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46 comments to Gladiolus

• LeeAnn

  November 1st, 2006 at 7:08 am · Reply

  Do you cut gladiola stock before winter or in the spring?

  Cut the stock after they turn brown or after a freeze. If you live in the Northern states, you need to dig up the corms and store them for the winter or the cold will kill them. If you live in a climate where glads will winter over in the ground, then you can let the leaves die back after which the dried leaves can easily be removed.

• Stephanie

  January 21st, 2007 at 9:33 am · Reply

  Do I need to cut back my gladioli for winter, or dig them up? I live in upstate NY, where winter temps can hover in the 20’s.
  Stephanie

  Most gladioli are hardy in zone 7-8 except for the hardy glad (G. nanus)which tolerates zone 5. You are probably in zone 6 and eventhough temperatures hover in the 20’s there is always the possibility of a hard freeze which would kill the corms. I would recommend that you did them up. blockquote>

• Mark McEvoy

  April 11th, 2007 at 4:13 pm · Reply

  April 11 in NY – I checked the bulbs I had dug up and put away for winter. Guess I did not dry them out sufficiently, and now they have about 1 foot long white leaf? growth. What can I do? Any chance to save this batch?

  Gladiolus corms need to develop a root system in order to support the leaf growth. At this time you should plant them in a pot of well drained potting soil until its warm enough to plant outdoors. This will give it time to develop some roots. You may or may not get flowers but its worth a try.

• Kendra Nowlin

  May 16th, 2007 at 10:21 am · Reply

  No blooms
  I planted gladiola bulbs last year and the green stalks came up with no problem. However, there were never any blooms. Again this year, they all have green stalks, but no blooms! Help!

  A few possibilities come to mind. 1. Quality of the corm – the larger the better bloom. The corm needs to be at least 3/4″ dia. or larger to bloom. 2. They need full sun and well drained soil. 3. If glads get too much Nitrogen fertilizer then they produce leaves and no flowers. If your flower bed is next to a lawn, it can inadvertently get too much N from lawn fertilizer.

• Mary Peters

  August 8th, 2007 at 1:59 pm · Reply

  Cut flower care
  Anything I can add to the water to make the blossoms last longer after cutting and making a bouquet. I hear peroxide, also something sweet like 7-up or such. Thank you.

  You can add floral preservatives such as Crysal, Floralife or make your own with sugar, bleach, lemon juice and water. Go to cut flower care for more recipes. Re-cut the stem every 3 days when changing the water and add fresh preservative. Remove lower flowers when they are finished blooming for continued blooming. Also, a trick florist use is to pinch off the top few buds from the gladiolus spikes to reduce stem bending and promote bud opening of the remaining florets.

• david christopher

  August 11th, 2007 at 3:54 am · Reply

  Gladiolus Thrips

  hi. i have grown glads for many years. this year my glads look dry and they are all wilting when it is time for them to open. we had a dry spring/early summer, but i watered them often. about 200 corms, some new this year, and all are the same way. any ideas? thanks

  It may be one of two problems. Either not enough water when the flowers spikes are forming. Glads require 1 inch of water per week and soil should be soaked 6-8 inches at watering. The other possibility is thrips. Gladiolus thrips is a major problems that attacks the foliage and flowers. Flower buds abort,distort or shrivel up.

  I LIVE IN CENTERAL MN. I’M HAVING A DEVIL OF A TIME WITH THRIPS THIS YEAR. WOULD YOU SUGGEST DISPOSING OF ALL THE BULBS AND STARTING OVER NEXT YEAR? I USUALLY DIG THEM UP, DRY, AND THEN DUST THEM AND STORE IN A MESH BAG. WILL THE THRIP SURVIVE IN THE BULB UNTIL NEXT YEAR? THANKS FOR THE ADVICE David Mumm

  When you harvest the gladilous corms, cut off the tops and burn them as they harbor most of the insect. Dust the corms with pyrethrum before storing them for the winter. Thrips can winter over inside the corms. Infested corms become sticky with a rough texture and usually darker than healthy corms. Store the corms at 35-40F. in an unheated garage. The near freezing temperatures should kill the thrips. Rodale suggests before planting soak the corms for 3 hrs. in a lysol solution consisting of 1 1/4 tblsp of lysol to 1 gal. of water. Check for thrips with yellow sticky traps early in the season so that you can spray the plants before they burrow in too deep.

• Gary

  May 27th, 2008 at 12:49 pm · Reply

  Insect problem
  My gladiolus are about a foot high now and I am noticing holes in the some of the leaves. Some leaves have fallen over because of this. I can’t see any kind of bugs. What might be causing this?

  Hi Gary
  It’s possible that some type of larvae is attacking your gladiolus. If your glads were planted in previously sodded areas, white grubs(Japanese beetle) can be a problem. Also the corn earworm (Heliothis zea) and European corn borer can feed on glads. The borer feeds on bud ends, flower parts and leaves causing distortion and browning. Once the infected tips die, the borer works its way down the stem. Some insects feed at night so its difficult to spot them. Look at the base of the stem, is there any browning or decay?
  Because they get so tall, glads need staking or will have a tendency to fall over.

• Carol

  July 5th, 2008 at 3:51 pm · Reply

  I want to dig up all the gladiolus bulbs I planted this year over 40 and put them in another place where it won’t matter when the plant doesn’t look so good. Do I wait for the green stalks to die out? The flowers are done. They could’ve stayed in the ground until next year if I’d chosen a better spot. Do I plant them now in their new spot or wait until next spring? I live in Southern California.

  Hi Carol
  You need to wait till the green leaves die out or you may not get too many flowers next year.The green leaves are using all their energy to produce new corms for the next season. Once they die back then you can move them to your new spot.

• Lynn

  July 17th, 2008 at 7:17 am · Reply

  Short bloom time
  My Gladiolus have blooms but they only last a five days and die . Do they suppose to do that or do they suppose to continue to bloom the whole summer. How can I get to bloom continue to bloom.

  Hi Lynn
  Generally, gladiolus flowers bloom from the bottom up for 7-10 days depending on growing conditions. Hot, sunny, dry weather can shorten the lifespan of each spike. The only way to have continued bloom is to plant more corms at 2 week intervals.

• Maureen

  July 30th, 2008 at 8:23 pm · Reply

  I live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. I have no experience planting bulbs, but I ordered some before spring hoping to make it a learning experience with my kids. Unfortunately, they arrived late and I wasn’t able to plant at that time. I have Gladiolus Mix, Freesias Mix, and Windflower Mix (Anemone De Cean). Can they still be planted now or is there something I can do to preserve them for planting next spring?

  Hi Maureen
  It is too late to plant outdoors to get any blooming results this year. You can store the bulbs in a cool dark place, like a basement and hope they have enough energy left to grow next year. For a head start, anemone and freesia can be planted indoors in late winter and then planted outdoors in spring after danger of frost has passed. You can also plant the freesia, mini glads and Anemone in pots and try to force them indoors for the winter bloom.

• James

  July 30th, 2008 at 9:24 pm · Reply

  Leaning Glads
  My Glads are doing fine and flowering nicely
  but want to lean and tip over, can you tell
  me why.

  Hi James
  Glads are naturally a tall flower and unless supported with stakes or planted in tight rows to support each other, will have a tendency to lean or tip over. That is why some will plant them along a fence or in the back of the flowerbed. They will also lean toward the sun.

• Vuyiswa Maposa

  August 17th, 2008 at 6:30 am · Reply

  i JUST WANT TO KNOW WHICH CHEMICALS CAN I USE FOR FLOWER FORCING AND INDUCING AND I ALSO WANT TO KNOW WHAT CAN I USE TO REGULATE GROWTH

  Try this site http://www.alanwood.net/pesticides/class_plant_growth_regulators.html http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PI139

• Michele Hayden

  November 12th, 2008 at 12:27 pm · Reply

  Biological control
  I love the way glads fill in ‘holes’ throughout my garden and plant many late spring thru early summer. Is there some way of orienting the bulb so that the flowers blown on a particular side of the stalk? Invariably, I’ll have several that bloom facing a wall or my neighbor’s fence (lucky for him I guess) Also, this year I had a thrip investation for the first time. I plan on following your tips for preventing over-wintering of the nasty little things. I’ve heard that lacewings and/or planting alyssum are effective bio-controls. What is your opinion? Thanks!!

  HI Michelle
  Usually, the gladiolus flower will face toward the sun. Reflection of the sun and heat may orient them toward the wall.
  Green lacewings, adults and larvae and ladybugs are effective insect predators of thrips. as well as damsel bugs, ground beetles, syrphid flies. I have not heard of alyssum used as a repelant, perhaps thrips do not like their fragrance and stay away.

• Patricia Elbrecht

  January 8th, 2009 at 1:40 pm · Reply

  Plant to bloom time
  I live in southern Missouri. I want to plant Glads inside in pots so they will be in bloom by June 20. When do I need to plant the pots?

  Hi Patricia
  Plant your glads 3 months or 90 days before expected bloom around March 20. They will grow better when planted in the ground.

• Kris

  March 1st, 2009 at 2:14 am · Reply

  Bloom time from planting
  Glads from retail; store, number of day’s planting to flower

  Blooming period can vary from 60-120 days from planting depending on the variety and cultivar. In cooler climates plant in early May when soil is workable thru mid-June 6-8 inch apart and 6-8 inches deep in rows or groups.Plant earlier in warmer climates.

• Kris

  March 1st, 2009 at 2:15 am · Reply

  Planting gladiolus
  Hi, Just today i bought gladiola bulbs in a mesh bag. They look like small onions.They are in a mesh bag. We live in chicago. Could you tell me when should i plant these bulbs outside ? Can i just take these and plant them as directions on the bag say ? Do i need to do something else before or planting them into the ground. Please help, this is the first time i am working with bulbs. Thanks alot.

  Follow package directions. Plant in early May thru mid-June or you can plant every 14 days to get successive bloom thru the summer. They like full sun but will tolerate some shade. Plant gladiolus in well drained, composted soil with a ph 6.5-7.0. They can also be grown in a wide range of soils. Plant them 6-8 inches deep in the back of your flower bed or along a fence. To keep them from falling over and add a support or stake them if they get too tall in the summer

  .

• john wilson

  March 11th, 2009 at 1:42 pm · Reply

  Hardy glads?
  We planted glads about 4 years ago and have left them in the ground and they continue to flower each year.We live in central Ontario were the temp can drop close to -40. Have we just been lucky or do we have temp resistant variety?

  Hi John
  You may have a very hardy gladiolus that can with stand freezing temperatures. Gladiolus nana is known for its hardiness. Other factors such as micro-climate and mulching can also help the glad corms endure colder than expected temperatures

• Paula Peters

  April 2nd, 2009 at 9:24 am · Reply

  I live in southwestern Ohio and I want to plant a large whiskey barrel ( well dried out of whiskey ) of gladiolus, is this possible?

  Yes, you can plant gladiolus in a container. They should grow well well, just be sure to give them some type of support when they get tall.

• Jessica

  April 2nd, 2009 at 1:51 pm · Reply

  Planting gladiolus
  I just purchased a large bag of Gladioli bulbs and have been told to plant them in 2 week intervals so that I will have blooms all summer long. Has anyone ever done this? I have a bed in the front of my house that I was going to dedicate only to these plants. Does anyone know how far apart they should be planted? I have 100 bulbs total.

  Plant the medium size corms 3-4 inches deep with the pointed tip up.
  The general rule of thumb is twice as deep as the corm is tall. Space them 5-6 inches apart and allow 20-36 inches between rows in order to have easy access to cut the flowers.

• Lisa

  May 3rd, 2009 at 3:37 pm · Reply

  I purchased gladioli bulbs last winter and kept them in my basement. When I took them out, they looked very dried out, possibly dead. A friend told me to soak them in water for a day or two – is there any want to tell if the bulb is dead?

  Cut one corm in half. If the corm is discolored, brown and shriveled then its dead. They should be firm, a creamy color inside with no marks or blemishes.

• jennifer

  July 1st, 2009 at 1:04 pm · Reply

  after my gladiolus blooms die, should i pull off the dead blooms or cut the stalk?

  Hi Jennifer
  You can remove the dead blooms starting from the bottom of the stalk and continuing upward as they die. Once all the blooms are spent, cut off the stalk when it turns yellow/brown and let the foliage continue to grow so that they can replenish the bulbs.

• Ginny Kane

  August 15th, 2009 at 9:38 am · Reply

  Grow Glads from seed
  Can glads be grown from seed? If so how?

  HI Ginny
  Glads are easier and faster to grow from cormels (tiny corms that form at the base of the corm). Mature seeds should be collected in late summer and freshly sown for best germination. If not store seeds in paper bags at 41F in the frig. over winter and then sow in early spring. Sprinkle seeds on well drained soil mix and cover with a fine layer of soil mix. Keep at temperatures of 68-75F (20-24C). Germination should take place in 3-6 weeks. Glads started from seeds may not be true to the original plant.

• Ginny Kane

  August 15th, 2009 at 9:45 am · Reply

  Any suggestions to make the dying leaves less unattractive in my garden? It is August in zone 6 here, and all the yard high leaves are laying on the ground and are brown at the bottom. I had beautiful flowers a few weeks back. Thank you.

  Hi Ginny
  You can remove the brown leaves but the green ones are making corms and cormels and should be allowed to “dieback”. Gladiolus are usually relegated to the back of the garden/flower bed. Plant some sun loving plants such as phlox, dahlias, cannas in front of them to “hide” the dying foliage.

• Yari

  September 1st, 2009 at 9:58 am · Reply

  Glad seeds
  Hello…I planted my gladiolus, they grew, and now they are not blooming, i have noticed that where the flowers were at it is growing something, but not sure what. I’m not certain if I have to cut it..and if I do, where do i have to cut it…how far from the ground should I cut the stem?…Thank you I appreciate your help!

  Hi Yari
  You may have some seeds where the flowers were. You should not cut the gladilolus foliage back. Let it die back (turn brown) and if you live in a colder climate dig up the corms. Dry them and store in a cool, dark place for the winter.

  GLAD SEED CAPSULES
  August 4th, 2009 at 6:15 pm · Reply · Edit
  Hello…quick question. Can you tell me what the “buds” appear to be that are growing out of where all the gladiola’s flowers were? Much appreciated… Thanks from Staten Island, NY sKYE

  Hi Skye
  The “buds” are seed capsules.

  • Josie

    July 7th, 2010 at 3:31 pm · Reply

    Seed capsules
    Hello – will flowers bloom again from these seed capsules? I just planted my first batch of gladiolus this past Spring and they’ve all bloomed beautifully. Now that the flowers have died, these buds or seed capsules have appeared. Does this mean they will bloom again soon? Does each gladioli bulb bloom just once per year? I live in Southern California – zone 9. Thanks.

    Hi Josie
    Gladioli bloom once per season, then will die back and come back next year. If you want, allow the seed capsules ripen and then plant them in the ground. Germination should take place in 3-6 weeks. Glads started from seeds may not be true to the original plant and can take up to 3 years to bloom.

• Carol Ann

  September 14th, 2009 at 8:13 pm · Reply

  Hardy zone for glads
  I live in Arkansas and planted glads for the first time this year and they did ok, although not alot of flowers. I love them but have decided I want to move them to a different location. I can dig up and move now (Sept) or do I have to dig up and store the bulbs? What’s the worst thing you can do to bulbs when you are storing them?

  Hi Carol Ann
  Gladiolus are hardy in zone 7-8 and Ark. is in zone 7 so they can be replanted to a different location in the fall after the foliage starts to turn yellow. You don’t have to store them. The worst thing you can do to gladiolus corms is to freeze them, expose them to ethylene gas or dry out.

• Ken

  November 19th, 2009 at 11:59 am · Reply

  Planting cormels
  Can the new cormels be planted inside to help them grow? would they be plantable the next year?

  Hi Ken
  The best way to handle the cormels is to detach them from the corm, clean, dry and store them over the winter then plant them in spring. Plant the cormels in a separate nursery bed or container 1 1/2-2″ deep so that they get a chance to develop the first year. Cormels should be at least 1/2 ” in diameter. They should bloom in 2-3 years.

• Maureen

  December 6th, 2009 at 5:17 pm · Reply

  Hi,

  I think I may have killed off all my corms! To begin with, I dug them up very late (yesterday). I’m in Michigan, so the ground was already very hard at least an inch down when I was digging them out. They all looked really good, and I was excited to see how so many of them had two and three new-growth corms on them. After preparing the cormels, I got distracted and left all my corms (80+) outside!! The temperature dropped below 30 degrees last night. When I realized I had left them out, I was so sad, but decided to try and save them anyway. I rinsed them all, and they are now in my basement on cooling racks (the ones used for baking).

  I did see the response about cutting one open and checking the inside, and I will do that with a few of them, but I’m wondering if I should even bother trying to store them at this point. They were so beautiful this summer and I’m so mad at myself for having left them outside last night!
  Thanks for your advice.

  Hi Maureen
  Sorry to hear about the corms. I’m sure you’re not alone in forgetting to bring things indoors before they get frozen. Let the corms dry well before you store them, otherwise they can rot. I would store them and check in the spring to see how well they survived. Frost damage may not show up right away, so wait a few weeks to cut one open.

• sue johnson

  December 7th, 2009 at 11:28 am · Reply

  Separating new and old corms
  We have had a VERY wet fall here in Vermont. I dug up my glads about 1 month ago and left them in a warmish basement with the dead foliage still attached spread out to dry. They were quite muddy when I dug them up. The mud is dry and has fallen off. Today I was breaking off the stems and the old corms. My question is, can I break off the old corm too early? The bulbs are very firm, and when I break off the old corm, it looks like a hard moist cream colored bulb where the old corm was still attached. Is that OK? I did it with a few last week and the bulbs still seem firm. I then plan to put them in a root cellar we have that kept them very well last winter. (I did this with glads that I have about 50 of the same color and am waiting on the other color ones till I hear from you. I hope I have not messed them up!
  Thanks
  Sue

  Hi Sue
  No you didn’t mess up. The new corms form above the old corms. New corms should be a good size and well formed (rounded not flat). Usually, by this time the old corms are shrivelled and almost gone. If not they will be. Sometimes you’ll even get cormels, that form around the top of the old corms. Cormels can also be saved and planted next spring.

• Patti Annie

  January 2nd, 2010 at 10:58 pm · Reply

  Bloom time for gladilolus
  Need some advise please !!! I live on the central coast of CA. Very mild climate. I want to know when would be the best time for me to begin planting my Glads, so they are
  blooming by Memorial weekend so my 94 yr old Grandmother has plenty to take to the cemetery. Thanks Patti

  Hi Patti
  The bloom period can vary from 60-120 days from the time you plant them in the ground. It depends on the cultivar. Early bloom 70-75 days and very late bloom over in 100 days. You can stagger your plantings to every two weeks to get successive blooms through spring/summer. http://sjmastergardeners.ucdavis.edu/Master_Gardener_Articles/Growing_Gorgeous_Gladiolus_in_the_Central_Valley_.htm

• wassim

  January 18th, 2010 at 7:56 am · Reply

  Winter glad care in warm climates
  Hi,
  I purchased, last July, 10000 gladiolus corms from Holland and planted them in Beirut – Lebanon; I harvested around only 4000 flowered stems after 3 months, all the remaining were only green leaves. Here the temperature never falls below 0 Celsius in winter. For this reason I think the green leaves won’t die, so what I am supposed to do if I want to prepare for a good flowering season?
  P.s. the corms were not small but 10/12 and 14/16.
  Thanks
  Wassim

  Hi Wassim
  In warm climates, gladiolus corms are left in the ground for the winter. At the end of the growing season, if the leaves haven’t died back naturally, cut them down to 4 inches. This will replenish nutrients back into the corms and produce more corms. Mulch around the plants during the winter to protect them from the cold.

• Oumar

  March 8th, 2010 at 8:57 pm · Reply

  I just planted my glads in how long will I see sprouts

  Hi Oumar
  It can take a month or less. It all depends on how warm the soil is and if they are getting enough moisture.

• Robin G.

  March 14th, 2010 at 5:10 pm · Reply

  Color change in glads
  Very perplexed…. Years of successful glads have now changed from an array of beautiful colors to mostly yellow. What has happened to the wonderful rainbow of color that we have enjoyed for so many years (20)Have they seen there peak or is it something else ? ? ?

  Hi Robin
  Color change can happen as the corms get older and the genetic structure gets weaker then the dominant gene takes over. Yellow may have been the hardier corms and continued to produces more corms, whereas the other colors kept dwindling until there were none. Color change can also occur in less light, change in soil ph and temperature but not in this case.

• Oumar

  March 22nd, 2010 at 10:18 am · Reply

  Planting to bloom
  My glads have sprouted now in about how long will I see blooms

  Hi Oumar
  Glads take 3 months or 90 days from planting to bloom.

• oumar

  March 26th, 2010 at 6:14 pm · Reply

  i planted my glads about 4 1/2 inches deep. do you think it is too shallow since the corms form on top of old ones?also, they are about 7 inches tall and have one leaf, do more leaves come out of the thick sections?

  Hi Oumar
  Yes, as the plant will continue to more leaves will grow. You should be fine as far planting the old corms eventually shrinks when the new one is formed.

• Michelle

  March 28th, 2010 at 11:27 am · Reply

  Glad hardy zone
  I live in the Seattle area and am planting gladiolus for the first time. Can they winter over in the ground in this area or do I need to dig them up. If I plant some in containers, can I leave them in the soil, in the containers,placed in the garage for the winter or do they also need to be dug up? Thanks for the help.

  Hi Michelle
  Most gladioli are hardy in zone 7-8. Seattle is in zone 8+, therefore you can leave them in the ground over the winter.

• Colleen

  March 31st, 2010 at 2:51 pm · Reply

  Planting time
  I live in Columbus Ohio and just bought 80 bulbs. I read on the barrel at the store that
  these can take 10 weeks to sprout. If this is the case then if I plant them around April 1st they should start sprouting close to the second week of June. Is this true? I have never used this kind of flower before. I don’t want to plant too early but would like to see some blooms the end of june first of july.

  Hi Colleen
  Blooming period can vary from 60-120 days from planting depending on the variety and cultivar so you should get flowers at the end of June/early July. In cooler climates plant in early May (or after the last frost date in your area) 6-8 ” apart and 6-8″ deep in rows or groups. Stagger your plantings every two weeks, thru mid-June so that you’ll get continual bloom till the end of summer.

• Roger

  April 7th, 2010 at 7:57 am · Reply

  Hi, we live in Southern Ontario and planted Glads last year. They all grew well, perfect height and flower bud development, but as the flowers began to open they would only develope to about half open and then began to wilt or stop opening all together. Each plant reacted identically this way began to open and flower then stopped and wilted with none at all every opening properly. The soil conditions seemed to be in good order, and we had almost perfect rain conditions the entire summer. Could this be a result of the thrips infestion that I have seen spoken of?. Or could it be to other conditons we are unaware of?. The flowers as well all opened facing to the east of the garden and towards the back side of the plant rather than facing the front of the garden. The garden runs along a fence but the plants are a good three feet out from the fence could this be a result of heat and light reflection off of the fence by chance?. Any suggestions you may have in these regards we would be most grateful to hear. thanks.

• Lisa

  April 14th, 2010 at 10:43 am · Reply

  Grow glads in mulch
  I have some Gladiola bulbs and I wondered if I could plant them in straight mulch? I have a wonderful flowerbed that I have filled in with mulch and wanted to plant my bulbs in there. Will they grow?? Thanks!!!

  Hi Lisa
  I’m not sure. It depends on what kind of mulch you have. Gladiolus like any other plant needs nutrients from the soil in order to grow well. Fresh ground up wood chips do not contain all these nutrients. In fact, as mulch starts to decompose it uses up the nitrogen in the soil depleting the plant of nutrients.
  You can try planting the glads in a finer composted mulch that is closer to soil and make sure you fertilize during the growing season to supplement soil nutrients.

• Sara

  April 26th, 2010 at 10:24 am · Reply

  I planted my glad bulbs about 4 weeks ago. I have noticed you tell everyone it takes about 90 days before blooming, but I’m curious to know how long it takes for them to just pop up out of the ground. I live in southern Arkansas if that information will help any.

  Hi Sara
  It can take a month or less. It all depends on the soil temperature, if they are getting enough moisture and how deep they are planted. You should be seeing something popping out of the ground.

• Brianna

  May 21st, 2010 at 4:15 am · Reply

  Hi, I have a question. I’ve had a lot of glad bulbs that we’ve planted and dug up every year, and gotten beautiful blooms. It’s almost time now to plant them again, but unfortunately, we just found out that we’re moving to Alaska in August. Can our bulbs be kept in storage for more than just over one winter? We would be back not next summer, but the following. I just can’t bear to think of planting them all and then not digging them up this September. And we have so many of them. Also, we live in Zone 4, where it’s not really possible to leave them in the ground over winter.
  Thanks.

  Hi Brianna
  Storing the bulbs for such an extended period of time will produce corms of poor quality. They may shrink and dry up.

• Neetu

  June 20th, 2010 at 10:51 am · Reply

  Bloom time
  Hi! I am in chicago and planted gladiola bulbs in pots towards end of March / early April. While the plants have excellent green leaves, which came very quickly – till now, there are no signs of blooms or buds even. On the advice of the store, I put in a sprinkling of ‘Miracle Grow” fertilizer at the base of the bulbs. It does not look like they have thrips, and they are in good sun. Could it be the fertilizer or do they bloom late?

  Hi Neetu
  Gladiolus bloom anytime from 60-120 days after planting depending on varietiy and cultivar. They usually bloom in July in the Chicago area.

• Vathana

  July 2nd, 2010 at 11:56 pm · Reply

  Grow in Cambodia
  Hi there, I just bought some gladiolus bulbs from Italy to grow in my country, Cambodia (tropical country). Can gladiolus grow there?

  Hi Vathana
  I don’t know if they will grow in Cambodia. Gladiolus can be grown in subtropical climates year round. You may want to plant them in the cooler part of the year and see what happens. They might go dormant during the hottest part of the season and then return when temperatures cool. Let us know how they thrive.

• Brittany

  July 8th, 2010 at 8:09 pm · Reply

  Hi. I live in the Seattle area and planted 20 new Glad bulbs in groups of 10 each in two large containers. The green foliage looked good and then about 1/3 of all the leaves started turning brown. I know I’m giving them plenty of water and used good potting soil for them. Also, there is also no sign of any flowers at this point but my neighbors have big flowering stalks growing in theirs. Can you tell me what is going on?

  Hi Brittany
  Do the leaves first turn yellow then brown or just brown from the tips down?

• Betty alexander

  July 14th, 2010 at 3:42 pm · Reply

  If I get some glad bulbs on sale now and plant in July in zone 8 can I leave in ground over winter. How long does it take for a 6 to 8 CM bulb to bloom and how fast does a corm/bulb grow in zone 8? Thanks for any help here.

  Hi Betty
  Gladiolus are hardy in zone 7-8 so you can leave them in the ground. Depending on the variety, it takes 60-120 days from planting to bloom time. I don’t know how fast it will grow in your zone.

• lora

  July 26th, 2010 at 9:00 am · Reply

  i planted my gladioli, all i have is a bunch of stalks and no flowers, the stalks are over 12 inches, when will the flowers bloom

  Hi Lora
  I don’t know if they will bloom. Are they getting enough sun? How long have they been in the ground? It’s possible that they are still growing and will eventually bloom. In a rainy season the leaves will get much taller before they start to bloom. Give them a little more time, hopefully you will see a flower spike soon.

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