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By: Peter Prakke
Originally the crocus was a native to the Mediterranean region and to Afghanistan. Crocus flowers are beautiful, easy to grow, and they smell heavenly.
Our troops are still in Afghanistan and this year I urge everyone in Canada and the USA to plant (this fall) as many as possible of the crocuses called:
‘REMEMBRANCE’
We should never forget our injured and brave fallen soldiers, or their families. Show your support for our men and women in the Canadian and USA forces.
Your garden or container with the ‘Remembrance’ Crocus, is a large flowering crocus, light lavender blue, and you can plant them in your lawn, too!
‘Remembrance’ is an old classic crocus with extra big flowers and bulbs are easy to find and inexpensive.
Plant into cool, well-drained soils; if you have clay soil, add a few shovels of sand in the planting hole in late September / early October.
Good root development before the first hard frost is important. Use Bulb booster or Bonemeal at time of planting.
Plant the Crocus bulbs 2 – 3 “(5 – 7cm) deep and the same apart or closer, but not touching each other. Crocuses like full sun, the more the merrier.
After planting, water well and spread plastic netting or chicken wire, and blood meal over the bulbs to keep the rodents away if they might be a problem.
For your outside containers.
Place an old WET bathroom towel on the bottom of the container. Put a layer
(1 – 2 cm) of soil in the container and plant daffodils / narcissus close together (not touching). Next add soil (1-2 cm) over the bulbs. Now place the Remembrance Crocus bulbs in the container. Water well. The result? Next spring, first the crocus will bloom nice and early, and then later on the daffodils or narcissus will reward you with even more fine flowers.
To keep squirrels away?
Make your own liquid mixture.
3 – Tea spoons of chilli powder + 2 Table spoons Tabasco sauce + 1 Table spoon of dish soap detergent. Mix with 2 litre of water.
Stir well and it’s ready to use.
peter@healthyschoolyards.org
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