Gladiola Corms in Car Overnight - 29 F

[GardenGeisha]

Yesterday I couldn't resist buying gladiola corms at The Dollar Tree store-- 6 corms per bag for a buck a bag. They come from Holland Bulb Farms. The varieties are "Plum Tart," "Dayglo Mix," "Endless Love," and "Blue Lagoon." They also had a yellow variety I didn't buy.

However, I forgot I had purchased them and left them in my car overnight. It got down to about 29 degrees F last night. Do you suppose the corms are ruined from having frozen in my car overnight? The car was parked outside, not in a garage.

Has anyone had good luck with Dollar tree gladiolas? I think I have had good luck with Dollar Tree tulips, but I don't recall if I've planted Dollar Tree glads before?

One thing I noticed that I wondered about is that several of the corms are a yellow color, on the bottom of the corms. I wondered whether that could be a sign of being overly dry, aged, or some sort of a chemical pesticide residue. Does anyone know. All tips will be appreciated.

 

[GardenGeisha]

The corms were yellow BEFORE I accidentally left them in the car overnight. Here in my zone in Salt Lake City, Utah, I don't have to dig my gladiolas each fall. They come back in the spring just fine, usually. But they are planted in the ground. I'm worried that the ones in the car might have been ruined from the freezing temp last night? I don't know how long it stayed under freezing last night. It is warm today-- 50ish, and I have the glads inside the house now.

 

[digitS']

I'd bet they are a.o.k., GardenGeisha.

It's just a guess but glads aren't overly tender.

I'd also bet it's a fungicide on the corms - maybe something as simple as sulfur.

Steve
who once left a pickup bed full of dahlia roots to an overnight frost. they were under a canopy but oh boy, lots of loss with that mistake!

 

[GardenGeisha]

Thanks, Steve. I did a Google Image on gladiola corms, and they are all yellow! LOL. The joke is on me. The whole inside of the "nut," so to speak shows up as bright yellow, so I think they are fine. Sorry about your dahlias. I didn't dig mine early enough this year-- generally you wait until Thanksgiving here to dig-- but I was away in California, and it got down to 12 F overnight in mid-November. They turned to mush, but it gave me a good excuse to buy some new varieties this year. We have only so much garden space; right?

 

[so lucky]

When I first read this post, I thought you were saying "minus 29*" and I was going to challenge the comment by @digit'S. However, My eyesight cleared slightly, and I can see you were speaking of only slightly below freezing. So, yes, I agree. They are probably fine.
I wish I liked glads more. But I spent years of working in a florist shop, so I only can associate them with funerals.

 

[ninnymary]

so lucky, I saw minus 29 also.

Mary

 

[digitS']

The West is having a very warm winter, in stark contrast to the rest of North America.

Even the Intermountain West is warm(er). 5,000 feet, 7,000 feet ... somewhere, the Rockies are blocking the warmth. I guess it must be along the Bitterroots, up here.

Hardly matters that the next valley over is so cold and wintery. The Montana residents there have all flown off to Florida where they are taking pictures of shorebirds ...

It hadn't occurred to me that glad corms tend to be yellow. Some are kinda red, aren't they?

Steve
who may see 60° this afternoon. it wasn't 60° until April 6 in a warm 2014!

 

[GardenGeisha]

Nice and warm here today-- 60ish. I bought some more glads, just to be on the safe side. Will experiment and see how both sets do. It could be that none of them are any good. I will save the receipts in case... Yes, my bad, with the hyphen. HAHA!

 

[Smart Red]

My bet is there will be no problem with the glads. They are hardy in zone 7 and borderline hardy in zone 6 so 29 degrees (F) shouldn't hurt. Besides, it was probably warmer inside the car.

Yes, Steve, some corms are red. For me, that usually that means the flower will be reddish.

 

[GardenGeisha]

Thanks for your feedback, Smart Red! I hope you are right. (You usually are! LOL).