The gladioli are among the most beautifulExotics in the gardenand delight the eye of the hobby gardener in summer and autumn. They are also very popular as cut flowers and have become an integral part of autumn arrangements and bouquets. However, after the end of the flowering period, you have to overwinter the gladioli. In today's post we will explain to you how to do this.
Overwintering gladioli outside: Is that possible?
The gladiolus is not onenative flowerand cannot tolerate frost, freezing temperatures and strong winds. In regions with a mild climate, it can spend the winter outside. It is assigned to winter hardiness zone 9 and can survive temperatures down to -6° Celsius without damage. In Central and Northern Europe, however, the plant is moved to winter quarters after the end of the flowering period. If you leave the gladiolus bulbs outside, you risk them freezing.
Overwintering gladioli: This is what you should keep in mind!
There are a few things you should keep in mind when overwintering your gladioli. This is the only way you can be sure that the delicate flower will get through the winter well and bloom again next year.
Overwintering gladioli: When should you cut back the flower?
Depending on when the flower bulbs are inSpring in the gardenwere planted, the flowering time of the gladiolus can vary greatly. By the end of September at the latest, all the flowers will wither. In October and November you can cut the flower back to the ground. Cut off all parts of the plant above ground. If it doesn't rain for 3-4 days and the soil is dry - then the bulbs can also be dug up.
Overwintering gladiolus bulbs: instructions
First, the bulbs are dug up very carefully. The best way to proceed is as follows: Dig up the gladiolus bulbs along with some soil. Then gently shake off the soil or remove it carefully with a cotton cloth. Then check the gladiolus tubers thoroughly for diseases and pests. Sort out damaged onions. Then place the gladiolus bulbs in a moving box and let them dry in a cool, sunny place. A winter garden or a greenhouse is best suited for this.
After 4-5 days, you can remove the onion casings and cut off any wilted roots. Place the tubers in a box. It's best to leave some space between the tubers. Then mix some substrate with sand and cover the flowers with it.
Overwintering gladioli: in the cellar, in the greenhouse or in the winter garden?
The choice of winter quarters is very important. The gladioli need a dark, cool room to get through the winter well. They cannot tolerate temperature fluctuations. If temperatures fall below 5° Celsius, they can freeze to death. If temperatures rise above 10° Celsius, the flowers will sprout in winter. A room temperature of 8°-12° Celsius and low humidity are optimal. Suitable winter quarters are:
- the garage
- the unheated basement
- a dark and cool room (e.g. empty guest room)
The following are unsuitable:
- the bright and warm greenhouse
- the unheated garden house
- the glazed terrace or the glazed balcony
Gladioli overwinter and propagate
Autumn is the right time to propagate gladioli. The flower can reproduce not only by bulbs, but also by seeds. However, most home gardeners cut off the seed pods in the summer before they open. This extends the flowering period. Propagation in the home garden is therefore usually done via breeding onions. Proceed as follows:
- After the flowering period ends, dig up the tubers. Shake off the soil and store in a sunny place for 4-5 days.
- Most tubers form what are known as bulbs during the drying period. These are significantly smaller than the mother onion. The bulbs take 2 years to fully develop and only produce flowers from the third year onwards.
- Some tubers also produce daughter bulbs. They are white and with good care can still produce flowers next year.
- Sort out the daughter and brood bulbs. Store the three types of onions in separate moving boxes.
- Next year, plant the mother bulbs as a group in one flower bed and the daughter and breeding bulbs in another flower bed.
- You can then overwinter the daughter bulbs that formed flowers in the first year together with the mother bulbs in the fall.
Flancing gladiolus
Since the gladioli cannot tolerate frost, they are only allowed in the garden at the beginning of May. Dig a 6-inch-deep hole for each flower and space the bulbs at least 8 inches apart. The choice of location plays a crucial role for gladioli. It should be sunny and protected from the wind so that the flowers feel comfortable there.
