Me too
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Garlic in “gro buckets”, shallots in Gardener Supply sub irrigation planters, and second and third seeding of crimson clover and sugar snaps, which something is pulling up, eating seeds, and leaving pale, ghostly stems.
Also trying favas again. Most of my 3 or 4 year old 'Super Aguadulce" and ‘Vroma’ failed to germinate just plunked into soil as I used to do. Over the last few days I pre-soaked some ‘Robin Hood’ and am even going to start seedlings! Who’d a thunk it! I saw it on ‘Gardener’s World’.
Someone here does it. @Saregama , is that you?
In addition to 'Robin Hood " I also got 'Aprovecho" and ‘Sweet Lorane’ from Territorial.
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Yup, was me!
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Those crocus do not look like saffron, which does bloom in the fall. There are closely-related species which look like saffron, but cannot be used. The crocus pictured appears to be C. tommasinianus, of which there are many varieties. The picture looks a lot like “Whitewell Purple”. Compare that with saffron (C. sativus). In the latter link, you can see the three-parted stigmas, which are the spice.
I’ve grown saffron for years and also worked on an estate which had spring-blooming crocus which looked just like your picture.
While saffron is often attacked, eaten by rodents, especially Voles, C. tommasinianus seems to be a lot less attractive to rodents.
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Naf, yes! That is what I do. A few small plants get potted up and the winter sun is so low, it comes in strong through the windows. Lemon Grass needs strong light to prosper.
It’s Dec. 13 and there are still living stalks in the bucket, sprouting roots and side shoots. I’ll never refrigerate Lemon Grass again!
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Thank you for the info and pictures. I know what he “bought” was supposed to be the saffron variety but who knows what he actually received. We’ve never planted any other variety. I’ve picked and used the stamens from them in the past. I’m sure he’s going to end up ordering more. Do you have reputable source to recommend?
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Yes, I’ve moved my potted lemongrass indoor 3 weeks ago. This period of the year, it’s always overcast in my region. With not much light, I consider it doing well.
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The wrong saffron may have been shipped, especially if ordered from Van Bourgondien, who shipped me the wrong item, labeled as the correct item! The stamens have pollen and are not used in cuisine. It’s the stigmas, the part that receives the pollen, the female receptacle, which is harvested. If you are in the USA. I’ve had great luck ordering bulbs, including saffron, from Brent & Becky’s Bulbs, a family operation which has been selling bulbs for decades, and has a good reputation.
Since saffron is actively growing now (fall-winter) the corms (what folks call “bulbs”) won’t be dormant and ready to ship until spring. I’d avoid buying any saffron to plant at this time of year. They may be for sale in Jan.-Feb., for shipments as early as March. After planting, you should see nothing until late summer-fall, when the flowers and leaves emerge. The plants like strong sun, and rich, well-drained soil. They multiply quickly.
Warning!! Unlike many other species of Crocus, Saffron Crocus, C. sativus, is incredibly attractive to rabbits! I had to plant mine in underground cages (for voles) and protect the above ground parts with chicken wire (for rabbits). I’d bet gophers would nail them, too. Rodents…bah humbug!
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This is what I purchased. Four indoor pots are growing now.
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Thank you very much for the additional information. Mr Bean looked at the pictures and swears that ours did have the red “things”. I may have confused the issue when I called them stamens when he actually picked stigmas as I know nothing about plants.
Thanks also for the ordering tips. We are in the USA (New Jersey) and will hold off ordering until later.
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There are several other crocuses which have the red stigmas: C. cartwrightianus, C. pulchellus, C. chrysanthus (orange-red), C. corsicus and others. The picture above shows a very typical saffron flower, with the thin, dark purple veins. While there is an “alba”, all white form with red stigmas, it’s not as common.
If one has a lot of saffron to harvest, the method is to pick off the whole flowers and pull out the stigmas later. Otherwise, you’re constantly rechecking flowers, on the plants, which had already been harvested. When I had 200 saffron crocus, that issue came up pretty quickly!
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This is kind of exciting and has me thinking now… maybe I’ll wait to hear about your harvest first though!
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I leave all things gardening to Mr Bean so it will be up to him to figure out what’s he’s growing. Fortunately we don’t have more than 10 plants so keeping track of what’s been picked has never been a problem.
Saffron does need a cold winter, as part of its seasonal cycle. This can be supplied after flowering. Unlike some bulbs, saffron has leaves during the cold fall-winter months, so requires sunlight. It vanishes during the hot months.
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Oooh home grown cilantro is one of God’s great gifts to gardeners
Yes!
Parsley and cilantro. A bit bedraggled, but not dead or bolting.
Just home from a few days in SF and inspired to take the last of the 2021 Veggie garden pictures.
For the first time I am trying to start fava beans before planting out and it’s not working!
OTOH, it’s working where I dropped them or seeded randomly.
Here’s some collards and potatoes in a bag that keep trying.
Hoping some of these sugar snaps will make it.
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The one spud in the bag looks pretty darn healthy. So do several other plants, especially the cilantro. It’s supposed to freeze tonight, so I’ll wait until that’s over to put in some beets, cilantro, radishes, sugar snap peas, and see if any of it comes up. my back yard is enshrouded in frostcloth, blankets, and kimguards that I got from work, they’re used to wrap sterile instruments and are really heavy, but they don’t transmit ight worth a darn.
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New 2022 thread.
Did you find one?
It says out of stock right now but I’m in a class with a guy that says they have two sizes.
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