Plant buttercups properly
Spring or autumn is the time for planting Buttercup. In advance, put the still potted root ball in water until no more air bubbles rise. In the meantime, the fresh, moist, humus-rich soil is weeded and raked in the sunny location. Dig small pits at a distance of 40-50 cm to enrich the soil with compost and Horn shavings.(€ 32.93 at Amazon *) Now pot the soaked young plant and plant the flower just below the lower pair of leaves. Press the substrate with your hands and pour. Mulching Finish off with leaves, grass clippings or bark mulch so that the soil stays warm and moist for longer. When planting, please bear in mind that all parts of the wild shrub are poisonous and wear protective gloves.
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- Buttercup: Plant Family and Characteristics
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Care tips
You can let the wild buttercup grow in the garden without any horticultural intervention. In order to strengthen the floral back of the distinctive perennial, we nevertheless recommend the following short care program:
- Keep the soil and the pot substrate slightly moist at all times
- Apply start fertilization in the bed in March / April with compost and horn shavings
- Pamper potted flowers with liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks from April to August
- Clean up withered flower stalks down to the basal leaves
- Cut back close to the ground in autumn, when all leaves have moved in
In the open air, buttercups get through the cold season in good health without any precautions. Pots, on the other hand, should be wrapped in foil and placed on wood. The substrate is protected from the rigors of winter with leaves or peat mud.
Which location is suitable?
In full sun to shady locations, the buttercup gives a bright yellow rendezvous throughout the summer. She especially likes warm and sheltered places. In fresh to moist soil, humic, loose and well-drained, you will experience a natural perennial at its best.
The correct planting distance
A single buttercup looks lost and lonely. In small tuffs or in association with other wild perennials, the flower unfolds its true potential. In order for the picturesque appearance to succeed in perfection, it is not least a question of the adequate planting distance. If you settle the perennial at a distance of 40-50 cm, you are exactly right. For extensive planting, we recommend 4-6 specimens per square meter.
What soil does the plant need?
The buttercup favors everyone normal Garden soil, fresh to moist and humus-loose. As long as the delicate golden head doesn't have to deal with sandy, dry or waterlogged soil, it transforms the bed into a sea of yellow flowers. In pot culture, we recommend a good quality one Potting soil based on compost with a low proportion of peat. Give something else Lava granules,(€ 14.00 at Amazon *) Sand or Expanded clay(€ 16.35 at Amazon *) added for a first-class permeability.
When is the flowering time?
The buttercup delights us with its lacquered, bright yellow shell flowers from May to July. If you clean the withered flower stalks up to the first leaf regularly, the flower festival will last until August. Never dispose of the clippings in pastures or paddocks, as the fresh parts of the plant are highly poisonous. Only when they are dried, as a component of hay, are they no longer dangerous.
Cut the buttercup correctly
There are 3 occasions when we use scissors to cut the buttercup. When it has just bloomed and cut up to 3 fingers' widths above the ground, the flower is ideal for drying. If you consistently cut out the withered flower stalks down to the stalked basal leaves, a fresh shoot will find its way to the light of the sun. If the weather plays along, this simple trick will extend the flowering period into late summer. If the perennial has moved in its aboveground plant parts in autumn, cut the buttercup down to the ground. Only dispose of the clippings on the compost if cows, horses, rabbits, dogs or cats do not have access to the toxic green waste.
Pour the buttercup
Water a buttercup regularly whenever the soil has dried on. If the delicate flower is exposed to drought stress, it sadly tends the cup-shaped blossoms to the ground. Although the perennial likes a slightly moist soil, waterlogging must not occur. Daily watering may be necessary in the pot on warm summer days.
Fertilize the buttercup properly
In the humus garden soil, the nutrient supply is limited to a start fertilization in March / April with compost and horn shavings. The nutrient stocks of pre-fertilized soil in the pot are depleted after 4-6 weeks. Fertilize Subsequently, the buttercup every 2-3 weeks with a liquid preparation until the end of the flowering period.
Overwinter
The native perennial moves in its aboveground plant parts in autumn. The subterranean rhizome survives freezing frost down to - 28.8 degrees Celsius unscathed. Special precautions for wintering in the bed are therefore not necessary. If the buttercup thrives in the pot or balcony box, the rather thin walls do not really hold off the frost. Wrap planters in bubble wrap and place them on wood. A layer of autumn leaves, straw or peat mud on the substrate protects the root ball from above. Water the plant every now and then to prevent the soil from drying out completely.
Propagate buttercups
An unbeatably simple method of propagating buttercups is to divide the root ball. How to do it right:
- In spring or autumn the perennial with the Digging fork or that spade lift out of the earth
- Shake or rinse off all soil from the rhizome
- Place the root ball on a firm surface to cut it (don't forget your gloves)
- Each segment with 2 eyes and more has the floral power to transform itself into an adult buttercup
In the sunny location, plant the sections at a distance of 40-50 cm exactly as deep as they were previously in the ground. A layer of mulch and regular watering support rapid rooting.
How do I transplant properly?
A buttercup grows like a clump from a network of roots that does not form runners. So nothing speaks against a change of location. Choose a date in spring or autumn to dig up the root ball. On this occasion, older perennials can be perfectly rejuvenated and propagated by means of division. Plant the perennial in the new location in the fresh, moist, compost-enriched soil and water abundantly. A mulch layer of leaves, grass clippings or bark mulch promotes growth. Since the roots have the highest levels of toxicity, this work requires special care.
Buttercup in the pot
Buttercups thrive in pots if you use a structurally stable compost-based potting soil. If you place a curved pottery shard over the water drain, no excess irrigation water can accumulate here. A pouring edge of 2 cm prevents flooding on the balcony. The care program at a glance:
- Water the buttercups regularly as soon as the substrate has dried
- Pour the saucer after a few minutes so that no waterlogging occurs
- Apply liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks from April until the end of the flowering period
- Clean up withered flower stalks down to the basal leaves
- Repot in fresh substrate in March
If the plant has drawn in all the leaves in autumn, cut the perennial close to the ground. Before the first frost, wrap the pot in bubble wrap and place it on a block of wood. The substrate is given a protective layer of leaves or straw. Water the root ball every now and then so that it does not dry out completely.
Is buttercup poisonous?
The buttercup should be consumed with caution with regard to its ingredients. The buttercup plant is so poisonous in all parts that in the past there have been deaths after consuming flowers, leaves and roots. Point out the danger to your children, because in meadows the distinctive flowers lure them to tie a wreath or bouquet of flowers. Even skin contact with fresh plant sap causes severe itching, swelling with blistering and necrosis. We therefore recommend wearing gloves for all planting and maintenance work. When dry, the toxins have evaporated.
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Are buttercups and dandelions the same?
They both boast bright yellow flowers and bloom at the same time for many weeks in summer. No wonder that yellow buttercups and dandelions are simultaneously referred to as buttercups. While we welcome the yellow buttercup as a natural shrub in the garden, dandelions as a weed are fought with vehemence. The distinctive distinguishing feature is the shape of the flower. Yellow buttercups stand out with their yellow, lacquered shell flowers. On the other hand, cup-shaped flowers 3-5 cm wide with numerous yellow ray-flowers thrive on dandelions. In late summer these transform into spherical, airy seed heads, which is why dandelions are also known as dandelions. In addition, both plants differ in terms of their height. Yellow buttercups stretch 50-70 cm towards the sky, while dandelions grow 10-20 cm. An elementary distinguishing feature is not visible. Yellow buttercups are highly toxic in all parts fresh. Dandelions, on the other hand, can be consumed without hesitation.
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Trivia
Popularly, the buttercup is called beggar buttercup, among other things. In the distant past, beggars rubbed the toxic plant sap on visible areas of their skin to get through the Rashes and to arouse pity on wounds and to collect more alms.
Nice varieties
The buttercup is one of the few perennials whose natural charm can hardly be deepened by the hand of the grower. As a result, in addition to the wild species, only the following two hybrids can be discovered in the garden center:
- Multiplex: The historical variety captivates with bulging gold buttons from May to July; Growth height 50-70 cm
- Citrinus: A creamy white to light yellow flowering buttercup, richly branching and robust; Growth height 40-60 cm
