I've got saffron. I can't believe it!!!!!

[greenishfing]

it was good to read of your success with saffron, greenishfing(ers).
Saffron is grown in this area but is still expensive to buy but I had assumed it was difficult to grow but if you can do it with your greenish fingers then so can I (I hope) will try next year.....you need to drop the ish bit from your name......
they make a saffron liqueur here which makes a wonderful kir.

I am generally very cynical when the seed companies sell these "exotic" items for growing in the UK. I presume that although they might be okay in the south they forget that up here in Yorkshire it's often two coats colder.
This is the reason I am so happy. I have planted them in large containers and as it is now getting very cold here, we've had frost 3 times this week, I am thinking of dragging the boxes into the unheated greenhouse.
This morning, by the way, I had another flower.

[Ananke]

Congratulations!!!

I planted mine last year and didn't even get a flower never mind some saffron. Fingers crossed for this year.

[Jelliebabe]

Hmmmmm <<<totters off to look for some bulbs>>>>

Where did you get yours from?

[Kaiya]

I was wondering whether to grow some after reading about it in a book recently, but thought our weather might not be quite that of Spain or Iran.

Saffron Walden was built on the saffron trade

[Marcher]

I am generally very cynical when the seed companies sell these "exotic" items for growing in the UK. I presume that although they might be okay in the south they forget that up here in Yorkshire it's often two coats colder.
This is the reason I am so happy. I have planted them in large containers and as it is now getting very cold here, we've had frost 3 times this week, I am thinking of dragging the boxes into the unheated greenhouse.
This morning, by the way, I had another flower.

Saffron is only exotic because it fell out of use. It used to be grown a lot in England and Wales in the middle ages and is quite well suited to the south of England. It likes sandy, rocky soil that gets hot in summer, heathland type conditions and is hardy down to -10c.

[Madasafish]

"It likes sandy, rocky soil that gets hot in summer, heathland type conditions and is hardy down to -10c."

Pity.. I quite fancied it but -10c? We've had two winters with -18c and one with -16C in the past 3 years..

[veggiechicken]

Its grown in NE Wales - not a million miles from you! I fancy growing some too - maybe this year!!
Saffron: mellow, yellow, and delicious - Telegraph

[greenishfing]

Update! Only about half of the bulbs flowered this year, but enough for a couple of paellas and next year who knows......

[Marcher]

"It likes sandy, rocky soil that gets hot in summer, heathland type conditions and is hardy down to -10c."

Pity.. I quite fancied it but -10c? We've had two winters with -18c and one with -16C in the past 3 years..

-10c is the the lower limit at which the corms can survive, it doesn't actually require winters that low. If anything it would probably prefer it milder than that, I think we've all seen Mediterranean plants that are claimed to be hardy down to minus whatever and then died at about 5 degrees warmer.
It needs a period of cold in winter, but it doesn't want it very cold. British winters are more like those in parts of its native range. Like I said, treat it as a crocus but for it to thrive keep it out of grass and weeds.

[SarzWix]

Pity.. I quite fancied it but -10c? We've had two winters with -18c and one with -16C in the past 3 years..

Same here, we had -13c the other night, and down to -20c a couple of winters ago. I'd have to take up precious polytunnel space to grow them, or faff about bringing them indoors after they'd flowered. It's not worth it for me.

[Two_Sheds]

Saffron Walden was built on the saffron trade

from Wiki: " in the 16th century and 17th century the saffron crocus (crocus sativus) became widely grown in the area.
By the end of the 18th century the saffron flower was no longer in such demand, and ... was replaced by malt and barley.

Saffron is only exotic because it fell out of use. It used to be grown a lot in England and Wales in the middle ages

I stand by my opinion that it's NOT easy to grow in the UK. Heck, even Bob Flowerdew can't grow it.