Majestic gladioli, pleasing gardeners since early August, complete their next cycle with the onset of autumn. It's time to send the bulbs to winter apartments, because the cold is fatal for them. Storing gladiolus at home is not difficult, but it requires compliance with some rules.
When to dig up gladioli
Bulbs are harvested fully ripe: at least a month must pass from the moment of flowering or cutting, and for late varieties - up to 45-50 days. Cleaning should not be delayed in order to prevent decay and the development of fungal diseases. Bulbs are picked from the ground in dry weather. If the soil is wet or, conversely, hardened and dry, many children are lost. First of all, early-flowering varieties and gladioli with dark-colored flowers are harvested: cherry, dark red, purple, as they have low immunity to fungal diseases. The tubers grown from the babies are dug up last.
Culling
To storagegladioli at home was successful, it is necessary to lay only high-quality material for the winter. It is necessary to shake off excess soil and carefully examine the bulbs. It is necessary to throw out all diseased and damaged tubers, as well as children with a broken shell. Roots and stems immediately after digging are shortened to 1 cm so that the drying process goes faster.
Disinfection and drying
To prevent putrefactive processes of gladiolus, it is recommended to stand for 15 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate (10 g per bucket of water) or in garlic water (1 kg of crushed mass per bucket of liquid). Before storing, the bulbs are dried for a month in a ventilated room. They are laid out in one layer and kept at a temperature of 20-23 0С.
Storage of gladiolus tubers
The ideal wintering place for gladioli is a dry, cold basement with good air circulation. The optimum storage temperature is 4-6 0С, relative humidity is 65-80%. Babies like cooler air (1-2 0C) and slightly higher relative humidity. It is better to place the tubers in low boxes with a mesh bottom.
Storing gladioli in the apartment
He althy and well-dried material can be stored in a city apartment at +18 +20 0С, but in this case, by spring, the bulbs noticeably lose their volume. They are placed without wrapping, so that the tubers do not touch each other, and stored in the dark (for example, in a shoe box under the bed). Before boardingsuch bulbs should be kept in a growth stimulator, and they will develop and bloom well.
Of course, it is better to choose the coolest place in the apartment for storing gladioli at home. It can be a glazed loggia, a cold window sill or a lower shelf in the refrigerator.
It is advisable to avoid fluctuations in temperature and high humidity. Bulbs need to be inspected several times over the winter. Sick and dried specimens are removed. If there is a danger of infection with thrips, you can powder the tubers with chalk, lay garlic cloves with them, or treat them with Inta-Vir. You can also dip the tubers in melted paraffin. This will prevent drying out and protect the bulbs from mold.
Special option
There is another way to store gladioli at home. It involves digging up the bulbs at the usual time. But! It is necessary to leave some earth on the roots, and place the plant in a tall plastic bag without cutting off the leaves. In this makeshift greenhouse, the bulb continues to grow and ripen, gradually taking nutrients from the stem. By December, withered leaves are removed, the bulbs are treated with pesticides and stored until spring in a cool room.
This method can be adopted by gardeners who grow late flowering varieties in areas with short summers.
