Growing Gladiola Corms
By Brenda Hyde
Gladiolas are beautiful and easy to grow with just
a few tips on planting. I planted my first glads too
shallow, and they grew crooked. Pretty, but rather
odd looking to say the least! Gladiolas are a
South African flower, and there are hundreds of
varieties.
Most are only hardy in Zones 7 to 10,
and they have to lifted and stored in colder areas.
However, you'll always hear of gardeners that take
their chances and if they are planted against the
house and mulched they come back. There are
also the winter hardy varieties that are more slender
and the blooms are on individual stems rather than
like the standard gladiola. They are nice planted in
groupings. They are hardy and can take a winter
in Zone 4 with some protection of mulch. There is
a wide variety of choices in glads-from the delicate
pastels to the vibrant reds.
Gladiolas need full sun and a loose soil. If you have
a heavy soil add peat moss or a good compost to
break up the soil and loosen it. Plant the corms in
early spring (I just planted mine) about 5-6 inches
apart and 4-6 inches deep depending on the size
of the bulbs. Glads need fertilizer and they need
to be kept well watered during the growing season.
So, plant them with other plants that need this same
type of care. It makes it much easier to maintain.
You don't want them waterlogged because they
could rot. Water deeply when you do water, rather
than a daily sprinkling, and don't let the soil dry out
completely, but don't overwater. It takes a little
getting used to this balance I know.
Gladiolas won't bloom for 60-100 days after planting,
depending on the variety. I plant mine in the back of
a raised bed, and I stake them as they grow. I don't
grow many, but they are so beautiful, it's nice to
include them in the landscape. You can also stagger
your plantings so that you will have blooms up until
the first hard frost. At which point you will want to
dig up the non-hardy varieties in cold regions, cutting
off the tops and allowing them to set in a warm, dry
area for a couple of weeks. Clean off any debris and
store them in a location that ranges 40-50 degrees,
such as the basement. You can store them in open
boxes, baskets in peat moss or use nylon stockings
and hang the corms.
A note for those in hot climates, such as Zones 9-10,
where the summers are scorching, you may want to
plant your glads in January or February and allow
them to bloom in your mild season to avoid the hottest
times of year.
Cutting your gladiolas is a little different than most flowers.
You want to cut when at least 3 of the "florets" on the stem
have opened. They will continue to open in the vase. Cut
when it's cool, in the morning or evening. When cutting
you want to leave as much foliage as you can on the
plant. Like other corms and bulbs they receive nutrients
through the foliage. If you have the room it's really nice
to have a cutting garden where you can grow rows of
glads that have been staggered in their planting as I
mentioned, to cut and bring in the house throughout the
summer season. They are an elegant and beautiful
flower worth growing for border color and cutting.
For information on digging and storing your glad bulbs
click here. If you experience
freezing temperatures you will need to dig up the corms.
About the author:
Brenda Hyde is an avid gardener, freelance writer and
editor living in the Midwest with her husband and three
children.
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