Saffron is known as the most expensive spice. This spice appeared in the Ancient East and since then has only strengthened its place in cooking, medicine and cosmetology. Growing saffron at home is quite simple, you just need to know some rules.
What is saffron from?
Saffron is made from the stamens of flowers called Crocussativus (planted crocus or purple). In one flower there are only three stamens, therefore, to get at least 500 g of saffron, it will take from 35 to 100 thousand flowers. In the first days of crocus flowering, you need to cut off the flowers and separate the stamens.
Is it possible to grow crocuses at home
In order to grow crocus at home, it is necessary to create a piece-wise environment for numerous flowering in the period of time when in natural conditions it does not bloom. This process is called distillation. The plant is not very whimsical, so even a novice will be able to grow and prompt him to open at the right time.
Important! The assembly process is carried out at dawn, because it is then that the flower begins to blossom.
How to grow crocuses at home
For distillation to be successful, you need to choose the right seed, the right amount of time when to plant a flower and know how to care for it.
When to plant seeds
Crocuses can be planted at any time of the year. But often spring and autumn crops are shared. Spring sowing takes place in April-May, and in the autumn they are sown in September-October. Before starting sowing, the seed must be left in the refrigerator for 48 hours, then soaked in a growth stimulator for 24 hours.Before planting, the seeds need to be soaked for about 30 minutes in potassium permanganate. Potassium permanganate is a disinfectant. It must be remembered that if crocuses are planted with seeds, then they will begin to bloom no sooner than after 2 seasons.
How to plant
Large saffron seeds should be planted in rows, breaking through recesses up to 2 cm. Small ones are sown on top of the soil. Both large and small should be laid out observing a distance of 5-6 cm. After sowing, moistening of small seeds is necessary. You can use a spray gun for this. Sowing must be covered with a film or glass, while controlling that moisture does not collect under the coating.
Did you know? In ancient times, saffron mixed with chicken egg protein was used to illustrate manuscripts, coloring gold.
Remove the coating daily to ventilate the crops and, if necessary, remove condensate. For good germination, it is necessary that the future plant receives a lot of light, so you need to choose a place where more than 6 hours of sunlight will be exposed to it. It is necessary that the air temperature be no more than + 9 ° C heat.
Flower care
When the planting is over, the soil must be compacted with a tamper, watered and put the seedling in a dark cool place so that it takes root. Air temperature should not exceed +5 ... + 9 ° С. If there is a need to postpone flowering, then the temperature can be lowered to +1 ... + 2 ° C. The flower will form the root system within 4-6 weeks. During rooting, domestic crocus does not need care. Just sometimes, if the earth dries completely, moisten it.
Breeding
Propagating crocuses is not difficult. You can use seeds or bulbs for this. Bulb propagation is the simplest method. The mother corm is developing daughter bulbs in the niches of the plates. After the mother bulb dies, groups of new bulbs appear in the same place. Each such bulb needs to be divided and planted separately, giving it additional space for development.
Did you know? It is widely believed that crocus is able to awaken energy and sexuality. It is used to enchant a loved one and preserve fidelity. And saffron oil is valuable in rituals that allow you to see the future.
It is necessary to wait a few years for the so-called nest to form at the landing site. When the flower once again fades, the nest can be dug up, divided into bulbs and planted in a new place. If propagated by seeds, it is necessary to collect them at the beginning, and then dry them. Drying is necessary within 7 days. Then they are sown in small holes, observing a distance of about 5 cm. Using this method, the expected flowering will occur no earlier than after 3 years.
Video: how to propagate crocuses with seeds
How to collect saffron
To collect saffron, you must follow these steps:
- First you need to collect flowers. This is a difficult and tedious task. Since every day, from the early morning, for 14 days, you need to check the plants and collect the flowers that have opened. Withered flowers are not suitable for extracting spices from them.
- After collecting the flowers, it is necessary to separate the stigmas from it.. In one flower, three stigmas of a bright orange hue, which are the same saffron. Each pestle is separated from the flower by manual plucking.
- Next, dry the stigmas. To do this, you can use special dryers or dry them at home, at room temperature. How high-quality the spice is in many respects depends on how it dries. If you use the machine for drying, you need to set the temperature to + 50 ° and wait about 15 minutes to get the finished saffron spice. But if there is no dryer, then saffron can be dried at room temperature. Simply lay the stigmas on a container with a thin layer and place in a dry place. For saffron to dry, you need more than half an hour.
- When saffron is dried, you need to divide it by color. Pestles are red and yellow. After sorting, the finished spice needs to be packaged in containers for storage. It is best to use paper bags for this.
What diseases are inherent in crocuses
Crocus is characterized by viral and fungal diseases, which can lead to drying out and even death of the flower. When a plant is affected by viral diseases, its flowers are shortened, and this becomes the reason why the buds may not open. A visual indicator is the appearance of grayish spots on the petals. More prone to viral diseases are instances that bloom in spring. There is no cure for this, so you need to remove the damaged flower from the ground. This will help protect the plants that grow in the neighborhood.
To prevent viral diseases, it is advised to treat them from ticks, aphids, thrips, which carry these diseases. Fungal diseases provoke rotting plants. A damp and warm climate is the main reason for the development of fungal diseases. In most cases, the fungus affects the bulb, as a result, it becomes covered with wrinkles, becomes softer, white or pink spots appear under the skin. A diseased bulb is not able to grow, but if a sprout forms, then it will die anyway.
Important! It is best to destroy a bulb affected by a fungal disease.
Fungal diseases include gray rot, fusarium infection, sclerotic and penicillic rot. Mostly rotten flowers, which have an underdeveloped root system, are affected. The reason for this may be planting bulbs too close to each other. It is necessary to pay attention to soil fertilization and proper drainage, because with stagnation of water and a lack of nutrition, the plant is affected by a disease such as chlorosis. To prevent infection with the fungus, before planting the bulbs, it is necessary to examine them.They should not have traces of decay or mold. It is not recommended to plant a new flower next to the old. We must not forget about the timely transplantation of crocus to a new place. To exclude the possibility of disease, you need to treat with potassium permanganate or foundationazole. Flowers that have already managed to get sick need to be dug up and transplanted in a separate place in order to process fungicides. There is also a folk method in which ash is used. To do this, you just need to sprinkle with ash the bulbs and dry for 7 days.
Harvest Storage
It is necessary to place dry saffron stamens in a container that does not allow air and moisture to pass through. The container should be placed in a dry, ventilated room. It is not recommended to store it for too long, as it quickly loses its properties. Shelf life in a sealed can in a dry and dark place is no more than 2 years.
In order to grow saffron at home, you just need a little patience. After receiving the harvest, you will enjoy your favorite seasoning or put it up for sale, which is also considered a very profitable business.