Observation of Crocus today

[mark smyth]

Today I knocked out the two pots of mixed tommie var pictus and Bobbo. I very gently washed all planting mix off their roots. I had forgotten how small the corms are. Maybe this is why they have only one flower per corm?

All the corms also have very large single roots coming out of the side. The base of this root is very large. If this is a contractile root a large amount of energy is leaving the corm down the root. I assume this will also drain the corm leaving little for flowers next year.

All bulbs in pots were fed last week and today with half strength tomato food. If I get in to a routine of doing this every Monday will it be too much? Should I use a general liquid feed every other week?

Comments welcome

[Armin]

Nice photos of the pulling roots.
I can't help much with the fertilizer regime for crocus in pots. Maybe weekly is too much?

In my meadow I've spread Thomaskali (CaKPMg) in late October and maybe again after spring flower - but no nitrogen due to the heavy clay. I've tried with cow manure pellets in the raised beds in October and found it very helpful to keep off cats using my raised bed as toilet. Sofar no negative results beside the initial bit strong smell.

I learned professional growers in the NL use NPK fertilizer 3x times over growing season (in light sandy soil) for crocus. First time just before flower, second after flower and a third a couple of weeks later. Ever 3rd year the fields are dung with mature droppings (rich humus) after harvest. I've never tried this by myself.

[Thomas Huber]

Mark, these contractile roots show, that you havn't planted your corms deep enough.
I would suggest to put them deeper next summer when you're repotting.

[Gerry Webster]

I feed all bulbs every week with half-strength Phostrogen or Tomorite. Doesn't seem to do any harm.

[Maggi Young]

Mark, these contractile roots show, that you havn't planted your corms deep enough.
I would suggest to put them deeper next summer when you're repotting.

 I agree: the corms are having to spend energy pulling themselves further down.... give them a better start next year and save them the work!

[mark smyth]

They were at a depth I thought was enough at a third up from the bottom

[Thomas Huber]

Seems like you need larger pots

[Susan Band]

Either that or water more, sometimes they are trying to escape drought at the surface and find moisture lower down.
Susan

[Gerry Webster]

Either that or water more, sometimes they are trying to escape drought at the surface and find moisture lower down.
Susan

I'm inclined to agree with Susan - more water. When I have only a few corms of a particular form I put them in 10cm deep clay pots about 4-5cm down. The pots are plunged & I water heavily. I very rarely see contractile roots.

[mark smyth]

Thanks everyone for your input. I will repot all tomms tomorrow.