When to dig up gladioli: harvesting and storage

Gladiolus

Gladioli are beautiful, vibrant, and easy-to-care-for flowers. However, anyone who owns one needs to know when to dig them up and how to store them. The time for digging will depend primarily on when the plant's flowers ripen and when they were cut. This varies from variety to variety.

When to dig up gladioli in the fall

Corms mature 30 days after flowering begins. Sometimes this process can take up to 40 days. If you cut gladioli after flowering in early August, you can dig up the corms in the first half of September. Gladioli will delight you again next year, but this requires careful preparation, harvesting, and storage. People with many gladioli, all of different varieties, may become confused about flowering times and corm maturation times.

To prevent this, it's important to keep a diary of important information about each variety. If the plant isn't pruned after flowering, digging should be postponed and nutrients applied beforehand.

How to dig up gladioli

In Russia, in non-chernozem zones, some varieties of this plant will bloom only towards the end of August. Many people wonder when to dig up gladioli. I usually aim for mid-August, but digging should begin as early as mid-September. If the corm isn't fully ripe, don't worry. In fact, it simplifies the digging process.

Unripe corms won't separate from the corm and can be easily removed from the ground along with the main corm. They will have a gray tint. This color indicates they are immature. Otherwise, they would be dark brown, similar to the soil itself. If you dig up ripe corms, there's a high risk of losing most of the corm. Digging is best done using scoops with firm, sturdy handles.

What is the best weather for cleaning?

Is it possible to determine when to dig up gladioli in the fall based on the weather? Yes, weather is a significant factor. It should be sunny. The soil should not be too wet, so that the soil separates easily from the corms without damaging them or the corms.

Recommendations for cleaning

Before learning how to store gladioli indoors over winter, you need to learn more about the harvesting process. Gladioli grown from corms are selected first. It's also preferable to dig up early-blooming varieties and those with dark colors (red, cherry, purple) first. To easily identify these groups of gladioli, they are initially planted next to each other, separating them by variety. Late-blooming varieties are planted separately.

Digging

If gladioli were planted using the single-row transverse method, then they are dug up like this:

Measure approximately 6 centimeters from the center of the bulb. Insert scoops into the bud on either side of the center.
Start at the edge of the first row. Push the scoops into the soil no more than 15 cm deep. Point the handles away from the plant.
Applying slight pressure to the handles, use scoops to bring the gladiolus bulbs to the surface along with the soil.
Each corm is cleaned (the babies are saved) and placed in a container (preferably a basin or sieve).

Processing bulbs after digging

After digging, the bulbs need to be processed. First, wash the bulbs and remove the corm stems, cutting them off close to the base. Old corms are carefully separated by hand, and the roots are trimmed. If an old corm is difficult to remove, it should be dried first.

The drying process of bulbs and corms will affect how well the planting material will survive the winter. Under-dried bulbs should not be stored; otherwise, they will become infected with fungus and begin to rot, infecting the healthy, dried corms.

After washing and trimming, allow at least three weeks for drying. The maximum temperature should be no more than 30°C, and the minimum 25°C. Dry the corms for another month at room temperature. It's better to slightly overdry the corms than to leave them damp and ruin the planting material.

Methods for storing planting material in winter at home

If you have ready-made, well-dried planting material, you need to learn how to properly store gladiolus bulbs at home for the winter. Before storing, inspect and sort the material again. To inspect, remove the outer scales from the bulb to ensure it is undamaged and dry.

You need to sort them by variety, collecting each one in breathable bags. Each bag is labeled with the variety name and any other necessary notes. Not sure how to store gladioli after digging?

Options:

In a cellar. This is a good option, provided your cellar is dry and can be maintained at a suitable temperature for storing planting material. This means a maximum of 10 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 3.
In the basement. This is also an option! The conditions should be the same as in a cellar. Inspect your basement thoroughly for dampness and mold, and make sure the temperature is suitable for storage. It's important to store the bags of bulbs in boxes with holes for improved ventilation.

Wondering how to store gladioli at home if you don't have a basement or cellar? This is a pressing issue for many city dwellers. Don't worry. You can store them in the refrigerator. However, it's important to keep in mind that the bulbs can develop excessively long roots in the refrigerator, which won't provide any benefit to the plant.
Storing corms indoors during the winter is difficult because it's difficult to maintain the low temperatures needed for planting. But difficult doesn't mean it's impossible. Storing corms at room temperature can be successful if small corms are wrapped in newspaper or paper to prevent them from drying out. Larger corms, however, should be regularly inspected for rot. If rot is detected, the corm should be discarded. If the corms become damp, they should be dried again.
Storing gladioli indoors over winter won't be a problem if you have a balcony. In areas with mild winters, boxes with bulbs can be placed directly on the balcony floor, but the balcony should be free of drafts. It's a good idea to wrap the bulbs at the first frost. If winters are harsh, you'll have to work hard to create an insulated container for the planting material. Styrofoam is used for insulation. Even then, the temperature in the boxes should be regularly monitored. As you can see, learning how to preserve gladioli indoors over winter is not difficult.

Disinfection of planting material

Pest infestations of gladiolus bulbs are common. If you're wondering how to store gladiolus bulbs, be sure to also learn about pest control. Insects can survive the winter by burrowing under the bulb scales. To ensure your planting material is protected from pests, treat it with a product such as Inta-Vir. It's diluted in water. Soak the bulbs in the solution for half an hour, then dry thoroughly.

If a good product is difficult to find, treatment can be done with hot water, in which the bulbs are soaked for about 10 minutes. Many gardeners are convinced that even a regular cockroach powder can help eliminate gladiolus pests.

Now you know how to store gladioli over winter. If you follow all the rules, by spring you'll have enough planting material to enjoy their beauty once again.

Reviews

Elena:

"I only managed to save the bulbs this year. Last year, I lost a lot of planting material due to dampness in the basement. This year, I armed myself with all the necessary information and tried to avoid making mistakes. The results were pleasing."

Victor:

"Every year, my wife and I store bulbs on the balcony for the winter. Many people are surprised how we manage to save so much planting material. But we've gotten the hang of it, and even cold winters don't scare us. We know how to save corms and how to provide them with good conditions."

Julia:

"This is the first time I've grown so many gladioli, and now I'm thinking about making a good winter storage. I haven't decided on a method yet, but friends recommend storing the plants in a basement. They grow this way every year, and there are no problems."

Maria:

"This is the third year I've been leaving bulbs in my basement over the winter. The basement isn't ideal, of course. We've tried eliminating the dampness many times. Nevertheless, almost all the planting material survives until spring. Over the winter, I only get rid of some of the bulbs, which inevitably begin to rot. But this doesn't significantly affect the overall yield."