Timing crocus flowering

[Effie]

The chance are I'm hoping for the impossible again but ...


Is there any way to control when crocus bulbs in pots flower?
I run a Brownie unit and the girls have planted crocus bulbs in pots they have decorated to give as gifts on Mothers'
Day . The bulbs were half price, as I know it isn't the right time to plant, and they have half inch pale shoots. I can control watering, light ad temperature - any advice on what they need to be just bursting around 20th March?

Thanks, Effie

[Maggie1]

Put them somewhere thats really cold but not frosty. I presume that you have started them and they are indoors. If thats the case put them outside. I think you may having a problem saving them till the end of March especially if this mild weather we're having carries on.
My crocus outside are nearly 2 inches high now and we've had awful weather up to 4 days ago.

[Effie]

They only went in on Tuesday, currently in the garage, dark, frost free.

[Maggie1]

Oh they might be OK then, so long as its cool and frost free. Have you got a cold frame. They would be better outside where they can get light. If they are kept in the dark they tend to shoot.

[Effie]

I have a mini plastic one, I'll need to hold it down with bricks.

How much water should I give them?

[Maggie1]

Keep them pretty dry

[Effie]

Thought so, thanks for your advice Maggie, I'll keep you posted!

[Effie]

Just to keep you up to date, all bulbs up with just a few leaves, no buds that I noticed so the lucky Mums will either be getting just opening croci or pots full of leaves! The cover of the cloche blew off so they are now outdoors completely.
Keeping everything crossed X

[Effie]

Somewhat after the event, I realised I haven't let you know how it went, Maggie. Apart from one girl, out of 25, they all took home pots with buds, ready to burst. Perfectly timed and very much appreciated by the Mums. Each child felt really special because they knew they had planted the pot themselves. The one girl whose bulbs were late quite probably put them in upside down because she is always doing the exact opposite of what she is told!

I won't be rushing to do that again, I began to appreciate the pressure growers feel for flower shows and the like.

Thanks again for your advice :-)

[Mo]

Next time you could always get a tray of primula plants off the market, already in flower. Have them decorate their container the week before, and plant them up the evening they are taking them home.

But planting bulbs and watching them develop is great. (Did they see the first shoots and swelling buds, or were they in your cloche?) Maybe next time plant a bulb for each 6 and keep them at Brownies to flower when they are ready.

[Effie]

We chose for the girls to plant bulbs as part of a badge to celebrate 25 years since the county /region we are in was established. They had to do 12 activites involving 25 of something or linked to 1987 or 'silver' things; they recycled 25 items, collected 25 silver coins for charity, interviewed adults about life in 1987, made an outfit out of silver foil, silver poems, hit a target with a ball 25 times, made a tower out of 25 big jenga bricks .... One of the tasks was to plant 25 plants and this fitted in with our schedule and acted as a Mothers' Day gift too.

The hut we meet in is used by 10 different units and things cannot be left there safely, so unfortunately we couldn't watch the progress of the plants week by week. It would have been nice to be able to do that but I have been at Beaver meetings and I wasn't prepared to risk it

Thanks for the idea for decorated plant pots, might use that one next year!

[Mo]

The hut we meet in is used by 10 different units and things cannot be left there safely, so unfortunately we couldn't watch the progress of the plants week by week. It would have been nice to be able to do that but I have been at Beaver meetings and I wasn't prepared to risk it

No, and you wouldn't want to carry 25 plant pots with you to Brownies!
Our playgroup shared a building (still does but without me). No pictures allowed on the wall, and our tadpoles didn't enjoy whatever was put in their water at a party one weekend.