The only way I was able to grow crocuses in the
open garden when I lived where there were voles
was to plant them inside plastic mesh pots sunk
in the soil, or up in the rock garden. Also, I
had a nice display of Crocus tommasinianus
("tommies" as Mark says) in a patch of lawn.
Either voles don't like tommies, or the voles
don't like to tunnel among thick grass roots. I
have several species of crocuses in the lawn in
my new garden, where voles are not present. Today
Crocus sieberi, Crocus gargaricus, and Crocus kotschyanus are open in the lawn.
Jane McGary
Portland, Oregon, USA
At 01:04 AM 1/27/2015, you wrote:
>Travis, you would have to ask braver and more
>crocus wise folk than me. Here any crocus is
>smartly devoured by voles. I have given up on
>them except tommies which seed and some escape
>the gnawing. I will try and get some castor oil/
>ricinus chaff that is good as a rodent repellent
>and slightly nitrogenous. It does help a lot!
>Â Mark W Brown 1924 route de la mer, 76119
>Sainte Marguerite-sur-mer, France. Â Â Â