Anemones & Ranunculus Growing Guide

You’ve probably opened your package and thought what in the world? Yes, these little brown octopuses and acorns really do produce some of the most beautiful flowers we grow here on the farm.

My number one piece of advice before you start is to know your growing zone.

This will be extremely helpful in knowing whether or not you should fall plant your corms or wait until late winter/early spring to plant. Anemones & Ranunculus are cold hardy in zones 7 & higher. If you live in these zones you can fall plant your corms & overwinter them as long as you provide them some sort of protection with frost cloth in times of freezing or frost. If you live in zones lower than 7 (unless you have a heated greenhouse & can start them indoors) you will want to store your corms in a dark closet over the winter to keep them dormant until you are ready to plant in the late winter/early spring.

 

Growing Ranunculus:

Before you plant your ranunculus corms you want to soak them for 3-4 hours in water that is at room temperature.

These little brown octopuses will plump up & double in size. After they have soaked you can either plant them directly into the ground or you can pre-sprout them. Pre-sprouting them gives them a little added boost before planting them into the garden allowing their roots to establish. Pre-sprouted corms will also give you flowers weeks before corms that aren’t pre-sprouted.

To pre-sprout your corms, fill a seed tray half way with moist potting soil. You can use either a flat bottomed tray or a celled tray works just as well. Place your corms either in an individual cell or if using a flat bottomed tray you can just sprinkle them over the moist potting soil.

Cover them with more moist soil so that the corms are completely covered with soil. Leave the tray in a cool spot, the ideal temperature being 40-50F for 2 weeks. Check on them every few days to make sure that the soil does not dry out & stays moist. If it does get dry you can water with a watering can.

During this time the corms will continue to plump up and develop little white roots. When you see these roots form they are ready to be planted. Ranunculus need to be planted in full sun with well draining soil. If the soil stays too wet the corms will rot.

 

Plant your corms with the tentacles pointing down, 2-3 inches deep & 6-9 inches apart. If you’re planting your corms in the fall be sure to provide them with protection throughout the winter against freezing temps or frost with frost cloth.

Ranunculus are very tender and will not tolerate frost or freezing without protection. Ranunculus usually bloom 90 days after planting. Fall planted corms will bloom in early spring growing at a slightly slower rate due to the cooler temps. Late winter/early spring planted corms will bloom in late spring. Ranunculus can also be grown easily in containers or pots.

 

 

Growing Anemones

Before you plant your anemone corms you want to soak them for 3-4 hours in water that is at room temperature.

These little brown acorns will plump up & double in size. After they have soaked you can either plant them directly into the ground or you can pre-sprout them. Pre-sprouting them gives them a little added boost before planting them into the garden allowing their roots to establish. Pre-sprouted corms will also give you flowers weeks before corms that aren’t pre-sprouted.

To pre-sprout your corms, fill a seed tray half way with moist potting soil. You can use either a flat bottomed tray or a celled tray works just as well. Place your corms either in an individual cell or if using a flat bottomed tray you can just sprinkle them over the moist potting soil.

Cover them with more moist soil so that the corms are completely covered with soil. Leave the tray in a cool spot, the ideal temperature being 40-50F for 2 weeks. Check on them every few days to make sure that the soil does not dry out & stays moist. If it does get dry you can water with a watering can.

 

 

During this time the corms will continue to plump up and develop little white roots. When you see these roots form they are ready to be planted. Anemones need to be planted in full sun with well draining soil. If the soil stays too wet the corms will rot.

Plant your corms with the pointed end pointing down, 2-3 inches deep & 6 inches apart. If you’re planting your corms in the fall be sure to provide them with protection throughout the winter against freezing temps or frost with frost cloth.

 

Anemones usually bloom 90 days after planting. Fall planted corms will bloom in early spring growing at a slightly slower rate due to the cooler temps. Late winter/early spring planted corms will bloom in late spring. Anemones can also be grown easily in containers or pots.

These beautiful spring flowers are some of my absolute favorite flowers to grow here on the farm. Thank you so much for your order & support of our little family farm. I’m so excited for you & can’t wait to see these beauties growing soon in your garden.