Glads

[Herbgardener]

I just read that if you live in a zone that is any colder than zone 8 you need to "lifted" Gladiolas. What is lifted and how do you do i?

Thanks
Herbgardener

 

[digitS']

I dig my gladiolas after a hard freeze has begun to kill the tops. A spading fork under the plant and a hand on top, makes it easy. The leaves are cut away and the old corm is removed and discarded.

New corms go into boxes of wood shavings and they are carried down to a cold room in the basement.

As early as I can get into the garden the next year, a bed is dug out to about 6". The soil in the bottom of this trench is amended and tilled. The corms are laid out and covered carefully with soil.
I lift the glads :tools in the fall. The glads lift my spirits :tools by blooming wonderfully during the summer! More people should grow gladiolas!

Steve

 

[lesa]

Thanks for reminding me- mine are still in the basement!

 

[Herbgardener]

Thanks! Just one question what is a corm??

THANKS AGAIN!!!!!
Herbgardener

 

[digitS']

The gladiola bulb is a corm.

digitS'

 

[Herbgardener]

Ohhh... sorry I just didn't know if you left a little of the stem.

Herbgardener

 

[ducks4you]

digitS', I just cleaned up a little rock garden by the street and put in gladiolas there. It will be some work to dig them out this fall. Is there ANY way to mulch them heavily and keep them alive during the winter? I am ALSO in zone 5ish-6ish.

 

[vfem]

We're in Zone 7 and no one digs them up here? :/ I have a friend in Virgina and she doesn't dig up her's either?

 

[digitS']

I once lived near a small truck farm. For some reason . . . well, to make some money . . . the guy planted several acres in gladiolas. The next year, he went out of business and sold out.

The new owner planted that field in a pasture mix but glads kept popping up out there amongst the grazing cattle for 3 or 4 years!!

This was when I was a kid and in southern Oregon. I think we had zone 7 winters - I can only remember it dropping below zero, once.

They would probably be okay just under a heavy mulch. I have tiny guys that volunteer each year from the bypassed cormlets.

Steve

 

[ducks4you]

Thanks, Steve!! This is right at the street, where we all want our yards to look the very best. (You KNOW I have 5 acres to maintain, and my 3 horses are picky about what they mow in their 4/5!! )