grow spices
plant the bulbs from May to Septmeber about 10cm deep and spaced apart by at least 5cm in rich, well-drained soil. Water carefully to begin with but leave the soil very dry over the first summer.
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Saffron
as used as a spice is merely the dried red stamen seen in the centre
of the flower to the left. Hard though it may be to believe for
a spice so closely associated with the Mediterranean, it has historically
been grown for centuries in the UK in areas like Cornwall and East
Anglia where its legacy lives on in place names such as Saffron
Walden in Essex and the famous saffron cakes of Cornwall. Saffron
seems to grow best in areas with relatively extreme climates, particularly
hot, dry summers such as Spain and Iran but having said that it
is still possible to grow it in this country (I currently have some
growing in pots on my balcony in Bath!). Once planted any time from
May to September, the bulbs quickly send up long shoots that look
like grass or chives which die off during the winter. A fairly unexciting
period over the next summer then ensues when it's critical that
the bulbs are kept very dry or they will rot if watered too regularly.
The autumn sees some more action as new green shoots are produced
which lead to beautiful flowers around October. This is the crucial
time as the flowers only last for a short time and you need to carefully
pluck the 3 stamen from each flower almost as soon as it appears.
Dry the stamen slowly and carefully in a warm dry place (by a radiator
for instance). |
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one of my first saffron flowers to appear - a proud moment!
freshly picked saffron strands drying |
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Chilli seeds on the way! |
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A nice distinction i heard once about the difference between herbs and spices was that herbs you can grow at home, spices you have to go out for! This may be true in some cases but there's nothing to stop you enjoying the beauty of saffron flowers or the satisfaction of growing your own chillies in your garden at home.