In a message dated 10/17/2004 7:09:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time, totototo@pacificcoast.net writes: >Dry, dormant bulbs are not >going to enjoy a sudden bath, being unable to cope with their sudden >access to water; better to let the soil gradually become damp, as >they will if a saucer is placed under them to catch the runoff. I respectully disagree. As Ian Young discussed in his lectures yesterday to the tri-state NARGS meeting, generally, sometime in early September his pots are flooded with water, followed by a similar flooding in early October. Subsequently, watering is done in proportion to the amount of top growth showing in the pot. This regime is similar to the one I use for winter growers except that for most western US species I now wait until the end of the year to water. Mark Mazer Intarsia Ltd. Gaylordsville, Connecticut 06755-0142 USA http://www.therapyshapes.com/ USDA Zone 5 Giant Schnauzer Rescue