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    118 views5 pages

    Growing Gladiolus

    Uploaded by

    Andreia Mihaila
    Diverse

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 5

    GROWING GLADIOLUS

    HOW TO PLANT, GROW, AND CARE FOR GLADIOLI

    Pixabay

    Gladiolus is a classic perennial known for its tall flower spikes. A great
    cutting flower, gladioli look beautiful in midsummer bouquets. Here’s how to
    grow gladioli in your garden.
    Available in a multitude of colors, gladioli grow between 2 to 5 feet in height.
    The taller varieties, which should be staked, are often placed in the back of a
    garden to nicely complement shorter plants.
    In Zone 7 and colder, gladioli corms need to be lifted in the fall and replanted
    the following spring.
    PLANTING

     Plant gladiolus corms in the spring once the danger of frost has passed and
    the soil has warmed. See your local frost dates here.
     Gladioli like well-drained soil and full sun.
     Ready your garden by using a garden fork or tiller to loosen the soil to about
    12 to 15 inches deep. After loosening the soil, mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of
    compost or aged manure.
     If your grow gladioli primarily for cut flowers, plant them in rows. It’s easier
    to tend the plants and to harvest the flowers.
     If planted with other flowers in borders or annual bes, plant the corms in
    groups of 7 or more for best effect.
     To ensure large-sized blooms, plant corms that are 1¼ inch or larger
    in diameter.
     Set the corm in the hole about 4 inches deep with the pointed end facing up.
    Cover with soil and press firmly.
     Space the corms 6 to 8 inches apart.
     Water the corms thoroughly.
     If you’re planting tall varieties, be sure to stake them at planting time. Be
    careful not to damage the corms with the stakes.
     It takes about 60 days from the time gladioli are planted for the corms to
    root, grow, bloom.

    CARE

     Put a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch around your gladioli to keep your soil moist
    and help prevent weeds.
     If you get less than 1 inch of rain a week, water your plants regularly
    throughout the summer. Otherwise, water them moderately when in growth
    to keep the soil moist.
     Remove the faded/dead flowers to ensure continuous blooms. Once all the
    flowers on a stalk are gone, cut the stalk off at about 2 to 3 inches above
    the soil.
     Be sure to leave the plant intact so it can mature and rejuvenate the corms for
    the next season.
     If you live in Zone 8, put down a layer of hay or straw for winter protection.
     Corms should be dug before the first fall frost if you live in Zone 7 or colder.
    PESTS/DISEASES

     Gladiolus corm rot (Fusarium wilt)


     Gray mold
     Viruses
     Aster yellows
     Spider mites
     Thrips
     Aphids

    HARVEST/STORAGE
    CUTTING GLADIOLUS FLOWERS FOR BOUQUETS

     Cut the flower stalks early in the morning or at night, not during the heat
    of day.
     Use a sharp knife and bring a bucket of lukewarm water to the flower bed.
     Cut stalks with only one or two open flowers. The rest of the buds will open
    after you put them in a vase.
     Cut diagonally through the stalks and place them in the bucket.
     Leave at least four leaves on the plant in the ground if you want to re-use
    the corms.
     Place the bucket with the flowers in a cool dark place for a few hours before
    arranging them in a vase.
     Remove lower fading flowers and cut about 1 inch off the bottom of each
    flower stalk every few days.

    STORING GLADIOLI CORMS


    In colder regions, dig up gladioli corms once the foliage has faded but before
    the first fall frost.

     Use a spade and dig up the entire plant, grasping the top to pull it out of the
    soil. Avoid bruising or injuring corms while digging. Shake off all loose soil
    and discard damaged corms. Cut the stalk within 1 inch above the corm. Save
    the small cormels separately if you so desire. These will bloom in 2 to 3 years
    if you replant them each spring.
     Allow the corms to dry in the sun for 1 or 2 days if the weather agrees. Sift out
    excess soil and place corms in wooden flats or trays. Cure in a warm and airy
    location for 2 weeks at a temperature of 80 to 85°F (27 to 29°C). Remove and
    throw away the oldest bottom corms (from the base of the new one).
     Don’t remove the husks on the corms.
     Dust the corms with a fungicide (“bulb dust”) to avoid disease problems.
    Place dust and bulbs in a paper bag and shake vigorously.
     Store the corms in paper or cloth bags, pantyhose, or old onion sacks. Stack
    or hang the containers so air can move among them. Store the corms at 35 to
    45°F (2 to 7°C) in low humidity. A cool basement is quite suitable. Do
    not allow corms to freeze.
     Replant these corms in the spring for another year of beautiful blooms.
     Learn more tips for storing gladiolus through the cold winter.

    RECOMMENDED VARIETIES

     ‘Candyman’, for its beautiful deep pink flowers


     ‘Dream’s End’, which makes a good back border plant because its flower
    spike is up to 3 feet tall (and it has pretty light orange flowers with large
    yellow centers)
     ‘Prins Claus’, which has white flowers with splashes of pink on its petals
     ‘Black Star’, which has deep purple-red blooms and reaches 36 to 60
    inches tall
     Glamini Glads are pest resistant and bloom in full sun or partial shade. Their
    shorter height is perfect for the middle or front of flower beds.

    WIT & WISDOM

     Gladiolus is one of the August birth flowers.


     Gladiolus is sometimes called a Sword Lily due to its sword-shaped leaves.
     In the language of flowers, gladiolus signifies remembrance. Learn more
    flower meanings!

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