>I've never had a problem with Fritillaria raddeana emerging in the way >Jim describes. (Fritillaria alburyana does, though, much to my >disappointment.) I would not put any mulch over emerging buds, because >then they will just rot. You could, however, make a little tent with >conifer boughs above them. Moderate freezing temperature at this stage >will not damage these hardy plants. F. raddeana almost always freezes here. In my experience, its foliage is much more tender than that of F. imperialis, stenanthera, sewerzowii, and maybe eduardii. I have “personal greenhouses” for bulbs with possibly-tender foliage; cages made from rabbit fencing, with metal rods forming a dome (to take the weight of heavy snow). The greenhouses are covered with heavy plastic, secured in place with duct tape (of course), and anchored in the ground with hooks made from old tomato cages. The plants don’t die if they’re frozen, but they come up “blind” the next year. Bob Nold Denver, Colorado, USA _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/