Anemones are a true garden workhorse, creating many blooms per corm, while being perfect for containers, borders, and cut gardens.
How to plant Anemones
When ready to plant, soak corms in room temperature water for 3-4 hours before planting to soften the outer shell. DO NOT OVERSOAK. Plant early in the fall 2-3" deep and 2-4" apart in a sheltered full sun location. They are fantastic when planted en mass and do great in naturalized areas.
Pre-sprouting anemones will allow your corms to bloom a few weeks earlier than normal. Fill a flat-bottomed seed tray half-way with moist potting soil, then place soaked corms in the tray and cover with more soil. Move the tray into an area that has consistent temperatures of 40 to 50°F for two weeks. Check the corms every three to four days to ensure the soil is moist, and remove any corms that show signs of rotting or molding. Plant in place after rootlets appear!
Caring for Anemones
Keep soil moist but not soggy. During cold stretches, when temperatures dip below freezing, cover the plants with a layer of frost cloth.
Leave the foliage in place once blooming has ended for the season. The leaves will continue to gather sunlight and strengthen the bulbs throughout the heat of summer.
When to plant Anemones
Zones 2-7 should plant them in the late winter/early spring, while zones 8 through 12 should plant anemone bulbs in autumn. If you're not ready to plant as soon as your bulbs arrive, store them for up to eight months out of direct sunlight and at room temperature. Do not let your corms freeze as the thaw may cause them to rot.
Storing Anemones
In hardiness zones 7 and warmer, anemone corms can be left in the ground to perennialize. They may return the following year.
In zones 2-7, anemone corms should be dug up after the heat of summer has turned the leaves yellow. Remove the foliage, dig up the corms, and let them dry for 2-3 days. Once completely dry, store the corms in mesh bags in a dark, dry, room temperature location over the winter. Start the growing process again in the late winter/early spring.
