Janie is correct, claws definitely down for ranunculus. I wonder, have you watered regularly since planting? Has there been a lot of rain, that might rot the anemones. Has it been hot? Both of these really like temps in the 50s-70s. What kind of anemone? I planted 100 anemone blanda in late Nov. and they have done nothing. Some put on a few leaves but disappeared. I don't know what happened, but the muscari, tulips and daffs in that bed, along with the pansies are all doing well. The anemone coronara planted in mid to late Dec. are growing slowly but they are growing. c

The banana extensions go down. I am no expert on this, but I was told to soak the bulbs in water for a few hours (four or five hours, in my case) and then plant the bulbs. Once soaked the bananas became really plump and it was easier to plant. The dried bulbs tend to break off more easily (I think). I planted them in small pots about two and half weeks back and I see a little bit of parsley like growth. Hope this helps.

Yes, you can - it is all about manipulating (forcing) the tubers into early growth in January so they have made enough vegetative growth to flower before daylength is too long (they are short day plants). It is usual to plant in late summer, autumn (same with seed), allow for some sprouting and leafy growth before an enforced dormancy of a month or so. I have never tried growing these from a late planting but you might find that they can be planted in cool darkness and started into full growth in January - much as you might force hyacinths...although bulbs for forcing have generally had a pre-chilling treatment.

First, do you know for sure you have lead contaminated soil? Have you had a soil test done that measured heavy metals? Often, in areas that once supported heavy industry that did generate lead contamination, there is far more atmospheric and residual (surface) contamination than soils that are seriously compromised. And the lead problem can be made to go away. Biologically active compost is used extensively for bioremediation of all sorts of toxic and contaminated soils and it is cheap, relatively rapid and very effective. There is also no documentation that supports that lead in excessive levels is necessarily transported into the plant tissue and subsequently to you as the consumer of the plant parts. The greatest risk is exposure to you through working the contaminated soil and its dust or tracking it into your house, etc. So there is really no need for "bottoms" to your raised beds, although container growing is certainly an option. Sterile potting soil is just that - it has been pasturized or heat treated to eliminate pathogens and is used primarily for seed germination. The "organic" component is the ingredients in the mix, often peat, sometimes bark fines or other, non-soil organic components. The microbes typically present in any OM have been killed off by the heat as well - the pasturization process doesn't distinguish between the good guys and the bad guys :-)) But that doesn't necessarily mean your seedlings will starve for nutrients. Seeds are plant embryos that contain all the nutrients necessary for germination and the development of the first true set of leaves. It is not until these leaves emerge and the photosynthesis process begins that seedlings are even able to access soil nutrients. And pasturization or sterile potting media doesn't necessarily eliminate nutrients - these elements will remain in place in some quantity regardless. Once the seedlings have started producing true leaves you may, however, want to start supplementing with a dilute liquid fertilizer to ensure they are getting everything they need. And it is at this point in time you can consider potting them up into larger containers with a non-sterile potting medium, as the greatest risk of damping off or other fungal problems that affect seedlings has passed at this stage of growth.