Sunday Notes From The Garden Operation Ranunculus Ramp Up!
Hello Flower Friend!
As I sit and type the post this morning I already feel as though I am running late but that is definitely not the case. The sun has risen and I am not outside. In Winter months this takes a lot of adjusting for me even though it is most likely a much needed slight break. In all fairness the weather says it will be a balmy 42 degrees today, and I am going to run outside and put the final fixes the prepped tunnels and beds for the ranunculus ramp up this season!
Ranunculus are lush, colorful, and oh so romantic, with densely packed petals that look like thin crepe paper tissue, spiraling around to form beautifully full rosette like shapes. Ranunculus need some extra attention but are so worth the work in the end , and are some of my favorite flowers to see in the Spring! Just like the Lisianthus in the Summer, I think ranunculus have such a huge fan base because their form looks so similar to a rose. I have grown ranunculus from corms for many years now and tried to increase their dedicated space each season, as well as play around with timing , leaving in, starting new, etc. Attempting to get the very best production here is zone 6 Ohio for cut flowers.
The problem with these beautiful ranunculus flowers here in Southern Ohio is that you blink and then they are gone. They have such a short window here because as soon as the temperatures are steadily above 70 degrees the ranunculus declare they are done for the season. This is why they are usually all gone once the Farmer’s market starts up in late May. And with Springs that heat up quickly, late sudden frosts and snow storms, heavy Spring rains, etc, the ranunculus are a little tricky to keep perfectly happy, which is why growing them under cover becomes necessary for excellent quality stems for cut flower production.
What have I done differently this year? Instead of planting all the corms out at once after I pre sprout them, I am succession planting them week by week, hopefully for extended harvest times before it gets too warm in the Spring. I am also planting them in more covered locations than ever including the greenhouse to see where they like it best. How am I still digging when the ground is frozen? I pre made all of the beds and low tunnels for the ranunculus when it was warmer weather and have kept the beds covered and toasty, ready for the ranunculus to be planted out once the corms were sprouted. They are the one flower here that stays under some sort of cover permanently, (although ventilated in the Spring), to prevent rain wind damage etc. Just like everything else here, the space for the ranunculus is carefully orchestrated as we are on only slightly more than an acre and we don’t have big high tunnels etc to keep them in.
The Ranunculus will be included in the “Early Spring Bouquet Club” bouquets in 2026 which have all sold out now, but I am hoping to have enough of these lovelies to also list straight ranunculus bunches here on the website in Spring as well, so stay tuned if you missed the Early Spring Club sign ups! These gorgeously romantic flowers are one of the ones I look most forward to seeing in the Spring, and I can’t wait to share their 2026 progress with you once it warms up!
Warmest wishes from our garden to yours,
Xo
Shari