When to plant crocuses in Murree: by 19 November

In Murree, crocus: plant by 19 November. The winter here is too mild for our late-planting rule, so we give no later limit.

Crocus in Murree: soil, season and weather

No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in January, average 2.7 °C.

Planting	by 19 November
First autumn frost	19 December
Coldest nights	January, 2.7 °C
Soil back at 1 °C in spring	already in the first week of January
Daylight	10:19 on 19 November
Daylight at the winter solstice	9:54

The same dates in Murree hold for Garlic, Tulip, Daffodil and Hyacinth.

Crocus in Murree: depth, winter cold, pests and pets

Plant Dutch crocuses (Crocus vernus) about 12 cm deep and 9 cm apart; smaller species go 7–10 cm deep (RHS).

In Murree the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 5 weeks a year (our estimate from ten years of monthly weather). For this bulb Wisconsin Horticulture Extension gives a cold period of 15–17 weeks at about 2–10 °C. That is less than the bulbs need, and without more cold they may not flower properly. The cold can also be given in a refrigerator at about 2–7 °C, as Wisconsin Horticulture Extension does for crocuses forced in pots.

Crocuses multiply on their own (they naturalise); in a lawn, hold off mowing until their leaves die back (RHS).

Birds, squirrels and rodents damage crocuses; planting under metal mesh may reduce losses (RHS). Spring crocus gives dogs and cats vomiting and diarrhoea; do not confuse it with autumn crocus (Colchicum), which is very toxic (Pet Poison Helpline).

Sources: RHS, Wisconsin Horticulture Extension, Pet Poison Helpline.

Crocus in nearby cities

All the nearest cities on our list plant crocus earlier than Murree; the closest date is in Quetta, 10 days earlier.

City	Distance	Date	Difference
Quetta	728 km	by 9 November	10 days earlier
Osh	739 km	7 October – 27 December	43 days earlier
Jalal-Abad	782 km	8 October – end of December	42 days earlier
Namangan	804 km	9 October – end of December	41 days earlier
Samarkand	858 km	5 October – end of December	45 days earlier
Shymkent	995 km	6 October – end of December	44 days earlier

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