Gladioli (skewers) are corms belonging to the Iris family. I grow these gorgeous flowers with stems up to 50-150 cm in order to produce lush, spiral, spike-shaped inflorescences. To preserve the unusual decor of gladioli, I continue to care for them after the end of the summer period.
Autumn care
Gladioli during September, I provide moderate watering, but only for late varieties. The norm is 15-20 l / m². I continue weeding, loosening the hard surface crust, hilling.
I feed it in early September. I use potassium permanganate, dissolving 5 g of the drug in a bucket of settled water. This volume is sufficient for irrigation of 1 m2. As a result, not only the restoration of the potassium balance occurs, but also the disinfection of the soil.
For early varieties of flower culture, I stop adding water at the end of August.
Preparing for winter
At the beginning of October, I start to carry out activities aimed at preparing the skewer bulbs for the winter period.
Phased operations:
- Pruning
I practice this procedure until frost. I use a garden knife with a sharp disinfected blade for work. After complete wilting, I cut the peduncles, leaving a stump 2-4 cm long above the bulb. I do not remove the leaves, they will serve as a shelter for cut flower stalks.
- Digging
I start this event 28-30 days after pruning. The bulbs, remaining in the soil, are saturated with useful compounds and have time to fully form. For work, I choose a period when dry weather sets in for a while.
Gently immerse the shovel at a distance of about 7 cm from the stem into the soil so that the corm is completely removed with the ground. I put it on a wooden pallet or in a basket. I remove the leaves that were left after pruning. I am also shortening the peduncle. I separate young children from the old corms. I trim the roots carefully.
All damaged bulbs, as well as specimens with signs of infection or insects, are immediately discarded and destroyed.
- Treatment
I wash the remaining healthy corms to remove impurities, and then sort by size. Then I carry out disinfecting measures:
- I use the Maxim concentrate, dissolving one ampoule in a two-liter container of water. I leave the bulbs in the liquid for 30 minutes.
- The drug "Decis" has a good disinfecting effect. You will need 1 ampoule for 5 liters of water. I immerse the bulbs for 40 minutes.
- If I use Fundazol, the exposure time is 30 minutes.
After these procedures, I process the tubers with a pink solution of potassium permanganate for an additional 25-30 minutes.
- Drying
In order for the planting material not to rot, it is important to dry it qualitatively. I arrange the bulbs so that they do not touch each other, on wooden pallets in a ventilated room at a temperature of + 20… + 25 ° C. I regularly examine the planting material and turn it over. Drying takes 4-6 weeks on average.
- Sorting
Once again, I carefully examine the finished planting material. I remove specimens with signs of defeat. I spread the bulbs belonging to different varieties in separate containers. I supply them with labels.
- Organization of storage
A small amount of corms will keep well in your home refrigerator. I wrap each copy in paper, put it in a linen bag and place it in the vegetable compartment.
If this method is not suitable, then you can prepare a place on a glazed insulated balcony or loggia. I put the boxes in which the bulbs wrapped in newspaper or paper are laid out on a shelf located at a height of 40-50 cm from the floor. At the onset of severe frosts, I cover the containers with a warm blanket.
The best option is a cellar. I systematically check the bulbs throughout the storage period in order to remove rotten specimens in a timely manner.
Site preparation
I choose the place where I will plant gladioli for the next season in the fall. The site must be well lit and protected from strong wind currents. I do not use the beds where melons and nightshades were cultivated in the current year. I remove weeds, garbage.
If the soil in this place is sour, then I sprinkle lime powder, dolomite flour or crushed chalk.
I bring in a bucket of rotted compost per 1 sq. meter. To further increase fertility, I add potassium salt (25 g), superphosphate (40 g) and ash (250-300 g). Then I dig up the soil.
With competently organized autumn care for gladioli and observing storage rules corms will be able to get lush bright inflorescences of these majestic ornamental plants.
Read also: Top dressing of apple trees in the fall: what fertilizers are best to apply to get a good harvest next year
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