Tip #4: Crocuses for Early Spring Nectar
Crocuses (Crocus) offer early visual relief after long, dark winters, frequently pushing their cup-like flowers right through melting snow. Selecting these bulbs to plant before frost ensures that hungry emerging bees find vital nectar early in the season. Available in brilliant shades of purple, yellow, white, and striped variations, crocuses work exceptionally well when naturalized into lawn turf, tucked along stone pathways, or grouped beneath deciduous shrub borders.
Set crocus corms three to four inches deep into rich, well-draining soil with their pointed tips directed upward. Space them two to three inches apart in tight drifts of 10 to 20 corms for the most striking visual effect. Because rodents consider crocus corms a favorite cold-weather snack, consider planting them inside wire mesh cages or dusting the surrounding soil with sharp crushed granite to deter burrowing pests. Choose a site with full morning sun to encourage the blooms to open wide during bright, chilly spring days.
