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Saving Gladiolus

Celeste Longacre
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In some places, gladiolus can be left in the ground all winter. In colder climates, however, they would freeze and die. Gladiolus can be saved, though, if placed in the root cellar and replanted in the spring. Here’s how.

First, gently dig the entire gladiolus plant and place on newspapers in a shady spot that won’t get frosted. A porch is ideal. Let them sit there for a week or two until the stems easily pull away from the corms.

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 Next, separate the new corms from the old ones.

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Often, a gladiolus will form two new corms where the old one was. With some wood chips and a bucket, place these new corms on top of the chips not touching one another.

gladiiolas_007.jpg Cover with more wood chips. Continue until the bucket is full. Place more chips on top, cover and place in the root cellar for the winter. In the spring, begin planting the gladiolus about ten days before the last frost. Planting ten or twelve at a time is ideal. Continue planting them every ten to fourteen days until they are all in the ground. This will assure a timely presentation of flowers throughout the summer months.

Flowers
About The Author

Celeste Longacre

Celeste is The Old Farmer's Almanac astrologer. She has also been growing virtually all of her family’s vegetables for the entire year for over 30 years. Read More from Celeste Longacre

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Comments

les vrabel (not verified)

1 year 9 months ago

i live in virginia and my glads winter over just fine. i would like to move my plants and seperate to another location. can i cut off the leaves now , let them dry out of the ground and then replant in their new location now?

Teresa Arms (not verified)

2 years ago

I will be planting my first container garden on my back patio. So thank you for this Farmers Almanac. I'm sure I'll use it often.

jan (not verified)

2 years 6 months ago

can gladiolus corms be stored in peat moss?

Yes, you can store bulbs in peat moss or a layer of sand, vermiculite, or even newspaper, on the bottom of a container. Add a layer of bulbs but do not let them touch each other. Add a second layer of dry material and continue until the container is filled or you have stored all your bulbs. Label the container so that you know what you have inside! Store the container in a cool bedroom, basement or closet until next spring.

corleen proulx (not verified)

5 years 6 months ago

you didn't say what you did with the new baby corms on the glad. And, the picture with a caption "place new corms in a bucket" looked like the old corms minus the baby corms.

Sherrie Prettyman (not verified)

5 years 8 months ago

I love in Northern Utah. Would covering the bulbs (already in ground) with wood chips or top soil keep them protected from our cold winters?

Hi Sherrie, If your ground freezes in the winter, it would kill the glads.

I live in Nanaimo, British Columbia. The winters & spring here are far too wet here to keep glads in the ground, they just rot, so have to be removed & put into wood shavings. I plant mine in containers & move them into the garage & bring them out in the late spring.

Melissa garcia (not verified)

5 years 8 months ago

Hi i live in trinidad my glads bloom in june what do i do now ...?