SUMMARY

1. Crocus sativus Bulbs for Sale : Learn how to buy (click me)
2. Crocus sativus Bulbs for Sale : When to buy?
3. Crocus sativus Bulbs : When to plant Saffron Bulbs?
4. Crocus sativus Bulbs : Phytosanitary and Administrative aspects
5. 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).

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: 9/10 = equatorial circumference between 9 and 10 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 or be stored properly in order to prepare flowers in their buds : Planting before September is better.
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.

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.

2. 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 from January to the end of May.
Orders are honored chronologically, subject to availability.
Our stock of Saffron bulbs varies each year based on our production, the needs for our farm, and Customers' demand.
Saffron Bulbs are uplifted during summer dormancy and shipped in July and August ONLY, with growing instructions.

We are very grateful to you for not contacting us:
to order bulbs outside the ordering period ;-)
to complain that your order was not shipped immediately ;-)

3. Crocus sativus Bulbs :
When to plant ? SUMMARY

In the Northern Hemisphere
Crocus sativus Bulbs are planted from mid-June to mid-September.
La Paradisière, Saffron Specialist, ships your Saffron bulbs in the heart of summer, so that you will receive them at the best planting time of the year.

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.
By default, this task is left entirely to our Customers' care
For wholesale orders only, we can adapt your bulbs to the reverse seasons of the Southern Hemisphere - please contact us.

4. Crocus sativus Bulbs :
Phytosanitary and Administrative aspects SUMMARY

A Phytosanitary Certificate is required for some international destinations outside the EU.
For wholesale orders ONLY, the phytosanitary certification is offered by default.
We do not offer this service anymore for retail and smaller orders.

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