MontyJ
Deeply Rooted
I bought Dew a bunch of Gladiolus bulbs. Does anyone have any tips for growing them?
Gladiolus
- Thread starter MontyJ
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ninnymary
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They're pretty easy. Just dig a hole 2 inches deep and plant. I do have to stake mine though.
Mary
Mary
Nyboy
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people will tell you to dig them up in the Fall. Mine always come back left in ground
Smart Red
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Nyboy, you must be warmer than I am. Mine never make it through our zone 5 winters.
MontyJ, do plant them concave side up. The more concave, the older the corms. I have learned that mine grow tall and flower well when I put 2x4 inch fencing about 8-10 inches off the ground. The stems plants grow up through the fencing and secure the plants in two places -- the ground and the fence. That way they are not likely to tip over with the wind or weight of the blooms. I suppose individual stakes would work as well, but I usually plant a 4 x 8 raised bed with mine so the fence is quicker.
MontyJ, do plant them concave side up. The more concave, the older the corms. I have learned that mine grow tall and flower well when I put 2x4 inch fencing about 8-10 inches off the ground. The stems plants grow up through the fencing and secure the plants in two places -- the ground and the fence. That way they are not likely to tip over with the wind or weight of the blooms. I suppose individual stakes would work as well, but I usually plant a 4 x 8 raised bed with mine so the fence is quicker.
Rhodie Ranch
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They were my father's favorite flower so where ever we move I plant a bunch. I have them jammed in together and bury them about 3" down. We leave them in and due to the climate, they make lots of babies that don't flower. They make the best cut flower too!
Smart Red
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While I usually associate them as funeral flowers, they were my father's favorite flower as well so I have to plant some every year.
Carol Dee
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What Red said! They will not winter over for me. (Same zone as Smart Red.) Plant them close (About 2-3 inches apart and they will need something to keep them upright. Try not to plant out in the open where it gets windy.
Smart Red
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I looked at the new ones I bought and see that they look more like tulip bulbs. So change what I said before to roots down and pointy end up until your glads flower and grow another season or two. Then they will get concave and you plant the rounded side down.
journey11
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They make the nicest cut flowers too. Definitely stake them. They get heavy and flop over in wind or rain. I don't dig mine up either. They always come back. Plant them 8" deep.
Smart Red
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What Journey11 said? Eight inches seems a whole lot deeper than I plant mine. I usually have them just below the surface. It's deeper than Carol Dee plants, too.
It may be that planting them Journey's way will help to keep the heavy stems, leaves, and flowers from tipping over. I might try doing mine both ways this summer.
It may be that planting them Journey's way will help to keep the heavy stems, leaves, and flowers from tipping over. I might try doing mine both ways this summer.
