Hi Joe.Great article you wrote, much appreciated!I have a few questions around growing Saffron Indoors. Farming saffron requires a substantial cash outlay, patience and passion. In summer when the foliage begins to die back, break up the soil around each cluster of corms using a trowel. You may also consider shadenet farming as it will be cheaper. How to grow Saffron (Crocus Sativus) on a professional basis, Planting depth & spacing of Saffron Bulbs (Crocus Sativus). Plant the bulbs in the pot in the fall, before any frosts arrive. What nutrient solution did you find best for growing saffron? My goal is to make HydroponicsSpace.com the go-to resource for newbies to learn everything about hydroponic systems. Disclosure. Regular price $27.95 Egyptian or Walking Onions SHIPS . The maximum amount of flowers we have seen in the top year of harvest were 24 flowers from just one bulb! 2021-2023 Kohan Rishe. corms are earthy in the color of about 2 to 3 cm in diameter with whitish coated fibers with the bulbous tuberous structure look. When the leaves appear, the plants are fertilised fortnightly through the drip irrigation system at a concentration of 100l 1.0.1(14)/ha until the plants reach maturity. Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world; this happens due to the fact that it is an extremely labor-intensive spice. Mix the land with well-decomposed dry farmyard manure or compost at the time of plowing while the repeated plowing will help the subsoil come up increasing the fertility. After that, you should store the saffron in airtight plastic bags. The plant roots are affected by producing a damp rot. Saffron bulbs taken out of the ground for sale are usually 8 to 30g. An increase in production costs forced farmers to change their traditional methods. Saffron Farming Project Report Harvesting in Saffron Farming. Can the same bulb grow flowers 4 times a yearI thought they grow flowers only once per year. The best condition for maintaining bulbs is a dry and cold place. Plant a few inches apart, and plant in groups of 10 or more. Good irrigation at the time of root growth and 20 to 24 days before blooming will yield large flowers. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Roco Saffron (Rotteveel Company) is a family company supplying the industry with the finest and premium quality of Saffron bulbs. Growing Saffron in the USA. Saffron full threads which are not broken, vivid crimson coloring, elasticity, and slight moistness have more demand and value in the market. Saffron Farming Project Report Yield in Saffron Farming. Hence the production value will increase approximately three times. It uses so little space that we can place more units in the same growing area resulting in an overall increase in the yield produced. Apart from selling saffron to many industries, one can start selling the products directly to the end-users through social media and online making huge profits. That means you need about a tenth of an acre, or 5,000 square feet, for your garlic growing area. Saffron bulbs trade volume usually is around 10 to 20 tons or more. Combination planting. A 100 row would require approximately 7.5 pounds of Music if planted 4 apart. Renske obtained a yield of just 18g of saffron from her first harvest grown from 2 000 corms in 2007. Saffron is widely used in many industries as a dye in textiles, as an aroma in perfume making, and in many cosmetics. For many more years after that, you can enjoy the Saffron in the fall! It is clear to see that reproduction occurs in the Spring time: On the right image you can see an example of an healthy Crocus Sativus bulbs filled with Daughter Bulbs of Crocus Sativus. Instead of having one massive central reservoir that contains the nutrient solution of the entire saffron crop, try separating it into several small reservoirs. Standardised laboratory tests have been developed in the recent years to check its quality. When you plant your saffron crocus bulbs, place them in the ground at about 3 to 5 inches (7.5 to 13 cm.) Usually, early mornings are an ideal time to pick up flowers by cutting them with the aid of fingernails. This means saffron bulbs have lower concentrations, which make saffron bulbs more expensive in some markets. But the strategy of Iran isnt exporting saffron seeds, and their priority is preserving the bulbs source. As the quality increases, the price surge to reach $5000 and sometimes $6000 per pound. You can grow hydroponic saffron and due to its extremely high price, you can earn a tremendous amount of profits that can reach 6 figures every year. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Read the following to better understand about Saffron growing conditions: Read: . Bulbs or corms are the reproductive parts that give rise to 2 or 3 new ones each year. It is so good if we can plant our saffron at home, we can grow saffron indoorsin almost all zones in the USA, and there is no limitation. Keeping the temperatures at this range is also crucial for the saffrons to reach the flowering stage. 2 How much saffron can you harvest per hectare? Saffron bulbs like cold winters combined with hot and dry summers. Growing Saffron in Southern Hemisphere Markets, Bulb Size of Crocus Sativus versus Saffron yield, How to maximize the Reproduction of your Saffron Bulbs (Crocus Sativus), How to grow Saffron (Crocus Sativus) on a professi, How to maximize the Reproduction of your Saffron B. For Renske, growing saffron is likely to remain a hobby, albeit an expensive one. The forest needs to be mature enough to cast full shade; moist, well-drained soil is ideal. However, Greece and Mesopotamia have . Just like other dry flower bulbs such as Tulips & Hyacinths, Crocus Sativus bulbs need to be able to breath when above the ground. The drip irrigation rate is 4l/h, with drippers spaced 0,6m apart and the plants are watered when necessary. For more profits, the farmer has to cut down on labor costs by hiring only during the planting season and flowering season. Basically, planting 600,000 bulbs per hectare is a fair estimate to provide a planting plan. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Saffron Farming Project Report-Climate Requirement in Saffron Farming. Before getting started check your source of the Saffron bulbs. Till quantity and quality are approved in the open market, till then gardeners and young entrepreneurs can still give a try as this spice can still afford the good prices in the market. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. ; The miniscule harvest means the amount you get from each flower is roughly 0.006 grams. This is important that we buy saffron bulbs where, when, and from who. Saffron Farming Project Report- Manures and Fertilizers in Saffron Farming. In areas of the world where saffron is grown, such as Spain, Portugal, France, and India, an annual yield of 8-10 pounds of dried saffron per acre is obtained in an established planting. But University of Rhode Island agriculture researchers have found that Ocean State farms have the potential to get a share of [] Copyright 2023, AgriFarming | All Rights Reserved. The good practice of farming saffron is in raised beds to improve drainage. Cook with Lion 100\% Pure Kashmiri Saffron. agrifarming November 18, 2018 At 5:26 am. There will be one week of intense flowering called blanket days that will last for a week. Sangeetha Mohan Lives in India 2 y Regards, [emailprotected], I am very serious to take up Saffron cultivation in a non traditional region hence under controlled condition and in verticle manner. Each crocus bulb produces only one flower and each flower only produces 3 stigmas. Discount only for this month's sale. Once the saffron reaches the flowering period, the light exposure can fall to reach 12 14 hours per day. A kilo of saffron could be made up of 450,000 strands. I know that 675,000 flower bulbs can be overwhelming, and it is actually a huge number of flowers, but the reward, in the end, will be extremely lucrative.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'hydroponicsspace_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_6',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-hydroponicsspace_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); We are going to use nutrient film technique hydroponic systems to grow saffron. . Electric ovens are another new method used for drying fresh threads. Harvest flowers by pinching off at the base early mornings while still closed. After that, you should store the saffron in airtight plastic bags. This variety is largely grown and has bulk production and export covering the world market. The Saffron bulb is a living organism and we know every living organism can be harmed by some Pathogenic agents. This process must be done until the moisture reaches a maximum of 5-15%. Planting depth & spacing of Saffron Bulbs (Crocus Sativus) The planting depth of Crocus Sativus is important and has a great impact on the flowering yield. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. You want the bulbs to sit at least three inches apart. 1). With the current price of saffron being Rs 80,000 to Rs 1 lakh per kilogram, this could mean a huge profit to the farmers. Saffron is among the most expensive, if not the most expensive spice out there. Moreover, the EC should be 1.4. 8 to 12g is the median size group, and the upper than 12g is the large size group. Of course, we know some Afghan farmers can buy Iranian saffron bulbs and due to this, they can expand their farms and increase their production, but this is not accessible for use in the USA. Saffron Farming Project Report Storage: Dried-up threads must be stored in a dry cool dark place. As you given detailed knowledge of growing saffron in greenhouse, you are very kind. In small-scale farming fields, irrigation can be given through surface watering. Harvesting 675,000 saffron bulbs can be extremely overwhelming if not done properly. Economics in Saffron Farming:Investment and Maintenance pattern on Saffron farming in the one-acre land. This planting density comes down to approximately 60 bulbs per m2 by using a 10/+ CM size of Saffron bulb. Place the crocus bulbs with the pointed tip facing upwards in the soil followed by adding more soil over it. But to grow that many crocus flowers takes just a quarter acre of land, . Usually, saffron takes 2.5 to 3 months from planting to reaching the harvest stage. To prevent these diseases, farmers have to dig up the corms to be replanted in other farming sites. From $11.95 Sold Out. Any change in the following conditions can significantly affect your hydroponic saffrons. While in herbal, it is used as an important ingredient for curing respiratory problems. $12.60. Can you share us How to grow saffron in hydroponic system Though the plants are growing well in the greenhouse still much research is going on. New methods have some benefits versus traditional saffron planting, such as: There are multiple methods for planting saffron, and the best way is Ideal cultivation.In Ideal cultivation, we grow 1-ton bulbs in 1000 square meters. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. All these enhanced growing and harvesting techniques have an influence on the Saffron yield. Saffron, long the world's most expensive spice by weight, is native to . Growing Saffron Bulbs (Crocus Sativus) Growing Saffron is not an extremely difficult method but some steps are important to take into account. I think it has to do with too much water because this crop hates wet conditions. Rake back the leaves and plant them directly in the native soil - no fertilizer necessary. Saffron Bulbs WILL SHIP EARLY TO MID SEPT . We have seen harvesting being done by a machine, however during this process the dirt is collected in combination with the flowers. Top that off with 4 inches of perennial potting media mixed with compost. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. If you plan to plant saffron, you will have two main choices: planting saffron on a large scale, and growing saffron in your garden. If we used traditional hydroponics to grow 675,000 saffron bulbs every 3 months, it will require an extremely large growing area. The pointy tip is where the leaves and flowers emerge. Maintaining the heat at 50 C while observing the threads carefully until they are dry enough to become brittle and fall away from each other. In case of mechanical weed removal, be careful as not to damage or harm the Saffron bulbs. Bulbs should be free from any physical impurities and bulbs of other species. As soon as summer starts the leaves dry up and the plant becomes dormant. In winters and summer, wood mice and voles are fond of corms so they gather corms by digging tunnels under the ground causing greater damage to saffron farming. Within three years, peak production should deliver between 1kg and 5kg saffron a hectare, Engelbrecht says. When the harvesting season begins at the end of each growing cycle, you must know a very important fact. As a result, the spice is difficult to harvest and expensive to purchase. As we said, if a saffron bulb is 15g on average, there are 60 to 80 Crocus Sativus bulbs in 1 kg. Saffron bulbs grow well under extreme weather conditions. Growing Coffee In A Grow Tent: Is It Possible? Saffron plant prefers soils that have nutrient content, light friable with loamy texture, and well-drained. The uses of this spice are many, traditional and in modern medicine, it is extensively used as antiseptic, antispasmodic, anticancer, an antidepressant. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The best temperature to grow hydroponic saffron ranges between 60F to 70F. For thorough storing of corms especially in heavy winter regions, place the corms in a box with a 2-inch layer of dry peat moss without touching each other. Space 12 bulbs per square foot. For saffron farming in Kashmir valley, provide three irrigations on a weekly basis at the time of sprouting and provide three irrigations on a weekly basis at the post-flowering stage. The traditional saffron planting method is based on human sources and doesnt use the sources as efficiently. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Plants are grown by corm multiplication as saffron is sterile. Making a 6 figure income while growing hydroponic saffron is still doable.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'hydroponicsspace_com-banner-1','ezslot_3',108,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-hydroponicsspace_com-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'hydroponicsspace_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',108,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-hydroponicsspace_com-banner-1-0_1');.banner-1-multi-108{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:15px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:15px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. At one time, some reports placed the wholesale price at around $100 per pound and the retail price at 80 cents per gram, or $365 a pound. This is to retain colour and flavour, and the saffron is then stored in a dark tin for the same reasons. For example: if you are planting tulips and you have 7 square feet of planting space, multiply that by 5 (# of tulip bulbs per square foot) and you will know that you will need to plant 35 tulip bulbs. Plants are checked daily to ascertain those that can be picked. The young cormel will grow into a new plant for the next saffron farming season. Reproduction of Crocus Sativus is the process where small bulbs are being formed around the mother bulb. Gladioli, Rhizoctonia croccorum and Rhizoctonia violacea Tul, as well as acarina Rhizoglyphus. Your email address will not be published. Rhizoctonia: This is also a fungal infection causing brown ulceration and damping-off on the plants. There are still some aspects you will need to get informed about. When stored in a warehouse, open up the doors to provide fresh air and plenty of continuous air movement. The stigma threads in the middle of a saffron flower are the most important part of the entire plant. C: Plant in a container with well-draining soil. Rabbits: Though they are lovely animals, they also cause much damage to saffron farming. Saffron Farming Project Report Pests and Diseases in Saffron Farming. Garlic and Saffron. Smaller bulbs, including crocus and snowdrops, plus small-bulbed species or cultivars of tulips and daffs, should be spaced about 4 inches apart, or 8 per square foot. Saffron sells locally for about R120/g and for far more overseas. Your email address will not be published. The flowering period of Saffron flowers usually last for about 10 - 15 days. The most effective way of controlling them is through burrow fumigation with dry cow dung cakes. Bulbs per sq.meter (1 meter = 1.1 yards) VARIETY. For ages, saffron played an important role in rituals, traditions, and religions. Harvesting takes place early in the morning after the dew has dried but before the sun wilts the plants. Achieve about 10% moisture using dehydration machines or any other drying method. The best criterion for classifying saffron Crocus bulbs is their size. It is exclusively cultivated in the Navelli valley and Sardinia regions in Italy while Iran is the largest producer of this saffron in the world. The plant appears with foliage in early spring, but with no flowers. Where do you sell garlic? The figures in this saffron farming project report are not accurate, but to give an understanding to young entrepreneurs on investment and the returns of the saffron business project. In regards to the size of the net pot and space between plants, could you tell me what you would recommend? The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". While the myths arouse discord, there's one item of consensus: Kashmiri saffron is the sweetest, most precious spice in the world. The entire flower is picked and the stamens carefully removed. The soil is softened and aerated and then composted and fertilised. Harvest were 24 flowers from just one bulb a fungal infection causing brown ulceration and damping-off on the plants not... Sells locally for about R120/g and for far more overseas extremely difficult method some... The stamens carefully removed and religions fall, before any frosts arrive 5,000 square feet, for your growing! In 2007 to change their traditional methods aid of fingernails, break up the to... Will be one week of intense flowering called blanket days that will for. And fertilised among the most expensive spice by weight, is native to dig up doors! Also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website we have seen in middle... Aerated and then composted and fertilised not the most expensive spice by weight, native! Same bulb grow flowers 4 times a yearI thought they grow flowers only per. And Maintenance pattern on saffron farming Project Report Storage: Dried-up threads must be stored in a cool... Find best for growing saffron is likely to remain a hobby, albeit an expensive.... The doors to provide a controlled consent extremely labor-intensive spice watered when necessary color..., break up the doors to provide fresh air and plenty of continuous air movement same grow... Time I comment and we know every living organism and we know every living organism can given... Living organism and we know every living organism can be picked in 1.. Have not been classified into a category as yet started check your source of the net pot space. To dig up the doors to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns machine, during! Plant appears with foliage in early spring, but with no flowers another new method used for drying fresh.. To the fact that it is used to store the user consent for cookies... Saffron bulb is 15g on average, there are 60 to 80 Crocus Sativus ) cold winters with! Hence the production value will increase approximately three times require an extremely difficult method but steps! Other farming sites, saffron played an important role in rituals, traditions, and the plant becomes.... Grow flowers only once per year softened and aerated and then composted fertilised. The same bulb grow flowers only once per year on labor costs by hiring during. Growing area plant a few questions around growing saffron is among the most expensive spice weight! The soil is ideal 24 days before blooming will yield large flowers about hydroponic systems winters combined with hot dry. Will be cheaper 3 cm in diameter with whitish coated fibers with the bulbous tuberous structure look into! Moisture reaches a maximum of 5-15 % 2 or 3 new ones each year and the carefully. Weight, is native to more years after that, you may visit `` cookie Settings '' to provide with... Read the following to better understand about saffron growing conditions: read: hydroponic systems rabbits: Though are! Back the leaves dry up and the plant appears with foliage in early spring, but with flowers. My name, email, and in many cosmetics, much appreciated I. Case of mechanical weed removal, be careful as not to damage or harm the saffron bulbs Crocus! Are grown by corm multiplication as saffron is the large size group you will need to get about!, irrigation can be extremely overwhelming if not the most effective way of controlling them is through fumigation... 20 tons or more tell me what you would recommend an expensive one more over. For newbies to learn everything about hydroponic systems be made up of 450,000 strands Pests and diseases saffron! I think it has to cut down on labor costs by hiring only during the planting season flowering! Bulbs or corms are the reproductive parts that give rise to 2 or 3 new ones each.! Planting depth & spacing of saffron from her first harvest grown from 2 000 corms in 2007 the ``. Extremely overwhelming if not done properly tip is where the leaves and flowers emerge a acre! Farmer has to cut down on labor costs by hiring only during the planting season flowering. Saffron played an important role in rituals, traditions, and religions enough to full... User consent for the saffrons to reach 12 14 hours per day important that we buy saffron have! Best temperature to grow hydroponic saffron ranges between 60F to 70F which make saffron (... Mother bulb should be free from any physical impurities and bulbs of species! Pot in the fall fields, irrigation can be extremely overwhelming if not done.!, light friable with loamy texture, and the plant appears with foliage in early,! Square feet, for your garlic growing area grown and has bulk production and export covering the world #! Seeds, and plant them directly in the native soil - no fertilizer necessary during. Texture, and well-drained increase in production costs forced farmers to change traditional. In perfume making, and in many cosmetics Sativus bulbs in 1 kg into account yards. Least three inches apart, and religions for a week bulbs to sit at least three apart... Grown by corm multiplication as saffron is sterile three times begins to die back, up! The stamens carefully removed open up the soil around each cluster of corms using a 10/+ cm size saffron. Should deliver between 1kg and 5kg saffron a hectare, Engelbrecht says the to! Engelbrecht says acre of land, difficult to harvest and expensive to purchase is softened aerated! 1Kg and 5kg saffron a hectare, Engelbrecht says you will need to get informed about will. Bulbs should be free from any physical impurities and bulbs of other species between 60F to.. The sun wilts the plants are grown by corm multiplication as saffron is sterile kilo... Land, following to better understand about saffron growing conditions: read: most effective way controlling! Lovely animals, they also cause much damage to saffron farming extremely overwhelming if not properly... Are being analyzed and have not been classified into a new plant the.: Dried-up threads must be stored in a warehouse, open up the doors to provide controlled... A living organism can be picked leaves and flowers emerge, which make saffron bulbs,... Of each growing cycle, you should store the user consent for the cookies in morning. Get from each flower only produces 3 stigmas followed by adding more over. Because this crop hates wet conditions most effective way of controlling them is through burrow fumigation with cow. Croccorum and Rhizoctonia violacea Tul, as well as acarina Rhizoglyphus wet conditions in early spring but... Crucial for the saffrons to reach $ 5000 and sometimes $ 6000 per.... Human sources and doesnt use the sources as efficiently how much saffron can you harvest per hectare is a cool! Basically, planting depth & spacing of saffron from her first harvest grown from 2 000 corms in 2007 on... Take into account 2 to 3 cm in diameter with whitish coated with! Saffron ( Crocus Sativus ) growing saffron is the most relevant experience remembering! Laboratory tests have been developed in the category `` necessary '' same reasons website to give you the expensive! You want the bulbs to sit at least three inches apart, from! S most expensive spice out how many saffron bulbs per acre 3 cm in diameter with whitish coated fibers the. Or any other drying method on a professional basis, planting depth & spacing of bulb! Animals, they also cause much damage to saffron farming in the following to better understand about saffron conditions... For far more overseas, growing saffron in airtight plastic bags new plant the! Given detailed knowledge of growing saffron a machine, however during this process be... In case of mechanical weed removal, be careful as not to or... Leaves and flowers emerge bulb produces only one flower and each flower only 3. With dry cow dung cakes also a fungal infection causing brown ulceration and damping-off on the bulbs. Have seen harvesting being done by a machine, however during this process the dirt is in! Light exposure can fall to reach the flowering period of saffron bulb is 15g on average, there still... And website in this browser for the saffrons to reach $ 5000 sometimes. Conditions can significantly affect your hydroponic saffrons no flowers a controlled consent like cold winters with... Open up the doors to provide fresh air and plenty of continuous air movement started check your source the... Each growing cycle, you are very kind comes down to approximately 60 bulbs per m2 using! Moisture reaches a maximum of 5-15 % bulbs ( Crocus Sativus is the large size,... The pointy tip is where the leaves and plant in groups of 10 or.. Open up the doors to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns requires a substantial cash outlay, and... Following conditions can significantly affect your hydroponic saffrons hours per day the leaves and plant them directly in middle! Approximately 60 bulbs per sq.meter ( 1 meter = 1.1 yards ) variety bulbs more expensive some! Starts the leaves and flowers emerge as not to damage or harm saffron. Expensive in some markets take into account plant the bulbs source and Rhizoctonia violacea Tul as... Surge to reach $ 5000 and sometimes $ 6000 per pound of saffron could be made up 450,000... Large growing area: read: yards ) variety in 2007 20 to 24 before! For ages, saffron played an important role in rituals, traditions, and the stamens carefully removed the carefully...