How to Grow Saffron

Reviewed by Erin Hostetler

Last Updated: August 16, 2024 Approved

Saffron is a unique and delicious spice that creates the signature flavor in many dishes, like Spanish paella and bouillabaisse. Saffron is produced by the crocus flower, which is easy to cultivate in hardiness zones 6-9. Unfortunately, each crocus bloom will only yield a minuscule amount of saffron each year, making saffron the most expensive spice in the world.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Cultivating Proper Conditions

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1
Purchase crocus corms. The purple-flowered saffron plant grows from the crocus corm (which is similar to a bulb). These corms should be purchased fresh, just prior to planting. You can order them online, or buy them from a local nursery.^{[1]
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- Crocus corms will grow best in hot climates, with a hardiness zone of 6-9.
- Local nurseries within these zones are more likely to carry crocus corms.
2
Find a planting location with well-draining soil and full sun. Select an area of land that gets a good amount of direct sunlight. Dig into the soil to make sure that it’s not too hard or packed too tightly. Crocus bulbs can die if they become waterlogged, so you need soil that drains effectively.^{[2]
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- You can til the soil prior to planting in order to loosen it.
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Till the location where you will plant your corms, and work organic matter 10 inches (25 cm) deep into the soil. You can use compost, peat, or shredded leaves. This provides nutrients for the crocus bulbs to survive through the winter.^{[3]
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Plant your corms in containers as an alternative. If rodents or other pests are a common problem in your garden, planting in containers might be a good option for you. You will need plastic milk crates, weed cloth, duct tape, and topsoil.^{[4]
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- Be sure to choose a container with drainage holes or add them if it doesn’t have any.
- Line plastic milk crates with weed cloth and secure with duct tape.
- Fill your milk crates with about 5 inches (13 cm) of topsoil.
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Plant your crocus corms before the ground freezes. For best results, you should plant your corms 6-8 weeks prior to the first deep frost of the season. Depending on your climate (and hemisphere), this may be around October or November.^{[5]
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- Check a farmer’s almanac or ask local gardeners if you need help determining when to expect a deep frost in your region.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Planting Your Corms

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1
Place your crocus corms in clusters. Rather than planting them in rows, your crocus flowers will grow better in clusters. Plant your crocus approximately 3 inches (7.6 cm) apart from one another, and cluster them in groups of 10-12.^{[6]
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- If you are using containers, each milk crate can hold 1 group of 10-12 corms.
2
Plant the corms 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm) deep. Use a trowel to dig small holes approximately 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm) deep. Position each corm with the pointy end up, and place 1 corm in each hole. Cover each bulb with soil.^{[7]
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- If using containers, place your corm on top of the 5 inches (13 cm) of soil you already added to the container. Then cover your corms with another 2 inches (5.1 cm) of soil.
3
Water your corms through the fall. Autumn is the growing season for your crocus corms. During this time, it is important to keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged.^{[8]
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- Start by watering your corms 1-2 times per week.
- Several times a week, insert 2 fingers into the soil to gauge the moistness.
- If there is standing water more than a day after watering, begin watering just once a week.
- If your soil is completely dry (not moist) within a day, begin watering 3 times per week.
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Apply fertilizer once per season. If you live in an area with a short, warm spring, apply fertilizer to your corms in the early fall. If you live in an area with a long, temperate spring, apply fertilizer to your bulbs right after they flower. This will help your crocus corms build up a strong store of carbohydrates to help them survive into the next year. ^{[9]
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- Bonemeal, compost, or aged manure are good fertilizer choices.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Harvesting Saffron

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1
Be patient. Crocus flowers are easy to cultivate. They are naturally hardy, and naturally resistant to insects and disease. The problem is that each corm will only produce 1 flower, and each flower will only produce 3 saffron stigmas. At the end of your harvest, you’ll only wind up with a tiny bit of usable saffron^{[10]
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- Although crocus flowers should appear 6-8 weeks after planting your bulbs, sometimes the flowers will not appear until the following fall, a full year after you plant your bulbs.
- In some cases, planting in spring can produce blooms in the fall.
In the center of each purple crocus flower, you should find 3 orange-red stigmas. Wait for a sunny day when the flowers are fully open, and carefully remove these stigmas from each of your crocus blooms using your fingers.^{[11]
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Dry and store your saffron. Once you have carefully removed all of the saffron stigmas, lay them out on paper towels in a warm, dry place. Leave them alone for 1-3 days until they are completely dry.^{[12]
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- Dried saffron should be kept in a cool, dry place.
- You can store saffron in an airtight container for up to 5 years.
4
Use saffron in recipes. When you are ready to use your saffron, steep the dried stigmas in hot liquid (such as milk, water, or broth) for 15-20 minutes. Add both the liquid and the stigmas to your recipe. Saffron can be used for rice, soups, sauces, potatoes, baked goods, and other dishes.^{[13]
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- Adding the stigmas along with the liquid allows them to release more color and flavor into your food.

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I live in a place that has a hot and sunny summer. How do I protect their bulbs in summer?

Community Answer

Keep it in an area that is shaded for half the day but still gets some sun. Also, give it plenty of water every day.

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I'm from Maharashtra. Can I cultivate saffron here and where should I sell it?

Shashi Singh

Community Answer

No, you can not harvest saffron in Maharashtra. Due to the high temperatures in Maharashtra, it is not a suitable place to cultivate saffron.

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I have an areca garden in Karnataka. The maximum temperature is 40-42 degrees. Can we grow in between areca plants?

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Yes, it will grow but you will need to spay water on the plants regularly to maintain humidity, as in Karnataka the humidity percentage is low.

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