Comments on: Gladiolus

By: Oumar

Oumar — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:57:30 +0000

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.

By: wassim

wassim — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:56:52 +0000

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.

By: Patti Annie

Patti Annie — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 05:58:37 +0000

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

By: sue johnson

sue johnson — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:28:18 +0000

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.

By: Maureen

Maureen — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:17:13 +0000

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.

By: Ken

Ken — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:59:12 +0000

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.

By: Carol Ann

Carol Ann — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:13:53 +0000

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.

By: Yari

Yari — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:58:25 +0000

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.

By: Ginny Kane

Ginny Kane — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:45:14 +0000

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.

By: Ginny Kane

Ginny Kane — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:38:56 +0000

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.