How many days does it take for gladiolus to bloom after planting? How and when to plant gladioli in open ground in spring. Storing gladioli bulbs

No gardener will remain indifferent to the blooming of these beautiful flowers. A wide variety of varieties of this plant have been developed. They can be pale white or almost black. Gladioli will be a wonderful decoration for a flower garden. But in order for them to bloom, you will need to make an effort.

And the flowering time depends on a large number of factors:

climatic conditions;
characteristics of the variety;
landing time.

Bulb storage conditions

In order for plants to develop well and not get sick, a lot depends on their storage conditions. They are kept in a cool, dry place in the apartment, maybe in a box, or some store it in the cellar. The bulbs need to be prepared for planting about a month in advance. Remove from storage and examine for damage. If you notice something, you need to cut off the dried part with a sharp knife and treat it with brilliant green. All bulbs can be placed in a solution of potassium permanganate for a few minutes. Then dry it and place it on the windowsill for vernalization. This will speed up flowering.

Landing place

A sunny and ventilated place is suitable for gladioli, preferably on the eastern side, because they definitely need sun in the first half of the day. We prepare the soil in advance: it should be light and nutritious. It would be good if garlic, cucumbers, tomatoes and beans grew in this place before. Gladioli are planted to a depth of at least 10 cm, especially adult bulbs and about 5 cm for children.

In order to determine the age of the bulbs, you need to pay attention to their size, and most importantly to the diameter of the bottom: the wider it is, the older the plant.

Gladioli develop well if the bulbs are placed in a layer of sand. This makes it easier to dig them up in the fall. The bulbs need to be thoroughly dried, the scales removed, being careful not to damage the buds. To remove scales from children, they are placed for some time in a weak solution of baking soda, then they are easily removed.

Gladioli planting time

The most suitable time for planting bulbs is considered to be mid-April and early May. We need a period when frosts have passed. The sooner you plant the bulbs, the faster they will bloom. You can extend flowering throughout the summer if you plant one part of the bulbs in mid-April, another at the end, and a third batch in May. They usually bloom in the third month after planting. Conventionally, according to varieties, they are divided into early, late and middle.

Selecting a location

Gladioli are considered fairly unpretentious garden flowers. Preparation for planting consists, first of all, in choosing the right place - it should not be shaded and sunny. In addition to good flowering in such areas, flowers are much less susceptible to disease and, importantly, this also contributes to the best ripening of the corms.

A prerequisite for lush flowering is a well-lit place!

It should be remembered that even slight shading can significantly delay flowering. The exception is the southern regions of the country, where during the midday, especially hot, slight shading is allowed.

Well-drained and breathable soil is essential for successfully growing gladioli.

To prevent rotting of the bulbs, special attention should be paid to groundwater - the area must be well drained; in places where this is not possible, a raised ridge should be built. To a greater extent, this is true for central Russia, since in the conditions of hot, southern regions, agricultural technology does not recommend making ridges due to the high probability of drying out of the corms and roots.

Shrubs and trees should be located no closer than 3 to 5 meters from your flower garden, in this case you can be sure that the gladioli receive moisture from watering in full.

Gladioli can be planted in the same area no earlier than after 4 years, to prevent high plant diseases. The place where tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic or legumes grew last year is excellent for planting. This factor will protect flowers from a malicious and dangerous pest - wireworm.

You should also know what kind of care they prefer gladioli cultivation It is not too difficult to grow these flowers, but certain nuances should be taken into account in order to achieve long and lush flowering.

Soil preparation

The best soil, of course, is considered to be black soil. Good, strong and abundantly flowering plants can also be grown on loamy (light) or sandy soils.

Despite the opinion that on clay soils the color of gladioli turns out to be somewhat brighter, they should still be improved with peat and sand or peat compost so that the bulb does not suffocate after planting and the gladioli do not die.

Optimal soil neutrality

Preparation for planting should ideally be carried out after a soil analysis, from which you can find out the amount of microelements and soil acidity. The most preferable neutral reaction (pH 5.5-6.5), high acidity can be extinguished by adding chalk 110 - 160 g/m2 to the soil, liming or adding nitrophoska 25 g/m3 1.6 -2.4 cm below bottom of the onion.

The structure of the soil should not contain large lumps of earth larger than 3 cm and should not be too loose or dense.

Areas designated for sowing should be prepared in the fall. Preparation begins with deep digging up to 50 cm in depth, during which fertilizers are applied, usually superphosphate 40 g/m, bone meal 60 - 110 g/m, peat compost, humus, 27 - 30 g/m potassium salt.

In early spring, additional loosening of the soil is carried out to a depth of 27 cm (with a shovel), then the area is leveled with a rake.

How to prepare fertilizer for gladioli

In addition, spring soil cultivation includes the application of nitrogen fertilizers and, of course, the removal of all weeds. Can be used as nitrogen fertilizers nettle infusion .
Preparing such an infusion is not at all difficult: take a non-metallic container (wooden, plastic), fill it with chopped nettles and fill it with water. Water should fill the container by 2/3, since during fermentation the volume of infusion increases significantly. After a couple of weeks, the natural fertilizer is ready.

Gladioli - preparation for planting planting material

Not many flowers are as whimsical during the pre-planting period as gladioli. Preparation for planting consists of cleaning, culling, germination and prevention of possible diseases, all this is done for the earliest, most abundant flowering and obtaining planting material of excellent quality.
There are two ways to grow gladioli: from corms, babies (vegetative) and seeds.

1. Growing from corms

It is necessary to remove the corms from storage 2.5 - 3 weeks (17 - 21 days) before planting and take them into a room with an air temperature no higher than 20°; higher temperatures, as well as high humidity, can provoke increased root growth.

Then you need to very carefully clean the bulbs from the scales covering them, while being careful not to damage the emerging sprouts. This procedure is carried out to cull diseased bulbs, rid them of pests and earlier flowering. Everything rejected is set aside and subsequently burned.
The selected material is laid out in one layer in clean, dry boxes with the sprout up and left in diffused light until planting, this allows you to flower a week earlier.

If there is no need for early flowering, then you should remove planting material from storage no earlier than 7–10 days before planting.

How to prepare garlic extract

Squeeze the juice out of 100 grams of garlic, dilute it in 1 liter of water; The bulbs are kept in this solution for 3 hours. There is another way to disinfect using garlic: grind 250 - 300 grams of garlic in a meat grinder, add this mass to 1 bucket of water and mix, soak the onions in it for 2 hours.

The brightest and most abundant flowering is produced by 2-3 year old bulbs; they also have the highest yield of children and minimal losses during storage. This is due to the fact that with aging, and this happens between 5 and 7 years, resistance to disease decreases; accordingly, the older the corm, the worse the reproduction and decorative qualities of the plant.

It is quite easy to distinguish between young and old onions: in young ones the bottom is 3–6 mm, in old ones 9–13 mm, and it has a flattened shape.

2. Growing up from children

The babies are cleaned 10 - 12 days before disembarkation; this is done very carefully, since the babies, as a rule, have a very hard shell.

You need to find the top of the baby; it looks like a tubercle. Very carefully, so as not to disturb the growth point, pick out the scale and pull it down. If you cannot clean the baby without damaging it, you should soak it in a 0.05% slightly warm solution of potassium permanganate or in a 1% solution of regular baking soda for 11–17 hours. After soaking, the shell will become noticeably softer, which will certainly make cleaning easier.
If there are too many babies or there is no time to clean them manually, you can germinate the tubers in a warm or cool room - it’s up to you.
A couple of weeks before planting, the babies are thoroughly washed and dried, then placed in a transparent bag with pre-made holes for ventilation and laid out indoors at room temperature until germination under diffused light.
In a cool room, everything must be done in the same way as in a warm room, the only difference is that all manipulations are carried out a month before planting and the bags with tubers remain cool.

How and when to plant gladioli

Many gardeners ask the question “how, and most importantly, when to plant gladioli?” - this is really a very important point, since planting too early threatens that the bulbs will freeze and die, and if planted too late, the flowers will not have time to bloom.

Gladioli planting time

The time for planting gladioli can vary significantly depending on the climate zone and weather conditions. It is much easier to navigate based on how warm the earth is at the depth at which you plan to plant the plants. On average, the temperature is taken at a depth of 12 - 14 centimeters, it should be at least +10° - this is the best time to plant gladioli. In Crimea, Ukraine and the southern regions of Russia, planting begins from March 14 to 16; in the northern regions, planting begins from mid-May to June.

In the middle zone, this period usually begins in early April and lasts until mid-May. At this time, it is more advisable to plant varieties with a late flowering period (110 - 120 days).

By planting bulbs with different flowering periods at intervals of 10–14 days, you can achieve abundant flowering of different varieties at the same time. Planting is carried out in prepared holes or grooves sprinkled with a layer of moistened sand about 0.9 - 1.2 centimeters; the sand will protect the delicate root system at the first stage of germination.

Planting depth

The planting depth directly depends on the size of the bulbs and the composition of the soil: Ø 4 – 6 cm – depth 15 – 18 cm, Ø up to 4 cm – depth 10 – 11 cm, this rule works well on sandy, sandy loam soils and chernozem. On heavy clay soils, the depth should be reduced by 5-7 cm. It must be taken into account that the shallower the planting depth, the higher the likelihood of high incidence of corms.

A depth of less than 7 cm is not permissible, with the exception of children (tuber buds) - they are planted at a depth of 3 to 7 cm. But too great a depth is not good for the bulbs, since small bulbs at an excessive depth most likely will not be able to germinate from for lack of air.

The spacing between rows is 3 – 4 times the diameter of the bulb, at least 20 cm and 15 cm in a row; planting tubers in a checkerboard pattern will help save some space.

Children are planted using the same principle - the minimum distance is 14 and 5 cm. Do not forget that the farther the plants are from each other, the less likely the spread of diseases, and the much better conditions for development.

It should also be taken into account that if planted too close, especially large varieties simply will not be able to fully feed, and due to crowding they will not bloom.
Ridges and beds should be made no wider than 1 - 1.3 m - this width is the most convenient for further care of flowers. Their best location is from east to west; this technique will allow the plants to receive better illumination throughout the day.

Gladioli are rightfully considered one of the beautiful and bright garden flowers. Preparing for planting will take a little time, but as a result, you can independently grow a real decoration for the site

Knowing how and when to plant gladioli, the preparation for planting of which was carried out taking into account all the recommendations, even a novice gardener will cope with the task and will be rewarded with abundant flowering of these beautiful flowers.

Gladioli are noble flowers that look very beautiful in the design of personal plots. Most amateur gardeners grow these plants using the classic scheme: germinating corms on a windowsill, planting them in the soil, after flowering, digging up the bulbs and storing them until next spring.

But during storage, planting material can become unusable; often the bulbs are affected by pests and diseases, rot, and get sick. You have to buy new bulbs. You don’t have to do this if you try to propagate these flowers with the help of small children emerging from the mother’s bulb. How to grow gladioli for children, is planting and care difficult?

One corm lives no more than five years, then it begins to age and get sick, which the grower does not like. You have to look for a replacement; it is best to grow planting material from the baby that is suitable for planting next year. Gladioli from children grow healthy, strong and beautiful. Before we look in more detail at all the stages of growing colorful beauties from children, let’s talk about what gladiolus children are, about growing, and preparing for planting.

Let's start with the size of gladiolus corms. The size and flowering capabilities of gladioli bulbs are denoted by one term, usually incomprehensible to novice gardeners, analysis of corms.

Corms of the 1st selection include specimens with a diameter of 3.3 centimeters or more. When planted, such a bulb will produce several good flower stalks, the corrugation of the flowers will appear in full force, and the coloring will be bright and intense.
The bulbs of the 2nd selection are smaller - they are planting material with a diameter of 2.5 to 3.1 cm. Their flowering will also please flower growers.
Bulbs of the third type include corms ranging in size from 1.5 cm to 2.4 cm. When small bulbs are used, the flowering of gladioli occurs with a long delay, not all buds open, and few of them are formed on the peduncle.
Bulbs of the 4th type are the smallest, maximum size 1.4 cm. They bloom much later. The plant requires more care; with this care, you can achieve good flowers, of course, not the same as when planting bulbs 1-3 times.

At the base of the corm, tubers are formed, which are otherwise called children. There are two types of children:

Children of the 1st category (from 5 to 10 mm) can produce corms of the 2nd or 1st selection.
Children of the 2nd category (from 3 to 5 mm). These are small children that produce only bulbs of the third harvest in the first year after planting.

We conclude that the baby is an organ of vegetative reproduction. Appears at the end of the growing season at the base of the corm. The baby is covered with a dry, dense shell, which protects it from external influences. It is worth noting that the babies are well stored, their germination and safety reach almost 100%. The main functions of gladioli babies include:

Update and preserve the collection of gladioli varieties.
Reproduction of gladioli by children allows you to increase the number of plants grown.
Obtain plants that easily adapt to a new location and are resistant to various diseases.

How are babies stored in winter?

When laying gladioli corms for storage in the fall, the children are separated, washed and dried well. To do this, you need to lay them out in a dark, dry and warm place. They should be there until mid-November. Before further storage, it is necessary to sort the babies by size. Store them in a dry place at temperatures up to +15°C. If the temperature in the storage room is maintained in the range of +5...+10°C, the babies can be preserved without losing their germination capacity for 24 months.

How to prepare tubers for planting

Beginning gardeners always have the question of what to do with children? Before planting, it is necessary to carry out a number of activities that will help the children prepare for planting in open ground.

Each baby is covered with a dense shell. It is this that protects against various damages during storage. But when planting, this shell can only do harm, delaying the germination of children for a month or more. It is recommended to remove it or disturb it. Manually removing the shell is not difficult, but it takes a lot of time and effort. If there is a large amount of planting material to be processed, this can become a labor-intensive process. Due to inexperience, there is a possibility of damage to the delicate tissues of the baby and the future growth point of the flower. Each of us determines for himself whether he will spend time and effort on removing the shell, or wait several weeks, wondering whether the babies will germinate. Experienced gardeners say that peeled plants not only germinate faster, but also form a larger root bulb.

An effective way is to germinate baby gladioli before planting. To do this, 25-30 days before planting, the children are taken out of their storage location and placed in a bright and warm place for 1-2 weeks. Place according to the size and variety of gladioli in ziplock bags or jars. A little weak solution of potassium permanganate is poured into each container, the containers are closed, but so that there is air access. The children should not be completely immersed in the solution; there should be just a little water. Root primordia and shoots appear in 12-14 days. You can place the babies on a damp cloth, put them inside bags, and place them in a cold place, for example, in the refrigerator. Children prepared in this way will produce friendly sprouts.

Growing seedlings from children

In early spring or even in winter, you can start seedlings. Despite the fact that you have to spend time growing seedlings, you can get 100% results. Growing seedlings occurs according to the standard scheme, only when growing gladioli seedlings there are two mandatory conditions:

you need to plant the children in separate containers so as not to damage the roots;
The plant needs to be provided with cool conditions to grow. The temperature should be +5…+15°C.

The children are placed in cassettes or small cups and poured into a tray. After the first shoots appear, you need to expose the planted seedlings to light. Lighting with energy-saving lamps is suitable, which will provide the best conditions for growth and formation of the root system in children.

In April, you can start planting baby gladioli in the beds. Since each baby is planted in a separate container, there are no difficulties with planting.

Planting and care

How to plant children

To plant in the beds, you need to wait until the ground warms up to +10°C. Planting is carried out shallowly, no more than 3 cm. This is necessary in order to improve the development of corms and accelerate germination. The children are laid out along the bottom of the furrow and sprinkled with sand. There is no need to water gladioli yet.

If children are planted that were germinated without cleaning, the depth should be 5-6 cm. The grooves are shed with water. The children are placed at the bottom of the furrow and covered with earth. You can plant individually, then there is a chance of getting large corms in one season.

When planting a large number of gladioli, experienced gardeners prefer dense planting, in which the furrow is made wide, and the children are placed in it in a wide strip. When planting, a distance of no more than 2 cm is left between the children of gladioli. A meter-long groove with such planting can accommodate up to 400 children.

Child care

At the time of planting and active growth, children need moist soil. They need to be moistened regularly. When the babies hatch and the first shoots appear, you need to protect the beds with non-woven material or film from possible cold snap. There is no need to worry too much, since gladioli usually tolerate slight drops in temperature well.

Plant feeding is carried out within 12-14 days after germination. Mullein solution is best, but any organic fertilizer can be used. The soil between the rows must be loosened regularly. It is necessary that the root system be provided with additional air supply. Fertilizers will help form large corms. Young bulbs do not tolerate drought very well, so it is necessary to ensure regular and constant watering throughout the season.

With good care and favorable conditions, large gladioli babies can bloom in the first year. But it is better to carefully break out the flower stalks. For what? To allow the corms to ripen more fully by the time of autumn digging. In the fall, from the small children you planted, you can get full-fledged corms, which are dug up before the first frost.

Growing gladioli in open ground is considered quite simple, but is still carried out according to certain rules. In order for plants to bloom long and profusely, you need to choose the right site for planting them, as well as select and process the bulbs.

When to plant gladioli in open ground in the spring and how to do it correctly - read this article.

How to plant gladiolus correctly

Due to their biological characteristics, gladioli require gardeners to follow certain growing rules. The site is selected in accordance with the requirements of the plant, since it is a light- and heat-loving flower.

Planting and caring for gladioli is carried out as follows:(picture 1):

Plot preferred with well-drained, light-colored soil and free from drafts. To ensure that growth and flowering time do not slow down, it is better to choose the location in the northern part. It is also not allowed to plant a flower in an area with a high groundwater level. It is advisable to choose a flat area or with a slight slope to the south to remove excess water, and in the southern regions it is permissible to darken the area at midday.
Soil acidity is an important component when growing. On such soils, the flower opens poorly, darkens and fades, and fusarium appears. A slightly acidic pH of 6.5 to 6.8 is considered the most optimal indicator. The plant turns yellow if the soil is alkaline, since the iron content does not dissolve in it and slows down the process of formation of chlorophyll in the leaves. In order to neutralize the acidity of the soil when digging, it is recommended to add dolomite flour or eggshells at the rate of 150-200 grams per square meter.
Better soil considered loam. To create such a soil structure, add sand to heavy loam, and if the soil is sandy, add clay with a small amount of rotted compost. When the area warms up well, they dig it up and begin planting the bulbs.

Places where vegetables and legumes used to grow are considered good sites for planting, but it is not recommended to plant them in places where asters or root crops were previously planted.

If you have already decided on the landing site, then it is recommended to dig up the site in the fall and apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

Figure 1. Features of planting gladioli

Planting takes place from late April to mid-May. It is necessary to place the bulbs correctly in the soil. Large bulbs are buried 10-15 cm into the soil, and small ones - 8-10 cm. Large bulbs are placed at a distance of 15 cm from each other, and for small ones this figure is only 7-8 cm.

When preparing the furrow for planting, you need to pour water and a solution of photosporin. You need to pour a few centimeters of river sand and a layer of sphagnum moss onto the bottom. Next, lay out the bulbs and sprinkle them with soil. This method of planting and care will ensure rapid establishment and will retain moisture and nutrients at the roots.

Peculiarities

In order to succeed in growing gladioli, you need to learn several important rules.

Key growing features include:(Figure 2):

The plant is not grown in one place for more than two years and must be transplanted to another place in the third year.
When replanting, choose an area with a different soil composition. If flowers previously grew on sandy loam soil, after two years transplant the bulbs into light alumina.
Flowers should be adapted to your climate zone, as they do not like to move from warm to cool climates, or from dry to humid.
Large bulbs are planted separately, and not next to small ones, as they will deprive each other of nutrients.

It must be remembered that gladioli love light and do not grow well in the shade. Only planting of early varieties in shaded areas is allowed, but in this case their flowering period will come later.

Figure 2. Options for placing plants in a flower bed

To avoid the appearance of fungal diseases, the area must be ventilated. Foliar feeding is also practiced, but on the condition that the gladioli grow in sandy soil. In this case, the flower is simply sprayed with fertilizers.

In summer they need to be watered generously once a week. But, if the weather is too hot, watering is carried out every evening, followed by loosening the soil.

Required Tools

Gladiolus always takes root and blooms beautifully where other plants have difficulty taking root.

To plant and care for it in open ground, you will need a standard set of garden tools: a shovel for digging, a hoe or hoe for loosening the soil, and watering equipment. It is also recommended to prepare in advance the boxes in which the flower bulbs will be stored in winter.

Landing rules

Planting gladioli in the ground in spring follows certain rules. The corms are cleared of densely covering scales 3 weeks before planting. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the sprouts.

Note: All diseased or partially affected bulbs are removed so as not to infect the entire flower garden with diseases.

After cleaning, the planting material is laid out in one layer with the sprouts facing up and stored in a warm and bright room until the shoots germinate. Before planting, it is recommended to immerse them in a solution of potassium permanganate or foundation to protect against fungi and pests.

Fertilizer and feeding

Preparing gladioli for planting in the spring and their further cultivation involves feeding (Figure 3). In the early stages, mineral fertilizers are used, which are applied after the first two leaves appear.

Figure 3. Types of fertilizers and fertilizers for flowers

Gladioli also need organic fertilizers. They are applied in liquid form for direct penetration to the roots. At the initial stage of growth, an infusion of bird droppings is used. Such feeding is repeated every 2-3 weeks and stops after August 15.

Note: The only organic matter that is not suitable for the plant is horse manure, both fresh and rotted.

Foliar feeding is also considered effective - spraying leaves with minerals. This increases the decorative value of the crop and extends the flowering period. To do this, use a solution of boric acid (0.15 g per 1 liter of water), 0.15% solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate (0.2 g per 1 liter of water). Leaves are fed twice during the summer: at the beginning of growth and during budding.

Plant propagation

The flower is propagated by the vegetative method (corm and baby), but in some cases seeds are also used, especially for breeding new varieties (Figure 4). Corms are selected by size:

From 3 to 7 cm;
From 2 to 3 cm;
From 1 to 2 cm.

Bulbs 3-5 cm are considered the best for producing babies. Bulbs 7 cm in size produce insufficiently high-quality plants that bloom poorly and produce few children, and also often get sick.

Figure 4. Reproduction by dividing the corm

To obtain a larger number of corms, some of the larger bulbs are cut in half into two equal parts. In this case, you must try to preserve the side buds on each of the halves.

Gladioli: planting and care in open ground

The care of planted plants must be approached very carefully (Figure 5). In order to protect the soil from dehydration and overheating, when seedlings appear, the bed must be mulched with a layer of humus up to 5 cm thick. This is a good way to nourish the plant when watering. Plantings are watered abundantly once a week, approximately 10-12 liters per square meter. Water is poured into the inter-row furrows to a depth of 3-5 cm so that the liquid does not fall on the leaves. After watering, loosening is carried out so that the soil does not become crusty.

Note: Regardless of precipitation, the soil is loosened at least once every 10 days.

If necessary, the arrows in the buds are tied to pegs, and all dried shoots are removed so as not to waste the nutrients necessary for seed ripening.

Figure 5. Main stages of caring for gladioli in open ground

Weeding is a necessary maintenance method. On average, it is carried out 3-4 times per summer. If the area is overgrown with weeds, the flowers will be small, and the plants themselves may be attacked by pests or diseases.

Preparing gladioli bulbs for planting in spring

In addition to proper planting and care, it is important to observe certain storage features of the bulbs. The plant's dormant period lasts 35-40 days. During this period, the corm will not germinate, but if the room temperature exceeds 10 degrees, sprouts may still appear.

The bulbs are stored in a box and every month they need to be inspected and spoiled planting material must be removed. For better storage, place several peeled cloves of garlic in the box. Once a month they are replaced with fresh ones.

It is recommended to store the corms in a cold basement with good ventilation, and the best storage containers are mesh boxes in which air can circulate, allowing the bulbs to breathe. For convenience and to save space, the boxes are placed on racks.

Figure 6. Soaking bulbs before planting

If you have to keep gladioli in an apartment, then put them in an airtight container (so that they do not lose moisture during storage) and place them in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf. All bulbs must be wrapped in paper, and closer to spring they are taken out, unpacked, dried and put back in the refrigerator. In warm climates, they are taken out for the winter on an insulated balcony or loggia in boxes. During cold weather, the boxes can be wrapped in a blanket. During the winter, the corms shrink and dry out, so they are soaked in a growth stimulator for better survival in the garden.

How to prepare gladioli for planting in spring: video

Features of storing bulbs and their proper preparation for planting in open ground are shown in the video.

Planting gladioli in the ground in spring

The soil for gladioli must be nutritious, so they grow well on chernozem and light loamy and sandy loam soils. If the site is located on clay and sandy soils, it is necessary to fertilize them with peat or humus.

In the fall, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied to the soil, and in the spring the area is dug up with a shovel, simultaneously adding nitrogen fertilizers.

Rules

Proper preparation of the bulbs plays a key role in planting (Figure 6). About a month before planting, planting material is brought into the house and inspected. All damaged copies are removed.

For prevention, all healthy bulbs are soaked in potassium permanganate or garlic solution (250-300 g of chopped garlic per 10 liters of water). After processing, the bulbs are dried and laid out for germination in a cool, bright place. Before planting, the bulbs are soaked in a stimulator for 10 hours.

As a rule, flowers planted so early begin to bloom in July-August. When planting in June, you need to water more often, but the main thing is not to overdo it, so that excess moisture does not provoke the development of fungi.

Gladiolus sits at a depth of 10-12 cm with a distance of bulbs from each other of 10-15 cm. If desired, you can make a hole for watering near each bush.

When the gladioli have sprouted, it’s time to provide them with proper care. The basic rules for caring for flowers are:

Watering is carried out as the soil dries out in the evening;
In the morning after watering, the soil must be loosened;
All flowers are checked for the presence of aphids and thrips (if detected, treat the plant with an insecticide).

When the stems of the plant dry out, the bulbs can be dug up for storage and later replanting to a new location.

Gladioli in pots: planting and care

If you do not have the opportunity to grow gladioli in a flower bed, you can easily plant them in a regular flower pot.

Planting and caring for flowers in pots is carried out as follows:(Figure 7):

The container for planting should be spacious, with a diameter of 20-30 cm and a depth of up to 40 cm.
Excess moisture is the plant’s first enemy, so a drainage system in the pot is mandatory.
For planting, take whole healthy bulbs with a stem height of more than 50 cm.
The time range for planting is wide: from the end of March to mid-May.

Growing gladioli in pots is most suitable for dwarf, small and medium flowering varieties. At home, gladiolus is watered at least 3 times a week. A layer of mulch spread on the surface of the soil will help retain moisture.

Figure 7. Planting and growing flowers in pots

Proper feeding is the key to long and beautiful flowering of the plant. To do this, use mineral mixtures based on nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, as well as organic fertilizers with substances to stimulate plant growth.

Planting gladioli in pots: video

If you are interested in how to properly plant gladioli in pots, we recommend watching a video that shows this process in detail.

Gladiolus is an incredibly beautiful, delicate and fragrant flower. We have long been accustomed to the fact that it decorates our flower beds. But this was not always the case. For example, the ancient Greeks considered this plant a weed in wheat fields. Gladiolus was eradicated and fought against in every possible way.

But in the times of Ancient Rome, this flower was already grown in the gardens of the patricians. Today, many gardeners want to enjoy the beauty of gladioli in their gardens. How to grow this flower? Let's figure it out.

First of all, you need to choose the right planting material. Gladioli are planted from bulbs. They come in different sizes and colors. When purchasing, it is very important to choose good bulbs from which beautiful, healthy flowers will grow.

You can select high-quality gladiolus bulbs by adhering to four main criteria.

First, you need to look at the size. The main thing here is not to buy too large bulbs. They will not bring good results.

Also, you should not take those that have a concave bottom, reaching 1 cm in diameter or more. This characteristic indicates that this plant has already bloomed, and perhaps more than once. You should not expect high-quality children from such bulbs. As well as beautiful abundant flowering.

It is best to choose bulbs whose bottoms do not exceed 3-7 mm in diameter. The tuber itself should be approximately 2-4 cm. The surface of the bulbs should be shiny and smooth, in no case wrinkled.

The second criterion is root tubercles. It is their appearance that matters. When you buy gladioli in April, these tubercles should already be sufficiently formed. In addition, pay attention to their color. It should not be brown, but light.

The overall appearance is another feature that you need to pay attention to when choosing this flower for planting.

Firstly, the tubers should not show any external signs of disease. They should look clean and beautiful.

When it comes to sprouts, you should choose an onion with one large, strong sprout. Most likely, such gladioli have not yet bloomed, that is, they are called juvenile.

But bulbs that have three or more sprouts are still not worth buying. This sign usually indicates that the plant is suffering from herbaceousness.

This gladioli disease has no cure. Its symptoms are small, deformed flowers that have a greenish color.

You can see red spots on some tubers. Sometimes they can be eaten quite deep, with a purple powder on the surface.

Such damage indicates the presence of thrips. The best way to get rid of the problem is to completely burn such bulbs. But if these are very valuable varieties that are difficult to obtain, then you can try to overcome the problem with the help of insecticides.

In gladioli, the color of the bulb depends on the variety

It is also important to remember that gladioli varieties are determined by the bulbs. For example, if you choose the right material for planting, you can enjoy the flowering of this plant from mid-summer until the end of September.

By the way, flowering time is determined by the size of the bulbs. For example, if the diameter is 2.5-3 cm, then such gladioli will bloom 2-3 weeks earlier than those that reach 1.5-2 cm.

But choosing the right corms is only half the battle. It is also very important to properly prepare them for planting.

The first thing to do is to clean the planting material from scales. These are dry formations that resemble those that cover real onions. Gladioli need to be cleaned very carefully. If you rush and make sudden movements, it is easy to damage the sprout that breaks out from the middle and is immediately invisible.

As for the children, they need to be cleaned much later - best before planting in the ground. Otherwise, the young bulbs will simply dry out. If it turns out that the baby is sick, black dots or spots are visible on it, then it is best to throw them away altogether. It is best to burn all the waste that remains after such events, this way you can protect the plants from the spread of diseases and pests.

After cleaning, the corms must be placed correctly. They are laid out sprouts up. This method of preservation helps improve flowering, as well as increase the immunity of flowers during an important period - the beginning of growth.

If the planting material is not collected independently, but purchased, then it must also be treated against diseases and the presence of pests. By the way, you don’t have to use chemicals for this. Natural preparations work very well. This way you can avoid introducing harmful chemicals into your area.

Corms are kept in garlic infusion.

It is easy to prepare - about 250-300 g of garlic are taken per 10 liters of water. You need to infuse it for about 2 hours, after grinding it in a meat grinder.

Gladiolus tubers can be infused in this infusion even after digging in the fall. If there is no garlic, then potassium permanganate will come in handy.

Its solution helps get rid of diseases. And the karbofos solution is used to control pests on planting material. It is necessary to soak the corms in these substances for about 30 minutes.

If desired, other types of processing can also be used. Before planting, the corms are treated with growth stimulants, microelements that stimulate root development.

As for germinating gladioli, it all depends on your desire. This process is optional. But it will help gladioli grow and bloom faster.

The time for planting gladioli depends on several factors. It is influenced by the climate zone and weather. But in general we can say that corms are planted on the site starting from the end of April and until about mid-May.

It is important that at this time the soil at a depth of 10 cm is already warmed up to approximately 8-10 0 C.

Selecting a location

The beauty of the flowers also depends on the location of the flowerbed and the soil on it. The choice of site for planting affects their further condition.

Gladioli love to grow in areas with a lot of light.
The soil must be well drained.
It is important to ensure that there are no strong drafts in this place.
There is one rule - the further north the place where gladioli will be planted is located, the more light it should receive.
The slightest darkening will inhibit the growth of the plant, as well as its flowering.
In places where groundwater is high, gladioli will not be able to grow.
If you live in the southern regions, then gladioli should be slightly protected from the hot sun. To do this, they are slightly shaded at lunchtime.
Areas located on slopes should not be chosen for gladioli.

Flat surfaces or with a slight slope - up to 5 0 towards the south are most suitable. This will ensure the removal of excess moisture.

The correct site must also have suitable soil. One of the most important qualities for the growth of gladiolus is acidity. The optimal pH is 6.5-6.8.

If the soil has a higher acidity level, then the plants do not look very beautiful. The tips of their leaves begin to wither and darken, the flowers do not open fully, and fusarium occurs.

Acidic soil must be neutralized. To do this, you can use simple means - egg shells or dolomite flour. These substances are added during digging at a rate of 150-200 g per 1 m2.

You also need to pay attention to the structure of the soil. Black soil is excellent, as well as sandy loam or light loam. You can create an excellent composition yourself.

Sand is added to heavy loams.
On the contrary, you need to add a little clay to sandy areas.
Also, when digging, humus and compost are added.

Digging is best done immediately before planting. This is especially true for areas that warm up very well. But in arid regions, the site is dug up only in the fall, and in the spring it is simply loosened.

Gladioli grow well in areas where perennial herbs, vegetables or legumes were previously planted.
But after root vegetables and asters, gladioli do not want to grow.

If you chose a place for gladioli in the fall, then before the onset of winter you can add fertilizer to the soil. For example, phosphorus (100 g of superphosphate per 1 m2) and potassium (about 30-40 g of potassium chloride per 1 m2). But potassium magnesia or potassium sulfate is best applied before spring digging. By the way, it should be smaller than the autumn one, about 10 cm.

Immediately before planting, furrows are made on the site. Each of them needs to be shed with water, you can also use a solution of phytosporin. River sand is poured at the bottom of the furrows - about 2 cm. Instead of sand, you can use sphagnum.

The varieties that need to be propagated quickly are planted first. It is best to plant in rows. How far apart the bulbs should be placed depends on the variety and size of the planting material.

But you should understand that the greater the distance between gladioli, the better for them. This makes it easier to care for and the plants are not so susceptible to infection from each other. The minimum distance should be about 15 cm in rows and about 20 cm between them. For plant children it is slightly smaller - 5 and 15 cm, respectively.

As for the planting depth, it depends on factors such as soil composition and bulb size. So, if they are 4-5 cm in diameter, then they need to be planted approximately 10-12 cm into the ground. Such corms produce the highest quality flower stalks.

Chernozems and sandy soils require deeper planting - up to 15 cm. But in clayey or marshy areas it is better to reduce it - to 7-9 cm, but not shallower. Gladioli planted too shallowly are more susceptible to disease.

There is one simple formula for calculating the planting depth - it should be equal to three diameters of the selected corm. Small children do not plant deep - 3-5 cm.

In order for gladioli to be beautiful and healthy, they can be grown from the same bulbs for no more than 3-4 years. After this, the planting material ages and the plants completely degenerate. Old tubers simply may not even germinate. That is why it is necessary to regularly update the bulbs and replace them with young ones.

This is easy to do by growing new plants from babies. They are more resistant to diseases and can adapt to unusual conditions much more easily.

Growing from children is the rejuvenation of planting material and its improvement.

In fact, gladioli babies are organs with the help of which vegetative reproduction occurs. They form in large numbers near the tubers - about 20-30 pieces each. To prepare and plant children, the same measures are taken as for adult bulbs. Before germination, the beds with planted children can be covered with film. Small gladioli germinate in about 15-20 days.

It is better not to allow these plants to bloom, even if they produce flower stalks.. Such gladioli will delight with their beauty only in a year.

Gladioli require a lot of attention and careful care throughout the summer. After the plants become 10 cm tall, it is advisable to mulch the soil under them with humus (5 cm thick). This will avoid overheating of the earth and its dehydration.

Watering occurs once every 7 days. This should be done in the early morning or late evening. When watering, you need to spend approximately 10-12 liters of water per 1 m2. Moisture should not get on the leaves.

After watering, the soil needs to be loosened; this will prevent a crust from forming when the moisture dries out. It is advisable to loosen the bed once every 10 days. After the buds appear, it is advisable to tie up the gladioli, otherwise they may break in bad weather.

Another important point of care is the removal of dried flowers. If they remain on the plant, then it will waste its energy on ripening seeds that are not needed at all.

Weeding also needs to be done - as needed. In general, it is done up to 4 times during the summer.

And, of course, don’t forget about feeding.

The first is done after the first leaves appear. Ammonium sulfate is used in dry form, urea, ammonium nitrate is also suitable (on average 25 g per 1 m2).
The second feeding is done after up to 5-6 leaves appear on the plants. Per 1 m2 you need to add 10-20 g of ammonium sulfate, 15-20 g of superphosphate, as well as 10-20 g of potassium sulfate.
Already before budding, the last fertilizing is done - potassium chloride (15-20 g) and superphosphate (30-40 g) per 1 m2.

Organic fertilizers are also suitable as top dressing. For example, at the beginning of growth between the rows, you can water with an infusion of bird droppings. After this, the soil must be loosened and the plants hilled up. But horse manure cannot be used to fertilize gladioli.

You can increase the decorativeness and beauty of flowers by spraying with solutions of mineral substances: boric acid (0.15 g), potassium permanganate (0.15 g) or copper sulfate (0.2 g) per 1 liter of water.

If you decide to decorate your home with a bouquet of gladioli, then you need to cut them correctly. The remains of peduncles should be hidden deep in the leaves. The latter must be at least 4 pieces. This will ensure the development and growth of the corm, which will be useful when planting next year.