Gladiolus bulbs spread on their own.
Are gladiolus flowers able to spread on their own or need help?The answer to this question can be found in this article.
I believe the look of the plant is perfectly described by the diminutive of "gladius" from Latin, which means "sword."It's also known as sword lily.
Gladioli are summer plants that are admired by many for their vivid blossom tones, color diversity, and the fact that they are some of the most resistant garden flowers.The common garden varieties can reach up to 150 cm in height, while the wild varieties are between 11 and 20 inches.
If left in the ground, Gladioli have the potential to spread on their own.The plants will need additional help to grow and expand if this is conditioned by environmental factors.
Gladioli are perennial plants that can survive multiple years when established, but they are most of the time grown as annual because of their high susceptibility to frost.
I think it's important to understand how gladioli spread.
The bulbs that Gladiolus reproduces through are called corms.These corms have a flat shape, are covered by scale leaves, and can produce cormels.
The smaller corms will not produce flowers the first year.Once they reach maturity, they will start to develop flowering plants and produce cormels on their own.
The biggest issue that prevents gladiolus from spreading is the frost.
Gladioli are not as lucky as the tulip bulbs who can survive moderate winter cold.Gladioli will not survive extended winters with a severe cold because they can resist a short period of freezing temperatures.
Gladioli can be spread by themselves for more years in some climates.It is not possible in a lot of regions.
The cold tolerance depends on the variety of gladiolus.The smaller types are more resistant to lower temperatures than the larger ones.
The risk of leaving the corms in the ground for the areas with no frost, but heavy-rain winters is that they can be susceptible to rot and other diseases.
The easiest and safest way to ensure that you can still enjoy these plants is by digging the corms out in late fall and keeping them in a dry and frost-free place during winter.After the frost passes, you should plant them back in your garden.
Gladiolus corms are usually planted outdoors from late March to late May, but this can vary from one climate to another.
The corms should be planted at a depth of 10 cm and a distance of 7-13 inches between them.
Gladioli grow best in sandy loam soil.Adding a layer of compost will improve the fertility of the soil.
Gladiolus corms should be removed in late fall, after the full foliage of the plant is dead.It should be after the first frost.
Don't move the dried stalks at this time, it might hurt the bulb and leave them prone to rot.Don't separate the tiny cormels from the primary bulbs yet.
Store the bulbs and leaves in a protected space for 1-2 weeks, at a temperature between 70 and 86F.
After the corms are completely dry, you should separate the small cormels from the central corm.
Gladiolus bulbs can spread if they have the right climate conditions to survive the winter.
Unless you plant the gladioli in pots and keep them indoors, you have to dig up the corms before the frost and replant them in the spring.