Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Bulbs General => Topic started by: Alan_b on August 22, 2016, 08:45:46 AM
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Recently I emptied-out a pot containing some Ficaria verna corms (I understand Ficaria verna is the new name for Ranunculus ficaria, the lesser celandine). After sitting around for two days in air I thought they looked a bit shrivelled so I quickly got some back in a pot but I also sent some to a friend - who does not think they survived the journey. Should I have treated them more like dahlia tubers when overwintering and kept them at least a little moist? And how much more drying is being exposed to the air rather than being inside a pot of dry soil?
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...how much more drying is being exposed to the air rather than being inside a pot of dry soil?
Very. In a pot of dry soil the rate of air exchange is low, so the corms are protected from excessive drying as well as changes in temperature etc. The rate of air exchange in the open air is massive. I think it's always best to avoid keeping any geophytes out of the ground for longer than is necessary. Any bulbs I'm holding over to give away etc are always kept in pots of dry compost.
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I find the whole issue very confusing. With some bulbs, like tulips, one is recommended to lift and store in air. With snowdrops the practice is to store in plastic bags with a little vermiculite added, which presumably give a controlled low-humidity environment. I have never encountered Ficaria verna for sale as dormant corms; perhaps it's difficult to store these?
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In nature all bulbs spend their dormancy in the soil. I find it easiest to replicate this.
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Good advice in general Matt, but does anyone have experience specific to Ficaria verna?
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they swell very quickly after a while in water