On May 18, 2012, at 4:07 PM, stan tyson wrote: Richard, I have had good results with Vertratum woodii and Melanthium virginicum. > The first year they look like grass and the foliage only lasts a couple of months...which is close to normal for Melanthium. I would leave them dormant for a couple of months then try refrigerating them for 3 months ( similar protocal for Dodecatheon which I also grow many of). In my native species the growth starts early in the season when it is cool and the soli is cool. That my be your tricky part in multiplying the growth cycles in a year. I know of Veratrum californicum only through books. What is its growth cycle in hte wild? BTW I would not let the flats dry out hard...just maybe not keep too wet. Thanks for information Stan. My colleague has experience multiplying growth cycles in another species. We are planning to try this technique with several of our flats. I have only observed mature plants growing in snow melt fed wetland meadows (eastern Washington and Oregon). Rich Haard Bellingham, Wa.,