Gladiolus: description and features of cultivation

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Gladiolus are tall, imposing flowers, they have been associated with the First of September since childhood. The king of all colors, looks great in an autumn bouquet. Creating the perfect composition will not take much time, as this flower is beautiful in itself, you can only experiment with the combination of colors in the bouquet. A truly majestic flower – used not only by florists, but also gaining popularity among landscape designers. The most common is the use of gladioli in the design of a flowering garden. This representative of the plant world does not require much attention. Although many are afraid to use gladioli in landscape design, because desires do not always coincide with opportunities, it is necessary to take into account what colors gladioli can be planted with.

Pay attention to the ideal use of gladioli in landscape design in the presented photos:

Botanical features of gladioli

Flowers “skewers”, or gladiolus from the Iris family, began to be used as ornamental plants at the beginning of the 19th century, until that time, close to 300 BC, they were used for food. The first mention of this plant was in Africa, which is why it is considered its homeland. Spike – refers to the bulbous perennial representatives of the plant world. The bulbs are rounded or elliptical on top, covered with protective scales, consisting of compacted epidermal cells, which are covered with a waxy layer. This indicates the protective adaptations of the plant in wildlife. Such scales help to keep the tuber as moist as possible, which allows you to support the vegetative processes.

The growing season lasts from spring to late autumn, then the tubers require removal from open ground.

Botanical features of the plant:

  • the stem is straight, sometimes reaches a height of up to 1.5 meters;
  • the leaves are sword-shaped with parallel veins, erect, they have a stem sinus, due to which the leaf becomes more stable during the appearance of flowers;
  • root rosette is missing;
  • flowers are collected in inflorescences of ears, their arrangement is from one-sided to spiral;
  • a flower can be both simple and complex – consist of more than 4 petals;
  • the shape of the petal and its color depends on the type of gladiolus.

At the moment, the iris genus has about 250 species, and breeders do not stand still, replenishing it annually with several new representatives. The main task of botanists and breeders is to create not only a flower that is unique in color, but also the development of resistance to various diseases and pests.

See photos of the most diverse colors of gladioli:

How to properly care for gladiolus: recommendations for growing

Care and methods of growing gladioli require certain skills and knowledge. It is necessary to take into account the climatic features of the homeland of the plant and give preference to well-lit places for their cultivation.

Features of flower care include the following recommendations:

  • Firstly, gladiolus corms are dug up every autumn; they cannot overwinter in the garden.
  • Secondly, gladioli do not have a basal rosette of leaves, so the ground under the plants remains bare. And you can’t close the ground, because gladioli need well-warmed soil and constant ventilation. It remains to plant letniki, and then not too often, so as not to create a dense shadow.
  • Thirdly, gladiolus require support, otherwise they collapse from gusts of wind or heavy rain. So you have to grow them in the garden.

Preparing bulbs and soil for planting gladioli (with video)

Planting gladiolus flowers in the ground involves the primary preparatory stage, including the revision of tubers – the main planting material.

Preparing gladiolus tubers for planting involves:

  • moving tubers 14-21 days before planting in a warm place with moderate humidity;
  • cleaning the bulbs from protective scales and checking for the presence of putrefactive areas, it is also necessary to exclude the presence of pests;
  • 1-2 days before planting gladioli bulbs in open ground, they must be treated with special nutrient and protective solutions.

How to properly prepare gladioli for planting at this stage, look at the video:

At the second preparatory stage, you should choose a suitable place with a certain soil. For the effective cultivation of gladiolus flowers in open ground, it is best to give preference to chernozems or loamy soils, but it is recommended to observe the frequency and change the typical soil at least once every 2-3 years. For example: planting gladiolus in loamy soil after 2 years should be replaced by growing gladiolus plants in sandy loamy soil. Such manipulations make it possible to make flower bulbs more resistant to external environmental factors.

In addition to determining the necessary soil structure, the main need is its enrichment with organic substances. After all, it is the optimal amount of organic matter that will allow the plant to receive all the necessary components for the growth and formation of the stem and inflorescence. Sometimes even the brightness of the flowers depends on the saturation of the soil. It is important to note that you should not overdo it, because the tubers can simply “burn out” from oversaturation of the soil with ammonia fertilizers.

To obtain the best result, at the end of autumn, you need to determine the place of future growth of skewers. Further, at the rate of no more than 10 kg per square meter, add humus.

Important: humus must be at least 2 years of storage. The thing is that in fresh humus there are a lot of ammonia compounds that did not have time to decompose to certain micro and macro elements necessary for the plant. Evenly distributing the fertilizer, you need to dig up a bed for the winter, this will allow the humus organic matter to actively interact with the soil and completely enrich it with the necessary elements.

Of course, special synthetic concentrates are also used for fertilizer, which can be purchased at the store, this is more pleasant, although much more expensive. When buying fertilizers not in certified stores, you cannot be sure of their quality. It is best to use the old proven method, which is as close as possible to the natural processes of soil saturation with organic matter.

How to plant gladiolus bulbs in the soil in spring

Gladiolus flowers can and should be grown in the garden, but the possibility of cultivating the plant in greenhouse conditions is not ruled out. In any case, caring for the plant and planting gladioli require special attention. Compliance with the peculiarities of growing gladioli with proper preparation of the bulbs for planting is the key to success and the second mandatory step in planting flowers.

It is necessary to clearly study how to properly plant gladioli in the ground so that the plant brings beauty to the landscape, because failure to follow all the rules can adversely affect the beauty and brightness of flowering plants. Gladiolus flowers suggest planting in the spring, when the soil warms up by at least 10-15 cm. Depending on whether it is early spring or late, it can be either April or early or mid-May.

Before planting prepared gladiolus bulbs, it is necessary to disinfect them with a light solution of potassium permanganate or another specialized preparation. Features of planting gladiolus bulbs in open ground and caring for them involve tillage from small pests that can destroy tubers if children are planted. It does not take much time to carry out such a procedure, and it does not cost anything. You just need to treat the landing site with boiling water, you can add a little potassium permanganate, but this is not necessary.

Mature mother bulbs of gladiolus require preliminary preparation for planting by cleaning from scales. Small tubers should not be cleaned of protective scales, since they will become an obstacle to the defeat of a young tuber by small pests, and protect them from excess moisture.

In order to know how to plant gladioli in the spring, you need to clearly understand the sequence of targeted actions and stick to them.

How to plant gladiolus bulbs in spring:

  • hole size varies from 2.5 to 10 cm, depending on the size of the bulb;
  • the distance between rows should be at least 20 cm;
  • early species can be planted in semi-shaded places;
  • late flowering representatives are best planted in well-lit areas;
  • it is not recommended to mix types of different gladioli that differ in the frequency of flowering;
  • the hole under the bulb must first be sprinkled with a small amount of sand;
  • carefully arrange the tubers, be sure to sprout up;
  • cover with a small amount of moss on top;
  • then sprinkle with soil, while it should have a loose structure, in no case should it be compacted.

It is important that it is the moss that will allow you to maximize the humidity of the environment necessary for the germination of the cob. Moss is also characterized by antibacterial properties, which will protect the tubers from bacterial damage and mold.

Also, small tubers should not be planted next to the mother ones, as the latter will suppress the growth of young plants. This will prevent the bulbs from reaching a certain minimum size. Also, when disembarking, it is necessary to take into account the features of a possible neighborhood in a flower bed of gladioli. What colors they are best combined with and what the neighborhood will be will be reflected in their growth and flowering.

Flowers germinate approximately 14-18 days after planting, depending on weather conditions and ambient temperature. The skewer is thermophilic, so any decrease in temperature inhibits the development of the plant as a whole.

To visually consolidate knowledge of how to plant gladioli, watch the video:

How to grow gladioli from bulbs in the country: basic rules

Basic knowledge of how to properly grow a gladiolus from a bulb will allow you not only to get planting material of your own production, but also to start a small business. After all, the cost of the mother bulb of a breeding species of luxurious gladioli is sometimes sky-high. Cultivation from children allows you to grow varietal gladioli, both in the country and in greenhouse conditions, and has minor differences from planting adult tubers.

In the spring, gladioli will have to tinker. First (at the end of March – beginning of April) we take out the baby from the cold (we clean it and put it in pots). Growing will save almost a year before flowering. A little later, we “wake up” heat-loving varieties, for example ‘Bndesmade’. If this is not done, but simply planted corms in the ground, the plants may not have time to develop. Therefore, we spread the corms in the light until the arrow appears. After two or three weeks, we do the same with the rest of the varieties.

In order to know how to properly grow a wonderful gladiolus flower from a bulb, you must follow the recommendations and follow the planting rules.

Main stages:

  • first you need to purchase tubers of the best varieties of gladioli;
  • to plant tubers according to the basic basic rules for this type of plant;
  • during the period of digging the bulbs (in autumn), clearly separate the mother tuber from the adnexal “children”;
  • observe the rules for storing gladiolus bulbs;
  • familiarize yourself with the basic methods of storing and preparing gladiolus tubers for planting.

Gladioli are planted in warm soil (around mid-May). The depth of planting depends on the diameter of the corm. Large ones can be deepened by 20 cm, small children – by 3-5 cm. When the flower arrow appears, install supports

The key to successful cultivation of gladiolus flowers depends on the correct planting and care of the plant. Adventitious tubers, depending on their size, will enter full vegetation (the appearance of flowers) in 1-2 years, depending on the diameter that the bulbs reach.

You should know that the life expectancy of the bulb, even with the most scrupulous care, does not exceed 10 years, on average it is 5-7 years. All amateur flower growers and professional florists need to know how to grow gladioli from bulbs even in the country, because this will at least save the budget, and decorate the site with unusual representatives of the flower world as much as possible.

How to properly grow beautiful gladioli so that the flowers are healthy and decorate the garden or summer cottage. It is necessary not only to adhere to the rules of planting, but also not to leave them unattended during growth and flowering.

How do you need to care for gladioli in order to get beautiful inflorescences, and this is exactly what we expect from gladioli. The plants are carefully looked after all season: they feed, water, fight pests. Water gladiolus not often, but plentifully. In principle, you can feed the flowers with complex fertilizer, but it’s better to use nitrogen in the spring, and phosphorus-potassium in the second half of summer. If possible, spray with a solution of trace elements.

Knowledge of the rules of how to properly grow gladiolus flowers includes following the recommendations for watering the plant.

Watering the skewer must be carried out at least once every 7 days, at moderate air temperatures up to 25 degrees, with an increase in temperature, the frequency of watering is reduced to 3 days.

Irrigation features:

  • it is necessary to water early in the morning or in the evening;
  • try to avoid getting water on the leaves and inflorescences, this makes the plant heavier and can lead to its bending;
  • it is best to pour water on the soil, preferably in pre-prepared grooves located at a distance of at least 5-7 cm from the plant;
  • after cutting flowers, the frequency of watering should be reduced regardless of temperature in order to avoid suppuration of the tuber;
  • water temperature for irrigation should be at least 10 degrees.

Important: no need to fill in gladioli, watering is carried out at the rate of 1 liter per 10 cm2.

An integral factor for the normal growth of plants is the loosening of the soil, which must be done at least once every 14 days. At the first loosening, you can slightly adjust the plants with soil to strengthen their resistance to external factors (wind, heavy rain). Gladiolus flowers, subject to the rules of planting and care, will delight the eye for many years.

Gladioli are planted in the sunniest, most wind-protected places with well-drained soil. In preparation, compost, humus, superphosphate and potash fertilizers are added to the ridges, the earth is well loosened.

Top dressing:

  • depends primarily on the variety of the variety;
  • with sufficient saturation of the soil with organic matter, spring and summer top dressing with nitrate fertilizers can be excluded;
  • with the appearance of the cobs of inflorescences, it is worth spraying the skewer with phosphate fertilizers in order to strengthen the reproductive system and improve the quality of the flowers;
  • 2-3 weeks before digging, you need to feed the flowers with a soil method with a set of phosphate and ammonium fertilizers.

Pay attention: in the summer, you can replenish soil reserves with organic matter, for this you need to take the weeds collected on the site, fill the container with them, about a little more than half, and fill it with water. Such an infusion should stand for at least 3 weeks. Then 1 liter of the solution is diluted with water and poured into the plants. It is very important that organic matter is of natural origin and will not harm the flowers themselves in any way.

Attention: it is important to strictly adhere to the proportions for top dressing, oversaturation with organic matter causes the development of fungi that affect the corms of the skewer.

What is the combination of gladioli in the flower bed and photos, what flowers to plant them with in the landscape design of the garden (with photo)

How to properly plant gladiolus to create a complete composition of flowers so that the flower bed always blooms? It is necessary to take into account the combination of gladioli with other bulbous flowers. In the spring, tulips and daffodils can be planted nearby, but this should not be done very densely to allow all the flowers to have their own space. In early and mid-summer, dwarf peonies and irises will look perfect among skewers. You can also emphasize the beauty of the skewers with undersized chrysanthemums, and asters will be an ideal autumn neighbor.

Plant species that have tall stems should not be planted next to these flowers, as they will create shade and inhibit the growth of skewers. To make it easier to dig up the bulbs, it is better to give preference to annual flowers, so the remnants of the root system will not interfere with the development of the skewer tuber.

Important: you should not clutter up the site with different types of flowers, you can find a middle ground, but you do not need to plant small-flowered plants nearby, they will simply be invisible against the background of the king of flowers.

Pay attention to the correct composition of various flowers and gladioli in the photo:

To create the optimal flowering option, they must be planted in small groups of 10-15 tubers of a certain variety.

The correct combination of varieties of gladioli, see the photo:

You should not mix different tones – this will give the flower bed randomness, you need to focus on certain colors.

The care and cultivation of wonderful gladioli, regardless of whether they go to the cut or simply decorate the flower bed, is based on their peculiarity, which manifests itself in the “fear of loneliness”. The skewers do not like to grow alone, but also do not grow them very densely. Gladiolus flowers, when properly cared for, make the garden more unique and rich in color.

Pay attention to the photo, how beautiful gladiolus flowers grown in a flower bed are:

Digging up and storing gladiolus bulbs for further preparation for planting

Cultivation of skewers involves cutting the flowers for use in making bouquets, so knowing how to cut properly is essential. Inflorescences are collected early in the morning, be sure to make a one-time cut, for this you need a sharp knife. It is necessary to cut off so that the rest of the cob of the inflorescence is deeply hidden in the leaf axils.

Harvesting features suggest the possibility of digging up tubers already 1 month after the flower was cut. Although many do this in the fall, it is not worth delaying, because after the leaves wither and dry, the tubers will be very difficult to find.

The rules for digging are very simple:

  • digging after the end of the flowering process in a period of 1-1.5 months, involves harvesting the tuber with the remains of the leaves;
  • you need to dig carefully, shaking the ground on a flat surface to be able to collect children;
  • in the presence of an old dried mother bulb, it must be carefully removed;
  • then the remains of the cob and leaves must be cut off, leaving them 7-10 cm long so that the bulb can supplement its supply with nutrients;
  • then the plants are carefully placed in a box and left in a dark closed place;
  • After about 1-2 weeks, the remnants of the stem will dry out and will need to be carefully removed.

After receiving whole bulbs, you must strictly follow the rules for storing gladiolus flower bulbs for further planting next year.

For storing corms, a vegetable drawer in the refrigerator is suitable, where the temperature is slightly above zero. Put your gladioli in paper bags and don’t forget to label the varieties! You can also store them near the gap of the balcony door or on the glassed-in balcony – as long as it is cool, but not frosty.

At the summer cottage, the bulbs are covered in cellars, this method provides for some features of the storage specifics:

  1. First of all, after digging up the tubers, they are clearly divided into small and truly maternal ones.
  2. Small tubers are dried in the sun, folded into a small cardboard box and lightly sprinkled with sand, always dry and disinfected.
  3. Large bulbs are placed in wooden or plastic boxes according to varieties, with each layer of bulbs also sprinkled with sand.
  4. The boxes are placed in the cellar.

The main point: the boxes must be located on the basis in order to exclude the absorption of moisture from the floor of the cellar.

It is important to carefully inspect the bulbs for minor damage and pests to avoid damage to all planting material.

In autumn, if the plants are healthy and clean, you can take your time with digging corms. It is carried out from mid-September until stable frosts. Dig carefully, trying not to lose the baby. The aerial part and roots are cut off, the remains of the old bulb are separated from the new one. Shaking off the ground, choose a baby. Then the corms are washed, soaked in fungicides (“Maxim”, “Fundazol”) and pickled in preparations against thrips. The last stage is drying at a temperature of 30-40 ° C (for example, on a shelf above the stove) and sorting.

The main types of gladioli (with photo)

Gladiolus has about 200 species growing in nature, about 9 species can be found on the territory of our country. They have a variety of colors, and also differ in the most diverse forms of petals, as well as the filling of the flower and inflorescence.

Pay attention to the photo on the main types of gladioli:

  • • ordinary gladioli, have from 5 to 12 flowers per inflorescence, reach a height of 80 cm, bloom in June and are not afraid of cold winters;
  • • Byzantine and sowing species are similar in morphology to the common species, but they are less resistant to cold and require shelter for the winter;
  • • the tile look is the most winter-hardy. It reaches a height of 30-50 cm, the flowers are both red and white;
  • • srednerosly swamp – has purple flowers, blooms in mid-summer, resistant to waterlogged soil. Listed in the Red Book of Russia.

The best varieties of gladioli of the Dutch and Russian selection: photos, names and descriptions

For convenience, all varieties of plants are divided into small-flowered, medium-flowered and large-flowered.

Look at the photo of the differences in the size of flowers in different varieties of gladiolus:

In order to choose suitable flowers for planting on the site, you must carefully read the description of the various varieties of gladioli and their main characteristics:

Annushka is a hybrid variety with a bright salmon color of the flower, with clearly defined corrugated edges, the inner part of the flower has a yellow-green color, long standing. The height of the arrow is up to 1.3 m, the inflorescences are full and have up to 35 flowers.

Fringed – a unique combination of lilac, pink and yellow in one flower. It is distinguished by yellow petals and petals with a predominance of pink or lilac, with elements of yellowness. The flower is corrugated, the stem and petals are dense, perfectly preserved in a bouquet for up to 5 days.

The highlight is a resistant variety, it has a bright yellow color with a dray tint and a red tongue inside. The petals are corrugated, the main feature is that baby tubers give flowers in the first year after planting.

To date, a huge number of the best varieties of breeding gladioli are presented on the floriculture market, the differences between them are determined by the country of selection and cost, as well as the size and color of the flower.

The most beautiful species are represented by varieties:

“Blerio” is a few-flowered variety of light pink color, the number of flowers in the inflorescence is from 12 to 18, the height of the inflorescence sword reaches 90 cm, it stands well in a bouquet, a practical cut variety.

“Orchid” – a few-flowered lilac with a pink tint along the edges of the petals and a red spot inside, the length of the inflorescence arrow is 90-110 cm, it stays in a bouquet for a long time.

‘Liviathan’ is a creamy small flower, with purple dots around the perimeter of the petals, a long-lasting flower, practical for use in phyto design. The height of the flower sword is up to 120 cm, depending on the cultivation conditions.

‘Cezan’ is a medium-sized bright red flower with a dark red spot inside, the ideal representative of the classic velvet skewers for flower growers. Differs in endurance and long standing in a bouquet.

“Focus” – has a light yellow color and medium-sized flowers. The edges of the petals are slightly corrugated, perfectly preserved when standing in a bouquet for a long time, the color is saturated, the flowers are full wavy.

“America” – a snow-white large flower with a purple hue, the height of the sword of the inflorescence reaches 1.5 meters. The variety is stable and perfect for phyto design.

Many people believe that the flowers of the Dutch selection are the highest quality goods, but they do not take into account the peculiarities of the climatic conditions of this region, and, as a result, such plants do not take root well and have a short life expectancy in our country. This type of plant must be grown in specialized greenhouses.

Varieties of various gladioli of Russian selection are the most adapted to the climatic conditions of our regions and are distinguished by their longevity. However, they are not inferior in quality to the Dutch varieties. In addition, Russian breeding varieties of gladioli are much cheaper than foreign ones, and are characterized by large-flowered inflorescences of various colors.

Among the best representatives of gladioli of domestic selection, the following varieties are noted:

Ultraviolet – Russian hybrid variety, has a color with shades of lilac and blue, is stable in the bouquet, at least 9 flowers bloom at the same time. The length of the inflorescence is about 1.2 m, the arrangement of flowers is two-row and there are up to 40 pieces in the inflorescence;

“Admiral Ushakov” – an unsurpassed combination of blue-white shades in one flower, the petals are corrugated, there are up to 35 of them in the inflorescence. The flowers are arranged in a spiral, the variety is long-standing.

Honey Spas – belongs to the most resistant varieties of Russian hybrids, has a bright orange color, a simple spikelet inflorescence of 15-20 flowers. Standing time in a bouquet up to 7 days.

Hungarian – a hybrid variety, velvet burgundy flowers, lightly sprinkled with small white droplets. A rich and rich spike of 25-30 flowers will fill any bouquet.

“Moskva” is a classic white flower ideal for decorating a wedding hall, hardy and resistant to weather changes, humidity changes, and is practical for designers to use.

Pay attention to the presented gallery of the most diverse varieties of gladioli of Russian selection in the photo and their correct names:

Along with the fact that this flower is quite capricious and requires basic knowledge of how to properly care for varietal gladiolus, once it appears on the garden plot, it will perfectly complement properly composed landscape compositions, and thereby enrich the flower bed with its unsurpassed flowering.

Each florist, or amateur florist, tries to achieve the perfect combination and filling of his flower bed. General knowledge about gladioli and their different varieties will help to clearly identify them by description and photo in order to choose a specific variety for planting on the site.

Among the large-flowered varieties of gladiolus note: Amethyst, Berollina, Canada, Velvet, Oscar, Acedantera.

Their flowering can be seen in the photo with the corresponding names:

A feature of large-flowered skewers is a flower diameter of up to 10 cm, a bright color, a long inflorescence arrow reaching up to 1.5 m in height.

You should always experiment with the landscape design of a site or cottage, and it is the skewer that will help to realize the most unusual floral fantasies.

Beauty rules the world, and the king of flowers is gladiolus!

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