Ranunculus Picotee Café au Lait

Ranunculus corms can be started in pots from autumn in a cool, frost-free place, or planted outside in spring once hard frosts have passed. They need a sunny, sheltered position and soil that drains freely.

Soak the dry corms in room-temperature water for around 3 to 4 hours before planting to rehydrate them. Plant them with the claw-like points facing downwards, around 5cm deep.

Yes. Ranunculus grows very well in pots, provided the container has good drainage. Use a free-draining compost, place the pot in full sun and water lightly while plants are growing, never allowing the compost to become waterlogged.

Cold, wet compost is a common cause of corms rotting before they sprout. Keep newly planted corms cool but frost-free, use free-draining compost and avoid overwatering until shoots appear.

Ranunculus needs a dry dormant period after flowering and is not reliably hardy in cold, wet UK winters. In milder, sheltered gardens it may return, but many gardeners treat it as a seasonal flowering plant or grow it in pots for easier winter protection.