How to plant gladiolus seeds
A small knowledge of life, introducing how to plant gladiolus seeds and detailed knowledge of gladiolus maintenance, let's take a look together.
Gladiolus is a perennial herb of the iris family, Gladiolus genus. Also known as sword lily, flat bamboo lotus, ten sample brocade, and thirteen bodyguards. Flower colors include red, yellow, purple, white, blue, and other single or mixed varieties. Gladiolus is one of the world's four major cut flowers. The inflorescence of gladiolus is long and upright, with more than 20 flowers per spike, which can be observed for more than 7 days. The flowers are large, the color varieties are bright and colorful, the shapes are diverse, and the ornamental value is very high. Cultivation and propagation are simple, making it the most popular cut flower among home gardening enthusiasts. It is an important type for cut flowers, potted plants, and flower bed cultivation.
Gladiolus is native to the Mediterranean coast of tropical Africa, a warm-loving plant, but high temperatures are not conducive to growth, and it is not cold-resistant. The optimal growth temperature is 20-25°C. The corm can germinate in soil temperature above 5°C. It is a typical long-day plant, with long-day conditions favorable for flower bud differentiation. Insufficient light will reduce the number of flowers, but after flower bud differentiation, short-day conditions are favorable for the formation of flower buds and early flowering. Corms of the summer flowering variety must be stored indoors for the winter, with room temperature not below 0°C. The cultivation soil should be fertile sandy loam with a pH of 5.6-6.5; it particularly likes fertilizer, with phosphorus fertilizer improving flower quality and potassium fertilizer promoting the quality of corms and the number of bulbils. It requires ample sunlight and is suitable for planting in fertile, loose sandy loam soil, and should avoid heavy, waterlogged soil.
I. Methods of propagating gladiolus: There are seeding and bulb division methods for propagating gladiolus, usually bulb division is used.
Bulb division propagation: After one year of cultivation, one mother bulb will produce 1-2 commercial bulbs and many bulbils. When the flowers of gladiolus wither and the leaves start to turn yellow, the corms can be dug up, dried, and then graded by size. Corms with a circumference of 8cm or more are directly stored for planting the following year. Bulbils below 8cm go through another year of cultivation before they can bloom in the second year.
Bulb cutting propagation: To speed up the propagation of gladiolus, bulb cutting can be used to expand the population. The method involves cutting the center of the gladiolus corm with a knife. The number of buds is halved, with part of the root system, otherwise, it will not root. The cut surface is treated with wood ash. A two-year-old gladiolus corm usually has 4-6 buds, so it can be cut into 4 pieces.
Seed sowing propagation: Seeds can be sown in pots in August or directly in a cold frame. Pot sowing must be moved to a cold frame after germination. By the end of March, when the small corms grow to the size of soybeans, they can be transplanted into the open field. After the old leaves wither and enter the dormant period, new buds will soon sprout, growing to bloom from late June to mid-July.
II. Gladiolus cultivation: When cultivating gladiolus in the garden, choose a sunny, well-drained area for planting. General garden soil is suitable, but fertile soil rich in organic matter is best. The general planting period starts from late February and can continue until early September. Before planting, the plot should be fertilized with enough base fertilizer, and the corms should be selected, choosing those without disease, spots, and without damage to the germination and root parts, with medium to small flat bulbs being ideal. Large bulbs are planted with a row spacing of 30 cm and a plant spacing of 7-8 cm, medium bulbs with a row spacing of 30 cm and a plant spacing of 6 cm. After planting, water promptly and keep the soil moist and loose. Corms planted in March-April can bloom in June-July.
III. Water and fertilizer management for gladiolus: After planting, mulch with straw or use plastic film to cover and keep moisture and warmth. Remove the covering after seedlings emerge, and control fertilizer and water, and loosen the soil before the seedlings have 3 leaves. During the leaf growth period, especially during the flowering stem extraction, sufficient fertilizer and water are needed. Generally, apply decomposed cake fertilizer 3-4 times, the first time after 2 leaves appear, the second and third times after 4 leaves appear, applying fertilizer water 1-2 times, and the fourth time after flowering. Keep the soil moist during the growing and flowering periods but ensure good ventilation and drainage. Cut off the remaining stems and leaves after flowering.
IV. Daily management of gladiolus: When the leaves of gladiolus start to turn yellow in September and there is less water, dig up the corms, dry them for about half a month, then remove the old bulbs from the planting, peel off the small bulbs attached to the large bulbs, and place them in a well-ventilated, dry place, taking care to prevent freezing in winter.
V. Measures to make gladiolus bloom throughout the year: To make gladiolus bloom throughout the year, a method of分期 planting can be adopted. After digging up the bulbs in autumn, slightly dry them and store them in a room at a temperature of 5-10°C, then plant them in stages. Those that bloom in January-March are planted in October-November, maintaining a temperature of 15-16°C at night and 20-25°C during the day. Those planted in greenhouses from December to the following February bloom from mid-March to May. Those planted in March-April bloom from June to August. Those planted in July bloom for the National Day. Those planted in August-September bloom from November to December.
The above is the complete content on how to plant gladiolus seeds and detailed maintenance points, for your comprehensive understanding and reference!