When to plant gladioli

The rose is considered to be the queen of all colors, while gladiolus can confidently be called a king. Today, many varieties and a great variety of colors are known, ranging from exquisite white to original and strict almost black color. In summer cottages, gladiolus will be a real decoration, if properly prepared, planted on time and take good care of the plant.

Content:

• Preparing for landing
• Choosing a landing site
• Germination of corms
• Landing time on flower beds
• Useful Tips

Preparing for landing

It is necessary to prepare the future splendor of flowers from the previous fall, when the corms are dug out of the soil and sent to the cellar for storage... Gladioli are perennial plants, but given our harsh winters, they have to be grown according to the annual scheme. Proper storage of planting material is the main condition that must be successfully fulfilled.

Three weeks before planting, the corms of gladioli should be carefully reviewed, sorted out and sorted. Be sure to cleanse the bulbs from scales, making it easier for them to germinate, diagnosing diseases along the way.

Experienced gardeners recommend too large, which means older tubers, over 8 cm in diameter, cut into two along the line between the shoots. This procedure rejuvenates the planting material, because tubers older than three years of age are degenerating.

If you buy planting material, then pay attention to the radius of the bottom - the smaller it is, the younger the bulb. There are so-called babies that grow around the mother's tuber during the previous season. They must be carefully separated, also peeling them off, taking care not to damage the root tubercle. To facilitate the procedure, children are soaked for a day in a 1% soda solution.

Choosing a landing site

If you decide to plant gladioli in your garden for the first time, then you should not assume that the beautiful flowering of these amazing plants can be obtained without any effort. Gladioli are not a simple culture, requiring attention and care, and rather laborious.

The first thing to do is choose a suitable planting site, purchase planting material and find out when plant gladioli.

The choice of a place for planting should be made taking into account the fact that gladioli like nutritious loose soil, well-lit places, especially in the morning. Moreover, shading can lead to the fact that the beginning of flowering is delayed by one and a half to two weeks. Shaded on the south side, plants may not bloom at all.

The site for gladioli must be in a well-ventilated place, otherwise there is a risk of plant diseases. A poorly chosen place can lead to the fact that the plants will bloom poorly, they will not be able to give good corms.

Germination of corms

Before planting, the corms of gladioli should be germinated: about a month before the intended planting, they are cleaned of the remnants of old scales and laid out in a box, in one layer. It can be placed on a windowsill. A dry, light and warm place will give you the opportunity to get good sprouts without the formation of roots.

Only healthy bulbs can be germinated, small affected areas can be cut off, wounds must be disinfected with brilliant green. It is also advisable to treat the bulbs with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Vernalization can accelerate the onset of flowering by 10-14 days.

Landing time on flower beds

How do you know when to plant gladioli? The optimum soil temperature for planting gladioli is + 8-10 degrees at a depth of 20 cm. Usually, gladioli are planted in mid-April - early May. If a frost occurs in the first week after the planting of gladioli, then it will not bring much harm - during this period the plant takes root.

It is better to plant gladioli in the east-west direction. In a small layer of sand, slightly pressing in, we spread the tubers, dusting them with wood ash, again pour a layer of sand, water with a weak warm solution of potassium permanganate and only then put a layer of soil. This technique lightens heavy soil, creates favorable conditions for the growth of plants, and in the fall it is convenient and easy to extract them with the children.

Useful Tips

When sprouting tubers, you do not need to moisten them, so as not to provoke the active development of roots, otherwise they will break off when planting.

For pre-planting processing, you can prepare the following composition: for 10 liters of water, several crystals of potassium permanganate, a tablespoon of ammonium nitrate and tea - boric acid. Separately dilute a tablespoon of copper sulfate by combining the solution, pour the gladioli bulbs for half an hour and plant them immediately.

As a natural fertilizer, you can make an infusion of nettle: in a non-metallic container filled with chopped nettle, pour water for two-thirds of the volume, leave for a couple of weeks, use for watering.

It is necessary to plant gladioli tubers no deeper than 10 cm, and children up to 5 cm. Deep planting often provokes tuber disease, can cause weak flowering and even death, especially if there is high humidity in the soil.

One and the same place in a flowerbed for growing gladioli is used no more than 3-4 times, otherwise they may be hit by a wireworm. Flowers feel good after garlic, tomatoes, cucumbers and legumes.

By the way, the garlic extract perfectly protects gladioli from pests if the tubers are kept in it for a couple of hours. We wish you healthy and beautiful gladioli.