To the astonishment of flower lovers, crocuses continue to grow when snow falls again after budding. The spring bloomers get along well with low air temperatures. As long as soil temperatures are high enough, they will thrive even in frost.

Snow doesn't bother crocuses at all

Why don't crocuses freeze to death in the snow?

To answer this question, the gardener needs to know something about when and why bulb plants bud in the first place. The following factors play a role here:

  • cold phase
  • soil temperature
  • Sun
  • cell protection

When do crocuses start to sprout again?

Like almost all spring bloomers, crocuses need a cold phase of several weeks before they sprout new flowers. This is a protection of nature that prevents the plants from sprouting too early. The gardener calls this process "stratification".

Crocuses sprout after the cold phase, when the ground slowly thaws and is no longer frozen. As soon as the days get longer and the sun warms up the upper soil layers, this is the starting signal for the onion plants to sprout.

In very mild winters with lots of sun, it can even happen that the crocuses start flowering as early as December or January.

Crocuses have their own frost protection

It often happens that winter returns for a short time and fresh snow falls, covering the ground.

For the crocuses, another cold snap is not a great danger. The delicate petals contain substances that act as natural frost protection. They protect the cells of the leaves from freezing.

The flowers just keep growing despite the renewed snowfall. The flowers develop a solid tip at the top, with which they pierce not only the layers of earth but also the snow cover.

Crocuses bloom in the snow

Once the flowers have broken through the snow, they will even begin to bloom into full bloom. The prerequisite is that the sun is shining or at least very bright and the ground is not frozen.

For many hobby gardeners, the sight of the colorful blossoms in the snow is a special event. The bright colors come into their own particularly well over the white blanket of snow.

tips and tricks

Never clear fresh snow from flower beds or lawns. They damage the crocuses floating under the snow and prevent them from blooming at all.

Category:

Vegetable garden