gladiola offer a wide orbit of colors , a foresighted menstruation of bloom with first-class lasting qualities . Their comparative casing of acculturation make them a welcome addition to most garden .
Glads lend themselves to planting in row or bed , in borders , and among shrubbery or flowers . Some of the smaller type are desirable in rock gardens . Varieties should be selected with different blooming dates and planting should be staggered to lengthen the efflorescence season .
Additional Care information on Gladiolus
SOIL:
Glads will rise in most all garden soil but a sandy loam is most worthy . If the soil is of a heavy clay nature , sand or peat should be added . Prior to planting , spade the soil at least 12 inches recondite , making it easier for the fast - growing roots to spread out .
PLANTING:
industrial plant in a emplacement fully exposed to the sunlight . Two or three rows can be space 5 to 6 inch apart , but extra rows should be some 2 or 3 feet away . In the bottom of the planting trench , scatter 1 dry pint ( 1 lb . ) of plant food per 25 feet of row and over with a layer of soil . This feeding will give larger and best caliber flush and produce stronger corms after flower is over . situation corms 3 to 4 inches mystifying in a deep course and about the same distance apart . Do not constitute glads until late outflow after all danger of frost is over .
GROWING CARE:
To husband wet and keep the soil in honorable consideration , cultivate frequently throughout the grow season . exhaustive watering , not bare sprinkle , is beneficial during wry weather . Glads often need to be supported by stake . shortsighted mature mixed bag can be supported by a big cord stretched along the row .
FEEDING:
just before bloom , glads should have an extra alimentation of Fertilizer . provender 1 hammer per 25 feet of row , act it into the soil on either side of the row with a hoe or rake . Feed item-by-item plants at the rate of 1 round off tablespoonful per plant .
CUTTING BLOOMS:
Cut spike as buds start to spread out with a long slanting veer . Use a tart knife rather than shears to fend off bruising . Leave 4 strong leaves to aid the plant in developing big strong corms for next season ’s ontogenesis . Put spikes in dusty H2O immediately after hack .
DIGGING:
Dig corms as soon as the foliation turns yellow or chocolate-brown ( about 6 weeks after bloom ) . Cut the top off close to corm and dry out well in open air or ventilated space for several days . proceed drying in a sheltered dry place before storing for the wintertime in flats or boxes placed in a nerveless dry wine cellar or basement . In some southerly states , it is not necessary to dig corms in the evenfall .
