Another favorite Spring flower I enjoy growing is very similar to the Ranunculus. This flower is called the Anemone. If you read our article on how to grow Ranunculus, you will see many similarities repeated throughout this post.

Like the ranunculus, the anemone also comes in various colors. There are a few steps to these flowers, but the full process is worth all the extra effort and time to get the best results. This has been the second year growing them in zone 6B of Maryland, and I wanted to share the steps with some pictures to help anyone interested in this zone so you will get the most out of your ranunculus corms.

If you are in USDA zones seven and above, you can successfully plant corms in the Autumn or late winter/early Spring with a low tunnel or frost cloth. In colder zones, USDA 6 and below can be successfully grown with heated hoop houses (greenhouse) and planted in late winter or early Spring. The method I am showing below is another alternative for those in Zones 6b or below is to pre-sprout corms 4-5 weeks before the last frost date. According to the Farmers Almanac, the frost date is April 22nd. I give some wiggle room in there because, in the past, this is just an estimated guess, and we have had a frost a week after that given date.

The most important priority for anyone in any zone for growing ranunculus is not to allow the corms to freeze or be exposed to temperatures of 25°F (-4°C).

Corms will begin to sprout within three weeks.

Let’s Begin!

The Anemone corm, also referred to as an anemone bulb when searching online, looks like a shriveled acorn cap. This is normal to look this way, and it is hard to believe that a colorful, elegant bloom will come from this oddly shaped dormant corm.

Before buying any corms, you will want to have a location for them. Either a raised bed with healthy soil or a garden space with well-draining soil with no grass/weeds. This location needs about six hours of sunlight daily.

For each corm, plan on spacing 8-9″ apart and 2″ in depth.

Materials Needed:

• Corms (From Trusted and Reliable Sources to ensure top-quality corms with no fungus)
• Bucket
• Room Temperature Water
• Aquarium Air Pump(optional but recommended) 
• Tubing for Bubbler(Optional)
• Bubble Stone (optional)
• Mesh Bag
• Labeling Tag
• Garden Marker
• Potting Soil
• Seed Starting Tray
• Frost Cloth

First Step: Fill Bucket with Room Temperature Water

Fill a bucket of water and let it sit for about an hour to reach room temperature.

Second Step: Add Aquarium Bubbler (Optional) or other Methods (Listed Below)

If you have an aquarium bubbler, now is the time to place it in the bucket of water. This step is unnecessary though I highly recommend using it to oxygenate the water to keep corms from rotting while they soak. If you do not have a bubbler, you can use a gentle stream of water in your sink for 3-4 hours. Another alternative is dumping the water out every hour with fresh water. (I would have 3-4 buckets of water ready beforehand so water will already be room temperature and will not have to wait and can just put them in a new bucket every hour.)

Third Step: Label Tags with the Name of Variety

Label the tags with your garden marker with the names of each corm. Make sure the marker is waterproof since the tag will go in the water with corms. This step is crucial IF you have more than one variety of corms soaking. You do not want to put your corms in the water and not remember which corms are which.

Fourth Step: Add Labeled Tags and Corms in Mesh Bag

Once tags are labeled, place corms and tag(Labeled correctly with corm name) in the side of the mesh bag.

The mesh produce bags I use are from Grove Collaborative, but any produce mesh bags will work just as long as they close shut with a string.

Fifth Step: Soak Corms for 3-4 Hours

Place bags in the room temperature bucket of water and make sure all corms are covered with water and set a timer on your phone or stove for 3-4 hours

Sixth Step: Prepare Tray

While corms are soaking, you can prepare a seed starting tray. Make sure the tray is flat with no drainage holes. To prepare, moisten potting soil, so it is not damp but just moist. This is so important not to have wet, soggy soil. Otherwise, corms will mold and potentially rot. Place corm’s pointy ends facing down. Fill the tray 1-2″ enough to cover the corms.

Seventh Step: Add Corms to Tray

After 3-4 hours of soaking, remove your corms from the water. They should be nice and plump now. These corms can be placed close together since they will not be in the trays longer than three weeks or however long it takes to sprout. Cover corms lightly with moistened soil less than 1″ as long as all corms are covered.

Eight Step: Storing the Tray

Store your newly planted tray of corms in a cool dark area with temperatures 40-50 °F, away from rodents. Make sure the area does not freeze or has high humidity, which will cause corms to rot: basements, a room/closet with no heat, and no light from indoors or outdoors.

Ninth Step: Keep Soil Moist

Check daily on your corms for any signs of mold or rot. Keep soil moist, not wet or dry. If any corms mold or rot, dispose of them as soon as possible to keep from spreading to others.

10 Step: Transplant Corms

After about two weeks, you should notice little roots beginning and tiny sprouts. This is the ideal time to transplant them into your prepared location. Plant your corms in a sunny spot with well-drained, rich soil. Anemones can be planted relatively close at 6″-9″ apart with a 2″ depth. Cover the corms with frost cloth or a low tunnel for protection if there is still a chance of freezing weather or frost. When temperatures are above freezing, remove cloth and tunnel to expose the young ranunculus plants to the sun and wind.

More about the Anemone Flower

Expect blooms to start in mid-spring if following this method. If planted in Autumn, expect blooms in early Spring, three months after planting.

The best time to cut these cut and come again flowers are in the early morning when anemones are open. That way, they are nice and hydrated, and this will prevent damage to any petals when available. Cut the anemone at the base of the stem. You can tell how old the anemone is by the “collar” underneath the bud. The older the anemone, the further the green collar underneath will get from the bloom.

How do you know when to cut these dainty flowers? There are two ways to determine when to cut. Like the ranunculus, allow the bud to open and close one to three days before harvesting. The second way to ensure your flower is prime for harvest is to check the green collar.  When there is about 1/4″ space between the green leaf collar and the flower head, the anemone is ready to cut and will not droop. However, the longer that space in-between, the older the flower is and will not be ideal for bouquets to give or sell. Keep the anemone cutting in a clean bucket of water with 2-3″ of water to keep the stem from turning squishy.

Anemones do not like the heat. So when temperatures are above 70°F, the flower will begin to produce fewer blooms and eventually go dormant and quit producing buds. 

I left a few anemone corms in the ground as a test last year, and a few returned being protected with a row cover. However, to be safe and have the best results, I recommended digging up your corms and storing them in a cool, dark place until the following year. This way, you will have healthy corms and not risk rotting in the ground or, worse, being eaten by a rodent like a vole (which has happened to mine before). To save your corms, wait until leaves turn yellow and dig them up. Remove leaves on the corm, allow the corms to dry out somewhere safe and secure for several days in a warm location, and then store them in a mesh bag somewhere dark and cool until next year.

There are a lot of steps here, but hands-on experience is the key! The more you do it, the more you learn and familiarize yourself. If you make a mistake, record it in your garden journal and try again. Happy anemone planting!

If you found this article helpful and have grown anemone using this guide, please share with us and tag us on Instagram @hope.and.wildflowers or our Facebook Page at @HopeandWildflowers. Thanks!

Keep Going, and Keep Growing

This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase an item after clicking and using one of our links, Hope and Wildflowers will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support and for stopping by!