How to grow Ranunculus from corm
Ranunculus flowers look almost too perfect to be real. The blossoms display layer upon layer of silky petals in bright colors, and can be used in a variety of gardens, from porches and patios to window boxes, lawn borders, and cut flowers.
Starting your corms
Autumn Planting
In areas with mild winters (zones 8-11), you'll want to plant your ranunculus corms in the fall for early spring flowers. This can even be up to mid-winter, as long as the ground is still workable.
The plants will not survive freezing temperatures, so be sure to provide protection from extreme cold. In zones 4-7, ranunculus should be planted in early spring for summer flowers. If you live in an area and your winters regularly dip below 25 degrees F, the corms may freeze and rot.
There are some who are able to plant their ranunculus corms in the early spring or late winter. This is a bit of a gamble as you may be too late and not give the corms enough time to settle in so they can grow.
If you take the risk with cold winters, cover the area you planted your ranunculus. You may be able to protect them with a bit of insulation.
Pre-sprouting ranunculus
If you can’t wait for a burst of color in your spring garden, you can give your ranunculus flowers a head start by pre-sprouting them. To do so, you will need to start with a seed tray that has a flat bottom on it.
Fill the tray halfway with potting soil. Make sure it is moist and not too dry.
Then, take your soaked ranunculus corns and spread them out over the soil. Finally, cover them with more soil and leave them for 10 to 14 days. The tray should be in a cool place. As you wait, add a bit more soil to ensure it stays moist but not overly wet.
After this, you should see small rootlets which resemble white hairs. Once they appear, it is time to transplant them into your garden.
Planting your ranunculus corms
In regions with mild winters, buttercups can be planted in autumn for an early bloom in April. In colder regions, they can be planted in spring to ensure an early summer bloom.
Even though these are cold-loving flowers, they still need sun to grow. Soak the corms for half a day before planting. Plant the claws pointing downwards at a depth of 5 cm from the surface of the soil, spacing them 15 to 20 cm apart, depending on the desired effect. They can be planted in containers or in a garden and you can enjoy their beautiful blooms both indoors and out.
Add plenty of organic matter to the area you are digging in, such as manure or compost. During the growing season, water regularly in hot and dry weather, letting the substrate dry between waterings. Add a special flowering plant fertilizer every two weeks during the flowering period.
Watering
Ranunculus flowers are cold-season plants so you shouldn’t have to water too much. If you plant in the fall, give them a decent watering at first but the cool temperatures of the fall and winter, along with the precipitation, should be enough.
In the spring, when the flowers start to bloom, you again shouldn’t need too much water as spring is a fairly wet season. However, if you have your ranunculus in a container or it’s a dry spring, then you should check the moisture level of the soil and adjust accordingly.
Blooming
Cut off spent flowers after blooming to induce the formation of new flowers. Do not cut the foliage.
Care essentials
During the growing season, water regularly in hot and dry weather, letting the substrate dry between waterings. Add a special flowering plant fertilizer every two weeks during the flowering period.
Cut off spent flowers after blooming to induce the formation of new flowers. Do not cut the foliage.
- Flowering period: May to July
- Flower diameter: 4 cm
- Planting depth: 3-5 cm
- Plantation time: spring
- Shoot width: 10 cm - 20 cm
- Total height at maturity: 20 cm - 30 cm
- Exposure: part sun, half-shade
- Soil: light, rich, well-drained
- Soil pH: neutral
Wintering your plants
Ranunculus are not very hardy, so you must dig up the tubers in late autumn and store them in a cool, dark, and dry place over winter. For example, you can store the corms in a bed of sawdust, protected from frost, in a basement.
In other regions with moderate winters and well-drained soil, they can be left in the ground.
Buy our ranunculus corms here.
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