:QUOTE [quotetype:personal] Saffron costs what it costs because every thread was picked by hand from a flower that blooms once a year for two weeks. :INFO What Saffron Crocus Requires Crocus sativus (saffron crocus) blooms in autumn, not spring like most crocuses. Each flower produces three red stigmas — the saffron threads. A single plant produces 3 threads per season. You need about 50 to 75 corms for a meaningful harvest (enough saffron for several dishes). Corms require: well-draining soil, full sun, a dry summer dormancy, and cold winters to vernalize (trigger flowering). They multiply over years if not dug up. :COUNTER.half 3 Threads Per Flower | :COUNTER.half Plant in September :PATH Plant Corms in Well-Draining Soil Plant 4 inches deep, 4 to 6 inches apart, pointed end up, in full sun. | :INFO Plant Corms in Well-Draining Soil Plant saffron corms in September (Northern Hemisphere) in full-sun well-draining soil. Amend heavy clay with grit and compost. Plant 4 inches deep, 4 to 6 inches apart, pointed end upward. Container planting: use a shallow pot (6 to 8 inches deep) with fast-draining succulent mix. Do not water after planting — wait for first fall rains or withhold water until you see leaf tips emerge. :PATH Manage Summer Dormancy Stop watering when foliage dies back in spring and keep corms dry until fall. | :INFO Manage Summer Dormancy Saffron crocus corms require a dry summer dormancy — the most common failure point. After the foliage yellows and dies back in late spring, stop watering completely. If in containers, move them to a dry covered location. Resume watering in late August to early September to break dormancy and trigger flowering. In humid climates, corms may rot if left in moist soil through summer. :PATH Harvest on the Day Flowers Open Pick stigmas the morning flowers open — they degrade within hours. | :INFO Harvest on the Day Flowers Open Saffron crocus flowers open in October to November. The three red stigmas must be harvested on the day the flower opens — within hours of opening. Pick the stigmas by hand, tweezers, or small scissors. Lay on a paper towel and dry in a warm oven (150°F) for 15 to 20 minutes or air dry for 24 to 48 hours. Store in an airtight container away from light. :CHECKLIST What You Need [ ] Crocus sativus corms — buy in August for fall planting [ ] Well-draining sandy or gritty soil [ ] Full-sun location — 6 hours minimum [ ] 50 to 75 corms for a meaningful harvest [ ] Small tweezers for stigma harvesting [ ] Airtight container for storing dried saffron :NOTE Crocus sativus Is the Only Saffron Species Other autumn-blooming crocuses can be toxic — ensure you plant Crocus sativus specifically, not Colchicum autumnale (meadow saffron) which looks similar and is poisonous. All three stigmas in C. sativus are red and trumpet-shaped. Colchicum has 6 stamens; C. sativus has 3 stigmas and 3 stamens. :QUOTE [quotetype:personal] Plant fifty corms this fall. In ten years you will have five hundred. The math works slowly in your favor. :LINK https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/saffron-crocus/growing-guide Royal Horticultural Society — Growing Saffron Crocus Guide