure can, but

Hi, Sanjay: You sure can, but time is just about out for planting outside, so you need to get them in the ground this weekend at the latest!

Can I plant crocus bulbs in

Can I plant crocus bulbs in pots to be buried in the ground in the fall for spring blooming. I want to do this to prevent accidently digging them up or having them spread to other areas of my new herbaceous mix garden. I am still planting in that garden. Any advice would be appreciated.Washington state zone 6.

Hi Helen, Sure, you can plant

Hi Helen,
Sure, you can plant the crocuses in pots and bury them in the garden. The additional benefit is that the pot will also protect the bulbs from underground pests like moles.

I plan on planting my Crocus

I plan on planting my Crocus on my mound system and my husband seems to think we need to get rid of the grass first. From reading all these comments, I seem to think that it's fine to have the grass. The crocus will grow through it and then die off and after they are ground level we mow. Am I accurate in this? I have 100 bulbs to plant and I want to make sure I'm right before having a huge mess on my hands!!!! I'm in Wisconsin so I need to get planting!!!! First time with Crocus and I'm excited!!

Early blooming crocus

Early blooming crocus varieties are best planted in lawns (Crocus tommasinianus is a good variety). They bloom before the grass starts growing and die down before you need to mow the lawn. Later blooming "Dutch" crocuses are a bit trickier. You need to wait to mow the grass until the tops have turned brown to ensure repeat blooms the following spring. Also remember to not put any chemicals on the lawn where your crocuses are planted.

I live in South Africa and

I live in South Africa and have just purchased some flowering Crocus. What is the best way to plant these? Our temperatures are not as cold as in the Northern Hemisphere and I a wondering if I will be able to make them flower again next year? Maybe in a pot?

I also live in Florida

I also live in Florida (panhandle) and was sent a crocus and mixed bulbs plant that I am trying to keep alive in the house. Any suggestions? They are doing well so far but I have only had them a week. Crocuses came up first but blooms only lasted a day or two.