Grow Spectacular Gladiola's

By Staff

Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 12:04

Decor your garden with fine natural art painting with the help of spectacular, showy Gladiola flowers. Splash the vibrant streaks of color, with bunches of tall stemmed gladioli in vivid reds, yellows, purples or delicate pastels, at the mid of your garden or on the borders of the garden as a natural fence. Follow these easy gladiola growing tips to own such a spectacular scenery.

Gladiola Growing Tips

Plant gladiolus corms when the soil is warm enough to plant sweet corn. The best season to plant them in your garden is spring season.

Make sure to plant only plump, clean corms. Check for the best sizes too as smaller corms may produce a smaller flower or just leaves and no flower at all. Toss any that don't look right or feel soft or crumbly.

Plant the corms on an area that receives maximum sunlight. Full sun is best, however, if you cannot get away from a partial shade, your gladiolas will still grow.

While planting the corms make sure it is three to five inches deep and four to six inches apart.

Cover the place with mulch lightly around glads, or between rows, to prevent growing of weeds.

The stems of the glads are very weak. They are prone to break in the wind. When blooming begins, hill the soil about six inches up around the stem to help support the heavy flower growth. You can even fasten it to a stake to keep them perky and tall.

Water once and let the spring rains do the rest. If dry conditions prevail water occasionally along with the rest of the garden.

You will start seeing fresh blooms within three months or a bit more after planting the corms. Make sure the glads aren't shaded by other plants or weeds. Mulch all varieties to maintain moisture and to conserve water.

Gladiolas are prey to pest insects and are susceptible to a number of diseases as well. To get rid of these problems, watch for aphids and thrips which suck sap from leaves, stems and flowers. If found, spray with insecticidal soap or other natural pest control. Glads are host to several virus diseases. Symptoms include spindly, stunted growth, yellow foliage and leaves marked with ring spots, and pale or dead areas.

If the plants are infected just pull them of the soil and destroy them as there is no cure once plants are infected.

After they gloom into fine piece of collection in the fall, lift corms and break or snip off the stalk as close to the corm as possible. Clean off the corms and rinse with water to remove all the soil. Dry corms for two weeks, then store in mesh or paper bags in a cool, dry place with good air circulation.

When you dig it up in the fall, the small bulblets around the base of the corm can be stored and replanted the following year. They will take 2-3 years to flower depending on soil fertility. Treat them well with the same gardening tips.

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Article Published On: Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 12:04 [IST]

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