Anemone Bulbs

The Anemone family is a large one, but it is Anemone Coronaria, or poppy-flowered Anemone, which is the gem of the fall planting selection. The common name for these showy plants is Wind Flowers, which refers to their soft, breeze-fluttered blooms that add movement and life to gardens. With contrasting centers and single or double rows of petals, wind flowers look like diminutive cousins of always popular daisies and are every bit as charming. Deeply cut, ferny foliage provides a refined accent.
These fuss-free bulbs are excellent for heirloom gardens and restoration projects.
Anemone bulbs have really unique shape. The flat side is upper and the pointed side is lower. Anemone Coronaria is an excellent subject for container gardening and is a reliable performer. These bulbs are great in flower borders as well. They are an excellent cut flower. De Caen anemones are also a good choice for a butterfly garden.
The best planting season is autumn. However, some species are not hardy for the cold climate. If you grow such spieces in the area, where the temperature reaches below 0F/-18C, plant them in spring. Anemones grow from tubers and must be planted round side down, about 2″ to 3″ deep. The rule of thumb for most bulbs and tubers is to plant them twice as deep as they are wide.
If you plant hard-dried bulbs in soil and let them absorb water abruptly, they get cracks on the surface, which may cause infection or getting mold. Therefore, pre-treatment is required. Before you head out to the garden to plant, soak your anemone bulbs for 2-4 hours in a cup or small bowl of water. This will encourage them to sprout faster and get growing.
Find a location where the soil drains well. If there are still water puddles 5-6 hours after a hard rain, scout out another site. Or amend the soil with the addition of organic material to raise the level 2-3 inches to improve the drainage. Peat moss, compost, ground bark or decomposed manure all work well and are widely available. Site your anemones where they will receive sun for all, or most, of the day. Dig holes and plant the anemones. Don’t worry about which side of the bulb needs to face up. After planting, water anemones well, thoroughly soaking the area. Roots will form in the autumn, followed shortly by the foliage. Flowers will develop in the spring.