How to Plant and Care for a Ranunculus
Pick out a spot for your ranunculus based on your climate., Find a spot to plant your ranunculus where the soil drains well., Plant your ranunculus from tubers (aka bulbs) if possible., Be aware that you can generally tell how many flowers you will...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pick out a spot for your ranunculus based on your climate.
Ranunculus plants prefer a sunny location but if you are in an especially hot climate they will tolerate some shade.
Ranunculus tend not to tolerate heavy frost so if you are planting them in cooler climates it is recommended to store the tubers, which are also know as bulbs, inside for the winter.Storing ranunculus tubers will be covered in Step 6 of Method 2 further down in the article. -
Step 2: Find a spot to plant your ranunculus where the soil drains well.
Aside from planting your ranunculus in the sun, you should also keep the soil in mind when choosing a spot for your plant.
Ranunculus grow well in well-drained soil and prefer rich, sandy ground.
Avoid planting your ranunculus in areas where puddles remain long after rainfall, or if you know your soil is heavy clay.You can determine if your soil is predominantly clay by squeezing a handful of moist soil in your palm.
If it clumps together, you likely have a clay-heavy soil.
You can improve soil drainage by mixing your soil with a generous amount of substances such as plant fibers (bark or grass clippings) or well-rotted manure.
These ‘soil extras’ will help your ranunculus to grow. , Tubers, or bulbs, are generally the preferred way to grow ranunculus.
A tuber is similar to a root; ranunculus tubers look like spiders, claws, or bunches of bananas.
Their odd appearance is helpful when it comes to planting.
Plant the tuber with the pointed ‘claw’ end or ‘spider’s legs’ facing downwards.
To plant your tubers:
You should plant smaller varieties so that they are about 2 inches (5.1 cm) deep and 5 inches (12.7 cm) apart from other tubers.
Plant larger varieties, such as Ranunculus Tecolote, up to 12 inches (30.5 cm) apart.
You don’t need to soak them before planting.
It’s best to plant in batches of up to a dozen for maximum effect.
Plant as soon as the last frosts have ended, usually in the spring.
Water the tubers and the ground around them after you have planted them.
Watering them will help to settle the soil.
Do not water until sprouts emerge. , The size of the bulb will help indicate the number of flowers it will produce. ‘Jumbos’ are the largest at around 3 inches (7.6 cm) diameter and will produce 30-40 flowers.
Smaller tubers of around 2 inches (5.1 cm) diameter can produce a dozen or so. , Ranunculus can also be grown from seed.
It’s best to sow the seeds indoors in September as ranunculus seeds prefer a cool temperature.
To plant ranunculus seeds:
Sow, or place, the seeds into pre-moistened compost that’s lightweight and suitable for seed sowing.
Do not cover the seeds with soil.
Keep the soil moist and out of direct sunlight.
Maintain the seeds at a temperature of around 70 °F (21 °C) and a little cooler at night.
The seeds should germinate, or grow into small plants, in around two to three weeks.
Wait until the young plants have around half a dozen leaves before transplanting them into larger pots.
Protect these young plants from frost and transfer them into outdoor soil in the following spring if so desired. , To plant ranunculus tubers in pots, fill the container about three quarters full of soil.
Place the tubers so that they are around 10 inches (25.4 cm) apart from each other and fill the container with soil so that the tubers are covered in about two inches of soil.Water the tubers to settle the soil.
Remember container plants tend to dry out more easily than plants in the ground, so be mindful of watering over the growing season.
Watering will be covered in Step 2 of Method
2.
Keep in mind that ranunculus plants tend to make a large root system, so don’t crowd them too much in containers. , All ranunculus plants are poisonous to livestock, and can also be harmful to pets and people.
The plants have an unpleasant taste and cause blisters to form in the mouth.
This generally means animals avoid eating them unless no other plants are available, which is good if you have deer in your area, but bad if you have pets.
Consider planting the ranunculus in an area where your pets and livestock can’t reach them, such as a fenced off garden or in a pot (which is covered in Step 6, the previous step, of this section). -
Step 3: Plant your ranunculus from tubers (aka bulbs) if possible.
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Step 4: Be aware that you can generally tell how many flowers you will get by looking at the bulb or tuber.
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Step 5: Try growing ranunculus from seed if you cannot purchase tubers.
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Step 6: Consider planting your ranunculus in a container.
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Step 7: Keep animals away from the ranunculus
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Step 8: as the flowers are poisonous.
Detailed Guide
Ranunculus plants prefer a sunny location but if you are in an especially hot climate they will tolerate some shade.
Ranunculus tend not to tolerate heavy frost so if you are planting them in cooler climates it is recommended to store the tubers, which are also know as bulbs, inside for the winter.Storing ranunculus tubers will be covered in Step 6 of Method 2 further down in the article.
Aside from planting your ranunculus in the sun, you should also keep the soil in mind when choosing a spot for your plant.
Ranunculus grow well in well-drained soil and prefer rich, sandy ground.
Avoid planting your ranunculus in areas where puddles remain long after rainfall, or if you know your soil is heavy clay.You can determine if your soil is predominantly clay by squeezing a handful of moist soil in your palm.
If it clumps together, you likely have a clay-heavy soil.
You can improve soil drainage by mixing your soil with a generous amount of substances such as plant fibers (bark or grass clippings) or well-rotted manure.
These ‘soil extras’ will help your ranunculus to grow. , Tubers, or bulbs, are generally the preferred way to grow ranunculus.
A tuber is similar to a root; ranunculus tubers look like spiders, claws, or bunches of bananas.
Their odd appearance is helpful when it comes to planting.
Plant the tuber with the pointed ‘claw’ end or ‘spider’s legs’ facing downwards.
To plant your tubers:
You should plant smaller varieties so that they are about 2 inches (5.1 cm) deep and 5 inches (12.7 cm) apart from other tubers.
Plant larger varieties, such as Ranunculus Tecolote, up to 12 inches (30.5 cm) apart.
You don’t need to soak them before planting.
It’s best to plant in batches of up to a dozen for maximum effect.
Plant as soon as the last frosts have ended, usually in the spring.
Water the tubers and the ground around them after you have planted them.
Watering them will help to settle the soil.
Do not water until sprouts emerge. , The size of the bulb will help indicate the number of flowers it will produce. ‘Jumbos’ are the largest at around 3 inches (7.6 cm) diameter and will produce 30-40 flowers.
Smaller tubers of around 2 inches (5.1 cm) diameter can produce a dozen or so. , Ranunculus can also be grown from seed.
It’s best to sow the seeds indoors in September as ranunculus seeds prefer a cool temperature.
To plant ranunculus seeds:
Sow, or place, the seeds into pre-moistened compost that’s lightweight and suitable for seed sowing.
Do not cover the seeds with soil.
Keep the soil moist and out of direct sunlight.
Maintain the seeds at a temperature of around 70 °F (21 °C) and a little cooler at night.
The seeds should germinate, or grow into small plants, in around two to three weeks.
Wait until the young plants have around half a dozen leaves before transplanting them into larger pots.
Protect these young plants from frost and transfer them into outdoor soil in the following spring if so desired. , To plant ranunculus tubers in pots, fill the container about three quarters full of soil.
Place the tubers so that they are around 10 inches (25.4 cm) apart from each other and fill the container with soil so that the tubers are covered in about two inches of soil.Water the tubers to settle the soil.
Remember container plants tend to dry out more easily than plants in the ground, so be mindful of watering over the growing season.
Watering will be covered in Step 2 of Method
2.
Keep in mind that ranunculus plants tend to make a large root system, so don’t crowd them too much in containers. , All ranunculus plants are poisonous to livestock, and can also be harmful to pets and people.
The plants have an unpleasant taste and cause blisters to form in the mouth.
This generally means animals avoid eating them unless no other plants are available, which is good if you have deer in your area, but bad if you have pets.
Consider planting the ranunculus in an area where your pets and livestock can’t reach them, such as a fenced off garden or in a pot (which is covered in Step 6, the previous step, of this section).
About the Author
Joshua Morales
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow lifestyle tutorials.
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