Crocus | Dirt Simple

The Crocus

I’ve been told that our spring season is lagging behind the norm a good 3 weeks. Every gardener I talk to is sick and tired of the winter that will not let go. I was dressed to the nines today-meaning my winter coat, hat, and gloves. Last year, at this time, we were 4 weeks ahead of the norm. Who knew April 29th the overnight temperature would be 24 degrees. What conclusion can be drawn from the fact that April 21 this year is 7 weeks behind April 21 of last year? In my opinion drawing a conclusion does not change the facts. But at least my crocus made an appearance

The lengthy and late April freeze last year was dramatically destructive. The magnolias failed to bloom. The crabapples-no one heard a peep out of them. The flowers of apples, cherries and pears froze, and dropped. Disastrously late frosts dealt a killing blow to gardens, and fruit farmers. 2012-the spring that wasn’t. But those frosts came after a long hot spell. My crocus came up, and promptly passed out and melted in the heat.

Last year’s spring disaster has had me on edge. I have been watching the April weather as if I had nothing else to do. Once my crocus appeared, I was sure the spring would be long, temperate, and rewarding. Why so? Crocus emerge from the ground early. Though they look delicate, they are tough. They emerge at that time when the transition from winter to spring is a big fluid situation. They thrive on the conflict-or so I thought.

The hybrid crocus known as Pickwick is as beautiful as it is vigorous. Crocus bulbs are small; you could hold 50 in one hand, in the fall. Those fifty bulbs can light up an early spring garden. A little package that contains a great gift-the small flowering spring bulbs. Our spring has been very very cold and equally as gray. It seems like I waited forever for a mild and sunny day to come along.

A great garden is all about an experience. That day when the crocus are open wide is a really good day.

This cluster of crocus predates my ownership of my property. In a good year, I will have them a week. In a bad year, not at all.

Two nights ago-we had night temperatures right around 28 degrees. And snow. What could I do about it? Nothing.

Every beautiful moment in the garden is just that-a moment. My crocus this year-I had one half hour of one day to enjoy them. Would I give up on the crocus? Absolutely not. That one moment of great beauty makes for a memory that will stay with me. Was I disappointed? terribly so.

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Posted on: April 22, 2013 6 Comments

Filed Under: Plants, Spring Tagged With: crocus, crucus pickwick, early spring flowering bulbs

Breaking The Ice

I am sure you can spot the dismay on Howard’s face-he had just discovered that his favorite water dish/fountain was iced over a couple days ago. This shocked him-but he did go ahead and break the ice. There are those spring plants that brave the vagaries of Michigan weather, including waking up to the ice. Those tiny corms one plants by the twenty-fives or hundreds in the fall have a persistence in the spring that belies their small size; the crocus is one of the best known harbingers of spring.

Last spring came in fits and starts. These crocus “Pickwick” had sent up leaves and then flowers-only to have to endure the above weather. The crocus season can be short or long; the weather calls the shots. Both the leaves and the flowers are covered in a waxy cuticle-that protects them from a late winter blast. The species crocus-my favorite is crocus sieberi- are less robust in their form than the crocus vernus hybrids, but equally as weather tolerant.

I have a modest patch that came with the house fifteen years ago. They thrive and increase slowly-via seeding, I am sure-and really demand nothing from me. Like most gardeners, when they finally appear, I wonder why I did not plant scads more the previous fall. Maybe this coming fall I will do better.

Of the large flowered hybrids, Pickwick is my favorite. The stripes are great; the intensely orange stamens are even better. In a great spring, I will have them the better part of two weeks, maybe more.

Their small flowers make planting them en masse a good idea. This area of my garden has other spring flowers to come-like phlox divaricata, and a planting of European ginger that seems finally to be taking hold. Later in the year, the hostas hold forth into the fall. The crocus do not seem to be deterred by the companionship to come. It seems fitting that a perennial as ephemeral as this would ask nothing in the way of care. They just show up to the party every year, regular as rain.

The grassy foliage is distinguised by a white stripe down the center. You really do have to get down on the ground to fully appreciate how beautiful a plant they are. I have not put my new knee to the kneeling test yet-but maybe tonight. My weather forecast-81 degrees today, and 32 degrees overnight. Can you hear me sighing? If not tonight, I may need to wait until next year to get as close as I would like. I am sure my PT would approve of the gesture-he is determined to get me down on that knee.

However, crocus are not at all bad from overhead, either. It is important to place them where they can be properly appreciated. I leave this part of the garden cleanup until after all of my spring plants have come and gone. I think they like all the debris that seems to appear in spring, no matter how well I clean up in the fall. Part of their charm is how jewel like they are, laying in their compost bed.

Should you have no crocus, or any of the small spring bloomers from eranthis to muscari, snowdrops and chionodoxa, now is the time to decide where to plant them come fall. I will take pictures of some spots, and hope for a small bulb plant fest come October. Should you think of it, will you try to remind me?