How to grow Gold!

Gold.  One of the most sought after substances on Earth.  Empires have started wars over the stuff.  Dynasties have risen and fallen on the back of this yellow metal.  Traders get ulcers on a daily basis while fighting with each other over the buying and selling of this substance. The accumulation of Gold has always been seen as a means towards vast wealth.  The lack of Gold has always been seen as a sign of extreme poverty, (historically speaking). So how can you grow your own Gold?  Well… you can’t but what you can do is grow a substance that gram-for-gram is far more expensive than Gold… saffron. So how can you grow your own Gold? Share on X  

Saffron (aka Red Gold)

Saffron is a spice that comes from the Crocus sativus flower and can be grown almost anywhere in the world.  The spice is comprised of 3 red stems that protrude from the centre of the fully grown flower.  

Planting

Saffron should be planted in September at a depth of 15cm (6 inches) and kept at a distance of 10cm (4 inches) from each other.  They can be grown outside or inside using window boxes or pots.  Add some compost or manure at the time of planting and water the plant once.  You should not need to water the plant after this initial watering.  

Harvesting

The reason Saffron is so expensive comes from the difficulty in harvesting the spice on a commercial scale.  No machines are capable of successfully extracting the stems in the centre of the flower so companies must imply large amounts of people to harvest large quantities of the spice. In your urban garden harvesting is done by gently plucking the 3 red stems from the flower with tweezers, trying to extract the stem as close to the base as possible.  Do not remove the flower as these will deliver a new harvest and will slowly increase your crop over time.  

Preserving

The 3 red stems that you extract from each plant must be preserved before they can be used.  This can be done by leaving them out in the sun, using a dedicated food dryer or putting them under the grill.  They need to be dried out at a temperature of 50°C (122°F) for at least 10 minutes.  Once the stems are fully dried they should be placed in an airtight container and stored, out of direct sunlight, for 3 weeks before they are ready for consumption.  Your preserved harvest of Saffron should remain edible for at least 2.5 years from the time of harvest.   Now all you have to do is figure out a way of selling your harvest.