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Do people here plant ranunculus?

WAMSWAMS Posts: 1,960
edited October 2022 in Plants
From what I can gather they aren't hardy here in the UK and need to be force-started in a greenhouse. I can see why people do do dahlias as they can flower for months and are easy to lift, but is it worth trying ranunculus here in your opinion? Farmer Gracy say you can plant them outside in the garden in autumn before your frosts arrive,  but I don't know if it gets to -15 where they are as it sometimes does here.

Posts

  • EustaceEustace Posts: 2,290
    I remember a few years ago I planted a full packet of ranunculus bulbs/corms and none came up. 🥺
    Oxford. The City of Dreaming Spires.
    And then my heart with pleasure fills,
    And dances with the daffodils (roses). Taking a bit of liberty with Wordsworth :)

  • EmptyheadtimeEmptyheadtime Posts: 366
    I planted some ranunculus in pots for the first time in April this year (I got some bargain corms in a sale). Guidance is to plant them earlier but they flowered well over the summer despite being planted late. I have dug them up and am storing the corms to try replanting them at an earlier but not sure just how early to go for due to our frosts.
  • gjautosgjautos Posts: 429
    I had exactly the same as @Eustace, I followed the advice of planting in autumn, not a single one appeared the following year. I've tried spring planting yet, but may do next year.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @WhereAreMySecateurs If you type in Ranunculus at the top there are some other threads on them. Guess they have a full name but I don't know exactly what it is. Ranunculus are a huge family of plants. I just know them as annual Ranunculus.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • WAMSWAMS Posts: 1,960
    Thanks very much, all. Sounds like it would probably be a waste of money!

    Very true, Suze, good point.
  • februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
    That's just reminded me, I planted some ranunculus in pots last autumn when I was short on compost thinking they wouldn't start showing any growth until spring this year and they started sending up shoots about a month later. Shamefully I didn't top up the compost as at that point, I thought it was too late. I kept them in the pop up greenhouse over winter which they survived OK but because they weren't in the best planting conditions they never really flowered, just a few buds. 

    My intentions are to do all of my bulb planting this coming weekend and although I was doubting whether it'd be worth giving the ranunuculus another shot (assumed the bulbs would be knackered), they've sprouted again and several have substantial leaves on them. 
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