Gladiolus
Gladiolus
Gladiolus flowers grow on slender stems, with florets opening from the bottom up. The name comes from the plant's upright, fan-shaped leaves. Large 2-3" (5-7.5 cm) funnel-shaped flowers can be smooth or ruffled, in a rainbow of solid colors or multiple colors radiating from the throat to outer petals. These old-fashioned stunners are perfect for cottage and cutting gardens.
How to Grow Gladiolus
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Pests
Diseases
Beneficial Critters
Growing from Seed
Plant corms pointy side up. Plant smaller corms at 3" (8 cm) , larger corms at 4-6" (10-15cm). New plants can be grown from the tiny cormels but take several years to bloom.
Planting Considerations
Corms can be planted as close as 2" (5 cm) in a cutting garden. Gladiolas may need staking, especially in windy areas. In cutting gardens, use horizontal netting. Planting successions of the corms (planting a group of corms every 2-3 weeks) will give you flowers through the summer, as corms typically produce only one stem.
Feeding
Standard balanced fertilizer should be sufficent, if needed.
Harvesting
Cut stems when the bottom third of florets are blooming.
Storage
Corms can be dug up in fall (after leaves have died back), stored in peat moss or vermiculite, and overwintered in a cool, dark place.
