The real decoration of the garden in the autumn are the gladioli. These gorgeous flowers amaze with their beauty and variety of colors, but to make them happy in the autumn you need to know how to properly plant gladioli in the spring. Although this flower is considered to be perennial, but since it does not tolerate cold in the ground, its tubers are dug out and stored indoors for the winter before the heat comes.
In this article, we will examine the peculiarities of planting and caring for gladioli in the spring.
When to plant gladioli in the spring?
The most optimal period for planting gladiolus is May, when the earth warms up to + 10 ° C, but if there is shelter from possible spring frosts, then you can plant them in April. Early varieties, planted in June, will bloom already in August-September. Small corms and children are planted early so that they can grow up.
How to prepare gladioli for planting?
One month before the landing, the gladiolus bulbs are removed from the vault and carefully cleaned from the scales so as not to damage the shoots. In this case, severely damaged and sick are rejected. Small damage is cut out with a sharp disinfected in alcohol with a knife, and then this place is processed with greenery or sprinkled with chopped charcoal. Then they put them in boxes or on the windowsill, where they will go to growth in a dry, warm and sunny place, but the roots will not form.
Before planting corms gladiolus soaked for half a day in a solution with microelements. They also need to be treated with pesticides to get rid of possible diseases and pests:
- from thrips and whiteflies etch half an hour in a solution of decis or fufanon;
- from fungi and bacteria soak for 20-30 minutes in 0.2-0.3% suspension baseazene (M topsin) or 0.7% solution of potassium permanganate.
How to plant gladioli in the spring?
It is important when planting gladioli is a good place. It should be well-lit, level, or with a slight slope to the south, the land must be loose and drained. The flower does not like the wind, stagnation of water and shading. The shadow on the flowers in the morning hours delays flowering for 2 weeks, and in the evening - for 3. Sharp gusts of the wind can break the peduncles.
The best are: chernozem, light loamy or sandy loamy soils. On clay and heavy lands it will be necessary to reduce the depth of planting. Sites for gladioli must be changed every year, returning to one place not earlier than in 4 years.
The site is dug in the fall to a depth of 40 cm with the application of fertilizers (humus, up to 50 g / m² superphosphate and 20-30 g / m² potassium sulfate). In the spring they do it again and level with rake.
Gladiolus planted on beds directed from the south to the north at a distance of 15-20 cm between plants and 30 cm between rows. The usual depth of sealing large tubers - 8-12 cm, heavy - 6-10 cm, and on light soils - up to 15 cm.
Good illumination in late July - early August allows flowers per day to grow by 3-12 cm.
Further care for growing plantings is as follows:
- regular watering, and with the formation of flowers and flowering - enhanced (10-15 liters of water per 1 m²);
- loosening of soil and hilling of plants;
- fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers (20-30 g per 1 m 2) a month after planting, with a second fertilizing (after another 3-4 weeks) add 25 g of superphosphate and 10 grams. potassium sulfate. The third time fertilize with the formation of buds;
- before and after the fertilizing the plant is watered;
- Weeding and mulching the soil retain moisture in the soil and delay the growth of weeds.
- tie to the support stretched along the rows. This can be replaced by hilling to a height of 10 cm.
- after cutting flowers it is necessary to leave 4 real leaves for the normal development of corms.
- timely removal of diseased plants.
Knowing all the subtleties of planting gladioli and caring for them in the spring, you will be able to grow on your garden plot these bright and beautiful flowers of various shades.