The Majestic Gladiolus Is Back In Fashion

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Rich, heavy bouquets of long "arrows" of gladioli are a wonderful decoration for any holiday. Intricately colored inflorescences with beautiful corrugated petals are the result of many years of work of scientific breeders. It is difficult to find a person who would not like this flower

Every year on September 1, a bouquet of gladioli was cut off in my garden, wrapped in rustling mica and sent to school. Then there were no special packages for sale, there were no flower shops. All the variety consisted of 2 shades: bright orange and maroon. Despite this, the bouquet has always been very effective.

As an adult, I began to take an interest in flowers. I ordered many varieties and species by mail from Moscow nurseries. This was the only way to replenish your collection, purchase unusual colors. I was especially attracted by the lilac-blue range (Cote d'Azur, Blues, Milka, Blue).

To get more varieties for the same money, I prescribed a baby. As a result of painstaking work, adult bulbs were obtained in 2 years. With each new season, the planting material became larger, the size of the peduncle and the number of buds increased.

The variety of hybrids in terms of flowering dates from very early (less than 70 days) to very late (more than 100 days) allowed for high-quality cut from mid-summer to frost. The more time passes before the formation of buds, the more powerful the "arrow", the larger the inflorescences.

In order not to confuse the names, she kept a garden notebook with planting diagrams, bed numbers. Each variety was dug into its own box, signed and processed separately. I sewed special bags from gauze for storage. In them, the corms freely "breathe" in winter, are always in a dry state.

In recent years, there have been no problems with the acquisition of new plants. In shops, markets, private traders all kinds of flowers are offered in the public domain. How to make the right choice and not make a mistake with the purchase?

The choice of planting material

This factor plays a major role in the successful cultivation of gladioli. What beginners should look for when buying quality bulbs:

• upper scales are shiny reddish or golden hue;

• no point pricks from damage from thrips;

• small bottom and medium size (do not chase large specimens, they age quickly and lose their decorative effect);

• scales are easily removed without residue, the color at the border of their attachment is the same as on the corm itself;

• on the "body" root tubercles around the bottom part are clearly visible.

Pre-landing preparation

In the Middle Lane, to get an early cut, I germinate the bulbs at home, having previously processed them in the Maxim preparation. In order not to injure the roots, I plant each plant in a separate container (with a large volume, cassettes with a cell of 5 by 5 cm are suitable). I take loose, fertile soil. I mix humus or high moor peat with sand in a ratio of 3: 1.

For open ground, I plant it in cassettes in mid-April. In a month, the seedlings are ready to "move" to a permanent place. By this time, the length of the leaf reaches 10-15 cm.

If the need arises, then I use temporary film shelters, allowing you to get the "finished product" 3 weeks faster. In this case, planting in pots is carried out in the second decade of March.

I maintain the optimum temperature under cover within 20-25 degrees. With a sharp increase - mandatory ventilation. Excessive heat weakens the plant, increasing leaf evaporation and nutrient depletion.

Planting and leaving

I plant corms when the soil at a depth of 15 cm warms up to 10 degrees. Cold soil can provoke various diseases, slow down growth.

Above the large planting material, the height of the earth is 10 cm, above the baby - 3-4 cm.

Throughout the season, I constantly add a mulch layer. It creates favorable humidity, prevents overheating, and facilitates weed control.

I do not do empty watering, adding complex fertilizers or potassium permanganate alternately to the water. In open areas, I tie the tallest specimens to a peg, in order to avoid damage to the peduncle by the wind.

I dig up the corms in mid-September. I clean it from the ground, dry it a little and immediately remove the remnants of the mother plant. Delaying this procedure causes problems in separating the old part from the new one. Hotel diseases can be transmitted.

There was one year when the cold came unexpectedly early and thoroughly froze the top layer of the soil. I had to dig the bulbs together with the soil into large boxes. Wait for the soil to thaw, then choose plants.

The vitality of gladiolus children is amazing. In the spring there was no place for them to land. For the next year they lay in bags underground. I thought that every last man had dried up during this time. Soaked in a saucepan with warm water for 10 hours. Then she sowed it in the garden. Imagine my surprise when all 100% sprouted together!

Here is such a wonderful gladiolus flower! It is a pity that you need to dig up the corms every year and store them at home. But these labors pay off with the beauty and majesty of the unique inflorescences.