Hibernate onions in a protected place
Just leave the tubers in the ground in autumn, the warmth-loving gladiolus will freeze to death and will therefore no longer germinate in the next year. When the first night frost threatens, you must therefore shorten the gladioli to about ten centimeters and dig them out. Be very careful when doing this, because the fine skins that surround the onions must not be damaged.
also read
- The gladiolus, a rousing flower heroine
- Gladiolus bulbs, a little wonder of nature
- The best time to plant gladioli
Take a close look at the perennial bulbs, because only firm flower bulbs without external damage are healthy. Discard soft, rotten, or pest-infested bulbs immediately to prevent the other bulbs from becoming infected.
Storage in winter quarters
Carefully remove the coarsest soil and leave the gladiolus bulbs dry up a little. For this purpose, the onions are layered in a wooden box lined with newspaper and placed in a frost-free but cool room.
So that the perennial bulbs sprout quickly in the next year, you should check them several times for pest infestation in the first few days. Then you can cover the onions with a mixture of sand and earth
overwinter.Place gladiolus bulbs
As soon as the outside temperature is above freezing point even at night, the gladioli are placed in the bed. If you want plants to flower particularly early, you can first drive the bulbs in a soil-filled flower pot for a few weeks. If you extend the planting of the bulbs over a few weeks, you can extend the flowering season from summer to October.
Tips
If the gladiolus bulb is to form long flower swords every year, it is important not to cut too many flowers. This will also weaken the plant if you leave some leaves standing. The gladiolus needs flowers and leaves to store nutrients in the bulb.