Chicken-wire enclosures or some of the taste repellents work fairly well. Further care is required in spring. When bulb foliage has emerged two to three inches and is making rapid growth, hand weed to eliminate competition. After spring cultivation, replenish mulch, if needed, to a two to three inch depth. This conserves moisture, suppresses weeds, and prevents mud splash to blooms.
Water is needed especially during bud and foliage expansion.
If rainfall is insufficient, apply additional water. Use a soaker hose or otherwise apply water at the soil line, rather than overhead sprinkling. Fertilize other bulbs after flowering to support foliage and increase bulb size. Flowers may be cut for indoor use when just past the tight bud stage. If so treated, blooms may last up to seven days indoors.