Frequently asked questions
Please look through the FAQ section, here we cover most of the general questions asked about saffron and also some questions about saffron farming in South Africa. If you have any other questions please feel free to send us an email with your questions.
Frequently asked questions
Saffron requires only a moderate quantity of irrigation water. Saffron requires between 250 to 300 milimeter of water per year. Watering is only required during the growing season (end February to October). Saffron does not require any water during the dormant period (November to Mid-February). If you plant Saffron in a high rainfall area it is essential to have well-drained soil.
Our saffron bulbs are imported from Europe and are uprooted every year in late June/early July (Northern Hemisphere). After uprooting, the bulbs undergo washing, drying, and a temperature treatment to keep them dormant until the Southern Hemisphere planting season, which starts in early March. Following this treatment, the bulbs are calibrated into different sizes and prepared for sale. This meticulous process ensures that our customers receive the highest quality Crocus sativus bulbs and saffron.
Our Saffron bulbs are given a temperature treatment to keep the bulbs dormant until the South African (Southern Hemisphere) planting season which start in early March. Since this treatment lasts from August to December/January and the corms do dry out somewhat during this period, no or hardly any flowering can be expected in the first year of planting. The corms will continue to grow and multiply and produce the regular expected flower yield in the following year.
When Saffron bulbs are harvested, the bulbs come in different sizes. The bulbs are then calibrated in different sizes, we order the size of bulb the customer requires. The bulbs range from size 7/8 to 11+, the larger bulbs produce more flowers per bulb then the smaller bulbs. Our customers get the bulb size they order and know how many flowers per bulb they can reasonably expect.
The difference between the different bulbs sizes is that the bigger bulbs will bloom better and will give more flowers in the first year after planting. Also larger bulbs are developing better and multiply faster than smaller bulbs.
Bulbs of size 7/8 will give little or no flowering in the first year of planting, in the following season they will bloom better.
The flowering percentage of bulbs of size 8/9 lies between 40 and 80 percent.
Saffron bulbs of size 9/10 give 1 or 2 flowers per bulb in the first year, bulbs of size 10/11 about 2 to 3 flowers per bulb and bulbs of size 11/+, 3 or more flowers per bulb.
The flowering rate will increase in all bulb sizes in the following years due to their multiplication and growth.
A mother saffron corm typically produces daughter corms that are two to three times its weight each year. Large corms can multiply into 2 to 3 flowering corms plus some smaller ones, while small corms will form a larger new flowering corm plus a few smaller ones. Afrisaff provides high-quality corms to ensure optimal growth.
Absolutely! You can grow saffron in urban areas. With just 250m², you can plant 15,000 saffron bulbs. Each flower produces three saffron threads, and with saffron priced around R250 per gram, urban farming can be very profitable. Afrisaff offers support and resources to help you maximize your yields.