Saffron belongs to the saffron family Iridaceae and comes from a simple bulb, that of Crocus sativusa plant that would not even exist in nature in the form we know. Fruit of an artificial selection starting from the island of Crete – from the plant Crocus cartwrightianus – this species evolved at the hands of man with the aim of increasing the production of stigmas. The result is a sterile plant, incapable of producing seeds, which reproduces only through the multiplication of bulbs. Yet from these small corms covered by a filamentous tunic comes the most expensive spice in the world, capable of reaching 25,000 euros per kilo.
A bulb that multiplies
Crocus sativus has a particular annual cycle. During the summer, from May to September, the bulbs remain in vegetative rest underground, in September they awaken and emit shoots called spathes, from which the thread-like green leaves emerge and grow throughout the winter. Between October and November comes the most awaited moment: flowering. The purple flowers, yellow anthers and three long red stigmas, bloom for a few weeks. In spring the leaves dry and magic happens underground: the mother bulb divides and generates new corms which will give life to other plants.
Prepare the soil and plant
Saffron cultivation requires attention but not exceptional agricultural skills. The plant adapts to different climates, from the heat of Spain to the rainfall of Kashmir, with only one certainty: it hates water stagnation. The ideal soil must be sandy, well drained and permeable, with a pH between 6 and 8. It is better to avoid clayey or heavy soils which retain too much humidity.
The bulbs are buried between August and September, at a depth of 10-15 centimetres. The distance between the plants varies according to the cultivation method chosen: around 10-12 centimeters for multi-year cultivation, which allows the bulbils to develop over time, or even less for annual cultivation, where every year the corms are dug and replanted in fresh soil. Annual cultivation requires more physical work but better prevents diseases and weeds. The multi-year one, which leaves the bulbs in the ground for 3-5 years, reduces fatigue but exposes you more to the risk of fungi such as the dreaded Fusarium.
Little care, great patience
Once planted, bulbs require surprisingly little maintenance. The water? Almost superfluous. Crocus sativus adapts well to arid climates and should be watered with extreme moderation, only in cases of prolonged drought. The only real task is to keep the soil clean of weeds, which can suffocate the plants and reduce flowering.
The plant resists the cold well, withstanding temperatures down to -12°C or even lower if covered by snow. The green leaves, which emerge in autumn and grow during the winter, resist up to -15°C. In case of prolonged frost, the crop can be protected with straw or non-woven fabric.
The time of harvest
The show begins in mid-October. The purple flowers bloom for about three weeks and every morning the grower has to go out into the garden to pick them. The best time is dawn, when the petals are still closed and the stigmas have not been exposed to the sun. Collecting the closed flowers preserves the quality of the spice: the sun can damage the organoleptic properties of the red stigmas.
The entire flower is harvested, which is then cleaned the same day. It is not possible to put it off: fresh flowers are very delicate and wither quickly. Husking is a long job that requires patience and clean hands. Open the flower delicately and remove the three red stigmas, eliminating the yellow part at the base. The ideal is to keep them together, cutting with your nail just before the point where they divide.
The art of drying
The freshly harvested stigmas must be dried the same day. You need heat, but without exaggerating: 40-45°C are sufficient to obtain a dry spice without burning it. The methods are different, given that you can use a food dehydrator, placing the stigmas on a single layer for about two hours, or a ventilated oven, leaving the door ajar to let the humidity escape. The more traditional ones still use the heat of the embers, as they do in Sardinia and Abruzzo, although this method requires experience to control the variable temperatures.
The stigmas will be ready when they break to the touch without bending. The color becomes dark red and the nose releases that intense and unmistakable aroma. Once dried they should be stored in tightly closed glass jars, in the dark and away from heat sources. They can be kept for years, even if the excellent quality is achieved after at least a month after drying and lasts for the first two years.
An investment that pays off
Growing saffron at home may seem like a complex undertaking, but in reality it is within the reach of anyone with a small vegetable garden or even just a few pots on the balcony. Patience is needed rather than technique. A good bulb costs less than half a euro and the stigmas for an excellent risotto can already be obtained from 20 plants. For those who think big, 10,000 bulbs on 1,000 square meters can produce around 220 grams of spice, with a value exceeding 4,000 euros.
The real gain, however, is personal: seeing those purple flowers appear on autumn mornings and tasting the homemade saffron, a pleasure that no supermarket sachet will ever be able to give.
