The devil is in the details. Saffron can be forgiving, especially these bulbs acclimated to Lancaster county PA, which is definitely not a Mediterranian climate area. But bulb predation can change 100% survival to 0% very quickly. In Lancaster county that predation is by voles but that may not apply in your area. You should assume that voles and mice can get through a half inch hole or a quarter inch crack. If that is likely to be your problem, quarter inch mesh should be used for an enclosure, but half inch mesh is sufficient to embed in the soil or at the soil surface as a barrier to prevent digging. In Lancaster county, saffron's growth pattern is similar to colchicum. The first sign of growth is flowering in early fall, followed by foliage which can be long for a crocus - up to a foot or more in full sun. The foliage persists into late spring or early summer, when dormancy begins. I use the dormancy period to mow and even apply herbicides, but that is clearly a matter of choice. Tim _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…