Ranunculus, better known as Asian buttercups, are incredibly beautiful flowers, the variety of shapes and colors of which can delight any grower. Not requiring special attention, unpretentious and resistant to disease, they are rightly considered a worthy competitor to many garden favorites. Consider how to plant ranunculi, what conditions this wonderful plant needs.
Flower description
Ranunculus is grown both on a personal plot and at home, in ordinary flower pots, decorating them with living rooms, balconies and terraces. Beautiful terry, densely terry and semi-terry inflorescences of ranunculus of the most varied shades (except for blue and blue) in diameter reach 10 cm and bloom from May to August. At the time when they are just beginning to open, they strongly resemble roses, and after opening they look like terry poppies.
Preparing the soil for planting a garden ranunculus
Ranunculus can grow even under the bright sun, but still prefers partial shade. It is in this place that the flowering of the plant will be longer, and the inflorescences will be brighter. It is best to plant ranunculus in neutral, light and fertile soil, for example, in chernozem with humus or sand or in neutralized chalk peat. Loamy lands are absolutely unsuitable for growing these flowers.
It is important that the soil does not retain moisture for a long period of time, but at the same time, when watering, it absorbs water well. It is imperative to provide good drainage, as otherwise the flowers may rot. This can be done, for example, by placing a small amount of sand at the bottom of the landing hole. Before planting ranunculus, dig the soil, add compost to it and treat it with a solution of baseazole.
Planting a garden ranunculus with seeds
Ranunculus flowers , planting and care of which will not cause difficulties, can be grown from seeds. However, you should not lay special hopes on this method, since the germination of seeds of this plant is very low. So, how to plant ranunculi with seeds?
Ranunculus seeds are recommended to be taken from the very first blossoming buds. To do this, they should be wrapped with gauze so that they do not crumble. In mid-February, ranunculus seeds must be sown in fertile soil and sprinkled with a two-centimeter layer of soil. Cover the container with film or glass and keep the seeds in a lit place at a temperature of 15-17 ° C, moistening the soil from time to time.
After a couple of weeks, when the first shoots appear, the shelter can be removed. If two pairs of leaflets appear in the seedlings, they need to be dived into separate pots and planted in the ground in stable warm weather. However, the ranunculus can please bloom only next year,
Planting tubers
Incredibly beautiful ranunculus flowers, planting and care for which require at least minimal knowledge, can also be planted with bulbs. In order to prepare the tubers for planting, it is recommended to place them for several hours in a humid environment (moss, wet sawdust or sponge).
Due to the fact that the flower does not tolerate the transplant, you must immediately think about how to plant the ranunculi correctly, in which place the plant will be really comfortable. The tubers should be placed in a small pit 5-8 cm deep with the "beak" down. In this case, a distance of 10-15 cm should be maintained between them.
If there is a possibility of a sudden drop in temperature, it is recommended to cover the bed with straw. As you can see, planting flowers ranunculus is not particularly difficult and even an inexperienced grower will be able to do it. A few months after this, flower stalks will appear, from which the first flowers will soon open.
Features of gardening ranunculus care
In order to admire the beautiful flowers and inhale their indescribable aroma, it is not enough just to know how to plant ranunculi, you need to arm yourself with knowledge and about proper care for this plant.
Ranunculus needs regular, but moderate watering, soil loosening and top dressing with organic fertilizers. So, flowers should be fed every 2 weeks during flowering with potassium compounds (wood ash, potassium sulfate or potassium salt). It is important to always monitor the condition of the plant and remove faded inflorescences in a timely manner so that they do not hamper the flowering process with a new one.
Ranunculus Protection
If the plant drops buds before the flowering period, then this indicates excessive wetting of the substrate. In this case, it is necessary to reduce watering.
If the roots of the ranunculus were struck by nematodes - parasitic worms that feed on the sap of the plant, then it will grow poorly, its leaves will curl, and damaged areas of oval or round shape will appear on the roots. Favorable for the development of the pest are wet soil and temperature conditions from 20 to 30 ° C. To get rid of the nematodes, it is necessary to dig out the ranunculi, thoroughly clean the roots from the ground and place them in hot water (50-55 ° C). In addition, it is possible for 5 days three times a day to spray the plant with a 0.02% solution of phosphamide or mercaptophos.
If silver or pale yellow spots appeared on the leaves of the flower, and small white spots were noticed on the back, then a spider mite settled on the ranunculus. First of all, diseased leaves should be removed, and insecticides must be used to get rid of the pest.
Ranunculus home: landing
Home ranunculus is best planted not as a single plant, but in a group. So how to plant ranunculus? The photo clearly demonstrates the entire technology of this process. Planting is carried out in a wide large pot or decorative box. The soil for the plant should be the same as for the garden ranunculus: peat-based substrate. Preliminary for a day tubers need to be soaked in water.
At the bottom of the pot or box, it is necessary to first pour a layer of drainage (eggshell,
expanded clay, crushed stone), then a layer of substrate. After this, you should place the ranunculus tubers and add so much substrate so that one top of the bulb is visible. It is good to water the flower and keep it for the first time at a temperature of no higher than 12 ° C, without forgetting to moisten the soil from time to time.
Features of care for home ranunculus
Indescribably beautiful ranunculus buttercups. How to plant them, we found out, now dwell on the main activities for plant care. When the sprouts grow a few centimeters, you can slightly increase the temperature conditions of their maintenance (up to 22º).
However, during flowering, the most optimal temperature for ranunculus is 18 ° C. This is of great importance, since at a higher temperature the plant will fade too quickly.
Ranunculus is a light-loving flower, and therefore it is recommended to place it on the south, in extreme cases, on the east or west window. In the warmer months, a box or a pot is useful to take out on the terrace or balcony. The plant needs regular watering, and during the growth period, fertilizers should be added to the water. Top watering is preferred, but the main thing is not to overmoisten the soil. From time to time, you can spray the ranunculus with water. After the flowers fade, watering should be reduced.
Wonderful ranunculus flowers, the planting and care of which are extremely simple, will certainly delight the eyes of households and guests of your home.