The name ranunculus (Ranunculus asiaticus) refers to a group of plants consisting of several hundred species including buttercup and crowfoot. Often sold as a cut flower and a popular plant for gardens, the ranunculus family offers brightly colored flowers. Some of the brightly colored varieties have a layer of stacked petals similar to roses and are usually sold for growing at home. Most varieties of ranunculus will grow to a height of about 40 cm. However, to get a beautiful ranunculus, you must know how to plant and care for it after planting.
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Method 1 of 2: Planting Ranunculus
Step 1. Choose a place to plant ranunculus based on the climate in the area where you live
Ranunculus plants prefer a sunny location, but if you live in an area with a very hot climate, it's OK to create some cover/shade. Ranunculus tend not to survive in freezing air. So, if you live in a cold climate, it's a good idea to keep your bulbs indoors during the winter.
How to store ranunculus tubers will be discussed in Step 6, Method 2 in this article
Step 2. Look for soil with good drainage to plant ranunculus
In addition to choosing a sunny location, you should also pay attention to soil conditions when choosing a planting location. Ranunculus thrives in well-draining soil and likes rich sandy soil. Do not plant ranunculus in areas that remain waterlogged long after rain or in soils with a high clay content.
You can determine whether or not the soil is predominantly clay by squeezing a handful of damp soil. If the soil is lumpy, it means that there is quite a lot of clay content. You can improve soil drainage by mixing the soil with other materials such as plant fiber (bark or grass clippings) or good manure. This "supplement" will help the growth of the ranunculus
Step 3. Plant ranunculus using bulbs if possible
Planting flower bulbs is the preferred method for growing ranunculus. Bulbs are similar to roots. Ranunculus tubers look like spiders, claws or banana combs. This strange appearance is very useful when planting. Plant the tubers with the pointed “claw” or “spider leg” ends facing down. Here's how to plant tubers:
- You should plant the smaller varieties about 5 cm deep and 12 cm apart from each other.
- Plant larger varieties, such as Ranunculus Tecolote, spaced up to 30 cm apart.
- You do not need to soak the bulbs before planting them. It is best to plant them in groups (maximum 12 per group) for maximum effect. If you live in a cold area, wait until the weather starts to warm up.
- Water the tubers and the soil around them after planting them. Watering will help compact the soil.
- Do not water until the shoots grow.
Step 4. Know that you can usually tell how many flowers to produce by observing the flower bulbs
The size of the bulbs will help determine how many flowers will be produced.
- "Jumbo" bulbs are the largest with a diameter of about 8 cm and will produce 30-40 flowers.
- Smaller bulbs about 5 cm in diameter can produce about a dozen flowers.
Step 5. Try growing ranunculus using seed if you can't get bulbs
Ranunculus can also be grown through seed. It's a good idea to sow the seeds indoors around September as ranunculus seeds like cool temperatures. Here's how to plant ranunculus seeds:
- Sprinkle the seeds on top of loose, damp compost designed for growing seeds.
- Do not cover the seeds with soil. Try to keep the soil moist and not exposed to direct sunlight.
- Try to keep the temperature around the seeds in the range of 21 °C and a little cooler at night. The seeds will germinate, or grow into small plants after two to three weeks.
- Wait until the young plant has about six leaves before moving it to a larger pot. Protect these young plants from freezing and transplant them into the ground outdoors when the weather starts to warm up.
Step 6. Consider growing the ranunculus in a pot
If you want to plant ranunculus bulbs in a pot, fill the pot with soil about full. Place the bulbs 25 cm apart from each other and fill the pot with soil so that the bulbs are covered by 5 cm of soil. Water the tubers to help compact the soil.
- Keep in mind that potted plants tend to dry out more easily than those grown in soil. So you should pay attention to watering during the growing season. Watering will be covered in Step 2, Method 2.
- Be aware that ranunculus tend to develop a large root system. So, don't plant too many in one pot.
Step 7. Keep ranunculus away from pets as the flowers are poisonous
All ranunculus flowers are poisonous to farm animals, and can also harm pets and humans. This plant has an unpleasant taste and causes blisters in the mouth. Usually animals will avoid eating ranunculus flowers, unless there are no other edible plants. This condition is beneficial if you have wild deer in your environment, but not good if you have pets.
Consider growing ranunculus in a location where pets and livestock cannot reach them, such as in a garden fenced off or in a pot. (This was discussed in Step 6, in this section)
Method 2 of 2: Caring for Ranunculus
Step 1. Fertilize the plants every two weeks
During the active growing season, which usually ranges from April to August, try to help the plant by fertilizing every two weeks (every 14 days). Start doing this once you see the first shoots appear.
You can use fertilizers that can be dissolved in water or fertilizers that are mixed directly into the soil. Fertilizer will stimulate plants to produce flowers. You can buy fertilizer at a local store that sells gardening supplies
Step 2. Don't forget to water the ranunculus
You should make sure to water the bulbs after planting, as noted above. Continue watering every 10-14 days. Once you see the first leaves appear, try to water the plant once a week.
Continue to water the plants once a week until the start of the rainy season. If you live in a four seasons country, ranunculus tubers will die or enter a dormant phase and don't need watering. Dormancy will be discussed further in Step 5 of this section
Step 3. Give ranunculus protection against pests
Unfortunately, ranunculus can fall prey to pests such as naked snails and aphids. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make sure the ranunculus is pest-free.
- Get rid of snail pests with snail pellets, which you can sprinkle around the ranunculus. You can buy them at stores that sell gardening supplies.
- To treat aphids, you can use flea spray or insecticidal soap.
Step 4. Remove withered flower heads with sharp garden shears
As with any flower care, you should remove the flower heads as soon as they wilt (or when the flowers dry out and die). Not only does this make the plant tidier, it also promotes the appearance of new flowers and reduces the amount of energy that must be expended to form the seed, helping to maintain plant vigor.
Use sharp scissors to cut the dead flowers as soon as they look messy. Try to cut the flowers at the base of the stem, which is between the leaves
Step 5. Allow the plant to enter a dormant phase
After the flowering season ends, allow the petals to dry and die. Dead means the plant enters a period of dormancy until the next flowering season. Do the following to stimulate the plant to regrow the following season:
Try to cut off the dead shoots before the weather starts to cool. You do not need to water the plant while it is in the dormant phase. In fact, it's best if you don't water the plant when it's dormant
Step 6. Keep ranunculus indoors during the dormant phase (if you live in an area with cold winters)
Ranunculus will survive in the soil if the weather is not too freezing. If the area you live in has severe winters, it's a good idea to remove the bulbs from the soil and store them in a cool, dark place such as a shed until the weather warms up again.
Try not to store the bulbs in a hot place such as in a house with a heater as they tend to rot in these conditions
Step 7. Know that many flower enthusiasts consider ranunculus an annual
Because it is difficult to define ranunculus as perennial (plants that flower all year round), many flower enthusiasts treat them as perennials (plants that flower only once a year). However, if you want to see ranunculus flowers again, dig up the bulbs during cooler weather, as described in the previous step.
Step 8. Preserve the flowers you cut
Ranunculus makes beautiful cut flowers and can usually last a long time after cutting if you take steps to preserve them. To prolong the life of cut ranunculus flowers, try to cut them early in the morning, just as the buds are starting to bloom.
