Gladioli are considered moody flowers, the cultivation of which is troublesome.
But if you know all the intricacies of planting gladioli in the open ground, then it is quite possible to do this.
Preparation of gladioli for planting in the ground
First of all, it is necessary to select corms for planting. It is better not to use old large bulbs and discard them. Select young onion babies that can be grown for 4 years. Of course, you should not expect full bloom in the first year.
When buying bulbs, pay attention to the plant variety, since gladioli are thermophilic, and only a few varieties can be grown in cold climates. It is better not to plant Dutch plants in the garden, they bloom only in the first year and do not adapt well to the local climate.
How to choose the right place for planting gladioli in the open ground
The flower loves dry and well-lit places. Avoid lowlands and high groundwater areas. The mistake of inexperienced gardeners is to plant gladioli in the shade. Plants are poorly developed, flowering is late or absent. Bulbs can be planted in partial shade if these are early varieties and during flowering they will miss sunlight.
The best predecessors for gladiolus are marigolds, dahlias, tomatoes or legumes. But after potatoes, carrots and other vegetables, you should not plant flowers. In addition, keep in mind that gladiolus can not tolerate manure, so it is not recommended to grow it on previously fertilized beds.
In one place, gladioli can be grown for 2-3 years, after which the location of the flower beds is changed.
The choice of soil on the site must be approached responsibly, since the flowers do not grow well in acidic soil. Gladioli prefer light loam or sandy loam soil. Be sure to make sand for digging to make heavy soil lighter.
Dig the area allocated for gladiolus in the autumn, add mineral fertilizers and smooth it well. Loosen the soil in early spring and begin planting. Loosen the bed before planting to a depth of 10-15 cm.
How to prepare gladiolus bulbs for planting in open ground
Bulbs are taken from the store and sorted. Affected by fungi or pests, planting stock is discarded and disinfected separately from healthy ones. All affected areas are cut off, and the bulb itself is treated with brilliant green.
It is necessary to peel the remaining bulbs, but very carefully so as not to touch the sprouts. The prepared material is placed in boxes in one layer, sprinkled with damp sawdust and put in a warm place so that the buds start growing. The procedure is carried out a month before the planting of gladioli in the open ground. Immediately before planting, corms are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate and slightly dried.
Bulbs are planted immediately in a permanent place in the garden, so as not to injure the root system with transplants. If the weather is cold and disembarkation is not yet possible, then the containers with bulbs are removed on an unheated veranda or on the lower shelf of the refrigerator. This will help to slow down the growth of early varieties of gladioli. In this case, experienced gardeners practice planting tubers in peat pots, so that later they can be planted on a flower bed without injuring the root system of plants.
Planting gladioli in the open ground in spring
The quality of the flower depends on the correct planting of the bulb. If you do not observe some points, then the flowering will be bad.
• The depth at which the bulb is embedded depends on its size and soil composition. In light sandy soils, planting material is buried at 4 heights, and in heavy soil by three. Too deep landing in heavy soil makes it difficult to exit the flower arrow, flowering may not be.
• The distance between the bulbs should be sufficient so that they develop well. Large bulbs are planted at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other.
• The landing trench is well drained with sand or sphagnum. This will not only retain moisture in the soil, but also prevent plants from fungal diseases.
In addition, when planting flowers, keep in mind that the bulbs do not fall asleep completely, but as the sprouts stretch.
Photo-scheme of planting gladioli
Gladioli are planted in the ground from mid-April to the end of May, when the soil warms up to 10 C.
Follow the advice on planting gladioli, and you don’t need to tie up flower arrows. Strong and healthy plants are independently able to hold flower stalks.
How to care for gladioli after planting in the ground
Plant care is important throughout the growing period. It depends on how the peduncle will develop.
How to organize watering
High soil moisture in the first days after planting is very important for the formation of a good and high peduncle, so the plant is watered every other day. In the future, the frequency of watering is reduced, but if weather permits. In a dry summer, gladioli are recommended to be watered every evening, and in the morning, it is imperative to loosen the soil.
You need to water the bed correctly. The soil should be moistened to a depth of 20 cm. As a rule, per 1 square. m. beds goes up to 10 liters of water. However, pouring it directly onto the bulbs is not possible. Watering the row-spacing will be correct so that moisture goes deep into the soil. If you water the corms, they can rot.
Fertilizing gladioli for full bloom
Gladioli are fed with mineral and organic fertilizers. Immediately after the sprouts have reached 10 cm in height, the bed is mulched with humus. This is additional nutrition and protection of the roots from overheating.
When the first leaves came out, the plants were fed with nitrogen-containing preparations to build green mass. Urea or ammonium sulfate is used.
The second top dressing is carried out when the gladiolus has let out 6 leaf. During this period, it is better to introduce phosphorus-potash fertilizers. The same fertilizers are used when laying buds on a peduncle. This is the final third feeding.
Organics are added in liquid form, combining with watering. Only bird droppings diluted 1:10 are used. Top dressing is done 1 time 14 days during the season. In the second half of August, all dressings are stopped so that the bulbs can prepare for the winter.
In addition to radical top dressing, gladioli respond well to top dressing. This protects the plant from pests and diseases. For this purpose, a solution of potassium permanganate, copper sulfate or boric acid is used.
How to dig out gladioli
Gladioli in our latitudes do not winter in the ground, so they dig the bulbs for storage. To do this, cut the shoots at the level of 5 cm, remove leaves and peduncles. Bulbs are harvested from mid-September until frost. First of all, the early plant varieties and the largest bulbs are harvested.
Corms are sorted out, roots are removed and washed well under water, after which they are etched in a fungicide solution. Bulbs must be dried in the sun, spreading them in one layer. As a rule, after 14-25 days they are laid in storage.
