Some garden flowers require special overwintering conditions. For example, gladiolus, a favorite of many gardeners, should be dug up for the winter and prepared for storage until spring. When digging plants need to take into account factors such as flower variety and the growing region, as the timing of bulb harvesting depends on these factors. Providing the right conditions for overwintering the tubers is equally important.
Digging times
In early autumn, cut the flower stalks off all plants. There's no need to wait until the flower has fully opened its buds. The flower stalks are cut with a sharp knife at an angle, so as not to damage the leaves.
The bushes are dug up after about two weeks. A drop in temperature to 10°C signals that it's time to harvest the gladioli for the winter.
Depending on the variety
When harvesting gladioli bulbs, it's important to consider when the flower has finished blooming. Different varieties have different blooming periods, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact time to harvest gladioli for storage in the fall. Typically, the bulbs are dug up after more than a month has passed since flowering. During this period, the bulbs continue to mature, accumulating nutrients for winter storage. However, the plants should be harvested before their leaves begin to wilt.
You may be interested in:At the same time The following nuances must be taken into account:
- Early and mid-season varieties should be dug up first. After them, late varieties and flowers grown from seedlings should be dug up.
- Since dark-colored plants (burgundy, black, purple, red) are most susceptible to diseases, they are harvested first.
- Young plants, as well as those that haven't yet flowered, require more time for their tubers to mature. Because of this, such flowers are dug up at the very end. Young gladioli often don't develop flower stalks until late summer.
- It's best not to wait until the bulbs are fully ripe, as this will allow you to harvest the tuber along with the baby corms. Mature corms may crumble during harvesting, and you'll have to search for the baby corms in the ground.
According to the growing region
Gladiolus harvesting times vary across different regions of the country. However, gardeners always adhere to this rule: the tuber fully matures within 35-50 days after the plant finishes flowering. It's important to note that the bulb ripens faster after the flower stalk is cut.
In the Moscow region, the flowering period for most gladioli species occurs in August. Therefore, gladioli should be harvested for the winter in September.
In Siberia and the Urals, due to climate conditions, only early varieties are grown, as they have time to mature and bloom during the short summer period. They often bloom as early as early autumn, just before the first frost. The tubers are dug up before daytime temperatures drop below freezing.
You may be interested in:In southern regions of Russia, where winter temperatures rarely drop below freezing, gladioli don't need to be dug up for the winter. To ensure the flowers survive frost, simply cover them with plastic, agrospan, or other covering material. If the winter is likely to be cold, consider the variety and flowering time of the plant when digging. Typically, the bulbs are harvested between August and October. Keeping them in the ground longer than necessary is not recommended.
When breeding gladioli It should be remembered that:
- In northern regions, flowers are planted quite late, and therefore sometimes the tubers do not have time to accumulate nutrients in time before wintering.
- In the temperate zone, bulbs are harvested at the end of September. At this time, frosts become permanent.
If weather conditions prevent the tubers from being left in the ground for the prescribed period, experienced gardeners recommend digging them up, complete with soil and untrimmed stems. In this condition, the gladioli should be left in an insulated room for a little over a month before being treated.
Cleaning instructions
A shovel or garden fork are perfectly suitable for digging up gladioli in the fall. It's best to do this on a warm, sunny day, as drying the tubers will take less time under these conditions.
Instructions for harvesting bulbs:
- Step back at least 20 cm from the plant stem and insert a shovel vertically. Gently rock the shovel until the soil ball and tubers are lifted to the surface. Place the ball on a tarp but do not break it apart.
- The soil is shaken off the bulbs only after they have dried slightly. The tubers are separated and the young bulbs are collected. The stems are cut off, leaving 5 cm from the bulb. Bulbs showing signs of disease, as well as old ones, should be discarded.
- To prevent gladioli diseases It is necessary to carry out preventive treatment by soaking them in a solution of Fitosporin.
- Flowers are sorted by variety and size.
- The corms are dried and stored in a cool, dry place.
Preparing for winter
When harvesting, gladioli should be shaken free of any remaining soil and placed in separate containers. To avoid mixing up the bulbs before planting, label all containers with labels or tags. Young bulbs should be stored separately.
Proper drying
This procedure is used mainly for tubers from previous seasons. The process can be divided into the following stages:
- Dry the bulbs outdoors. The location should be well-ventilated, as wind will significantly accelerate the removal of excess moisture. This drying process takes about two days.
- The tubers dry either under a canopy or in a room with a good ventilation system for about a month.
- Clean the bulbs of any remaining soil. This procedure should be done carefully to avoid removing the skins.
- The tubers, placed in a clean container, are dried for 6 to 8 days.
It's important to remember that drying time depends directly on the weather. Temperatures between 22 and 32°C (72 and 90°F) are ideal. Therefore, the exact time for preparing gladioli for storage is determined strictly individually. Young bulbs should be dried for a month at a temperature of 25°C (77°F).
Disinfection and additional treatment
Disinfection This is a mandatory procedure for any planting material. The tubers are treated with a 30% garlic infusion. To prepare it, steep three large cloves of garlic, about 30 g, in 100 g of water.
The average time for soaking gladiolus tubers in this solution is 8 seconds, but the duration depends directly on the size of the gladiolus. For baby gladiolus, a two-second soak is sufficient. The solution is very scalding, so it's important to protect your hands when handling it. Tweezers or rubber gloves are recommended.
Experienced gardeners use a paraffin coating. This coating protects the bulbs from external influences and mold, which is very difficult to prevent. To use this method, melt several candles in any suitable container. Afterward, let the paraffin cool slightly and dip the gladioli in it. Place the gladioli on a hard surface and leave until a thick, impermeable coating forms.
Storage organization
The main requirements for storing gladioli over winter are the same as for storing tubers of any other plant. The room should be cool and dry. It also needs to ensure adequate air circulation.
Room conditions
Bulbs can be successfully stored in a city apartment. Places such as:
- A vestibule or hallway. The tubers should be individually wrapped in paper and placed in a plastic bag with pre-punched holes.
- Glazed balcony. Bulbs are placed in a single layer in boxes and placed at any elevated level. In severe frosts, the containers are brought inside and left by the balcony door.
- Windowsill.
During storage, periodically check the seedlings and remove any diseased gladioli. Failure to do so could result in the disease spreading to all bulbs.
Vegetable compartment in the refrigerator
Gladioli are stored in the refrigerator's vegetable drawer. Each bulb is wrapped in newspaper before being placed in the refrigerator. Humidity must be controlled, otherwise the tubers will rot.
If mold appears on the bulbs, the gladioli should be dried again and wrapped in new newspaper. In high humidity, the paper should be renewed at least once a month.
It is strictly forbidden to store tubers in the freezer. This will cause the flowers to die.
Cellar or basement
The best places to store gladioli are cellars and basements, as they offer relatively low temperatures and constant humidity. This allows the bulbs to be safely preserved until spring with virtually no loss. The tubers are wrapped in sheets of newspaper and placed in boxes, which are then stacked on top of each other. This saves space and ensures good ventilation.
It's not recommended to plant fruits and vegetables near gladioli, as they release a lot of moisture. Excessive moisture can cause mold to form on the bulbs. In this case, the bulbs should be sorted, any diseased ones removed, and the healthy ones dried and wrapped in new newspaper.
Protection from pests and diseases
During winter, gladioli can be damaged by thrips and other pests. Thrips burrow under the skin and suck out all the juices from the bulb, causing it to die. Protect the tubers from pests and diseases. you can do it in the following ways:
- Garlic. Place the chopped cloves in the containers where the bulbs are stored. When inspecting the planting material, replace any dried garlic with fresh ones.
- Paraffin. A paraffin film protects gladioli from moisture loss, as well as pests and infections. It can be easily removed by hand during spring planting. However, keep in mind that this procedure will not save a diseased tuber.
If pests appear on the flowers, treatment with Zineb is recommended. The tubers should be soaked in it for half an hour and then dried for 2-3 days in a well-ventilated area. After the treatment, they are returned to storage.
Quality of planting material
The quality of the tubers depends on several factors. First and foremost, pay attention to the age of the gladioli. Young plants that have not yet bloomed possess the most valuable qualities.
Tuber size is also very important. Small bulbs, no more than 4 cm in diameter and with a base diameter of less than 1 cm, are considered the best.
Tubers with fully formed root nodules have a good germination rate. The scales covering the bulb should be golden-yellow or reddish in color, shiny, and free of dark stripes or spots.
Gladioli will grace any garden. But to ensure they continue to look magnificent throughout the summer, you need to not only prune them properly in the fall but also ensure good storage conditions during the winter months. Additionally, you should protect the delicate tubers from pests and diseases.
Pruning, digging up gladioli in autumn and storing them for the winter
How to store gladioli at home in winter
How to control thrips on gladioli