Crocus and horse dung

[johanneshoeller]

For our fertilizer experts: Do you mean that a strong fertizilation with horse dung would be bad for Crocus? I discussed with the government agency and they said nitrogen is no problem for Crocus. Is this correct?

Hans

[tonyg]

Hans
I don't use horse dung on my crocuses (we have a car  ) but I saw C vernus albiflorus growing through cow dung (old, not fresh) in Switzerland a few weeks ago.  I await the contribtion of others on their choice of fertilisers for crocus in cultivation.  I use a compost with a mix of nutrients (added bonemeal and Vitax) plus a feed of sulphate of potash in spring as Ian Y recommends.

[Thomas Huber]

Servus Hans!

Wish I could help you, but I don't have any experiences with horse dung!
If you try, I would prefer NOT to mix it with your soil. Just cover the ground
with a few centimeters of dung and the rain will slowly wash the ingredients
into the ground.

[Maggi Young]

When using any natural fertiliser, cow or horse dung, I would only use it when it was well-composted. That is to say, when it has already rotted down quite well... there will be little smell left then... if it is still smelly, it is too fresh to use and would be likely to be too strong and burn the plant.

[Otto Fauser]

Servus Hans,
no stable,no horse, no horsemanure on any of my bulbs -easy crocus like tommasinianus,rujanensis ,vernus etc. for spring &speciosus ,caspius,the pale lilac form of niveus for autumnat the edge a small woodland thrive on the annual leaffall from the trees,rarer Crocus species[as well as Fritillarias, Tulipa, Iris ,reticulata&juno section,etc. grow in bulbbeds,that get a liberal dusting of Dolomite[lime] each year[our soil is slightly acid],a light dusting of Sulphate of Potash just after flowering&during the growing season twice or 3 times a liquid feed. I use "Phostrogen" Tomatoe Fertilizer with good results.

[Thomas Huber]

I remember, I had used a strong nitrogen-fertilizer some years ago on my crocus lawn.
Your gouvernment agency is right, saying it's no problem for your crocus - but they
will not flower well with this kind of fertilizer - mine had long, very long leaves in the
next year, but only a few flowers. So I would not recommend nitrogen-based fertilizer
for crocus!!!

[David Shaw]

I work for the equivalent of Hans' government agency. As I have personal experience of growing crocus I would probably have answered in similar vein to Thomas, but most of my colleagues have no crocus experience and many are not even gardeners Given the query they would have had a quick look at the database and noted that the nitrogen would not actually kill the corms and so would be safe to use.
(Crocus growing in the garden is a small scale operation. If the query had come from a farmer wanting to fertilise on a large scale I would expect the greater effect on the environment to be taken into account.)

[johanneshoeller]

A view to the Crocus field before the flowering time. After this fertizilation I have seen only a few crocus.

[Ian Y]

When I first started to grow bulbs seriously I tried strong nitrogen feeds and was delighted with the size of the bulbs I achieved. This delight soon changed as they were fat unhealthy bulbs that produced big leaves and few flowers. The bulbs and corms were also slightly soft to the touch and very susceptible to bacterial and fungal rots.
Now I use slow nitrogen in the form of bone meal at planting time and perhaps an occasional liquid feed if I think it necessary- then of course the potash, potassium, kallium what ever you call it applied as the flowers fade.
Now my bulbs are smaller firmer to touch, healthier and flower much more freely.
One exception is that Crocus sativus, the saffron crocus, which I have little success with is grown very well commercially in Wales where it is grown like vegetables planted deeply in a soil enriched with manure.
If you are going to try it I would avoid the corms comming into direct contact with the manure.

[David Shaw]

Cricky, that is not garden scale! I am not sure how I would respond in my official capacity. Certainly looking for minimal use of fertiliser and questioning wether any were needed at all.