Growing Crocosmia: Turn your garden into a blooming, magical land in the summer

While a number of plants bloom in spring, it does not mean that your garden should remain barren and lifeless in the summer. There are quite a number of different flowers that bloom and flower in summer, and one of the best flowers that you can plant to ensure that your garden or backyard remains elegant is crocosmia. 

These flowers are typically planted in spring and bloom during the summer; however, they do not survive long and harsh winters if the bulbs of the flowers are left in the ground. These flowers, which are similar to a lily, are wonderful for your summer garden beds or if you are interested in creating a boundary for your garden. Even then, these flowers are not in bloom, but have a fountain-shaped clumps that provide a contrasting appearance against the foliage. 

How to plant Crocosmias properly?

• When to plant: The appropriate time for planting crocosmia corms occurs during spring after all frost threats have ended. The seeds require more time to grow because they need warm temperatures for their germination process to begin. The seeds will begin to grow when both air and soil temperatures reach warmer temperatures.
• How to plant: The correct planting method for crocosmia corms requires the construction of garden beds, which need dimensions of 2 to 3 inches in depth and 8 to 10 inches in width for proper planting. The best visual impact occurs when you plant corms in groups that contain 10 or more corms.
• Planting in containers: The correct planting depth for container plants requires you to use a well-drained, good-quality potting mix, which you must place in a pot that contains enough drainage holes. 
• Soil: The optimal soil conditions for crocosmia require a combination of moisture and humus-rich composition, which must include well-drained soil. The area needs to be avoided for planting because it contains heavy clay soil and areas that experience constant water saturation.

Caring for a Crocosmia Plant

Now that you have properly planted a crocosmia, use these care tips to ensure that your plant grows well. 

• Watering: You must provide water to your plants during the growing season according to their requirements because this will maintain soil moisture at a constant level. Your plants need about one inch of water each week for optimal growth.
• Fertilizing: The best time to feed your plants with a balanced slow-release fertilizer for bulbs and tubers occurs after initial planting or during early spring.
• After blooming: The spent flowers will drop to the ground, revealing attractive seedpods that will stay visible until fall. The leaves should remain untouched because they will capture the sunlight needed for the growth of next year. The dead leaves must be removed during late fall to maintain a height of one to two inches above ground.
• Winter protection: You can leave these summer-blooming bulbs in your garden because they have greater cold tolerance than other summer-blooming bulbs. The ground needs a protective layer of mulch, which will shield plants from extreme cold conditions. The corms need to be stored in a cool and dry area before you replant them in springtime when you reside in Zone 4 or lower.

Source: Abodelook