A growing journal built from dated family observations. The latest report below is historical evidence, not a claim that the plant is in the same condition today. Plans and questions are kept separate from actions and outcomes.
Latest recorded state
- September 7: Heather sorted corms that felt light and papery around a solid, nut-sized core. She reported many tiny cream-colored corms and about four to six inches of cover in the pot.
- Emergence, flowering, final pot location and watering actions were not confirmed. The reported depth is a historical observation, not a recommended planting depth.
- The project was being grown indoors. Earlier assistant advice about outdoor Zone 4 wintering was inconsistent and was challenged by Heather.
What we learned
- Corm feel and appearance were observations, not a confirmed botanical assessment.
- Keep the actual planting depth separate from care recommendations.
- The archived outdoor-wintering advice was contradictory; it should not become an established family practice.
The story so far
Dated observations, not assumptions about today.
A hands-on corm check+
One corm was a little soft, smelled earthy rather than off, and had dark material beneath the hairs. Heather did not expect activity until fall. There was no confirmed viability diagnosis.
Still dry, with watering unresolved+
Saffron remained dry while Heather asked when watering should begin. No watering action or emergence was reported.
Planning a large pot+
A large saffron pot was part of an indoor/container layout discussion alongside ashitaba and sweetgrass. The final layout was not established.
Sorting the corms+
Heather described a solid core under papery outer material and many small cream-colored corms. Her questions covered location, watering, seasonality and Zone 4 conditions. No successful crop was recorded.
Next steps & open questions
- Record pot depth, drainage, placement and any change in watering.
- Add the actual date of emergence or confirmed loss rather than an expected date.
- Keep any future harvest or flower count as a measured observation.
Sources & what was completed
Record provenanceDated Heather growing observations, source sequences 188, 293, 336, 453. Restored September 27, 2026 after unrelated garden records were inadvertently archived.
- Restored growing notes from Heather's archived conversations. No medicinal-use instructions or unsupported plant diagnoses are included.
Recorded by Reviewed source recovery on Sep 27, 2026.