RANUNCULIS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 April 1939, Page 9

RANUNCULIS

A POPULAR FLOWER. This charming spring flower has long been popular in both large and small gardens owing to its free-flowering qualities, its wide range of colour, its usefulness as a cut flower, and the ease with which it is grown. They are suitable both for borders and for growing in clusters. The plant is a native of Southern Europe and Asia. There are a number of different types of ranunculi, including Turban, French, Persian and : Scotch. Ranunculi have a very wide range of colour, covering white, primrose, lemon yellow, gold, deep orange, scarlet, crimson, pink, green and rose, whilst there are also striped, flaked and picotee-edged varities. For the garden the Turban, French and Asiaticus are the best sorts, and will give the most satisfactory results. Ranunculi require well-drained soil, which must be deeply dug,'well broken up and enriched with plenty of thoroughly decayed cow or stable manure. The plants are quite hardy and do best in an open and fairly sunny position. In planting, be careful to place the claws of the roots downwards. The tubers are planted from 1 to 11 inches deep and from 3 to 4 inches apart. A good idea in planting is to make a little hole the required depth; place the bulb in this and sprinkle loose soil over the ground, making the whole bed firm by patting down with the back of the spade. The best months for planting are February, March and April, the flowering period being August and September. The ranunculus, when growing, re-I quires plenty of moisture, but will not stand stagnation; consequently well-1 drained soil is necessary, while in dry seasons careful attention must be paid to watering. When the leaves appear, keep the soil carefully hoed, to freshen it up, and when the plants are growing well give them an occasional watering of weak liquid cow manure. Be careful not to allow the surface soil to cake for lack of hoeing. When the plants have withered and the leaves begin to .urn wellow (about October-November) the bulbs may be lifted. Take up carefully, allow them to dry. and after the soil' has been shaken off they may be stored away in a cool, dry and airy place until required for planting the following season. While bulbs are the most economical method of growing raunuculi, as regards labour, some beautiful specimens of the Asiaticus variety are easily raised from seed. Fill a box with light, loamy soil, and sow the seed in this in January or early February. Seed may also be sown in an outdoor seed bed or a canvas frame. Transplant the seedlings early in March, and if properly ■ grown they will bloom the first season i about September. After the plants die 1 down the bulbs may be lifted and stor- : ed for planting during the following 1 season. These one-year-old bulbets will 1 make first-class (lowering plants dur- 1 ing the second year. Seed can also be sown during March and April, but the < plants may not flower the first season. 1 An application of liquid cow manure 1 just as the plants are coming into - bloom will materially improve the 1 quality and quantity of flowers. 1