Harvesting Saffron : A Beginner’s Guide[2023]

Growing saffron indoors for profit

Last updated Mar 5, 2023

Harvesting saffron is a fascinating and rewarding experience that involves carefully collecting the delicate threads from the saffron crocus flower. Saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world, and growing and harvesting it can be a labor-intensive process.

The harvest time is usually in the fall, when the flowers bloom for only a few weeks. To harvest saffron, one must gently pluck the threads from each flower by hand and then dry them in a cool, dry place. It takes a large number of flowers to produce a small amount of saffron, but the end result is a fragrant and flavorful spice that is highly prized in many cuisines.

With a bit of patience and care, anyone can learn to harvest their own saffron and enjoy the satisfaction of using a spice they have grown themselves.

Especially if you live in a country where saffron is rare or extremely expensive, growing saffron indoors might not be a bad idea. All you have to do is purchase its bulbs, provide the best environment, and learn how to harvest saffron and when is the best time to do so.

So, if you are interested in planting saffron crocus and creating your own garden, keep reading to learn more.

Harvesting Saffron: A Beginner's Guide[2023] — Growing saffron indoors for profit

Table of Contents

Is it possible to grow saffron?

Yes; growing saffron indoors for profit is possible in almost any region. Although it might not have the quality and quantity you expect, it’s a good start. Nothing can compare to traditional cultivation, but if it’s somehow impossible for you to find saffron in your country or you just like to plant herbs by yourself, it’s a good start.

Is it hard to grow saffron?

Well, as you might have heard, the labour-intensive process of growing and harvesting saffron, makes it the most expensive crop in the world. It’s even pricier than gold by weight! So, all these might make you think growing saffron indoors for profit is going to be very hard.

Unlike what many people believe, growing saffron by yourself is actually quite easy! What makes it hard is when you plant and harvest saffron in large quantities. However, doing so in small portions won’t take a lot of time or effort. It’ll be just like growing other types of herbs at home.

Harvesting Saffron :

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Can I harvest saffron outdoors?

Just as you can grow saffron indoors, it’s possible to plant it outside your house in your garden or wherever you prefer.

Although in that case, the environment and climate you live in become very important. Saffron only grows in hot and dry weather. As a result, if you live in a cold or humid climate, it’s not going to be possible to harvest saffron outdoors.

So, first, you should know what saffron crocus needs in order to grow and flourish, then you can decide whether your city’s climate is suitable for it or not. Overall, if you are growing saffron indoors for profit, we recommend using a hoop house or greenhouse for better results.

What is needed to grow saffron?

Every plant has its own condition to grow best and yield every year; so as saffron. In fact, saffron is more sensitive to the environment where it grows compared to other types of herbs and spices. So, let’s see what saffron crocus needs to bloom.

Flowerpot

You can use a ceramic self-watering planter for growing saffron indoors for profit, or use a regular flower pot with about 1-litre capacity.

Soil

Saffron, like any other plant, needs organic, mineral, sulphur, potassium, and nitrogen properties in water and soil. Although you cannot recognize such substances by mere looking and it’s necessary to run some tests on water and soil before planting the bulbs.

In general, the soil suitable for saffron cultivation is 30% gravel and clay and 30% silt. These conditions provide the best type of soil for saffron cultivation, which is also called loamy sand soil.

Plant food

Plant food is also a necessary part of growing the best quality saffron indoors. Find nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium-rich plant food to provide the necessary properties for soil and water. Don’t forget that the plant food must contain a balanced blend of each substant in order to have the best results.

Rainfall

If you plan on growing saffron indoors for profit, the amount of precipitation in your region doesn’t matter, as you have to irrigate the plants manually. Water the plants every two weeks from the moment you plant them till they flourish and give you crops.

However, an ideal area to grow saffron would be a city with annual 38 to 46 cm rainfall. So, if it’s true about your living environment, feel free to plant the corms in your garden or somewhere outside the house.

Grow light

Saffron needs nearly 5 hours of sunlight before it blooms. Then it should be harvested as fast and as early as possible to avoid sun rays from damaging the flowers. So, find a grow light that can meet this need and gives your plant 5 hours of direct sunlight.

How much saffron can you get from one plant?

Each saffron crocus only produces one flower a year and many of them may not yield in the first year. On the other hand, each flower contains 3 saffron strands. This means if you want to yield about 1 tablespoon of this precious spice, you’ll need to plant at least 60 saffron bulbs.

Is selling saffron a good idea?

Each kilogram of saffron can cost as much as 29,000 dollars, which requires around 150,000 saffron flowers. For small farmers who have the land and proper condition to grow this heavenly spice and are looking for another source of income, it can be a good and profitable idea.

But, if you plan on growing the spice in your garden, you should consider growing it for personal use rather than starting a business. About 150 to 200 saffron flowers are enough to meet an average family’s need throughout the year.

Does saffron grow back every year?

Although each saffron corm only produces one flower and gives 3 stigmas a year, it can multiply and give you twice the amount of saffron in the following year. However, the multiplying process mainly depends on the soil and weather conditions. If the soil is wet or the weather is too cold, the corms will die and rot.

In order to grow quality saffron and increase the amount for each following day, pay close attention to the tips and conditions we mentioned before. Also buy saffron bulbs or corms from a trusted source.

Harvesting Saffron

Is it worth to grow your own saffron?

Growing saffron indoors for profit will certainly be worthwhile. If you take care of the plant well, it’ll grow back and gives you more flowers and more saffron each year.

On the other hand, if you plan on doing this just for one time, it might not be a profitable idea, as saffron bulbs can be a little pricey and provide all the necessary means to plant and grow the crocus might take a lot of time and effort.

Moreover, saffron bulbs usually take more than a month to yield. On the other hand, only four threads of saffron will go a long way and give your foods and drinks a unique touch. Therefore, if you are thinking of growing saffron as a long-term profitable process, don’t hesitate to do so.

Check out our article on the What Is Saffron Used For In Cooking?

Sources:

https://www.americanmeadows.com/blog/2016/11/16/how-to-grow-saffron-home-garden

https://www.geturbanleaf.com/blogs/edible-flowers/growing-saffron-indoors

https://www.growveg.com/guides/save-lots-of-money-by-growing-your-own-saffron/

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-grow-saffron