These beautiful high flowers came to us from Africa and the Mediterranean. Now there are 5,000 varieties and every year there are more. From the bulb of the gladiolus, narrow leaves of a bluish hue grow, resembling a blade and reaching 70-150 cm in length. Its funnel-shaped flowers with six uneven petals are assembled into a spicate inflorescence, which can be one-sided, two-sided or spiral. The flower fades after twelve days and in its place the fruit ripens (a box with seeds). Depending on when the gladioli blossom after planting, they are divided into:
- very early - after 65-70 days;
- early - 71-74 days;
- mid-term - 75-79 days;
- average - 80-84 days;
- average late - 85-90 days;
- the later - 91-95 days;
- very late - 100-140 days.
Gladiolus: growing and grooming
For the successful cultivation of gladiolus in the garden you need: the right location, watering, loosening the soil with mandatory removal of weeds and regular feeding.
Gladiolus photophilous and heat-loving plants, so it is better to plant them on a windless solar patch with well drained, light, breathable and fertile soil.
Gladiolus requires abundant watering, at least once a week (4-5 buckets per 1m2), especially during the growing season, but without excessive moisture.
From the moment of the appearance of the first sheets and till the end of the summer, mineral fertilizers are introduced weekly or in a week in small doses, since the height and quality of flowering depends on the feeding and the resistance of the gladiolus to diseases. If you do not know how to feed gladioli, then you can make a solution of ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potassium sulfate (40g: 40g: 30g) and dilute to a bucket of water.
Gladiolus planted in gardens, you can not leave the winter in the open ground. In early October, bulbs should be harvested for wintering, and at the end of April - they should be planted in open ground, always in a new place.
How to plant gladioli?
This flower is easily planted in the garden. But you need to know how to properly and to what depth you need to plant gladioli. We need to do this according to the following algorithm:
- One month before planting, get the bulbs, scrape them off and put them in boxes, which must be put in a dry, sunny and warm place.
- Prepare the soil: add drainage, dig in the fall, feed organic fertilizers in the spring (add phosphorus).
- Landing is recommended to be carried out in late April or mid-May in the ground heated to 10 ° C. Before planting corms and children, soak first for 1 -2 hours in a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate for the prevention of fungal diseases. Then they stand one night in the infusion of wood ash.
- Prepare grooves with a depth of about 20 cm. Depth of planting depends on the size of the bulb itself and should approximately equal three or four times its size. Bulbs are placed on the bottom of the groove at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. During the landing, the grooves and wells should be watered.
- Sprinkle the soil with a layer of 2-5 cm.
- 3-4 days after the appearance of sprouts, as they grow, sprinkle them with soil, until the whole earth is equal.
Gladiolus: diseases and pests
Gladiolus is susceptible to many diseases and pests. The most common diseases for him are fusariosis, gray, dry and hard rot, scab. In the fight against them helps:
- from fungal diseases - spraying with a solution of drinking or calcined soda;
- from the causative agents of fusariosis and rot - planting between rows of garlic, marigold, nasturtium, calendula, and bulbs of infected plants must be disposed of;
- from thrips and aphids, it is recommended to use karate and fast food (1-2 ml / 10 liters of water);
- from earwig - spraying with a solution of decis, fufanon or carbofos;
- from slugs - trapping and sprinkling of tracks with superphosphate, ash, tobacco dust.
Depending on how you will look after your gladioli, you will receive such flowers as a result.