Does the winter weather have you casting forlorn looks at your gardening gloves? Have you already been pouring over gardening catalogs in anticipation of warmer weather? If so, you may want to consider purchasing an indoor crocus pot and planting a few crocus bulbs. In my experience, doing so can help to temporarily satisfy one’s inner yearnings for spring. It is also a fairly simple task to complete. Here’s how to do it:
Supplies Needed
In order to complete this project, you will need an indoor crocus pot, high quality crocus corms and a good quality potting mix. Personally, I like to use a potting mix that contains sand, loam and peat moss.
Plant the Corms
Once you are ready to plant your crocuses, give the crocus pot a good cleaning. Personally, I also like to disinfect my pots by soaking them into boiling water for 2 minutes. Doing so seems to kill any microscopic critters that may be lurking inside the pot. You may want to consider doing the same.
After you’ve finished cleaning the pot, partially fill it with moist potting mix. Next, set the crocus corms into the potting soil. You will want to make sure that their necks are showing through the holes located in the pot’s lid. Keep going by loosely surrounding the bulbs with additional soil. Proceed by watering the croms and placing the pot in a cool, shaded area of your home for 12 to 14 weeks. I have found that ideally, the air temperature in that area should be in the 35 to 50 degree Fahrenheit range. You’ll also want to check on the plants periodically to make sure that the soil remains moist.
At the end of the cold storage period, your crocus shoots should be about 2 to 3 inches tall. If they are, remove the pot from cold storage and place it in an area that has a consistent air temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit. You’ll want to leave it in that area for a few days. That way, the corms are less likely to go into shock. You’ll also want to make it a point to continue watering the corms as needed.
Enjoy the Blooms
After those few days have elapsed, move the pot to an area where the air temperature is between 55 degrees Fahrenheit and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Leave the pot in that area until the plant starts to show signs of flowering. Once that happens, relocate the crocus pot to a slightly warmer area of your home that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. Eventually the crocuses will go into full bloom. At that point, you can enjoy them until they are done blooming. When the crocuses are done blooming, you have two options. You may either discard the croms or dry them out for future use. The choice is yours.
Source: Personal Experience
More from this contributor:
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Best 5 Campfire Fish Dinners for Spring
How to Make a Rustic Spring Planter
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