A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 Ranunculus i hope they are easier to grow than pronounce

Hi all

More questions of course.

Today my questions are about the care and feeding of the ranunculus. The bulbs (?) look like scary spiders and that's about all I know. I looked under botanical names for something on them but didn't find anything. Please please help.

Hi again, TK!

I love ranunculus, but have not had much luck with them. I did just find this site about care of the corms:

http://www.dutchbulbs.com/gardenguide/bulb59.htm

I didn't know this when I planted mine. If you have any luck with them. Let me know. I'd love to have them in my garden.

Hi Bess,

Thankyou for the website.

I definitely would have messed up without it.

I have started one of the corms soaking and plan on putting it in a 6" pot that I have just begging for a plant.

The website mentioned that the ran likes to be dry on top and the roots moist. How will I pull that off in the garden? one of those drip bottles Mike was talking about...that you make out of a milk bottle? How close do you think one of those should be to the plant?

Did you see where it said to plant it 4" deep outside. That sure is deep, I wonder if they come up the first year if they are that deep.

How do you know if your soil is acidic if you can't afford one of those analyser thingys?

Maybe I should have just started with a few packets of wildflowers

TK,
Without a soil sample sometimes it's hard,
but you can make an observations....

Like what kind of weeds are growing in your lawn?
If you have acidic conditions you may see plantain, sorrel, crabgrass, the annual blue~grass.
If you see clover, henbit, dead nettle, dandelions, they like rich soil.

And maybe like the kind of trees around your area.. do you have alot? None?
Usually a small rule of thumb is if you have
trees, it can be acidy...

Weezie

Hi TK,

Yes they'll bloom the first year you plant them - just be patient. I grew a few last year. By the time they poked through the soil, I'd forgotten what I planted. :rolleyes: Still, it was a nice surprise when they bloomed. Good luck!

Thank you so much for the input.

I definitely have trees and crab grass, and no clover so I'll assume it is acidic and plan accordingly. Thank you so much for that information. I'm also going to put that analyzer on my wish list.

I am so excited about my garden. I've never been able to do this and to see things comming up is just wonderful.

Thank you all!!!!!

Up here, in growing zone 5, I'd have to
lift them up in the winter months...

TK, What growing zone are you in Virginia???

The Ranuculas' are growing zones 7 ~ 10.

I'm not that firmiliar with that area to know where the zone's stop and start....

Anyone????????????

Weezie

I'm in growing zone 7a I think lol.

This is all so new to me that I'm still stumbling around.

Thanks, you are great

TK,
May I suggest something to you,
and this is how I learned alot of my stuff,
when I first started to get really serious
about gardening....

I got on line and ordered every FREE catalog for plants, seeds, bulbs, etc.... I could......
*****and boy did it make Jan/Feb/Mar go by sooooooooooooooooooooooo fast it was unbelievable.
But I got every catalog and read thru them..
Believe it or not, those books/catalogs can give you just about every growing requirement and need for the particular item you will ever need....

I have to say though you have to read alot,
because one book will tell you one little extra trick to do, and another will tell you another little hint that will help your item grow....

Here's some catalogs to get you started...
Just go to them, and find free catalog,
put your info in and a handful of weeks you'll
be in seventh heaven reading!!!!

http://www.dutchgardens.com/
Bluestone Perennials
http://www.burpee.com/
http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/
http://www.davidaustinroses.com/american/
http://www.jungseed.com/
http://www.gardeners.com/
http://www.lilypons.com/
Park Seed Catalog
http://www.stokeseeds.com/cgi-bin/StokesSeeds.storefront


These are just 2 of the magazines I used to get, well,
I still get these two,
but had to cancel way too many of the
other ones,
Low $$, I hate when that happens!!
http://visitors.gardeningclub.com/?promotion=9G01LGIN
http://www.thepracticalgardener.com/

How many more do you want?
I'd give you about 30 more if you asked, I
I like certain ones for certain things.....

Ooh, almost forgot my favoritest tool catalog,
it's lee valley tool

Weezie