A Detailed Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods for Autumn Crocus
The autumn crocus is a herbaceous bulbous flower native to Europe and the Mediterranean coast. When it blooms, it is pink or purplish-red, very beautiful and elegant. Since seeds and bulbs were introduced from abroad in the 1970s in China, it has become widely popular and is now commonly used in gardens for rock gardens or flowerbed planting. Most of them bloom in autumn without growing leaves, sending flowers directly up from the underground stem, and have earned the reputation of “underground flower.” Qinnong Web today brings you the cultivation methods for the autumn crocus.
The autumn crocus can be grown in two ways: in soil and in water. Qinnong Web here introduces the two cultivation methods separately for everyone.
I. Cultivation Methods for Soil-Grown Autumn Crocus
1. Soil
When cultivating the autumn crocus, it is best to choose sandy soil with relatively good drainage that is also fairly fertile.
2. Watering
When growing the autumn crocus, the amount of watering should differ depending on the season. The specific methods are as follows:
In summer, reduce the amount of water given to the autumn crocus, because in summer the autumn crocus prefers a hot and dry environment.
In autumn, continuous autumn rain is likely. At this time, the anthers of the autumn crocus are easily infected by pathogens, and the bulbs are also prone to rotting. At this time, it is best to move the autumn crocus indoors and control the amount of watering to prevent waterlogging and similar situations.
In winter, the autumn crocus prefers a moist environment, so it can be watered more at this time. The autumn crocus is relatively tolerant of severe cold, so no special cold protection work is needed.
II. Cultivation Methods for Water-Grown Autumn Crocus
When planting water-grown autumn crocus, first peel off the brown skin of the prepared autumn crocus bulb until the ivory-white part is exposed. Then cut a cross on the upper part of the bulb, cutting gently so as not to damage the flower buds. After that, soak the cut side downward overnight.
Next, formally plant the bulb into a water basin, with water covering about half of the bulb. Generally, the water needs to be changed once every 1-2 days, and the temperature of the growing environment for the autumn crocus is best kept at 10-18 degrees. At this time, good ventilation is also needed, along with sufficient sunlight. When growing indoors, note that during the growth period the autumn crocus must not be exposed to lamplight at night. Generally, it takes 40-60 days to bloom.
The above are the cultivation methods for the autumn crocus. Here Qinnong Web also reminds everyone that the flowers and bulbs of the autumn crocus contain a variety of highly toxic alkaloids, including lycorine, galanthamine, and colchicine.