buttercup care

These are the main characteristics of buttercups:

• Scientific name: Ranunculus asiaticus.
• They are outdoor plants.
• They bloom throughout the spring and part of the summer. If you like this type of plants, discover 22 spring flowers here.
• Temperate climate.
• They usually reach heights of up to 20 cm.
• Its flowers are of great variety of colors. For example, white buttercups, orange buttercups, pink buttercups, red buttercups, and yellow buttercups are highly sought after.
• Its bulbous tubers are called claws or spiders.
• They are poisonous if ingested.

These plants, which are very similar to peony flowers or even roses, with which they are often confused, are so popular and have been so hybridized that there are currently an enormous number of varieties created by man, with different colors and characteristics. .

We recommend you to know these 15 bulb plants if you like those that are like ranunculus.

As mentioned above, buttercups do best in temperate climates. They can tolerate temperatures as low as -10ºC occasionally, but it is advisable not to plant them in climates that usually drop below 0ºC or for long periods. Very low temperatures will delay the strength of the plant so that the ranunculus flower comes out.

Excessive heat does not suit them either and, with temperatures above 18ºC, the plant will have problems surviving, especially if it is exposed to the sun. For this reason, it is not a suitable plant for warm or tropical climates, as it needs its cold periods to develop well.

Regarding their location, these plants, normally used outdoors, should be placed in the sun if we live in a cold climate or, in a semi-shade location if climate is temperate.

This plant needs loose and aerated soilsthat offer a very good drainage and are rich in organic matter. You may use compost specific for roses or, prepare yourself a mixture with a part of peat, another of earthworm humus and a last part of coconut fiber, which ensure a light and nutritious substrate. Add perlite and vermiculite to improve its water retention and drainage properties.

Watering is very important when it comes to buttercup care. In the warm months they need the substrate to maintain at all times certain level of humidity. That yes, it is necessary to avoid, as always, the encharcamiento at all costs. Flooding the soil can cause the bulb to rot and therefore the death of the plant.

Marimoñas or francesillas appreciate a contribution of fertilizer every three weeks after the second month of budding. You can use universal fertilizer for flowering plants, or organic and ecological fertilizer, such as compost or earthworm humus, the latter very complete. Here you can learn more about How to make homemade compost to add more organic matter to the substrate of your plant.

The buttercup bulbswhich as we have said are also called claws or spiders due to their particular shape, can be easily acquired during the buttercup season, which is in the fall for most climates. that’s right chow do you plant ranunculus:

1. Bury the claws between 5 and 10 cm deep depending on the size of each one, placing the larger ones deeper. Pay attention to place the lightest part upwards, which will be where it sprouts, and leave a distance of about 12 cm between the bulbs.
2. After planting, it will be necessary to water more abundantly during the first week, although it is also common to submerge the claws in water for 24 hours before planting them so that they reach the soil or substrate hydrated.
3. So, when deciding when are buttercups planted we will almost always do it before the arrival of winter, although outdoors and in cold climates it is better to wait until the end of January or February.
4. When the plants begin to sprout with the arrival of spring or even a little earlier, each bulb will emit several stems, which we can cut to leave 4 or 5, thus enhancing the flowers that remain on them.
5. When the stems dry out, it is preferable to cut them and let the bulb spend the winter buried, so that it sprouts again the following season.

Now that you know how to plant ranunculus from its bulbs, as well as its care, we only need to talk about the conservation of its bulbs so that they can continue to grow in the coming seasons.

In especially cold or very humid climates, it is preferable to remove the claws from the ground to prevent excess water from rotting them. For removing and preserving buttercup bulbs follow these steps:

1. You should not remove the claw or bulb until the aerial part of the plant has completely died.
2. Wash it well to remove the remains of soil and clean it with a bulb sterilizer to avoid diseases or fungi. You can find it in specialized garden stores.
3. Let them dry between 48 and 72 hours in a ventilated place without light.
4. Store them in paper bags.
5. Store them in a dry, cool, dark place until it’s time to repot them again.

As you have already learned the basic care to know how to grow buttercupswe encourage you to learn how to take care of peonies with this other gardening guide from EcologíaVerde, because as we have indicated before, they are plants with very similar flowers and that you may also like.

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