Elaine, I've probably told you more than I actually know on the subject already, but I wouldn't worry about being too wet during winter growth unless you submerge them. They can take a little fertilizer during the winter too. If all else fails you can put the whole pot in a little cage. Don't know of any good websites on the subject. Tim On Fri, Jul 24, 2020 at 3:45 PM Elaine Jek via pbs < pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > Hi Tim, > Thank you for the great ideas! > Really appreciate the specifics on the hardware cloth. Sounds like the > hardware cloth needs to surround the bulbs on all sides. Even under the > bulbs as well, maybe with the aluminium wire. > > I think I'll have them in a deep pot that will sit on a brick patio. as I > monitor that area better. I might forget them in the ground. (The peruvian > lily that was in the ground was accidentally sheared!) > > I will follow your advice and plant at the end of August. And start > watering then. I'll have to be very vigilant to keep the bulbs hydrated but > not too wet as I've lost some regular grape hyacinths that way. > > Btw is there a good website about crocus sativus growing to recommend? > The ones I've seen don't go into much detail about the growing itself. I've > combed through the pbs forum pages to gather what I can about it. > > Very excited to start the saffron crocus! > > Best regards, > -Elaine. > > > > > > > > > > > Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2020 07:06:04 -0400 > From: Tim Eck <timeck17582@gmail.com> > To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > Subject: Re: [pbs] saffron > Message-ID: > < > CA+ur5iY+Fzm2akRPLJpHAZRxJVgTVS0JnVOdDriGs3vhbb8oWA@mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > > I think the critters are your main worry - voles in particular. Voles are > quite capable of entering pots through their drain holes, so maybe cover > the drain holes with aluminum window screen or quarter inch hardware cloth > and enclose the top. I believe saffron is fairly forgiving wrt soil type > but don't have much direct knowledge. I have heard they grow fine in clay > soil with a slope for drainage, but no personal experience. > The voles care nothing for the flowers and foliage. Only the bulbs. With > this in mind, I have had success planting the bulbs 3" or more deep and > embedding half inch hardware cloth over the soil so it extends a foot or so > past the bulbs in every direction. The flowers and foliage seem to find > their way through the hardware cloth just fine and the method should > protect other similar bulbs with fine foliage too. Note, I use half inch > hardware cloth embedded in the soil or quarter inch above ground. Either > seems sufficient. > As far as planting time, I can't recall the exact date they will start > growing but they will bloom (at least the larger ones) sitting on a shelf > if you don't plant them in time and they will be pushing leaves at the same > time. I will plant mine toward the end of August to be safe. > Tim > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…