Saffron
 

Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair
amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Saffron
 

In article , The Reids
writes
Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available?

Yes, it's available. You'll find it listed among the ornamental species,
but usually with reference to its use. Crocus sativus, Broadleigh bulbs
are doing 30 for about £9.

I use a fair
amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment.

--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

Saffron
 

The Reids wrote in
:

Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair
amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment.

I tried growing it when I was in Cheshire - found it difficult to get it to
flower again after the first year - first year OK, second year, only one
flower, third year, leaves....

It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it should
have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed.

It is definitely not the easiest crocus - several other crocuses thrived
in similar conditions.

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

Saffron
 

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 10:15:31 +0100, Victoria Clare wrote:

The Reids wrote in
:

Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair
amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment.

I tried growing it when I was in Cheshire - found it difficult to get it to
flower again after the first year - first year OK, second year, only one
flower, third year, leaves....

It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it should
have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed.

It is definitely not the easiest crocus - several other crocuses thrived
in similar conditions.

Victoria

I saw something on the telly a few weeks ago that said about the same
thing. They only grow for a couple of years (even in the best conditions)
and then you have to move them and not grow any more in the same spot for
something like 10 years (or whatever it is, but a pretty long time). At
least that was a commercial grower.
A crocus plantation in pots might be a better choice as you can change the
soil, but a bit impractical on an allotment.

--
Tim C.

Saffron
 

The message . 10
from Victoria Clare contains these words:

The Reids wrote in
:

Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair
amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment.

I tried growing it when I was in Cheshire - found it difficult to get it to
flower again after the first year - first year OK, second year, only one
flower, third year, leaves....

It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it should
have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed.

It is definitely not the easiest crocus - several other crocuses thrived
in similar conditions.

IIRC it used to be grown commercially in the drier sunnier SE counties
(Saffron Waldon got its name that way). I've had the same experience as
Victoria in cool damp Scotland.

Janet.

Saffron
 

Following up to Kay

Yes, it's available. You'll find it listed among the ornamental species,
but usually with reference to its use. Crocus sativus, Broadleigh bulbs
are doing 30 for about £9.

thanks, I'll contact them.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Saffron
 

Following up to Victoria Clare

It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it should
have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed.

I'm on well drained soil on south sloping Kent "terroir" which
will suit bulbs better than clay, wont it.
It may not be Saffron Walden but I think it might be worth a try.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Saffron
 

The Reids wrote:
Following up to Victoria Clare


It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it should
have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed.


I'm on well drained soil on south sloping Kent "terroir" which
will suit bulbs better than clay, wont it.
It may not be Saffron Walden but I think it might be worth a try.

Saffron Walden is on chalk, so liming would probably help grow them
elsewhere.

Saffron
 

Victoria Clare wrote in message .240.10...
The Reids wrote in
:

Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair
amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment.

I tried growing it when I was in Cheshire - found it difficult to get it to
flower again after the first year - first year OK, second year, only one
flower, third year, leaves....

It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it should
have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed.

It is definitely not the easiest crocus - several other crocuses thrived
in similar conditions.

Victoria

Ive been told by a lady who grew it (almost) commercially that it
requires a cold winter to flower properly, plus I think the soil she
grew it on was also fairly well drained so your point about the clay
soil may also be pertinent.

Mark

Saffron
 

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message in reply to..

The Reids :

Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair
amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment.

and after Victoria wrote..
I tried growing it when I was in Cheshire - found it difficult to get it
to
flower again after the first year - first year OK, second year, only one
flower, third year, leaves....

It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it
should
have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed.

It is definitely not the easiest crocus - several other crocuses
thrived
in similar conditions.

IIRC it used to be grown commercially in the drier sunnier SE counties
(Saffron Waldon got its name that way). I've had the same experience as
Victoria in cool damp Scotland.


Same here, first year OK then it went downwards from there, and it was in
our S. facing, well drained, front garden.

--
Regards
Bob
in Runnymede, 17miles west of London, UK

Saffron
 

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 08:35:54 +0100, The Reids wrote:

Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair
amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment.

The difficulty may lie in growing enough to yield a useful
quantity. At a guess, to harvest a useful quantity of saffron,
you need to plant several hundred bulbs of the crocus. And when
the bulbs flower, the stigmas have to be picked daily as fresh
flowers open -- slow, fiddly work with small return.

I notice another reply mentions having to move saffron to fresh
soil every few years. Is this because of disease build up, or
because some important trace nutrient becomes exhausted? Anyone
know?

Also, is your allotment sunny and dry enough? I consider C.
sativus a somewhat demanding crocus species, requiring warmth,
sun, and quite dry soil in summer. I suspect it also does best in
fairly rich soil, so may need regular (i.e. annual)
fertilization.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]

Saffron
 

In "The old days" the bulbs grown were British raised bulbs and were more
adapted to our weather, whilst I expect that the bulbs available today are
imported from some part of the Mediterranean..........

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Saffron
 

Following up to Rodger Whitlock

Also, is your allotment sunny and dry enough? I consider C.
sativus a somewhat demanding crocus species, requiring warmth,
sun, and quite dry soil in summer. I suspect it also does best in
fairly rich soil, so may need regular (i.e. annual)
fertilization.

Its very sunny and very dry. Next to a river, the soil being
originally silt underlaid with gravel a few feet down. The cold
winter requirement mentioned elsewhere might be a problem.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Saffron
 

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:240588


"The Reids" wrote in message
...
Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair
amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" --
you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a
spamtrap
-----------------------
C. sativus needs exceptionally dry and hot summers to mature the new
corms. Saffron is grown commercially in Spain and the Middle East. It is
very labour intensive and grown where the soil is alkaline and well drained.
With a change of climate we ought to be able to grow them again in about
100years! Posterity will do something for us!!
Many years ago I used Chase cloches covering 200 corms [costing the
earth] and after unlimited time and effort collected sufficient to equal a
couple of 2/6 [half-crown] packets,~~ before giving up after three years!!
The flowers are unusual in that they open and don't close again.
Best Wishes Brian.