Saturday, March 16, 2019

Saffron in my Back Yard

Saffron Crocus - 2018
I planted the saffron crocus bulbs in the spring, and it got so hot in the summer, that I assumed the plants had died. This had been the third time I planted saffron. The first 2 times were not very successful, so I assumed this time could have been the same, especially since the summer was so hot.

But lo and behold, I looked out there one day and there were purple flowers. I knew the plants were still alive at this point. They were pretty and you could see the saffron filaments inside the flower! This was a good sign because that is how we get saffron.

In case you didn't know, saffron is quite expensive. I think it sells for something like $58 for a gram, or something like that. At a price that high, I think I can grow my own.

As the flowers blossomed, I managed to remove the filaments and put them on a lid to dry. I will use them to make rice look more colorful.

Saffron, a highly expensive spice
Maybe over time, I will order more saffron bulbs. Or better yet, maybe the saffron bulbs that are in the garden will multiply and I will end up with more than 1 gram of saffron next year.