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keriann_lakegeneva

Where to find ranunculus bulbs??

keriann_lakegeneva
14 years ago

Where can I find ranunculus bulbs?

Does anyone out there have some success stories. I am determined to grow them but I have been met with all 'negative nancys'.

I will try.... if I can find them!

*I have found them at easytogrowbulbs.com but would like to try a different vendor, but I may have to cave*

Keriann~

Comments (12)

  • Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
    14 years ago

    There are some real beauties at the link below. Sorry, can't say as I have tried them as I usually don't bother with things that are not hardy here. I tend to just want to plant things out and then not have to do much of anything until it is time to dig and divide something.

    Good Luck!

    Sue

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ranunculus bulbs at Willow Creek

  • keriann_lakegeneva
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Perfect!

    Thank you

    Happy Gardening : )

  • cynthianovak
    14 years ago

    HI Keriann
    I grow them every year. I'm zone 7a/8b. They are cool season for me, but I'm betting that if you mimic my winter to spring you can grow them too!

    I planted mine in December. It has gotten down to the teens. It stayed in the 20s for a few days straight. Our soil doesn't freeze because of residual heat.

    Mine are just foliage now. Temps vary from 20's at night to maybe 50's and occasionally 60s in the day. I'll bet this is your spring. You could cover with some mulch then brush it aside as it warms up. Worth a try!

    Ranunculus will bloom for me in early April. Maybe mid March. So it only take 3-4 months. They don't like the heat and will die back in late May when our summer heat starts roaring into the mid 90's. So you have some time before it gets hot.

    They like it in the 50's. Day or night, the cooler temps make them happy. Some freezing temps don't hurt the roots and foliage. I think a freeze would destroy the flowers.

    When you get the tubers, soak them for at least 4 hours. I use warm tap water. They will swell up. Then plant CLAWS DOWN.

    I've found them in big box stores but they are much smaller. Still I had luck with them the first year then found the giant.

    I buy the ranunculus giants at Van Engelen. I'm sure they are out and they sure look like the image in the link given here. Of course, check with Garden watchdog to see if this vendor is a good one.

    Happy planting! You could also plant in pots and move them in for hard freeze and out for sunny days? I do that sort of rumba often. That reminds me....I have to cather some beauties and bring them in right now

    c

  • keriann_lakegeneva
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Cynthia.... Thank you for the post! I would have never thought that cold. They will probably be very happy if I start them in Mid-March and then get them outside for the late april early May weather.

    I will try pots... I can't wait! How many blooms do you get on average from each bulb? I know it depends on a lot of different things, but I am curious because there are so many different claims out there.

    Thanks

    Keriann~

  • cynthianovak
    14 years ago

    Just remember their favorite temps are the 50s. If you get a hard freeze, bring them in. I believe they say "cool greenhouse" temperatures.

    A "giant" bulb will make a plant about 3 ft tall. How many flowers? I never counted! But they are abundant. I would guess that 6-10 bloom at one time. People stop and ask what they are a lot. Some think they are roses until they look more carefully. It is amazing what you get from one little claw like thing.

    here in the South, they bloom while daffodils and tulips are finishing and the lilies are coming on. I don't know if that helps. I'm giving you the VE link for them. Note the size of the tuber (I think they are tubers???). That's what makes them GIANTs.

    I know some catalogues have them, look for the size of the tuber to make it worth paying the shipping. The little ones I've gotten at a big box bloomed a nice size bloom.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ranunculus Info

  • cynthianovak
    14 years ago

    I read their info carefully and obviously I have them growing in frost and 10 inches of snow and hard freeze that lasted a few days. So they aren't as delicate as you would think from their advice. Still, a pot in a cool place might be a great place to get them started for you.

  • keriann_lakegeneva
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Yes that helps a lot!

    That woudl make them bloom here in Late May early June.

    Thanks for the link.

    I thought they bloomed about 24".. glad you told me otherwise. I am so excited. I think I will plant a few in a few weeks and then stagger plantings for a few more weeks and see what works best.. pot, gound, start indoors, times ect.

    Thank you again

    Happy Gardening

    Keriann~

  • cynthianovak
    14 years ago

    ooooh 2 ft might be closer to accurate. I'm sorry, my curbside bed is on a slope and everything looks taller to me there than it actually is. I should have thought of that.

    Let me know how they turn out
    c

  • keriann_lakegeneva
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Okay, I just got some.

    I am going to plant some outside now and some in a pot now and hold some for later.

    I am super excited!

    I will keep you updated.

    Thanks again!

    Keriann~

  • keriann_lakegeneva
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hi Sue,

    I got them into pots about 2 weeks ago and they are sending out roots like crazy (yes, I pulled them up out of the soil to check on them :) ).

    I will say, they dont like to be kept indoors, to get a head start...not to live in. That pot never took root until I got it outside into cool temps. Right now it is 40/60 during the day and dips down to 20/40 at night.

    I also planted a few outside in the gardens today. The weather should stay above the teens and twenties. If it dips farther down I could always cover them I guess.

    Thank you again for your advice and tips.

    I am excited to see them break surface and then bloom!

    Keriann~

  • keriann_lakegeneva
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    So I have an update.. maybe just to keep record myself.

    The ones I planted March 1st in the ground are about 6-8" tall and they are only 4-6" in the pots. We have had a crazy warm spring so I think the ones in the pot are getting too warm.

    We have a cool streak now, so I hope they take off.

    I am so excited! I am already getting comments about their foliage. It looks like really 'dense' parsley.

    Wish me luck!

    How long till they are mature and start to bloom?

    I am thinking late May early June?

    Keriann~

  • keriann_lakegeneva
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    So after 2 weeks of very warm weather it has cooled back down to the 70s during the day and 50s at night.

    I just got my first blooms! It looks like I lost about half due to the warm weather but the other half is looking good and sending up buds like crazy.

    Pots do not work very well, I think they got too hot, only one pot has a bud coming up.

    Interesting observation: The bulbs that look like 'curly leaf parsley' are the ones that are blooming, the ones that look like 'flat leaf parsley' are not doing so hot, they a turned yellow with the warm temps, but may come back :)

    Keriann~

    So worth it to grow these!! They are beautiful, a really unique plant, both flowers and foliage.

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