saffron

Jane McGary via pbs pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net
Fri, 24 Jul 2020 10:21:48 PDT
Tim is right about voles and crocuses. When I had bulb frames and lots 
of both voles and field mice (which come in through the top) I planted 
garden corms in plastic mesh aquatic pots, which stopped the voles. I 
covered the plunged pots in the frames with wire, but not hardware 
cloth, which (despite what Tim mentions) would have impeded the flowers. 
I used aviary wire, which is similar to chicken wire but has a smaller 
mesh. It is easier to shape than hardware cloth. You'd probably have to 
search for it -- I got it from a local factory that made all kinds of 
wire products.

Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA

On 7/24/2020 4:06 AM, Tim Eck via pbs wrote:
> 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
>
>
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