Ranunculus like cooler temperatures. But they don't have much resistance to frost. They are therefore considered to have poor winter hardiness. Just overwinter them!
How can I overwinter ranunculus correctly?
To overwinter ranunculus successfully, dig up the tubers in mid-October to March and store them in a cool, frost-free, dark, airy and dry area at 5-8°C. In preparation, clean the tubers and separate the breeding tubers.
The perfect place to overwinter the ranunculus tubers
Not only ranunculus in pots, but also those outdoors should preferably be overwintered. The winter quarters can be a basement, garage, attic or other room. What is most important is that:
- it's cool
- frost-free
- dark
- airy
- and it's dry.
The temperature should ideally be between 5 and 8 °C. Then the tubers are put into rest mode. They do not sprout, but lie dormant until they come back to life in spring.
Period, preparation and aftercare
But when should the bulbous structures be moved in? It is best if you monitor the weather forecast. As soon as the temperatures reach around 5°C during the day, it is high time to dig up the tubers. It would be ideal if you took the tubers out of the ground around mid-October. They should be overwintered until around March.
This is what the preparation for overwintering the tuber looks like:
- Set fertilizer
- remove dead parts
- clean from soil residues
- Separate brood tubers
- Let the tuber dry
- if applicable wrap in paper
This is important after the tubers have overwintered:
- check for damage
- Put in cool water for 5 hours
- Dig 3 to 4 cm deep into soil
- only fertilize when the first leaves are visible
Tip
Ranunculus can be left outdoors in the winter under a protected cover of brushwood or compost. But it is generally safer to overwinter the tubers in a frost-free place.
