Growing saffron
Crocus sativus · also called kesar, kong (Kashmiri)A low autumn-flowering crocus grown from corms for its red stigmas, dried into the spice. In India it is a crop of the Kashmir valley and Kishtwar, planted in July and picked by hand in autumn.
North-east hills and valleys: Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Darjeeling
At a glance
Saffron in the North-east hills and valleys
No guide for this region yet.
Across India
When to sow it
Twelve growing regions, January to December. Your region comes first.
No guide for this region yet
- Sow
- Harvest
- Today
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See the dates as a table
| Region | Sow | Nursery | Transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North-east hills and valleys | No guide for this region yet | |||
| Temperate Himalaya | 15 to 30 July | Mid-October to early November | ||
| Cold desert | No guide for this region yet | |||
| Sub-tropical foothills | No guide for this region yet | |||
| North-west plains | No guide for this region yet | |||
| Gangetic plains | No guide for this region yet | |||
| Arid west | No guide for this region yet | |||
| Central plateau | No guide for this region yet | |||
| Deccan plateau | No guide for this region yet | |||
| South interior | No guide for this region yet | |||
| West coast | No guide for this region yet | |||
| East coast | No guide for this region yet | |||
What it needs
Soil, sun and warmth
Soil pH1,2,3
7 to 8
Loose, friable, well-drained clay or clay loam that is calcareous, rich in organic matter and free of pebbles. Slightly alkaline soil gives a better stand.
SunlightNo published guide covers this for the North-east hills and valleys, so this is an AI suggestion. Check it with local advice before you rely on it.
Full sun. Grow it in an open field with no shade from trees or buildings.
TemperatureNo published guide covers this for the North-east hills and valleys, so this is an AI suggestion. Check it with local advice before you rely on it.
Grows best at 10 to 25 °C
Takes hard frost.
Monthly temperatures for the North-east hills and valleys aren't in the library yet.
Seed and the season's end
Saving seed1,3Part of this comes from the sources cited. The rest is an AI suggestion.
Saffron sets no seed, so it is kept going from corms. Each corm makes 3 or 4 daughter corms. Lift them after the planting cycle, which is four years for Shalimar Saffron-1.
When the seed is ready
Lift in June, when the leaves have dried off and the corms are dormant.
Cleaning the seed
Clean off the husk and soil. Keep large, healthy corms, at least 2.5 cm across, for planting, and throw out any that are soft or rotting.
Store lifted corms in boxes, covered with soil, at 19 to 23°C and 65 to 75% humidity for 40 to 45 days, then plant. Good storage stops them sprouting early.
After the last picking1,3Part of this comes from the sources cited. The rest is an AI suggestion.
Work the dried leaves into the soil when hoeing in summer.
Rotation
A planting stays four years. Then lift the corms in June and plant them again in freshly prepared land rather than the same beds, which cuts the build-up of corm rot.
AI Farm Manager · In development
Plan this crop on your land
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