Easy Bulb Planting Guide – Grow Ranunculus Flowers
QUICK GUIDE TO PLANTING RANUNCULUS BULBS
- Soak the bulbs in water overnight.
- Get a pot of soil ready.
- Loosen the soil and remove debris.
- Plant bulbs with the “claws” facing down”.
- Cover with more soil upto 1″.
- Water moderately everyday, till bulbs sprout.
When I started gardening, I was awed by the gorgeous looking Ranunculus flower. It looked almost too perfect to be real and difficult to grow. That is only until I learnt that it is as easy as can be if you plant the ranunculus bulb or corm correctly. Now, being “experienced” in bulb-planting matters, I can assure you that the scary & intimidating bulb is in-fact extremely humble and easy to grow!
On a funny note, when I saw Ranunculus bulbs for the first time, I didn’t understand the claw type structure called corms. I thought I need to separate each one of them and sow individually..!! Thank God for books though.. Yes, I used to refer to books when I first started gardening.. No, I’m not THAT old.
And now, let’s get into the details! BUT FIRST,
HOW TO PREVENT RANUNCULUS BULBS FROM ROTTING IN SOIL
The most common problem with growing Ranunculus flower is that the bulbs usually rot in soil before they can sprout. This is usually because of improper watering and the time they take to sprout. To resolve this issue, you can also plant Ranunculus bulbs in newspaper pots, to help them grow easily without rotting. For a detailed tutorial, CLICK HERE.
HOW TO GROW RANUNCULUS FLOWERS FROM BULBS
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SOAK BULBS BEFORE PLANTING
The most asked question is “Will soaking help bulbs sprout faster?” YES, it does! For best results, soak for at-least 6-8 hrs or overnight.
As opposed to most other bulbs, you will not see this bulb sprouting on its own, while still not planted. Most bulbs signal you to plant them by sending out shoots. Ranunculus usually does not!
Soaking helps the dry bulb swell up and speed up sprouting process. If you plant without soaking, you may not be able to supply adequate water as it will keep draining or you may supply too much causing rot.
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SOIL FOR PLANTING BULBS
Have well draining soil ready. No bulb likes to sit & rot in water. Hard clayey soil won’t work either as the roots & shoots won’t be able to penetrate. Add some sand & compost for better texture.
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DIRECTION TO PLANT RANUNCULUS BULBS
The claws of the bulb go downward while planting.
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HOW DEEP TO PLANT RANUNCULUS FLOWER BULBS
Dig a hole approximately twice as deep as the bulb & place it. This ratio is true for almost all bulbs. Cover the bulb & water. Keep it in partial shade till you see sprouts. Have patience, it might take a few days.
TIPS TO GROW RANUNCULUS FROM BULBS
- Do not overwater. It will only cause the bulb to rot.
- Do not plant too deep or too shallow.
- Ensure that the soil is well-draining. Ranunculus bulbs do perish easily because of the thin claws.
- Plant in a good sized pot to allow the bulbs to multiply at a good rate.
- Do not let a sprouting bulb dry out completely. It may not come up again.
And that’s it!
I would love to see blooms from your garden. Do comment with below with your experiences about growing ranunculus from bulbs.
If you have some flower bulbs and do not know what they are, refer to this handy chart to help IDENTIFY DIFFERENT BULBS.
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HAPPY GARDENING
Very helpful and you come across friendly and funny, which made the reading more interesting. Thank you very much. ? marcelle x