Crocus and Leeks?

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Crocus and Leeks?

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NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 23 8:12 pm Post subject: Crocus and Leeks?
Recently planted some perennial leeks (dormant over summer) and my crocus bulbs have arrived. Is there any reason I can't plant them together? Outdoors, around some fruit bushes, good sun.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46207
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 23 9:02 am Post subject:

are crocii toxic to other plants around them?
they do spread, as do leeks, which will smother the other is an interesting question

i spose there is a small chance of getting a crocus rather than a leek if you know plants

i think i would keep them separate and over plant the leeks with small root annuals if those bits look bare or spare in summer

around fruit bushes will look ok and is probably compatible, but you may need to step on them to play with the bushes

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 23 1:49 pm Post subject:
Crocus don't seem to cause issues with grass or clover when planted in lawns, so they must not be very active in the chemical warfare dept. Very important to distinguish between species. Saffron and colchicum have very different effects if ingested.... (I'm guessing you're talking about common garden crocus, which are yet another species)

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 23 6:35 pm Post subject:
Autumn / saffron crocuses (with labels and everything!) - there is another little section they can go in if they can be planted quite close together.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15964

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 23 7:58 am Post subject:
Colchicum are autumn flowering, so are they saffron or colchicum. Saffron are used for their edible stamens, colchicum are purely ornamental I think. Agree with the others they should be separate anyway.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 23 1:32 pm Post subject:
Colchicum are quite toxic

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 23 7:05 pm Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

Colchicum are autumn flowering, so are they saffron or colchicum. Saffron are used for their edible stamens, colchicum are purely ornamental I think.

Agree with the others they should be separate anyway.

Sorry - bad phrasing on my part. Saffron crocus, which I know flower in autumn.

I've put them in two distinct rows on the edge of the leek patch to make sure they can't get confused (and they get a bit more sun on that edge)

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46207
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 23 8:32 am Post subject:
Colchicum are not food, they do contain some rather useful pharmaceuticals and bio active compounds. iirc the only part of saffron that is edible is the few strands of stamens from each flower thinking about it saffron strands are the only bit of any crocus i have seen described as food

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