How to Transplant Crocus Bulbs

Transplant crocus bulbs to spread these cheery blooms around a landscape.

A splendid carpet of crocuses blanketing the landscape in late winter or early spring kicks off another growing season for many gardeners. After several years of multiplying beneath the soil, crocus corms may become crowded, or gardeners sometimes want to move some crocuses to another area of the landscape. When you wish to transplant crocus bulbs, dig them up in the spring when they finish blooming. They will readily adapt to a new growing area and return for another year of vibrant blooming.

Things You'll Need

• Trowel
• Pruning shears
• Bucket
• Shovel
• Granular fertilizer (5-10-5)

Instructions

1. Remove the crocus bulbs from the soil when the stems and foliage wilt and turn yellow. Waiting until this time allows the foliage to nourish the bulbs beneath the soil. Dig up each bulb with the trowel.

2. Cut the foliage from each bulb with the pruning shears and place each bulb into the bucket.

3. Select another growing area that receives full sunlight. Dig holes for each bulb, spacing the holes about 5 inches apart and digging the holes 5 inches deep.

4. Place the crocus bulbs into the holes with the pointed tips facing up. Cover the crocus bulbs with soil, and tamp the soil down with your hands.

5. Sprinkle approximately 1 tbsp. of fertilizer evenly over the soil where you planted the bulbs, and water the soil generously to help the fertilizer absorb into the soil.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Bulbs for All Seasons