Growing crocuses from seeds is an activity for amateur flower growers
The predominant way of breeding crocuses is to plant bulbs, which allows them to quickly bloom. But growing crocuses from seeds is also in demand among breeders. For some varieties, sometimes this is the only way to breed these primroses... Crocus seeds can be purchased in the store or collected from your collection.
If you decide to use this method, be prepared for a long wait. The first flowering can be seen not earlier than 5 years after sowing. In addition, you can only harvest your seeds from spring varieties. In autumn crocuses, they simply do not have time to ripen.
When seed propagation is preferred over vegetative propagation
Planting crocuses with seeds is more appropriate in such cases:
- if rare varieties are grown;
- to obtain a large amount of planting material in the form of bulbs;
- for the propagation of botanical crocuses, which are difficult to cultivate with bulbs.
Pre-sowing seed treatment: when you need it
Fresh seeds have the highest germination rate. Do not forget to process the planting material before sowing:
- Place them in a solution using a growth promoter for half an hour.
- Disinfect in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- Send for stratification in the refrigerator for 3 weeks, sowing in a bowl of sand.
Potassium permanganate treatment can be carried out only after preliminary moistening of the seeds (in water or in a growth stimulator). Dry seeds may burn.
Seed soaking must be done, regardless of the timing of sowing. And here stratification only needed for spring planting. When sown before winter, crocuses undergo natural stratification in the open field.
Growing crocuses from seeds: features of spring sowing
If you want the seeds to sprout faster, grow them through seedlings. After stratification, cover the bowl with foil and place in a warm, bright place. Moisten the soil periodically and ventilate the greenhouse. When shoots appear, open it and continue to monitor the moisture content of the soil, not allowing it to dry out. When the seedlings grow up, dive them into separate pots. Land on a permanent place when a stable above-zero temperature comes.
It will greatly facilitate the process of growing crocuses from seeds by planting them immediately in open ground. The seeds will "sit" in the ground longer, but they will also sprout well, and there will be no need to tinker with the seedlings. After stratification, just dig a bowl in the garden. Cover it with spunbond for the first time.
Sowing crocus seeds before winter
Since primroses have high winter hardiness, their seeds have the same feature. This allows crocuses to be sown directly onto the flowerbed in autumn. In the month of September, prepare the garden bed. Dig up the soil, add sand and peat, if necessary, so that the soil is loose and water does not stagnate. Process the seeds and sow directly to the garden without stratification.