When should you harvest ranunculus for a long life? The best stage is learned from first-hand experience and flower farmers who came before us. When ranunculus are harvested at the best stage, they have a long vase life and become the star of the floral arrangement. Knowing the best stage at which the ranunculus should be picked is important for florists, floral designers, and flower farmers. It all starts with the growth of the ranunculus.
Once flower farmers or event florists dabble into growing ranunculus for wedding and event design, it is crucial to know at what stage they are harvested for the best vase life. The vase life of the ranunculus impacts the quality of the floral design that the florist delivers for the wedding day. Let us dive into the growth cycle of the ranunculus to understand their peak stage for harvesting them.
Understanding Ranunculus: Ranunculus Varieties In The Floral Design World
- Ranunculus is known to be difficult to grow because its crops rot quickly.
There are a few types of ranunculus used in various wedding works.
The most common varieties are Amandine and Tecolote.
- Clooney Ranunculus
- Italian Clooney Ranunculus
- Hanoi Ranunculus
- Pon Pon Ranunculus
- Butterfly Ranunculus
- Japanese Ranunculus
The Stages of Ranunculus Growth & Ranunculus To Be Harvested
- Ranunculus will set the buds once the plant has established from the croms.
- Bud stage: Discuss the characteristics and qualities of Ranunculus buds.
- When its petals are enclosed, the flower reaches the Bud Stage.
- Marshmellow stage: When you squeeze the bud between your first finger and thumb, you will feel a little hardness, indicating it is time for harvest. I am sure flower farmers who have planted hundreds of plants are not testing each bloom; instead, they depend on their expertise by looking at the bloom and harvesting it. Most floral and flower wholesalers will carry harvested ranunculus flowers at this stage. It is best to pick the ranunculus by letting them go through the 3-day open and close cycle, which means letting them open on the plant for 3 days. Ranunculus close at night.
- Full bloom stage: Ranunculus are ready to harvest when the center of the flowers is open. Once harvested, the ranunculus flower does not further ripen or mature, unlike the anemone.
Determining the Best Harvesting Stage For Ranunculus
Factors influencing the choice of harvesting stage.
When you harvest them at the “Ripe or Mature Stage,” where the center of the flowers is visible, the flower’s vase life remains just as long as when you grow and harvest them yourself. Harvest Ranunculus, when they are fully open for the event and wedding work, is stunning. For the retail florist, the open bloom that will continue to showcase its beauty is just as important. When placing the flowers in floral arrangements at the bud stage or Marshmellow stage, one may not appreciate the value of the flowers.
Techniques to Harvest Ranunculus
Environmental Factors To Consider For Harvest Ranunculus.
When ready to harvest, timing the harvest for the best vase life for the bloom is critical.
Harvest Ranunculus early in the morning to avoid dehydration of the harvested blooms. Con to harvesting the ranunculus in the morning is that the blooms are open and may get damaged. However, harvesting them in the evening when the flowers have closed for the day reduces the damage to the petals since the flowers are closed for the day. Evening and nights are naturally cool, allowing them to hydrate without having to look for a dark, cool place for them to hydrate.
Harvesting them in midday will shock and thirsty your blooms. Since the ranunculus petals are papery thin, the blooms may not recover from the shock.
Watering your plant is essential for the next growth of the blooms. The soil should be dry to the touch, but if you place your finger in it for about 1/4 inch, it should be moist. Ranunculus tends to rot with heavy watering.
Evaluate the factors influencing the choice of harvesting stage.
Harvest the “Ripe or Mature Stage,” where the center of the flower is open. The Mature Ranunculus flower is the best for a long vase life and design experience.
- When harvesting them, reach down to ground level where the stem is growing from and cut them with a clean, snipper-shaped tool so as not to crush the flowers’ stems. Ranunculus have hollow stems.
- Using sharp, clean tools and gentle handling during harvesting is important to prevent the introduction of bacteria or plant bugs from one plant to another. Once the Ranunculus flower is harvested, place the ranunculus immediately in the cold water bucket.
- The flower bucket should be mid-size to support the flower head and stems as they are hydrating for the best design results for the harvested ranunculus.
Post-Harvested Processing of the Ranunculus:
Essential steps for preserving the freshness and quality of harvest Ranunculus flowers
Once the flowers are harvested, please place them in the open air, like a flower shed or flower room. Keep the bucket in a cool, dark place with open-air circulation. If you have any pollinators in the flowers, it gives them a chance to fly away and a bud-free floral design. Before processing them, remove the unwanted leaves or buds and place them in a clean, fresh bucket.
Insights into proper storage, hydration, and conditioning techniques for harvest ranunculus.
You can leave the buds with the flowers, remove them from the stem, and keep them in water, or, depending on the design, keep them on or remove them.
Post Care: Harvested Ranunculus
New flowers will emerge to replace the harvest Ranunculus flowers. Depending on the size of the room, each plant can produce 5 to 10 flower stems.
Once the temperature hits the 80’s, ranunculus plants will start dormant. Ranunculus leaves will turn yellow and dry. Once the leaves have completely yellowed, it’s time to dig them up or let them go.
Whether you are a seasoned flower farmer, experimental florist, or avid gardener, enjoying the ranunculus flowers at their best-harvested stage is a joy. Growing ranunculus can be challenging, but the rewards are great when harvesting the best vase life for floral and wedding designs. As a florist, if you do not grow the ranunculus, it is still important to know what stages your flowers are coming to you from your wholesale for the extended vase life.
Does Need help to streamline your business?
Book a demo here.
Want to learn more about ranunculus in weddings?
Read the “How to Wire a Beautiful Ranunculus Boutonniere” Blog here.
