How to Plant Ranunculus in the Spring
- 1). Purchase ranunculus bulbs from your local garden center of nursery at least eight weeks before the last frost of the season. Obtain your ranunculus bulbs from a reputable catalog or online nursery if you are unable to purchase them in your area.
- 2). Place your ranunculus bulbs in a brown paper bag and store them in your refrigerator for six to eight weeks. Storing your ranunculus bulbs in the refrigerator will mimic the natural cold stratification process they would experience if you had planted them outdoors in the fall.
- 3). Select an appropriate planting location for your ranunculus bulbs. Choose a location that will provide your ranunculus with six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day. Choose a planting location that also provides rich and well-draining soil.
- 4). Clear your chosen planting location of any weeds, grass or other vegetation. Pull the weeds and dig up their root systems to prevent them from growing back. Clearing your planting location of unwanted vegetation will give your ranunculus unchallenged access to valuable moisture and nutrients.
- 5). Work organic materials like aged manure, peat moss and perlite into the top 12 inches of soil at your chosen planting location to enrich and aerate it. Add equal parts aged manure, peat moss and perlite for most soils. Add one part aged manure and peat moss to two parts perlite for heavy, clay or poor soils to improve drainage.
- 6). Dig planting holes for your ranunculus bulbs that are approximately 2 1/2 inches deep. Space the planting holes 4 to 6 inches apart when planting multiple ranunculus bulbs.
- 7). Place the ranunculus bulbs toe-side-down in their planting holes. Fill in the planting holes with the amended soil. Water your ranunculus bulbs with a half-strength solution of a water soluble fertilizer to complete the planting process.
