Ranunculus bulb temp sensitivity ??

Hi Gang:

I'll post the same question in the Bulbs forum but I thought that maybe somebody here has some experience.

I've just potted up some Ranunculus (asiaticus, I think) tubers. I have some info regarding how to grow them but I'd like to know how temperature sensitive the tubers are.

i.e. Can I put them in my currently unheated (small) greenhouse ? In this area the normal temperatures are +6 degrees Celcius in daytime and -5 degrees Celcius in nighttime. Should I start heating the greenhouse now (I will eventually, come tomatoe and pepper time) ? Should I keep them inside until the outside temperature warms up some more ? Has anybody had any experience with these ? Opinions ? Advice ? Unsubstantiated rumours ?

I got them quite cheap so there's no great loss if this doesn't work out but I love trying new things.

Cheers

Steve

P.S. I posted some farewell to winter pics in the photos forum.

Found this......

Gale Encyclopedia of Science, June 2001 pNA (English)

Buttercup.

Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group

Buttercups and crowfoots are about 275 species of plants in the genus Ranunculus, family Ranunculaceae. Buttercups mostly occur in cool and temperate regions of both hemispheres of the world, including mountains in tropical latitudes.

Buttercups are annual or perennial, and they are herbaceous plants, dying back to the ground surface before the winter. The leaves of terrestrial species are simple or compound. However, the underwater leaves of aquatic buttercups can be very finely divided. Some of the aquatic buttercups have dimorphic foliage, with delicately divided leaves in the water, and distinctly broader leaves in the atmosphere.

The flowers of buttercups have numerous stamens and pistils, arranged in a spiral fashion on a central axis. The flowers of most species of buttercups are radially symmetric and showy, owing to their large, yellow petals. However, some species have red or white petals. The petals secrete nectar, important in attracting the insects that are the pollinators of most buttercups. There are usually five sepals, but these generally fall off the flower relatively soon. The fruits are loose heads of one-seeded fruits called achenes.

Many species of buttercups are native to North America. The wood buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus) is a widespread species of rich, temperate forests. The yellow water-crowfoot (R. gmelini) is a widespread species of freshwater marshes and shores, while the seashore-buttercup (R. cymbalaria) occurs in salt marshes and estuaries. Many native species of buttercups occur in alpine and arctic tundras, for example, the Lapland buttercup (R. lapponicus) and snow buttercup (R. nivalis).

Several species of Eurasian buttercups have been introduced to North America, where they have become widespread weeds of lawns, fields, and other disturbed places. Some of the more familiar introduced species are the tall or meadow buttercup (R. acris), the creeping buttercup (R. repens), and the corn crowfoot or hunger-weed (R. arvensis).

A few species of buttercups are used in horticulture. The most commonly used species for this purpose is the garden buttercup (R. asiaticus), available in varieties with white, red, or yellow-colored flowers. Aquatic buttercups, such as the water crowfoot (R. aquatilis), are sometimes cultivated in garden pools. Various alpine species of buttercups can be planted in rock gardens.

Planting Instructions: Ranunculi look great anywhere in the garden. With their multicoloured brightness they light up a mixed border when planted in groups of 25 or 50 among low- growing shrubs, annuals and perennials.Space the corms about 12 cm apart and plant them with the claws pointing downwards, with 3 cm of soil covering the tops.

The package of Ranunculi that I saw at the greenhouse said Mar/Apr/May planting and Sept/Oct/Nov......if it is the same variety.

This message was edited Mar 29, 2006 4:57 PM

Cool. Thanks for the info.

Cheers

Steve

Have a copy of Veseys in front of me and it says that the Ranunculus Mix is perennial only in zones 8-10. Elsewhere treat as an annual.


This message was edited Mar 30, 2006 2:02 PM

You don't really need to pot up your Ranaculas as they are a super fast growing Spring bloomer. Just pop 'em in the ground after your last frost and you'll be good to go. I'm Zone 5 from US, but I like the Canadian forum as I spend one month each summer on Cape Breton Island and love it!!!!

Good luck with your ranaculas.

Megan

Thanks Megan.

For the record, I potted half and retained half for direct planting.

I wanted to test how each strategy would work and also stagger the planting for longer bloom periods.

We'll see, I guess.

Cheers

Steve

Good idea, I'll have to check back in to see your resilts. I'll be curious now too.