Appearance, properties and care tips

The onions of the ranunculus - strange structures ...

Ranunculus onions do not look like conventional vegetable onions. Therefore, they are also more commonly referred to as tubers. But even this designation quickly leads to misunderstandings. The persistence organs of ranunculus look more like small squids.

They are made up of several elongated, tentacle-like root structures. The 'tentacles' hang together like a tuft and are connected to one another at the top. The shoot sprouts from the top in spring. The color of the tubers is usually light brown to ocher.

Planting onions - when and how?

The decisive factor for good growth is that Time of planting of onions. It is best to put them in the ground in the fall. Then they still have enough time to gain a foothold. Alternatively, you can plant the bulbs in March.

The timing is not the only thing that matters when planting. You should also pay attention to the following:

• only plant healthy onions
• Soak the onions in water for a couple of hours beforehand
• Place 5 cm below the surface of the earth
• with the 'tentacles' facing down
• permeable soil is necessary (normal Potting soil enough)

Propagation - cut off brood tubers

Ranunculus bulbs are the basis of propagation. So-called brood tubers form on them in summer. They are smaller than the parent tuber. In order to reproduce the plant, the brood tubers must be cut off and planted separately when digging up the mother tuber.

Overwinter the onions correctly

In order to be able to survive the winter without damage, it is advisable to dig up the onions in autumn and to secure them overwinter:

• Protect onions outdoors with brushwood, fleece or compost
• better method: dig up onions and put them into quarters
• Wintering quarters: frost-free, cool, dark, dry, airy
• z. B. put in sand or a wooden box