Gladiolus along with roses are considered real kings of the summer garden. But not all newcomers who want to grow them on their flower beds know what to do with gladiolus bulbs in the fall. But this is one of the most important aspects of caring for a plant.
Gladiolus - treatment in autumn
It is very important to know about the timing of the gladiolus excavation, because it is dangerous to overdo them in the ground because of the risk of fungal diseases. Usually it is done in October-November, after the gladiolus has faded. As a rule, on the bulb ripening is given 30-50 days (this depends on the variety ).
Choose a dry, sunny day, carefully dig out the corms with a shovel or fork and shake them off the ground. Immediately discard spoiled bulbs - rotten or damaged. The stems of the remaining gladioli should be cut at a height of 5-10 cm.
Then the bulbs should be dried, not removing scales from them - it prevents quick release of moisture. It takes about a month to dry, if you do this at room temperature.
Features of preparation and storage of gladioli for the winter
Further preparation of gladioli for winter implies their disinfection. Soak bulbs in a solution of potassium permanganate for about 30 minutes, and unripened corms should be paraffinized - dip into molten paraffin directly into the scales.
You can store bulbs of gladioli:
- in the trench - this is possible in the area with a soft, not too cold winter. In the trench the boxes with corms, sprinkled with dry sawdust and covered with a film, are immersed;
- in a cold, dry, ventilated basement, in drawers with a net bottom;
- in the glassed-in loggia - at the onset of strong frosts on a box or container with bulbs you can throw a blanket;
- in an apartment - for this you need to find the coolest place or choose a refrigerator for it. Put each bulb in paper and fold it into a plastic bag with ventilation.
Regularly inspect gladioli in winter for dampness or pests. Damaged thrips bulbs need to be treated with an IntaVir-type preparation, then they should be dried, and you can again lay the planting material for storage.