How to plant Gladiolus

When should you plant Gladiolus and how? We shall address these issues in the following lines, but keep in mind that you must finish planting by the end of May. Do not rush as late frosts could harm your seedlings badly. Warm soil base is also important. If you plant into a cold soil base, your seedlings will be much more susceptible to fungal diseases or to other potential problems. So how to plant Gladiolus properly?

What location to choose?

Gladiolus love sunlight. So choose location with enough sun. This will help the plant to create strong and nice racemes from which beautiful flowers will develop later. Group planting is recommended. Do not scatter tubers randomly. You should also pay attention to the soil. Permeable substrate, such as loam, is recommended. Beware of direct liming and do not use compost which hasn’t had enough time to decompose properly. Soil pH should be around 7.

Photo: Pixabay

The planting process matters

Some gardeners prefer to soak the tubers before planting. This is not necessary, but if you previously experienced fungal diseases, try to soak them. For example Actellic, or Desic Mega are both very good choices. Pay attention to the depth of planting holes. Larger tubers must go deep into the ground and smaller ones must go into more shallow holes. Something around 15 or 10 cm. The distance between individual rows should be about 30 to 80 cm. Longer distance is preferred however, because larger spacing tends to prevent fungal diseases.

Subsequent care is also very important

Before planting make sure the soil is properly compacted. Water the patch after you finish. Use plenty of water because you will not be watering the patch again until the tubers come out. We recommend writing the name of the cultivar on a label near the plant. The plants should come out within 10 to 14 days. No more than that. Take care of the patch and remove any weeds to eliminate other nutrient-depleting plants.

Photo: Pixabay