Tips for Growing Saffron in Your Garden

Saffron is very easy to grow in your home garden. The plant blooms in the fall and requires very little care. If you're thinking about growing saffron at home, there are a few things you should know. This article will give you a few tips.

Soil

It's important that you grow saffron in well-drained soil. The soil should have plenty of organic matter also. The plant is capable of growing without fertilization, but you can apply fertilizer once during the year if you wish.

You should plant the corms between three and five inches deep in the soil. It is best to space them at least six inches away from each other to prevent overcrowding. If you live in a colder zone in the U.S., then you will need to lift the corms up for the winter and store them.

Yield

Saffron comes from the red stigmas in the flower. One bulb is only capable of producing one flower, and one flower contains three stigmas. You need about 60 flowers just to produce about a tablespoon of the spice.

You should also know that growing saffron requires plenty of patience. In your first few years, you won't be producing a lot of the spice. However, your yield will grow over time since the plants propagate quickly.

Harvest

Once the flowers have bloomed and you're ready to harvest the spice, you can simply remove the threads from the flowers. You can use the spice immediately after harvesting. If you don't plan on using the threads immediately, you should let them dry on a paper tower for a few days in a warm area. Once they have dried, they need to be stored in an airtight container.

These are a few tips for growing saffron. Make sure you grow the plants in well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. The corms should be placed about six inches away from each other and between three and five inches deep in the soil.