Gladiolus flowers are EASY & QUICK to grow when the bulbs are planted correctly! Follow these tips to know everything about grwing GLADIOULUS FLOWERS FROM BULBS

PLANTING BULBS & GROWING

1. When should gladiolus bulbs be planted in India?
   • Plant the bulbs/corms before monsoons (june-july) in North India so that the relaity cooler weather helps better growth and prevent burning of leaves. Too hot weather causes the gladiolus leaf spikes and flower stalks to burn.
2. What is the correct depth for planting gladiolus bulbs?
   • Plant them 4″-6″ deep for stability and better grip in the soil. Tall stalks needs extra support.
3. How far should gladiolus bulbs be planted from each other?
   • Plant them 6″-9″ apart so that each plant gets ample space.
4. Can gladiolus grow in pots?
   • Yes! Gladiolus are great for growing in pots provided they are given ample water and support.
5. Do gladiolus need sun or shade?
   • They need full sun to bloom. They won’t grow in too much shade or indoors.
6. What kind of soil does gladiolus need to grow?
   • Like all flowers that grow from bulbs, glads also need well-draining soil to grow properly.
7. How long does gladiolus take to flower?
   • They take around 3 months, depending on the weather.
8. How much should gladiolus be watered?
   • Ample water, once a day, ideally in the morning.
9. Does gladiolus grow from seeds?
   • It is not a common practice or much fruitful. Plant bulbs instead!
10. How many flowers can one gladiolus bulb produce?
    • Each stalk can produce even 2-3 flower stalks if the bulbs are large & healthy. Smaller bulbs produce only 1 stalk in the first season.

GLADIOLUS Care TIPS

11. Why do gladiolus flowers not bloom?
    • Gladiolus does not bloom when the bulbs are too small or if they are not healthy enough. Squishy bulbs rot inside soil instead of blooming.
12. How to get bigger gladiolus flowers?
    • Bigger bulbs produce bigger flowers.
13. Does gladiolus need fertilizer while growing?
    • The health of the bulbs decided the quality of flowers but fertilise towards the end of season to produce healthy bulbs for next season.
14. Does gladiolus need support?
    • Yes. The tall gladiolus stalks need to be supported with cane sticks or these plant support sticks to prevent them from falling off.
15. How long do gladiolus flowers keep blooming?
    • They keep blooming for a atleast 2 weeks staying fresh on the plant.

GLADIOLUS Propagation

18. How does gladiolus multiply?
    • They multiply on their own as they grow. No special technique is needed.
19. When should I divide gladiolus bulbs?
    • After gladioulus has finished flowering, let the bulbs grow in soil undisturbed. Keep watering daily. Divide them at the start of next season and plant individually.
20. How many fresh bulbs does one gladiolus produce?
    • Each large healthy gladiolus bulb produces atleast 5-8 offsets that grow into mature bulbs later.

GLADIOLUS BULBS STORAGE IN WINTERS

22. Do I need to dig up gladiolus bulbs for winter?
    • No. Let them grow in soil and propagate by themselves.
23. Can gladiolus bulbs stay in the ground entire year?
    • Yes. Gladiolus bulbs can stay in well-draining soil and continue to multiply slowly.

COMMON GLADIOLUS Problems

26. Why do gladiolus leave turn yellow?
    • Inconsistent watering leads to yellowing of your gladiolus leaves.
27. Why are my gladiolus plants dying?
    • Do not plant in too much heat. Wait till monsonns are about to arrive and plant 3 weeks before.
28. How to prevent gladiolus bulb rot?
    • Always plant in well-draining soil and never let stadning water rot the bulbs.
29. Why are my gladiolus growing leaves but no flowers?
    • Size of the bulbs matters. Immature bulbs do not produce flowers.
30. Can gladiolus be grown indoors?
    • NO. They need sunlight to grow. You can place the blooming pots indoors near a window.

WHY ARE MY GLADIOLUS FLOWERS FALLING OVER?

• PLANTING AT INCORRECT DEPTH
  • Sow the bulbs atleast around 6″ deep for better hold in the soil as they grow. Bulbs that are exposed on the surface fall over as they grow.
• LACK OF SUPPORT
  • Use plant support sticks like THESE if you have planted bulbs too shallow. These also protect the growing flower stalks from instense winds that can topple over the stalks.
  • You can also use cane or wooden sticks along with PLANT CLIPS to support plants. Simple ZIP-TIES work well too.
  • Gladiolus planted in ground has a better grip. Do not use shallow pots to plant. Gladiolus roots needs ample space.
  • Plant them straight. Bulbs planyted at an angle sprout shoots at diagonal angles leading them to fall over.
    • TRY THESE SUPPORT STICKS FOR TALL PLANTS LIKE GLADIOLUS
• WEAK BULBS
  • Weak or unhealthy flower bulbs do not produce strong flower stalks. They will eventually fall over due to wind or lack of strength.

How to choose the right Gladiolus bulbs?

• They must be fleshy & big. The bigger the bulb, the healthier the plant.
• Press lightly with your fingertips. The bulb must not feel squishy or change shape. It should be firm.
• Look for bulbs that have sprouted slightly. The growth must be light green not brown.
• It should be clean & free of fungus.
• Very small bulbs are not likely to flower. Avoid them.

HOW TO PLANT Gladiolus flower Bulbs CORRECTLY?

• Like any other bulb, we need well-draining soil. Add some sand/compost/coco-peat if the soil is too hard or clayey.
• Standing water rots even the best quality bulbs hence drainage is very important. Also, the quality of flowers depends on the bulb itself not the soil. The bulb stores food for the plant.
• If you want the bulbs to grow and multiply then add some compost to soil for nutrition. Otherwise, Gladiolus is not fussy and grows well in normal soil.
• Before planting the bulbs, water the soil and see if it drains well. This means, the water must completely drench the soil and excess drains away within a minute or so. This soil is ideal.
• To plant the bulbs, dig enough to hide the bulb but keep the sprouted part a little visible.
• If there is no sprout, sow the bulb about 6″ deep. To make this easier, plant the bulbs in slightly wet soil not dry.
• Water it once again, thoroughly. I repeat, it must drain down quickly!
• Label it so that you don’t dig it accidentally. I use these disposable spoons and write with a waterproof marker. Don’t forget to mention the date.

Know more about planting depth for bulbs HERE.

Till then,

HAPPY GARDENING 🙂