Keeping Gladioli

[scarey55]

I was given some Gladioli bulbs last year which have done me proud. Reading some other advice here, I have cut the spent flowers off but left the leaves to return the goodness back to the bulb.

My question is..... what do I do after that. Should I lift the bulbs and store over winter or can they stay in the ground? The weather here is not very different from that in the southern counties (we are further south but also higher up) Winter can be cold and damp but the soil that they are in is very sandy.

I would welcome your advise as I want to show glads next year in the virtual show if only to give Snadger some competition

Many thanks,
Clare.

[nick the grief]

Hi Clare,

I'd give them a hi potash feed ( tomato feed) if you think they will grow a bit longer then when the leaves start to yellow lif them carefully and you will see there is a new corm growing under the old one & loads of little ones around the outside.

Do you wear stockings? just being nosey No honest if you do put them into your old stockings as these will keep all the bulbils & the new bulb together ( important if they are named varieties or you want to keep colours seperate. then hang them up somewhere dry & frost free. WHen they have dried out properly the old corm can be removed & thrown away as it's no good and the new one saved ready for re planting and the bulbils can be planted next year and grown on in a nursary bed and lifted at the end of the year, any that are bigger than a 20p peice can be planted the folowing year and flowered. Or if you have enough you can give them away to friends

Hope this helps

[Snadger]

I think Nicks hit the nail on the head by mentioning the old corm! If your soil didn't get frosted the gladdy would probably grow again the following year but the old dead corm below could either rot the new one, or stop the new roots from developing.

[scarey55]

Oh thanks guys, I knew you'd come good.
I will keep them in my old stockings - don't need them for work any more (I'm retired don't you know - "smug mode" )
With all this good advice, I'm bound to have loads left over to give to friends if you want any - I'll let you know.
Thanks again
Clare

[pigletwillie]

Surely those support stockings will squish the corms Scarey, or trap your hand trying to get them out.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I was thinking that the little corms might fall throught the holes in the fishnets......?

[scarey55]

Surely those support stockings will squish the corms Scarey, or trap your hand trying to get them out.

I was thinking that the little corms might fall throught the holes in the fishnets......?

You cheeky lot,
Well, Pigletwillie, not so much you. Oh,I take it back, you've already done the voting

See Clare checking out her fishnets to see if they have extra moth holes in them

Lol,
Clare

[Flummery]

I've got gladies in the front garden that have never been lifted, replanted, moved since we came here 8 years ago. I keep hoping they'll peg out - not keen on them really. They are pretty tough.