Growing Gladiolus
The GLADIOLUS is an easy to grow flower that produces tall
spikes in a rainbow of colours and bicolours in a range of sizes
and forms. Large glads make an elegant statement in vases while
miniatures being generally smaller in stature are great for arranging.
Glads can provide colour in annual beds and borders. Plant them
in groups of seven or more corms of the same colour for best effect.
If you are primarily growing for cut flowers you may want to plant
them in rows as it will be easier to tend to plants and harvest
the flower stalks.
How to Grow Gladiolus
SELECTING AN AREA
Given a few simple requirements, glads are easy to grow. They do
well in a wide range of soil types, provided drainage is good, but
they grow best in soil with a pH of 6.7 to 7. Most garden soil that
will produce a good crop of vegetables or weeds will also grow good
glads with little or no added fertilizer. Glads prefer full sunlight
but will do reasonably well with a little high shade early morning
or late afternoon. Good air circulation is desirable, so stay away
from buildings or other obstructions, which might impede airflow.
AREA PREPARATION
Plow, rototill or spade your soil as you would for any other garden
plants, it is best to move your glad planting from one area to another
each year to help prevent disease carryover in the soil. If soil
test or other reliable indicators points to lack of nutrients, a
balanced commercial fertilizer such as 5-10-10 may be incorporated
into the soil immediately prior to planting, at a rate of 2-3 pounds
per 100 square feet. Avoid over fertilizing. Composted animal manure
or leaves should be worked into the soil in the fall.
PLANTING CORMS
Once you receive your corms, they should be unpacked and be allowed
to air in a cool location, such as your basement, until planting
time.
Your first planting should be when you would normally plant sweet
corn in your area. Corms planted in cold soils are apt to rot before
they begin to grow. Subsequent plantings at two-week intervals will
ensure bloom over a long period of time. Large corms bloom earlier
than smaller sizes and there are Early and Late blooming cultivars
as well.( Canadian prairies with shorter seasons are recommended
to grow Early to Midseason cultivars and larger size corms)
Plant corms three to five inches deep (about 4 times as deep as
their diameter) and from four to six inches apart. Insecticide spread
in the trench before covering will discourage underground insects.
Before glads bloom, hilling soil six inches up around the stalk
helps prevent the glads from tipping during storms. Remember that
glads need plenty of water but will not tolerate wet feet. If drainage
is a problem in your soil, rows should be raised to facilitate the
process.
CARE OF YOUR PLANTS
Weed by shallow cultivation and hand weeding. Avoid packing or heavy
caking of soil surface, which prevents soil aeration. If available,
a light mulch of straw, grass clippings etc., between rows will
discourage weeds and help conserve moisture.
Insect control is important in growing glads. Pests include thrip,
which is far the most damaging. Thrip are tiny insects, tan to black
in colour and less than 1/8" length, can be controlled by several
good combination sprays and dusts, including organic products that
are available at your Garden Center. If you chose organic products
more frequent applications will be needed.
DIGGING CORMS
If you live were the ground freezes you will need to dig your corms
each year or if you choose not to dig, purchase new corms and treat
them as an annual just as you would with impatiens and other annuals.
Glad corms should be lifted in fall before onset of ground freezing
weather. About 6-8 weeks after blooming, the corms may be harvested
by loosening the soil with a spade or digging fork so the plants
can be pulled by hand. The plant should be separated from the corm
as close to the corm as possible, either by hand breaking or with
pruning shears. You should remove the old tops from the garden to
prevent carry over disease. The corms should be cleaned or rinsed
off with running water and then spread out to dry in shallow layers
in trays or porous bags in an airy location that will not freeze
for a period of 2-3 weeks. During this time a cork layer forms between
the new corm and the old mother corm and roots. Break off and discard
this corm as soon as possible.
If you live where the ground does not freeze in the winter you may
choose not to dig your corms; however, disease and crowding may
reduce the amount and quality of your bloom. You should remove plant
tops 6-8 weeks after bloom from your garden to prevent the spread
of disease.
CORM STORAGE
After cleaning, corms should be lightly dusted with a combination
fungicide/insecticide dust, placed in shallow trays, mesh bags or
open paper bags to be stored for the winter. Do not us any covering
material. A well-ventilated root cellar is ideal but any room with
good air circulation in the average home basement will suffice,
if temperatures can be kept between 38-58 degrees Fahrenheit (3-14
degrees Celsius). The lower temperature is the best.
CUTTING GLADS FOR BOUQUETS
Bring a sharp knife or florist's shears to the garden. Cut the flower
spikes first thing in the morning or at night, not during the heat
of the day. Cut spikes with one to three flowers open, the rest
will open in order up the spike. Allow at least four leaves to remain
on the plant if you wish to re-use the corms. Cut diagonally through
the stalk and place it in a tall bucket with lukewarm water. Once
you've collected all the glads you want to cut, put the bucket in
a cool, dark place for a few hours so the blooms "harden off".
Arrange your flowers in a vase or as desired. You may use a flower
preservative in the water if you wish but it is not necessary. More
importantly, you should freshen the water and recut the stems every
few days. As lower flowers fade, pick them off. This will keep your
bouquet looking fresh. Once most of the blooms have faded you may
want to cut the spike down to size and arrange in a shorter vase.
EXIHIBITING GLADS
Glad shows are a delightful way to enjoy the many outstanding cultivars
on the market. The shows of Members Societies of the NAGC (North
American Gladiolus Society) are listed in the summer issue of Glad
World. You can go on the NAGC website for more glad information.
Other opportunities such as Fairs and Floral exhibitions exist where
you can view glads or display the results of your growing efforts.
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