Saffron Crocus for growing Saffron - Crocus Sativus

Our saffron crocuses are organically grown, but do not have an official organic label. The grower applies biodynamic cultivation methods, agroforestry and permaculture, without using synthetic agents. The grower finds the well-being of soil life very important.

Saffron changes its taste every year and that is, as they say so nicely, due to 'terroir'. Simply put: the same white grape produces a different white wine in the Vosges than in the Pyrenees. The bulbs will therefore move with the soil life and probably also with the bacterial dominance present.

About saffron

Saffron is a well-known and widely used spice in the kitchen, ideal for dishes such as rice pudding and risotto. It is also called 'red gold' because of its high price: you pay around 30,000 euros per kilo! This is because saffron is nothing more than the style and stigma of the saffron crocus ( Crocus sativus ).

Our bulbs are type 10+, which means they are extra large and produce yields in the first year. Smaller bulbs on the market only start flowering in the second or third year.

Growing guide

The saffron crocus is an autumn bloomer and grows best in poor, well-drained soil. Plant the bulbs 15 cm apart and 15 cm deep, between mid-August and mid-September, in a sunny spot. The crocus will then bloom around mid-October, the ideal time to harvest the flowers. Please note! Harvest the flower as a whole, not just the saffron. Cut the flower as close to the ground as possible to encourage the bulb to bloom again in the same season. Saffron consists of the female flower parts (the stigmas) of the crocus (orange colored). Dry these stigmas at 40-50 °C in the oven until they are slightly crispy. You can also dry them on the radiator, although this takes a little longer.

After flowering, only leaves remain. It is important not to cut these leaves away, because the plant can still perform photosynthesis, which is crucial for the following year. Around May, the plant starts to visibly die; from that moment on, you can cut the leaves away. But it is better to let them die off completely, and not to prune them. The bulbs do not need to be dug up; they will start growing again at the end of August and flower again in October.

The saffron crocus reproduces vegetatively: one bulb becomes several bulbs each year. The crocus digs itself deeper into the ground each year. After four years, you should dig up the bulbs and replant them (15 cm deep; 15 cm apart). Make sure the plot remains weed-free!