Bulb Team

Ron Beck
West Coast Flower Bulb Marketing/Facilities Manager
12400 SE Hwy 212
Clackamas, OR 97015
(503) 655-0908
FAX: (503) 655-0979
Rbeck@fredgloeckner.com

Tammy Parker
Customer Service and Sales
(503) 655-0908
FAX: (503) 655-0979
tparker@fredgloeckner.com


Ray Bryan
Assistant Manager,
Flower Bulb Division
(503) 655-0908
FAX: (503) 655-0979
rbryan@fredgloeckner.com

Bulb Helpful Hints

Getting your Ranunculus and Anemone corms off to a good start is crucial for a profitable crop. The best way to insure a good start is to purchase high quality corms that have received the proper treatment prior to arrival at your Greenhouse. Be sure to check out our "Bulb Hot Items" selection for a review of two new selections of these crops.

The next most important step is for you, the grower, to treat the corms correctly upon arrival. In this months "Bulb Helpful Hints" we have outlined a pre-plant treatment that you can easily do to the corms upon arrival that will make all the difference in the world to your end results

Pre-Germination of Ranunculus and Anemone Corms
reduces loss, and increases return per square foot. This "pre treatment" not only enhances production yields, but improves stem quality as well.

"La Belle" Ranunculus:
Prior to planting, soak the corms in room temperature water for 3 to 4 hours. During this time, leave the water running so that a small stream of water trickles over the rim of the container the corms are being soaked in. By keeping the water running slightly you will keep oxygen in the water. For the final thirty to forty minutes of the treatment, turn the water off (don't let it run over the rim of the container) and add a fungicide.

After soaking, and the final fungicide dip remove the corms and let them drip dry. Next pack them into clear plastic perforated or ventilated bags (corms must have oxygen). Pack 250 corms with approximately five quarts of Perlite, or moist (NOT WET) Peat Moss. Place the bags into cool storage at 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit for ten to thirteen days (keep the media moist at all times, but not wet), or until the roots or shoots reach 1/8 to 1/4 inch length. Allow the corms to warm up to greenhouse temperatures slowly. Corms are then ready to plant.

"La Beau" Anemones:
Prior to planting soak the corms in room temperature water for 48 hours. During this time leave the water running as described above for the "La Belle" Ranunculus. For the final thirty to forty minutes turn off the water and add a fungicide also as described above.

After soaking, and the final fungicide dip remove the corms and let them drip dry. Next pack the corms into perforated or ventilated plastic bags (anemones also need oxygen) with moist (but not wet) Perlite, Peat Moss, Vermiculite, or nothing. Be sure the plastic bags have holes.

Place the corms (already packed in a moist media in plastic bags) into the cooler at 41 degrees Fahrenheit for four weeks. From time to time check on the corms to be sure that the packing media has not dried out. You may want to put the perforated plastic bags into a plain brown paper bag to keep them from direct exposure to the air movement within the cooler, and thus reduce the amount of drying. After four weeks remove the bags from the cooler and let them gradually warm up before planting.

During the pre-germination treatment for both of these crops small roots and some sprouts may develop. Be sure not to damage the roots or sprouts when planting the corms.