Our Hopeful Home: How To Grow Ranunculus in Zone 5: Part 2!

Last spring I experimented with planting ranunculus corms in my Zone 5 flower garden and shared all the details in How To Grow Ranunculus in Zone 5: Part 1. Since many of you have asked for an update on their actual progress, here is my update!

Were they successful?

Although it's taken me a year to get this post done, better late than never I always say! And I'm going to tell you straight up that it did not end well.

In my original post, How To Grow Ranunculus in Zone 5: Part 1, I made it very clear that I did not have high hopes for their successful growth, having learned that they actually grow best in cooler climates. And, sadly, my intuition was right.

To stress the point, let me quote from my earlier post:

While I was super excited to grow ranunculus in my raised flower beds, I didn't know that ranunculus are cool season flowers that grow best in spring-like temperatures around 55 degrees. So in climates where ranunculus are not winter hardy (zones 4-7) the corms should be planted in winter or early spring for flowers in early summer.

Once the seedlings were transplanted outside, and the weather started getting hotter and hotter -- as is typical here in the midwest, I panicked. While I had no idea how I was supposed to protect those seedlings -- if that was even possible -- I gave it my best shot.

I went out and purchased a small portable mini greenhouse made of mesh cloth. My hope was that it would give them a break from the hot afternoon sun. I was able to regulate air flow as the mesh panels could be rolled up or down depending on the time of day.

In retrospect I suppose the mini greenhouse may have actually made things warmer for the ranunculus seedlings (even though it really did provide shade) and this is what I ultimately ended up with. And yes, I simply wanted to cry.

ranunculus seedlings in raised flower bed

I was so upset I didn't even save the corms because I couldn't see myself ever planting ranunculus again. Now I wish I would have saved them and planted them much earlier this year. While it was definitely a bummer, there were at least a few takeaways for me to share.

RANUNCULUS PLANTING TIPS (OR LESSONS LEARNED THE HARD WAY)

1. If you live in Zone 5 or lower I would recommend growing only Amandine ranunculus. They can supposedly handle warmer summer temps better than other types of ranunculus.

Amandine Salmon Ranunculus Bulbs

Eden Brothers

As mentioned in Part 1, these particular corms can get pricey, but if they actually grow it will be so worth it. Just google their name and a number of sources for purchase will appear.

I've provided one option, from Eden Brothers, above (I am not an affiliate, just wanted to share).

Be sure to order early (as in the fall for spring planting) so as not to miss your chance of getting some.

2. If you live in Zone 5 or lower get your ranunculus beds ready earlier than you're used to getting your garden ready -- i.e., in late winter/early spring, and plant your corms outside in early spring because ranunculus prefer cooler temperatures! I believe even Amandine corms will benefit from this.

For my most practical planting tips be sure to visit Part 1, because even though my ranunculus didn't thrive, I would still go about sewing the seeds indoors and planting them in the same way no matter the zone or type of ranunculus used.