How to Store Crocus Bulbs
"Sunset Western Garden Book" says that "in layman's terms, any plant that grows from a thickened underground structure may be referred to as a bulb." That's why you usually hear people referring to "crocus bulbs" when, in fact, the crocus reproduces through a corm, a swollen underground stem. The main difference is that a bulb is made of overlapping leaves--scales--that protect the plant's embryo while a corm is solid tissue. You can store both, however, for later planting. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Loosen the soil around the crocus flowers after they bloom and the leaves dry out. Do this a few inches away from the plants' base to avoid piercing or scratching the corms or bulbs, and cutting the roots.
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Lift the corms out of the ground and set them in a cool place away from sunlight to dry until the soil clinging to them crumbles. With your hands, remove the dried out soil from the surface of the corms.
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Return the corms to a dark cool room to cure. It will take about three weeks for your crocus corms to dry.
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Separate the old corms from the new. Each corm only lasts one season. As it shrinks in the ground after blooming, a new one is formed. You'll find the new corm between the flower stem and the shrunken old corm. Detach the stem and the old corm and discard them.
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Examine each corm for insects, soft spots (fungal infection) and cracks. Discard any that isn't healthy or whole. Put the others in a clean paper bag. Store them at 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Every three weeks, check the corms for signs of disease. Discard any that looks unhealthy and put the remaining in a new paper bag. Plant the corms in early spring.
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References
- Photo Credit crocus image by RC from Fotolia.com
