How to Germinate a Ranunculus Bulb

Germinating Spring-Planted Ranunculus

• 1

  Purchase tubers in spring. They come pre-chilled and will not need exposure to cold before planting. Soak the hard tubers in a bucket of water for one or two hours to start softening them.

• 2

  Prepare a bed in a shady to partially sunny location where soils have excellent drainage. Plant the tubers with the pointed side down, 1 to 2 inches deep. Space them 8 to 12 inches apart.

• 3

  Water the bed if spring rains are not consistent. Do not allow them to dry out to a depth of more than 2 inches during germination. Expect to see shoots above the ground in a few weeks and flowers by June or July.

Forcing Ranunculus Bulbs to Germinate Indoors

• 4

  Place the Ranunculus bulbs in a plastic bag inside the crisper of your refrigerator. Leave them there for at least 90 days. You can also pot them up and put the pot in the refrigerator or where temperatures average 38 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

• 5

  Fill a pot to within 2 inches of the top with 1 part sand and 2 parts potting soil. Plant the bulbs with the pointed part down in the mix and cover with more potting soil. Place in the refrigerator if the bulbs were not previously chilled.

• 6

  Water the planting soil after the bulbs have been chilled. The soil should be evenly moist but not soaking wet. Keep it at this level while the bulbs germinate.

• 7

  Place the pot where temperatures are 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Dig down around the bulbs in a week and check for root development. Move the pot to a sunny location once you see roots forming.

• 8

  Watch the moisture level on the bulb's planting mixture and keep it moist. Once you see sprouts you can gradually introduce the pot to longer and longer periods of outdoor conditions over the course of a week. Then plant them outdoors in a shady location with good drainage.