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How to Plant and Grow Crocuses: Early Spring Color That Critters Leave Alone

Image Credit:
Pixabay
Botanical Name
Crocus
Grown as
Perennial
USDA Zones
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Toxicity
Toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Partial Sun
Water Needs
Moderate
Height
Under 1 foot
Spread
Under 1 foot
Soil pH
Neutral
Bloom Time
Spring
Winter
Flower Color
Blue
Orange
Pink
Purple
White
Yellow
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Disease-Resistant
Low Maintenance
Winter Interest
Attracts Pollinators
Deer-resistant
Resilience
Cold Hardy
Plant Type
Bulbs
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Just when winter seems determined to linger forever, crocuses prove it doesn’t stand a chance. These tiny but mighty spring bulbs push straight through snow and frozen soil to deliver a burst of color when your garden needs it most. 

Even better? Crocuses are largely ignored by deer, squirrels, and rabbits—making them one of the most rewarding low-maintenance blooms you can plant. From fragrant snow crocuses to bold Dutch varieties, here’s everything you need to know to plant, grow, and enjoy these early-spring showstoppers year after year.

From snow crocuses (the first to bloom) to giant Dutch crocuses, all just 2 to 4 inches tall, these blooms offer a variety of colors (blues, oranges, pinks, purples, reds, yellows, 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, too, providing the pollinators with an important early-spring food source.

Crocuses not only provide winter garden color but also naturalize, meaning that they spread and come back year after year—with minimal care—for an ever-larger display. As a bonus, deer, squirrels, and rabbits rarely bother early little crocus corms.

Planting

Where to Plant Crocuses

Crocuses do best in a spot that gets full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight), but will grow in partial sun as well. Choose a planting site where there is well-draining soil; the corms will rot in soggy, compacted ground. Before planting, work in organic matter such as compost to a depth of at least 10 inches.

When to Plant Crocuses

  • Crocuses need to experience an extended period of cold weather in order to bloom, so plant them in the fall to get spring blooms.
  • 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 in the fall and when the soil temperature is below 60°F (16°C). This is usually during September or October in the northern U.S. and Canada, and October or November in the southern United States.

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!

Growing

  • 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 the weather gets dry, but do not waterlog the soil. Cover the beds with mulch before the winter.
  • In late February, remove heavy mulches from snowdrops and crocuses so that the shoots can come through. Leave a light layer of leaves to provide late-season protection from frost.
  • 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 and Problems

  • 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.

Types

  • ‘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 an abundance violet flowers with purple bases. It grows 4 to 5 inches tall and blooms spring to early summer.
Crocuses in Snow
Crocuses peeking up through the snow.

Wit and Wisdom

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

Bulbs

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening, so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Frances Coles</span> Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:59
I live in Washington, DC don't know my zone but when should I plant my crocuses.
<span>Brady Buie</span> Wed, 06/03/2015 - 14:33
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?
<span>Kuruwitage Silva</span> Thu, 04/16/2015 - 16:28
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
<span>Peter Skully</span> Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:54
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*
<span>Tidbit</span> Wed, 03/18/2015 - 15:18
How about Mums?
<span>Nika</span> Sat, 02/07/2015 - 01:37
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?
<span>Nika</span> Sat, 02/07/2015 - 01:40
Sorry, I should have said bowls, not pots: there is no drainage.
<span>Thuy Phuong Duong</span> Tue, 12/09/2014 - 07:28
Hi there, Can I plant Crocus in tropical climate? We have no snow in the winter and not cold enough to freeze the ground
<span>Johanna Galt</span> Mon, 02/02/2015 - 19:34
yes, probaly.
<span>Ann Egan</span> Sat, 11/22/2014 - 22:10
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.