Gladioli

Q. I have gladioli corms. What should I do?

A. It is best to wait to into April to plant them and make sure you get them at least 4-5" deep so that the roots and underground stem will be able to support that tall spike or two of flowers. Boy I do love them. When I was 12-15 they were my #1 flower growing and viewing but never cutting as I had to keep them there to record all my data!

Glad corms will grow to about 2 1/2 to 3" in diameter the first year. The old corm will be dried at the bottom of the new one. In the spring it is best to snap off the last year's corm and discard. Any offshoots can be broken off too and they may get large enough during the summer to bloom on their own or at least next year.

Glads are heavy drinkers and feeders so provide for them well especially during those hot dry spells of the heat of summer. Not far away now! A little compost or dried leaves laid on top of the beds after the first shoots appear will insulate them throughout the season.

Q. What month can I pull glad bulbs to divide and replant?

A. It is too early to dig up glads in July. You need to wait until they have all bloomed and the foliage has continued to produce food for the underground corms. Do not cut off the foliage except the blades which are yellowed or brown. Continue to water very well throughout the heat of the summer.

Feed them once every two weeks with a 30-10-10 general fertilizer as Rapid Grow or Peters one tablespoon per gallon water. Make certain to drench deeply to get down into the root systems.

Cut off the entire flower stems after the last flower dies. Discard. In the fall the leaves will turn brown and wither. Then before the soil turns too cold dig them up carefully far enough away from the stem so as not to slice into their corms cut the foliage off at 3" knock off the soil after it has died and leave the roots attached.

Place them in a single layer in flats and store in a cool dry dark spot with very good air circulation but where they will not be disturbed. They will now enter dormancy. In a couple weeks you will be able to break off the dead roots.

In the spring right after the last frost date take them out clean well removing all soil and roots and the old stem.