Hi gardeners
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| Quill or spoon mum |
The garden is getting a bit sad. Right now, some annuals are
producing most of the color. The salvia Wendy’s Wish is going strong and the
white buddleia is having a late bloom. There are still landscape roses blooming.
But the mums in the front are finished, as are many other perennials. There are
two huge red dinnerplate dahlias still blooming, they escaped the frost.
Later this week it is supposed to freeze several times and I
suspect that will be the end of it all. I have bulbs coming this week and as I
plant them I’ll tidy the garden up a bit, although I wait for spring to do most
of the cleanup.
I didn’t get as many bulbs to plant as I usually do, since I
expect the work on the roof will keep me out of the flower beds in front for a
bit. But I had to get some, I love the early spring bloomers.
I think some of us are missing out on a good income source.
I just saw 5-pound boxes of “handpicked dried mountain grass” on Chewy (online
pet supplies) for $24.72. Can you believe that? Why are we gardeners composting
weeds when we could be boxing them up as “hand pulled tasty weeds” and selling
them for big bucks?
Speaking of making an income from the garden weeds let’s
talk about a fall blooming crocus that could be a profitable sideline for
gardeners.
Saffron
could be your next side job
Saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) has pretty purple flowers with
bright red stigmas and golden stamens in the center. It looks much like many of
the crocus in your garden that bloom in spring but this crocus blooms in fall.
Many gardeners have grown it as an ornamental, and some for herbal use. The spice
saffron is used in many wonderful dishes of cultures around the world. It comes from those tiny stigmas in the
saffron crocus.
Saffron crocus bulbs are planted in late summer/ early fall,
usually August/September. They don’t store well and if you purchase them you
should be prepared to plant them as soon as you receive them. The bulbs will send
up green grass-like leaves and then bloom about 6-10 weeks after planting. They
then go dormant until spring, when plants will again produce leaves for a few
short weeks but no flowers.
Outside in the ground saffron is only hardy to zone 6, with
a heavy mulch in winter. It needs full sun and light, sandy, well-drained soil.
It does not grow well in clay soil. It also likes very dry conditions in
summer.
Gardeners can easily find saffron bulbs in many bulb catalogs. These may not be top quality but are fine for garden use. They are a little more expensive than other crocus species, but not terribly so. For herbal and spice use for a small family, gardeners should plant 150-200 bulbs.
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| Crocus sativus |
Saffron as a cash crop
Saffron is not only a coveted and expensive spice, it has
many medicinal benefits and modern medicine is studying it’s anticarcinogenic
and immune stimulant properties. It is used as a dye and as a perfume
ingredient. Studies in animals found saffron can enhance sexual performance. There
are almost endless market opportunities for the plant.
Saffron is an important commercial crop in other areas of
the world; Spain, Italy and Iran are some of the top producers. From ancient
times until today saffron has always been one of the most expensive spices, the
dried stamens are often worth even more than gold per pound. The United States
imports about 16 million dollars’ worth of saffron every year and that amount
is going up each year.
The Pennsylvania Dutch have been growing saffron since they
settled in the US in their herb gardens but in most parts of the US saffron has
been ignored as a cash crop. That is changing, however. Many land grant
colleges (Extension agencies) are looking into saffron as a crop US farmers
could use to bring in some much needed profits. There are now commercial saffron farms in many
states.
Saffron is not terribly hard to grow. It has few insect or
disease problems. It does have rather specific growing needs. They like mild
springs, hot dry summers, and moderately wet and mild fall seasons. Saffron is
hardy only to about 10 degrees F. but they do need a cold period to induce
bloom. Voles and mice love the saffron
corms and can decimate a crop. But the biggest drawback to saffron production
is that it requires lots of hand labor, particularly in harvesting.
So that saffron can be grown in colder climates growers have
experimented with using high tunnels and results are very promising. High
tunnels that are used for other crops in spring and summer can successfully
grow a fall crop of saffron that can bring more income than crops grown in
other seasons. The high tunnels aren’t heated but produce just enough warmth to
promote good saffron flowering, protect bulbs in the winter, and they provide
protection from heavy fall rains.
Generally, growers are using milk crates and other box type
planters to grow saffron in the high tunnels. They are lined with weed barrier
or hardware cloth to prevent vole and mice damage. This allows the boxes/crates
to be moved out of the way for other crops in the spring.
In warmer states some growers are using raised beds outside
to grow saffron. These too must be protected from mice and voles. Gardeners in
planting zones 7 and higher can plant the bulbs directly in the ground if they
can protect them from critters and have suitable soil.
For most of the year labor on the crop is minimal. That
changes with harvest. Once the crocus begins blooming, they must be harvested each
morning. Every flower is picked by hand. The flowers are then taken to stations
where the tiny red stigmas are plucked out by hand. In most operations the
petals and stamens of the flowers are discarded but some growers have now
developed markets for those parts also.
After the plants have all finished blooming the leaves are
allowed to die back. Then the bulbs are harvested, separated, (new bulbs are
produced each year) and immediately re-planted. A secondary crop of bulbs can
be sold if the grower doesn’t want to keep all the new bulbs.
So- about the profit
Dried saffron stigmas
Every bulb produces 1 flower, once a year. Each flower has
only 3 stigmas, which look like red threads when plucked. It takes about 450
stigmas to make one gram of dried saffron. The stigmas are air dried for about
48 hours or are dried in commercial dehydrators. They are then ready to sell.
It takes an acre of saffron to produce 3 pounds of dried
stigmas, the most profitable part of the plant. Right now, high quality saffron
spice is selling for about $13,000 a pound. There are few other crops that are
that profitable. Saffron grown in high tunnels in crates is considered the most
productive.
To determine quality 3 chemicals are measured in the dried
stigmas, picrocrocin, crocins and safranal. For medical research use, an extracted
milligram of picrocrocin is worth $300. There are about 7 milligrams in a gram
of dried stigmas. There are about 453 grams in a pound. Do the math. But the
medicinal research market takes a lot more work and equipment than growing for
the spice.
In some growing operations additional profit is made from
selling dried petals or stamens and excess bulbs produced each year.
Labor costs are probably the biggest thing to consider when
deciding to grow saffron. During harvest even an acre of production might
require hired help. Those with large families willing to do the labor would
have an advantage. And like with any crop, there can be crop failures in any
year, weather might cause poor blooming or animals might devour the profits.
A small farmer might try selling organic saffron spice at
farmers markets and would be able to ask a pretty decent price for it. A lot of grocery store saffron is adulterated
with a Mexican safflower and doesn’t taste as nice as pure saffron.
So, if you are considering a new garden crop to make a little
money, you may want to think about growing saffron. If you work hard and have a
little luck you could make a nice profit.
https://lancaster.unl.edu/hort/articles/2013/SaffronCrocus.shtml
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/grow-saffron-profit-75770.html
https://thecounter.org/saffron-northeast-university-of-rhode-island-iran/
Tips for
planting bulbs
In most parts of the country garden season is either winding
down or has ended. But there is just one more thing gardener’s need to do.
Plant bulbs! If you want pretty
daffodils and tulips in the spring, you need to plant them now. Even if you
planted bulbs last fall and you had a nice spring show, it’s always wise to
refresh your spring bulb collection in the fall.
Some bulbs are damaged by summer planting and weeding,
others are eaten by animals. Some just don’t return well year after year. And while
most gardeners are familiar with the common bulbs like tulips, crocus and daffodils
why not try experimenting with some of the “minor” bulbs such as snowdrops,
corydalis, English bluebells, Dutch iris, iris reticulata, anemones, winter
aconite and other tiny treasures? Try
something different every year, and you’ll really be looking forward to spring.
Gardeners can also find things like lily bulbs, which bloom
in summer, and ephemeral wildflowers like trilliums and trout lilies offered
for fall planting. Peonies and some
other perennials may also be available. 
Daffodils
Here are some bulb planting tips.
Bulbs can be planted up to when the ground freezes and most
will survive. But it’s good to get your
bulbs into the ground at least six weeks before the ground freezes in your
area. This gives the bulbs time to grow a good root system.
If you can, plant bulbs as soon as you get them, especially
lilies. If you can’t plant them right
away store them in a cool, dark, dry place. Your refrigerator crisper is a good
place. Don’t forget about them though!
Note: if you live in planting zone 8 or higher you will
need to buy “pre-chilled” bulbs or chill them yourself. Spring flowering bulbs need a cold period to
bloom with soil temperatures around 35-40 degrees or lower. Those in warmer climates can put bulbs in the
refrigerator for 14 weeks before planting.
For the best results with bulbs buy top size or top grade or
bulbs labeled jumbo and buy them from a reputable company. I recommend mail
order catalogs unless you have a good garden shop nearby that sells bulbs. Unfortunately, the bulbs you buy in packages
in Walmart and other stores are usually not top grade and because they often
sit for months in hot stores they shrivel or mold and are not going to perform
well for you.
To prolong the season of bloom, start with early blooming
bulbs like crocus and then blend tulips, narcissus and alliums that have early,
mid-season and late blooms. If you choose carefully you can have bulbs in bloom
from the moment the snow melts to late June and if you include lilies, through
much of the summer.
Plant the small, earliest blooming bulbs near the house and
in places where the snow melts first each spring.
Buy your bulbs in larger quantities. Most bulbs look better
in drifts or groups of 25 or more bulbs of the same kind. A few rare or
expensive bulbs can be bought in small quantities and used as spring garden
focal points.
When buying bulbs in quantity they should be cheaper per
bulb than when you buy only a few. But make sure you are getting bulbs
listed as top size. Some bulbs sold in quantity are smaller, second grade bulbs
and less likely to survive and bloom. These are often sold as “bargain bulbs.” Bargain
bulbs are cheaper but not always a wise choice.
Since many tulips don’t return for a second spring, buying
small tulip bulbs is a waste of money. You want large bulbs to give you a
spectacular show. Some species or wild type tulips have naturally small bulbs but
should be listed as top grade or number one grade. These are better at
returning each year too.
Healthy bulbs are plump and firm. Bulbs that are dried up
and shriveled looking are generally dead, although some less common bulbs may
appear this way, most companies will warn you about these. Bulbs that are soft
and look rotting should be discarded. A little blueish mold on bulbs that are
still firm can be wiped off. If the papery skins on some bulbs fall off, they
are still fine to plant.
Occasionally bulbs will appear to be sprouting already. This isn’t a good sign; it means they may have been stored improperly. But they can still be planted, and most will be ok. The green area does not need to be above the soil line, plant bulbs at the recommended depth.
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| Tulips |
Here’s how many bulbs to plant per square foot to get
the best display. Large tulips 5,
species tulips 9-12, large daffodils 5, species daffodils and narcissus 7-10,
large hyacinths 6, large alliums like Globemaster 2, small alliums 6-8, large
crocus 8, species crocus 10-12, Snowdrops, windflowers (Anemone blanda),Muscari
( grape hyacinths),winter aconite and scilla 15-16, Crown Imperial 1, dog tooth
violet( Erythronium) 12, Foxtail lilies 2, Dutch iris and iris reticulata 12.
You can use a color scheme or use a cottage garden approach
and blend all colors together. Some companies like ColorBlends put together
beautiful blends of bulbs that take the guesswork out of choosing colors and
make it easier to buy in quantity.
If you are planting a lot of bulbs in a spot where nothing
is currently planted, you could excavate the whole site to the proper
depth. Many gardeners however, will be
tucking the bulbs in among plants that are still growing. This requires a small hole that won’t damage
the roots of perennials in the bed. Use a tool called a bulb planter or a
narrow blade trowel for making those holes among other plants.
If you are planting hundreds of bulbs an auger attachment is
available that fits on an electric drill and makes hole digging quick and easy.
The rule of thumb is to put the bulb in the ground about
three times as deep as it is high. A
bulb that is one-inch high would be planted three inches deep. Read the
directions supplied to you with the bulbs and see if you have an exception to
the rule. You may want to plant the bulbs a little deeper in very sandy soil
and a little higher in heavy clay.
In most bulbs there is a narrow or pointed end and that end
goes up. You may also see a cluster of fiber like projections on one end that
was last seasons roots. This goes down.
Some small bulbs are extremely difficult to determine which
side goes up or down. As a last resort, plant them sideways. Some bulbs will
grow and eventually right themselves if planted on the side.
If you dig up bulbs from the previous season when you plant
new bulbs simply replant them. If they get cut in half or badly damaged, you’ll
need to discard them. Take pictures in the spring of your blooming bulbs and
refer to them in fall to see where bulbs are planted and what colors you have.
You can tuck bulbs under the outer edge of foliage of things
like hosta and daylilies that are still standing in the fall. When the bulbs
bloom in the spring the perennials usually aren’t big enough to hide them but
later when the bulb foliage is dying and looking bad the perennial foliage will
hide it.
Keeping your bulbs from animal damage
There are bulbs that animals do not like to eat but that
doesn’t mean they won’t dig them up. Moles don’t eat bulbs but their
tunneling sometimes lets bulbs fall down too deeply to grow well or bulbs are pushed
out of the ground. Cats may also uncover bulbs when using the fresh turned soil
as a toilet. Free range chickens will scratch them up.
The bulbs animals don’t like are narcissus, daffodils,
Fritillaria species, hyacinths and alliums. These bulbs are poisonous though
and should be kept out of reach of dogs, (dogs eat all kinds of poisonous
things), which could die from them.
To keep animals from digging up bulbs try to hide the signs
of bulb planting, like disturbed soil. Cover your planting site in a light
layer of chopped straw, dry leaves or other mulch. If you are planting into an
established garden the existing plants may hide your new bulbs. You could use
the stems and foliage you cut back from perennials to cover planting areas.
Don’t use bone
meal or blood meal in bulb holes or around bulbs. While often recommended
by older books, research has found that while they do contribute some nutrients
they often attract pests like squirrels and mice, who will eat them and also
eat the bulbs. Even dogs may dig out the bulbs if they smell bone or blood
meal.
Red pepper, Epsom salts, human hair, cinnamon, soap, diatomaceous earth and all those folk remedies people are fond of sharing don’t really work to keep squirrels and other critters from eating the bulbs or digging them up. Some of these things even attract animals because they learn that the smell means a reward is hidden beneath them.
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| Fritillaria |
You can buy a little bulb fertilizer to put in the holes as
you plant if you like. Conventional fertilizers don’t attract animals like
natural products. But most bulbs don’t need fertilizer in the fall.
If you are planting a bare area you may want to cover the
area with some wire fencing to keep animals out. Lay it on the ground over the bulbs.
Remove it in spring when the bulbs start coming up.
If you have left over bulbs you can plant some in pots and
then put them outside in the garage or a shed, where they can get the cold
treatment they need to bloom. Once there have been 6 weeks of temperatures
around freezing or lower you can bring the pots inside to a sunny spot and
start watering them. They should bloom 6-8 weeks later for early spring flowers
inside.
Gardeners should plant bulbs as the early spring blooms help
pollinators get off to a good start. And their cheerful colors perk up the gardener’s
spirits and get us off to a good start too.
If you want to make your pumpkins last a bit longer before
they mold you can wipe them with a cloth dipped in a weak bleach solution, say ½
cup bleach to 3 cups water. Pay no attention to the meme going around social media
imploring people not to treat their pumpkins with bleach solutions because it
will harm any animals that eat it. Disregard this meme because it simply isn’t
true.
First most pumpkins used for Jack O Lanterns or decoration
really don’t get eaten by animals. There are places where squirrels or deer
might eat them but in reality, this doesn’t happen that much. I live in deer
country and they are in my yard regularly, but they have never eaten a pumpkin
sitting on the porch. In your yard they might but don’t worry about it.
Second, even if some animal ate some of a bleach wiped
pumpkin it wouldn’t harm it. The bleach solution is weak, only on the surface,
and bleach quickly breaks down outside to harmless chemicals like salt and
water. Its rinsed off by rain and dew.
Third, people and pets regularly drink water with bleach in it. Dishes in restaurants often get a rinse in a bleach solution. Some produce is washed in a weak bleach solution before it’s shipped. No one is harmed.
It would be nice if such a bleach solution kept animals from
eating your pumpkin, but it won’t. It doesn’t even keep pumpkins from molding
after a few weeks. And any pest animals or domestic animals that munch on a
pumpkin wiped down with a weak bleach solution will not be harmed- at least by
the bleach. Feel free to throw those pumpkins in the compost pile too, they
will not kill any beneficial bacteria after a week or so of sitting outside.
In short, the warnings you are seeing about not using bleach
on pumpkins are not based on science or even anecdotal evidence. They are based
on irrational fears of chemicals some people have and people sitting around worrying
about things they know little about.
Wiping a pumpkin with a mild bleach solution to prevent mold
WILL NOT HARM WILDLIFE IF THEY EAT THE PUMPKIN. Spread the word.
“In the entire circle of the year there are no days so
delightful as those of a fine October.”
-Alexander Smith
Kim Willis
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copyrighted and may not be used without permission.
And So On….
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