Picasso Ranunculus 'Pink'

Botanical Name: Ranunculus asiaticus

Family: Ranunculaceae

Plant Type: Corm

Size (HxW): Standard: 30-60cm x 15-25. Midikin: 20-40cm x 15-20cm.

Depth & Spacing: Plant 5-10cm deep with the ‘claws’ facing downwards. Space 10- 30cm apart. Some gardeners recommend soaking, we haven’t found any particular advantage with this, but we plant on a mass scale and while I keep meaning to try it in the garden I am quite forgetful. If you want to try it, soak them for up to three hours only and plant out right after. Overnight soaking could waterlog them and lead to rot.

Planting Time: In most areas of Australia they are ideally planted in autumn for spring blooms. Though in cool climates they can be planted in spring and enjoyed late summer/autumn (protect from hot afternoon sun if you want them to last).

Soil: Humus rich, moist, well drained soil is ideal. If your soil is poor we recommend you prepare it at least a week in advance by digging through well rotted animal manure or a well balanced fertiliser. They are small bulbs that grow quickly, and produce lots of flowers, and so are gross feeders in need of a nutrient rich soil.

Aspect: Full sun, they need good light to develop strong stems and flower well.

Climate: Cool to Mediterranean

Frost: Hardy

Water: Water well when planting. Then keep the soil just moist in active growth. You will know if there is too much water if they start to yellow - but this generally only occurs only in poorly drained soils where crown rot may be an issue. In pots you will need to water regularly, potting mix is perfectly drained so dries out easily - drying out during the growth cycle is a common cause of failure, even when they are below the ground they are growing roots so need to be watered, weekly in winter in pots, then more as the plants begin to grow.

Fertiliser: They are heavy feeders. Because they are small corms with little reserves and can produce many flowers. Ideally follow the directions in ‘Soil’ and feed every few weeks with a liquid fertiliser during active growth.

Flowering Time: Spring. 10-12 weeks from planting.

After Flower Care: Our little tip is to pick the early flowers to encourage a longer blooming season. Foliage can be removed once it has ‘died off’. If they are left in the ground they often don’t fully re-generate as they are usually over watered in dormancy and tend to rot or get too hot over summer. However, you can lift the corms with a fork when the foliage yellows leaving the corms attached. Once they have dried off completely, remove the corms from the stems and store in a cool, dry place until they are ready to be re-planted the following season.

Notes: A quick and easy way to plant these small bulbs is to scatter them in the desired area and then cover them over with potting mix; don’t worry about which way is up they are, they will right themselves and grow easily. They will need around 5cm covering above them. Weak stems could be caused by waterlogged plants/lack of light/lack of nitrogen/late frost/drying out completely or hot conditions.

For longer vase life pick the flowers just as they begin to colour. In pots don’t forget they have a big rootball so plant accordingly.