SUMMARY

1. Crocus sativus Bulbs for Sale : Learn how to buy (click me)
2. Crocus sativus Bulbs for Sale : Size & Packaging
3. Crocus sativus Bulbs for Sale : When to buy for planting in 2018?
4. Crocus sativus Bulbs : When to plant Saffron Bulbs?
5. Crocus sativus Bulbs : Phytosanitary and Administrative aspects
6. Crocus sativus Bulbs : Learn how to plant, take care of, and grow Saffron

1. Crocus sativus Bulbs for Sale :
Learn how to buy Saffron Bulbs SUMMARY

Crocus sativus Bulbs bought from a Saffron producer like La Paradisière will allow you to produce Saffron. But first, you need to know a few things for buying well.

1.a. Crocus sativus bulbs :
Various Strains

Various strains of Crocus sativus are available on the market. These strains are highly uneven regarding productivity in saffron bulbs and in saffron spice, and possibly regarding saffron spice quality. Some Crocus sativus strains produce many saffron bulbs (but few flowers), other Crocus sativus strains produce only a few bulbs (but lots of flowers).
Bulb Producers will get good saffron bulb yields with strains of the first type, while Saffron spice Farmers will look for good saffron spice yields, that only strains of the second type can bring.
Crocus sativus strains are automatically selected year after year by cultural practices, depending on production goals. Specimens with higher bulb yields will not be kept by a saffron spice farmer if not also producing higher flower yields, while it will become naturally dominant in the stock of a bulb farmer. On the contrary, Saffron spice farmers will select specimens with the best potentials for their producing goals.
This is mathematical, there is no fraud or malice in this phenomenon..

Buying bulbs in a garden center or large resale signs on the internet is easy, but you need to know that in most cases, you will not get the same product. These bulbs usually come from the bulb farming industry and we systematically have negative echoes of our customers (small size, poor flowering, high prices, etc.).

1.b. Crocus sativus Bulbs :
Various Calibers SUMMARY

In France, the size of Crocus sativus Bulbs is given in centimeters as a "Caliber". Caliber measures the equatorial circumference of the Crocus sativus bulb, where it is the largest.
Caliber is expressed by two numbers, the first one indicating the size of the first sieve that caught the saffron bulb, the second number being the size of the last sieve that missed the saffron bulb. Example: 8/9 = equatorial circumference between 8 and 9 cm.
Crocus sativus bulbs range from size 2 to 18.
The size of Crocus sativus bulbs correlates with the amount of flowers it may give : Crocus sativus bulbs of size 6 may give one flower; Crocus sativus bulbs of size 8 will provide an average of one flower per bulb; Crocus sativus bulbs of large caliber (>14) can yield up to 9 flowers per bulb.

Attention !
1. Crocus sativus bulbs must spend the summer underground in order to prepare flowers in their buds : Plant them early enough.
2. Crocus sativus bulbs live 1 year only : They die after generating son bulbs for the next growing season. The size of the son bulbs will depend on the number of son bulbs produced by the father bulb as well as on cultivation conditions: Large Crocus sativus bulbs do not necessarily give birth to large son bulbs (= low flowering rate), while small Crocus sativus bulbs can produce large son bulbs in good cultivation conditions (= high flowering rate).
Buying large saffron bulbs will not guarantee high flowering rates on the planting year (due to 1.) as well as high flowering rates on the following year (due to 2.).

Crocus sativus Bulbs are usually sold in the most common sizes ranging from 8 to 10. Size differences are not very significant between 6, 8, and 10 though, since the average corresponding weight is, respectively: 7, 8, and 9 grams. Big sizes are more rare, therefore more expensive.

1.c. Crocus sativus Bulbs :
Varying Prices SUMMARY

The Price of Crocus sativus bulbs depends directly on : the Strain, Producing method, and Caliber.

Strain. Crocus sativus Bulbs from saffron spice strains are available at a higher price and in smaller quantities. You will usually get them from Saffron Farmers only (surplus resulting from the natural growth of a Saffron field).
Producing method. A Saffron Farmer usually plants, digs up, and manages saffron bulbs manually when a Bulb Farmer uses machines. Costs and low productivity of manual labour both impact the price.
Caliber. Larger saffron bulbs are more rare and yield more flowers : Consequently, they have a higher commercial value.

Consider prices mindfully when choosing a source of Crocus sativus Bulbs : Strain Quality may be essential for Spice production and Spice quality.

1.d. Crocus sativus Bulbs : Sanitary Quality SUMMARY

Huge phytosanitary issues exist with Crocus sativus, most saffron fields being infested with difficult fungal diseases due to cultivation methods. Will you be able to detect and diagnose diseased saffron bulbs? Can you take care of sick Crocus sativus plants? Can you eradicate fungal disease in your soil?
Avoid future troubles by considering your supplyer and the phytosanitary quality of its Crocus sativus bulbs.

1.e. Crocus sativus Bulbs : Traceability & Cultivation Methods SUMMARY

Crocus sativus bulbs L'ETOILE MAUVE® are exclusively grown and marketed by La Paradisière (Corrèze, France). L'ÉTOILE MAUVE® is the result of a selection process by La Paradisière from about fifteen geographical origins (Africa, Asia and Europe).

La Paradisière uses smart and original cultivation methods, which come from the research and experience of the farmer: 100% natural, and promoting biological balances between living communities. These chemical-free methods are the only guarantors of a high sanitary standard respecting nature and human health.

2. Crocus sativus Bulbs for Sale :
Size & Packaging SUMMARY

Our Crocus sativus Bulbs are sold in 2 caliber categories :

Saffron Bulbs : saffron bulbs are of floriferous caliber 8/10 and will usually bloom on the planting year*
Saffron Seeds : Smaller Saffron Bulbs of non-floriferous caliber 4/7 that will usually bloom 1 year after planting, although a few may bloom on the planting year

ATTENTION : Saffron Seeds are not "bad bulbs"
These small bulbs called "Saffron seeds" result from the natural growth of Crocus sativus to optimize its spreading.
At La Paradisière, we mainly use the Saffron Seeds to start a new saffron field because of their superior vigor.
It makes them perfectly fit to quickly generate flowering bulbs and high yields of saffron spice.
Although the Saffron Seed does not bloom on planting year, its offspring will bloom as abundantly as the Safran Bulbs in the following years.

(1) Equatorial circumference of Saffron bulbs, in cm
(2) 1 kg = 100 Saffron Bulbs +/- 20% (variation in individual weight of the bulbs depending on their size in the lot)
(3) 1 kg = 200 to 400 Saffron Bulbs (idem)
* Provided that saffron bulbs have found the necessary conditions for the formation of flower buds during summer - Read La Bible du Safranier

3. Crocus sativus Bulbs for Sale :
When to buy your Saffron Bulbs ? SUMMARY

You want to plant Saffron ?
La Paradisière will help you in your Project by providing high quality Saffron Bulbs whatever the quantities you need.
La Paradisière is a reliable partner that will not let you down at the last minute !

Buy Crocus sativus Bulbs all year round.
Orders are honored chronologically, subject to availability.
Our stock of Saffron bulbs varies each year based on ou production, ou needs for our farm, and Customers' demand.
Saffron Bulbs are uplifted during summer dormancy and shipped in July and August with growing instructions.

4. Crocus sativus Bulbs :
When to plant ? SUMMARY

In the Northern Hemisphere
Crocus sativus Bulbs are planted from early June to mid-September.
Plant them as early as possible to maximize the odds for a good first harvest on planting year.
You can still plant your bulbs in early September, with unlikely optimal blooming rate. In this situation, we recommend purchasing Crocus sativus Seeds instead, less expensive and bringing the same result as Saffron bulbs 1 year after planting.

In the Southern Hemisphere
Our customers from the Southern Hemisphere can purchase Crocus sativus Bulbs at La Paradisière.
The adaptation of Crocus sativus to a reverse seasonal cycle is quite possible and has been successfully implemented in Australia, New-Zealand, South Africa, etc.
This task is left entirely to our Customers' care by default
For wholesale orders only, we can adapt your bulbs to the reverse seasons of the Southern Hemisphere - please contact us.

5. Crocus sativus Bulbs :
Phytosanitary and Administrative aspects SUMMARY

A Phytosanitary Certificate is required for some international destinations outside the EU.
For retail orders, you may order our Phytosanitary Certificate Service Pack for a swift and easy process.
For wholesale orders ONLY, the phytosanitary certification is offered by default.

6. Crocus sativus Bulbs :
Learn how to plant, take care of, and grow Saffron SUMMARY

1. A comprehensive reference book on Saffron, its biology, diseases and pests, and its crop :
La Bible du Safranier. Tout savoir sur le Crocus sativus et sur le Safran
2. Complete Lecture Handouts / Course Prints of our Saffron Farming Courses
3. Join our Saffron Farming Internship