Ranunculi are spring garden favourites, loved for their vibrant, multi-petalled blooms. Growing these flowers from corms is simple and rewarding, transforming your garden into a colourful paradise.
Why Choose Corms?
Starting from corms ensures healthier, robust plants thrive in your unique conditions. Ranunculus offers rose-like flowers in soft pastels and bold hues perfect for transforming pots and garden borders.
Chilling Corms Before Planting
Chill corms in the fridge for 1-2 weeks to mimic natural cold periods, breaking dormancy and promoting vigorous growth. Place them in a paper bag away from ethylene-producing fruits like apples or bananas.
Preparing Your Soil
Pots: Use a free-draining potting mix with added compost or manure. Ensure pots have drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.
Garden Beds: Choose a sunny, well-draining spot. Loosen the soil and enrich it with compost. Slightly sandy soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 is ideal.
Planting Corms
Soak corms in room-temperature water for 3-4 hours before planting. For ranunculus, plant claws down, 5cm deep and 10-15cm apart.
Germination and Care
Ranunculus sprouts in 2-3 weeks. Keep soil moist but not waterlogged. Use a balanced, slow-release bulb fertiliser to support healthy blooms but avoid overfeeding with nitrogen to prevent excessive foliage.
Pest and Disease Protection
Watch for aphids, spider mites, and slugs. Use organic insecticides, neem oil, or crushed eggshells to deter pests. Ensure good air circulation to prevent fungal diseases like powdery mildew.
Time to Flowering
Ranunculus blooms in 12-16 weeks and their long-lasting flowers are ideal for cutting gardens.
Flower Picking Tips
- Pick blooms in the morning when cool and hydrated and as buds start to open.
- Cut stems at an angle and place them in water immediately.
