The bulbous flowers of gladioli must be prepared for winter. Among them there are varieties that do not require special care in the fall. The whole process is to dig them out of the ground in time, without waiting for the foliage to turn yellow. All these actions must be carried out before a strong cold snap. Novice summer residents are wondering how to store gladioli at home in winter.
I will try to help you figure out what such storage is for.
For what purpose are gladioli stored
Some gardeners are interested in knowing why you need to dig up flowers for the winter. This question most often arises among residents of the southern regions. And it really happens that a vegetable or fruit forgotten in the garden overwinters safely in the soil, and will germinate again in the spring.
But gladioli are not frost-resistant.
They dig up flowers, in order not only to protect the plants from cold weather, but also to exclude the spread of the fungus, which is terrible for these flowers.
Preparing gladioli for storage
It is necessary to dig it only in sunny weather, usually it is done in September. I adapted 2 scoops for work. I can dig it up quickly without damaging the bulb itself. Usually I pull it out along with the onion and its children. I put everything together neatly in a container. I begin to rinse with water through a sieve. Then I send to dry in a warm place.
They are dried for a long time - within a month at room temperature. When the bulbs are well dried, I put them in fabric bags. I sign each bag. After that I put it in the basement.
Make sure that the bulbs are well dried, otherwise they will become infected with fungus. Remember, it's better to overdry them than underdry them.
I etch them with Inta-Vir. Sometimes I buy its counterparts.
How to keep gladiolus bulbs in the apartment in winter
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What place in the house should be set aside for storing gladioli bulbs, as well as how to store them correctly? If you have a private house, then you can send the bulbs to the basement for wintering. It is already more difficult to keep them in the apartment until spring.
Ideally, the storage temperature is 8 degrees with a plus sign.
If the temperature is higher, then they will grow. Closer to spring, you will be able to see seedlings that are not capable of flowering.
Storing the bulbs
If you want to store gladioli on the windowsill in winter, then you will have to make sure that the windows are wooden. This is due to the fact that plastic windows are sealed and have such high thermal insulation properties that they will not provide the required temperature. A good option is in the hallway or in the common vestibule. If the winter is not very frosty, then a glazed loggia will come to the rescue. In the event of a cold snap, the bulbs are brought into the room and left at the door to the loggia. It's always cooler there than in the apartment.
I keep the planting stock in the refrigerator.
It is very convenient to monitor the condition of the bulbs and maintain a constant temperature and humidity.
There have been cases of power outages. But during this time, nothing happened to the bulbs, since the refrigerator keeps the cold for a long time. In my opinion, this is the best option for storing planting material. Moreover, it does not take up much space.
Recommendations for gardeners
- According to experts, in order for the bulbs to retain moisture, they should be wrapped in a triple layer of newsprint.
- You should not take polyethylene for these purposes, since it does not allow air to pass through, and the planting materials will rot from dampness.
- Store bulbs in cellars separately from fruits and vegetables.
- Also in the refrigerator they are placed in vegetable containers separately from food.
- To prevent mold from appearing on the newspapers, they are regularly changed.
If you follow all the rules for storing the bulbs, then the spring planting will take place without problems. Of course, before starting work, the material must be sorted out again.
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