Gladiolus is a majestic late summer flower with extra everything. A wonderful and tall-growing flower that grows up from an onion-like tuber. It blooms magnificently and stately when the other summer flowers have given up. It originates from Africa, Asia and the Mediterranean area but is today found almost all over the world. The gladiolus genus is a genus in the iris family that today contains approximately 185 unique species.
Grow gladiolus
The tubers should be planted in the spring, about 1 decimeter into the soil and about 1.5 decimeters from the other tubers. Gladiolus thrives best in a sunny and sheltered location in well-drained soil with just the right amount of nutrients. When the tubers are in the ground, they sort themselves out, except that they need a little water from time to time during drier and warmer periods. Gladiolus likes to be crowded with other plants that provide support for the long stems, which means it is excellent in mixed plantings.
A little tip from us at Florea is to plant it together with other tall-growing varieties such as dahlias, hollyhocks, lilies and giant verbena, for example.
Winter gladiolus
When the cold has come to stay and the first hint of frost is a fact, it is time to bring up the tubers again. Then they are dug up, rinsed and laid out to dry. When the tuber has dried, the stems are cut off. The tubers are then stored frost-free in a dark place, preferably in some chippings.
(Pot-grown gladiolus tubers can be set aside with the pot and winterized as planted.)
Some gladiolus varieties are more winter hardy than others and can be overwintered directly on the slopes if you live in the warmer growing zones.
