What are the latest points to note when growing saffron?
Saffron, also called crocus, is a common Chinese medicinal herb. Saffron has the effects of promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis, treating amenorrhea, postpartum abdominal pain, and stimulating the appetite. In our country, the scale of saffron cultivation is actually not large, so people are not very familiar with saffron cultivation techniques, and the issues to pay attention to when growing saffron are even less clear. So today the editor has brought you an introduction to the points to note when growing saffron, hoping to help everyone.
1. Soil
The soil for growing saffron is best chosen as a sunny, well-drained, easy-to-irrigate, strong water- and fertilizer-retaining humus soil rich in organic matter with a slightly acidic or neutral pH. Only under such soil conditions can saffron grow normally. In particular, overly heavy clay soil, low-lying land with standing water, shady ground, and continuous cropping land are all unsuitable for growing saffron, as this will lead to poor growth and development of saffron and also make it prone to disease.
2. Temperature
Saffron likes warmth and is relatively cold-tolerant, so we should also pay a little attention to the growing temperature when cultivating it. Under normal circumstances, the temperature at the growing site is best kept below 20 degrees, but in winter the temperature must not be lower than 0 degrees. To promote the growth of saffron corms, the temperature at this time is best kept at around 15 degrees, and if saffron is to flower, the temperature is best between 15 and 20 degrees. So when we grow saffron, if the temperature drops to around 5 degrees, we need to cover it with plastic film, but once the temperature rises again, remember to remove the film in time.
3. Humidity
The growth of saffron requires sufficient water; it likes moisture but is afraid of waterlogging and standing water. During the growing period of saffron, we need to water appropriately to keep the field soil moist and promote the enlargement of saffron corms. After saffron is planted, if there is no rainfall for a long time, water it in time, but avoid excessive humidity, so as to prevent the corms from rotting. Also, after watering, it is best to carry out intertillage to prevent the soil from becoming compacted due to watering.
4. Fertilization
Saffron has a large demand for nutrients; whether nitrogen fertilizer or phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, its demand is relatively large. When growing 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 apply frequent light nitrogen fertilizer to promote the growth of the saffron plants, and by the later stage of saffron growth, we mainly use phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, with a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer used together. Also, when topdressing, be careful not to sprinkle fertilizer onto the saffron branches, leaves, or flowers, otherwise it may cause seedling burn.
That is all for the points to note when growing saffron that the editor wanted to introduce today, and I believe everyone now has a general understanding of the content above. If you want to learn more about saffron, you can follow us.