Before the onset of frost, do not forget to take care of your gladioli. Of all the garden flowering plants, we remember about them at the very least. And very often, beginner amateur gardeners have a question about whether to dig up gladioli. The answer is clear: it must be done. Is it cold? So, the time has come when you need to dig up gladioli. If this is not done, the bulbs will die during frosts, and in the spring you will need to buy planting material again.
When to dig and how to store gladioli?
Dig up gladiolus, as a rule, start from the second half of September. And harvesting of some varieties occurs when the first small frosts occur. Always consider the fact that at least a month must pass from the moment of flowering to the ripening of the corm. It's minimum! Previously, you can dig up a plant only if you notice obvious signs of illness on its leaves. You may be able to save this bulb by washing it in special solutions. If you know when to dig and how to storegladioli, you will not have any difficulties in growing this beautiful flower.
Experienced flower growers try to dig up dark varieties of gladioli (purple, black, dark cherry) and lavender blue first. Last of all, children who have grown up over the summer are dug up. This is best done in sunny weather when the soil is dry. If it rains, the bulbs will need to be washed from dirt. You need to dig up the plant with a garden pitchfork, prying from below. Pulling or pulling gladiolus leaves is not recommended - you will damage the bulb and “lose” the children, which, unlike adult bulbs, remain viable for several years and will germinate in the spring in a chaotic manner.
Preparing corms for storage
When to dig and how to store gladioli? Science is simple, you will certainly cope with this task. After you have dug up the plants, you need to remove the stems and rinse the bulbs themselves with water. The next step is to treat them from pests. The most frequent and common "guest" for gladioli is thrips. And so that during the winter it does not damage the bulbs, they need to be dipped for 10-15 minutes in a solution of "Karbofos" or another drug that you can purchase for these purposes. After that, you need to hold the bulbs for a few more minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and, without washing, lay them out to dry.
Bulbs dry for 20 days at a temperature of about 25 degrees. Then you need to reconsider everything, remove the roots and"husk", throw away suspicious specimens. This is done so that thrips eggs do not remain under the scales, otherwise the pests hatched in winter will suck out all the juices from the bulb.
Storage of corms
The most effective method is "grandmother's". We take the bulbs and put them in a double dark nylon stocking or in a net. You need to store them in a cool place. It could be a basement, a garage, a cellar, or even the bottom shelf of a refrigerator. The main thing is to be dry and cool.
Now you know when to dig up and how to store gladioli. The methods are simple and you can save your favorite strains and enjoy them blooming again.
