Saffron is hailed as soft gold, what are the planting precautions?
Saffron, also called saffron crocus, is a common Chinese medicinal herb, with effects such as invigorating blood and resolving stasis, treating amenorrhea, postpartum abdominal pain and stimulating appetite. Due to geographical limitations, the planting scale of saffron in our country is not large. Below is an introduction to the “soft gold” saffron planting precautions!
1. Soil conditions
For saffron planting, the soil is best chosen as sunny, well-drained, easy to irrigate, strong in water and fertilizer retention, rich in organic matter, and with a pH that is slightly acidic or neutral humus soil. Only under such soil conditions can saffron grow normally. In particular, overly heavy clay, waterlogged lowlands, shady areas and continuous cropping fields are all unsuitable for saffron planting, as this will lead to poor growth and development of saffron and also make it prone to disease.
2. Planting temperature
Saffron has the characteristics of preferring warmth and being relatively cold-tolerant. When planting, we should also pay a little attention to the planting temperature. Under normal circumstances, the temperature of the planting site is best not to exceed 20 degrees, but in winter the temperature cannot be lower than zero degrees. To promote the growth of saffron daughter corms, the temperature at this time is best kept at around 15 degrees, and if saffron is to bloom, the temperature is best between 15-20 degrees. Therefore, when planting saffron, if the temperature is below about 5 degrees, it needs to be covered with film, but when the temperature rises again, remember to remove the film in time.
3. Control humidity
The growth of saffron requires sufficient water. It has the characteristics of liking moisture but fearing waterlogging and standing water. During the growth period of saffron, we need to water appropriately to keep the field soil moist and promote the enlargement of saffron daughter corms. After saffron is planted, if there is no rainfall for a long time, it should be watered in time, but excessive humidity should be avoided to prevent the daughter corms from rotting. Also, after watering, it is best to carry out intertillage to prevent the soil from becoming compacted due to watering.
4. Timely and appropriate fertilization
Saffron has a large demand for nutrients. Whether it is nitrogen fertilizer or phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, its demand is relatively large. When planting saffron, for the base fertilizer we usually use decomposed farmyard manure and an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. In the early stage of saffron growth, we mainly use frequent light nitrogen fertilizer to promote the growth of saffron plants. In the later stage of saffron growth, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer are mainly used, with a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer used in combination. Also, when topdressing, be careful not to scatter the fertilizer onto the saffron branches, leaves or flowers, otherwise it may cause seedling burn.
The above is the introduction by Tuliu.com to the precautions for saffron planting. Saffron has relatively high requirements for the growing environment. Without suitable soil and temperature, it is difficult to survive. Although saffron has high economic value, it cannot be planted blindly.