Ranunculus (garden buttercup, Asian buttercup) is a spectacular and bright flower that will decorate any garden site. This plant has several varieties, which are conditionally divided into 2 groups:
• Asian (Persian) ranunculus (its flowers are similar to miniature roses);
• African or chalmoid (inflorescences look like terry peonies).
A variety of color palettes, a long flowering period and unpretentiousness allow you to plant a garden buttercup both on the flower beds and grow them in room conditions. In cut, it retains freshness for up to 2 weeks.
Ranunculus: landing (photo)
The place for landing of the ranunculus should be selected shaded and protected from cold winds. With this arrangement, the color of the flowers will be brighter, and the flowering itself will be long.
The soil for this plant needs light and fertile with a neutral pH. Garden buttercup does not tolerate stagnation of moisture in the soil - its roots quickly rot. Therefore, if loam predominates on the site selected for planting, then they must first be "ennobled" - add compost or rotted manure and sand.
There are 2 ways to plant ranunculus: seeds and tubers. Sowing seeds directly into the soil is recommended only in the southern regions. In areas with a cooler climate, seedlings are first grown in greenhouse or home conditions, and after passing spring frosts, seedlings are transplanted to the garden.
When buying ranunculus tubers, you should carefully examine them: they should not be lethargic, overdried.
You can plant tubers in late April and until the second decade of May (depending on the climatic conditions of your region). They are preliminarily held for 8-10 hours in a moist substrate (sawdust, peat, moss) or simply in water with the addition of potassium permanganate and a growth stimulant. To prevent the defeat of tubers by fungal diseases, it is recommended to treat them with fungicides (for example, Fundazol, Gamair).
On the prepared bed at a distance of 0.1-0.15 cm from each other, holes 5-8 cm deep are made. A small mound of earth is poured on the bottom of the hole, the ranunculus tubers are laid on it (with “fingers” down) and covered with soil. Sprouts appear after 1-2 months.
Ranunculus planted "fingers" down - the growth point should remain on top
Ranunculus: features of growing (photo)
The seed method of growing ranunculus is fraught with the risk of failure - the seeds of this flower quickly lose their germination, especially when stored improperly. When buying seeds in a store, it is important to pay attention to the expiration date. It is easier to collect seeds directly from the first faded flowers, wrapping them with gauze beforehand to prevent the seeds from spilling out onto the ground. Before sowing, seeds are stored in a dry place at + 17-22 degrees.
To grow seedlings, seeds are sown in mid-February in containers with loose fertile soil. Top cover with glass or film and put in a well-lit place at + 15-17 degrees. For additional illumination, it is good to use phytolamps. The earth is periodically moistened, condensate is removed from the glass. Shoots will appear in 14-20 days. From this moment, the shelter is removed. After the appearance of two pairs of true leaflets in seedlings, they are dived into separate pots.
Seedlings are ready for picking - they have 2 pairs of leaves
Plants are planted in a permanent place when the threat of frost passes. Seedlings will bloom only next year.
A feature of growing ranunculus is that this plant does not tolerate transplants, so you should immediately determine its permanent place of residence.
Ranunculus: care (photo)
Caring for ranunculus is not complicated and comes down to watering, loosening, weeding weeds, and feeding.
Watering beds with Asian buttercups every 2-3 days. This plant likes to "drink some water", but at the same time does not tolerate its excess - its tubers are prone to damage by various rot. If white plaque appeared on the leaves, buds began to fall, this is a signal of waterlogging of the soil. However, with a lack of moisture, the ranunculus also suffers: the leaves become covered with reddish spots, the size of the buds decreases, and they themselves quickly die off in a half-opened state. Timely watering during active vegetation is especially important (with a lack of moisture, these flowers die quickly).
Due to the tendency of the ranunculus tubers to rot, the soil on the flower bed must be loosened every week to provide oxygen access to the roots.
Garden buttercup is responsive to top dressing. Liquid mullein (1:10) plants are fertilized during active growth. Before flowering, complex mineral fertilizers with a high content of potassium and phosphorus (40-50 g / m2) are applied.
After flowering, the inflorescences are removed (except those that are left on the seeds). This stimulates the formation of new peduncles and prolongs the decorativeness of plants.
In the autumn, after the death of the leaves, the tubers of the Asian buttercup are dug up, since they are not winter-hardy. Dug up tubers are cleaned of the earth, soaked for 30 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicide (for example, Fundazole) and left to dry for 2-3 days in a dry, ventilated place.
Ranunculus tubers are soaked in a fungicidal solution before storage
Tubers prepared in this way are stored in paper bags in the refrigerator or in boxes with sand, dry sawdust in a cool room at + 10-15 ° C. In the southern regions with warm winters (up to -3 ° C), tubers can be left to winter in the ground, covering beds with spruce branches or dry foliage.
Ranculus diseases and pests
Ranunculi are slightly susceptible to disease. However, with excessive watering, white or gray plaque may appear on the leaves and peduncles, and the roots begin to rot. The plant can throw off the buds. In this case, the number and volume of irrigation should be reduced.
Of the pests for ranunculus, nematodes are dangerous - small (up to 2 mm) worms parasitizing on all parts of plants. Damage is caused by both adult insects and their larvae. When affected by gall (root) nematodes, growth retardation, wilting and browning of foliage are observed - the plant looks wilted. You can detect the pest by digging a flower - ugly growths (galls) will be visible on the roots. To get rid of the parasite, the ranunculus roots are dipped in hot water (+ 50-60 degrees), and to destroy the nematode eggs, the immersion time is increased to 30 minutes.
In dry summers, ranunculus can be affected by spider mites, which feed on the sap of the plant. In places of bites on the leaves yellow dots appear. As ticks parasitize, the areas of dead tissue increase, the leaves turn yellow prematurely and fall off. To combat this pest, acaricides are used (Akarin, Fitoverm, Actellik, Agravertin, Vertimek. Fufanon). They need to be alternated, since ticks quickly develop resistance to the drugs used. Processing is carried out several times at certain intervals of time (according to the instructions for the drug)
If the leaves appear silver spots, strokes. stripes, then thrips who ate plant cell sap were welcomed.
Thrips on the sheet
Damaged tissue dies, leaves wither and fall off. Damaged buds, if opened, the flowers are deformed. Thrips easily move from the affected plant to neighboring healthy ones, therefore it is difficult to completely destroy them. For this, insecticides are used (Karate, Aktara, Vertimek, Biotlin, Iskra, Intavir and others). Processing plants is carried out several times with an interval of 7-10 days. From folk remedies use various herbal infusions, for example, such:
• Grind and pour 40-50 g of dandelion roots and pour 1 liter of warm water, insist 4-5 hours;
• 50-60g of marigolds insist 3 days in 1 liter of warm water. Before use, strain the infusion;
• Pour 80-100 g of tobacco leaves with water (1 l), leave for 24 hours. Dilute 1: 2 before use.
