Got critters?Rodents generally don't take much interest in daffodils, squills, fritillarias and alliums.
Tulips, on the other hand, are their ambrosia.
Some gardeners give up. Others employ tactics that might include:
n Planting each tulip bulb 10 inches deep
n Before planting, dipping tulip bulbs in a foul-tasting liquid, available at garden centers, to repel rodents
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n Putting a layer of sharp gravel in the planting hole just over the bulbs
n Covering the newly planted tulip bed with chicken wire or mesh hardware cloth, anchored with pins or small sticks
n Spraying liquid repellent over the area in fall and then again, repeatedly, as tulips emerge in spring
Bulb prices spring up
The euro is up, and so are some bulb prices. In Holland, Mich., where 400,000 tulip bulbs are planted each fall for the Tulip Time festival, the city had to pay 18 percent, or $11,000, more for Dutch tulip bulbs this fall compared to last year. The tulips will be on display May 3-10 during the 2008 festival ( www.tuliptime.com ).
No garden, no worries
Don't have a garden? You can still plant certain bulbs in pots, stash them away for several months where they'll stay cool but not freezing, and then bring them indoors to enjoy as flowers this winter.
When shopping for bulbs, check the labels for ones good for forcing.
