How to dig up and store gladioli at home in winter - practical advice

Why dig up for the winter?

The need to dig up gladiolus in winter can be explained by its sensitivity to cold; in winter the crop can easily freeze. The critical indicator for a flower is a temperature below minus three degrees. It is under such conditions that the corms of the plant begin to die, and it is no longer possible to correct this process. That is why the tubers of the plant must be removed and stored in a warm room until spring.

Digging up gladiolus is a rather important process for every summer resident, since the correctness will directly affect the condition of the planting material.

It should be clarified that the name gladiolus comes from the Latin word gladiolus, which means “sword”. Its leaves are very sword-like, which gives the plant its name. Science knows about 2000 varieties of gladioli.

Reproduction of gladioli by children

The method of propagating gladioli by children is one of the most common and simplest. Thanks to this propagation, all rare and beautiful varieties will be preserved in the gardener’s collection. Without working with tubers, these varieties will be lost as they age.

Frequent updating of children makes it possible to quickly obtain a large number of plants of your favorite variety of gladioli. By preserving the tuber buds correctly and caring for them, in just a few years you will get luxurious flower beds of magnificent, handsome gladioli.

Storing baby bulbs is not particularly difficult, and often these bulbs are better preserved during wintering. Experience, of course, plays a role, since there are proven methods and techniques, certain rules for growing gladioli that are best suited to specific conditions.

IMPORTANT! Growing gladioli through children is not only an update of the variety, but also its improvement. Adult corms, which are grown from children, are complete planting material, free from viral diseases.

When should the procedure be performed?

Gladioli need to be dug up 35-45 days after flowering. This is the second half of September - the first days of October. You cannot delay digging up the bulbs, since such a plant should not remain in cold soil for too long. To make sure that the corms are ripe, they need to be carefully examined. If covering scales are visible on them, then the plant must be immediately dug out of the ground. When carrying out such work, you need to take into account some features:

• First you need to remove the large bulbs, then the small ones, and finally dig up the babies. Excavation is carried out using special forks or a wide garden shovel;
• It is necessary to remove gladiolus corms from the soil at a time when the streets are warm and there is no rain, since it is then that the soil will be moderately moist and it can be easily shaken off the surface of the bulb;
• The soil mixture should not be too dry. In this case, it will be difficult to pull out the babies, which retain the ability to sprout for several years. As a result, this can lead to a mixture of varieties.

How to remove gladioli correctly

You need to dig up gladioli in the autumn. It is very important to carry out this procedure before the onset of sub-zero temperatures and cold weather. Tubers are highly sensitive to frost, and even slight freezing can make them completely unsuitable for planting.

Most often, they begin to dig up the plant in mid-October, when potatoes have been harvested from the garden, but cabbage has not yet begun to be harvested. In this case, it is important to adhere to one important condition: the plant can be dug up no less than 35 days after the start of its flowering.

It is forbidden to store flower bulbs in a cold chamber (refrigerator). As a result, they will freeze and become simply unsuitable for planting.

When removing gladioli, using a pitchfork and a spatula, you need to carefully dig up the bush and pull out the plant. After this, you need to shake the soil from them as soon as possible and cut off the excess leaves.

The thing is that moisture actively evaporates through the leaves, and when storing the bulb they begin to dry out too quickly and begin to become limp. Various harmful insects can also crawl from the leaves. To avoid possible problems, it is best to cut off the above-ground part of the plant using pruning shears, and then dry it in the sun for one week. To prevent the process of rotting from starting, the cutting area must be well ventilated.

Cleaning work deadlines

The time for complete ripening of corms (namely, they are planting material) depends on the variety of gladiolus. The countdown starts from the day the inflorescence is cut after all the buds have fallen. Experienced summer residents claim that the flowers themselves “tell” – it’s time. Here, much is determined by local specifics - the characteristics of the climate, soil, the volume and quality of agricultural activities carried out on the site.

But if we look at it in general, the bulbs are ready for harvesting for storage approximately (days) after removing the “greens”: for early and medium flowering varieties – 40, for late flowering varieties – 45 – 50. If children are grown, and they are located separately from the “ parents,” then they are taken out of the ground last.

We also need to take into account the “surprises” that the weather is increasingly throwing at us. Therefore, when determining the optimal timing, it is necessary to focus on weather forecasters. Gladiolus tubers in the soil will not tolerate temperatures below -8 ºС, regardless of the type of flower. Experienced summer residents recommend not to delay cleaning them too much if winter comes early. The reasoning is easy to understand (and agree with it) - if the ripening time of the bulbs is approximate, then sub-zero temperatures are more than specific.

For the middle zone, the best time for harvesting gladioli is considered to be the period from the beginning of the last ten days of September to mid-October. For other regions, the timing is easy to adjust, taking into account the above.

Weather

This is an important point that inexperienced summer residents often miss. If you remove bulbs from waterlogged soil, you will have to spend a lot of time drying them. Not everyone understands the need for this event, so it’s worth explaining. Gladioli are distinguished by their incredible, “painful” sensitivity to fungi in the literal sense of the word. Consequently, in damp conditions the bulbs are likely to simply die. This is exactly what happens most often.

Adviсe:

• When choosing an autumn day to harvest gladioli, you need to look not only at whether it is sunny and without precipitation. Another important point is how much time the earth has dried out from the last rain.
• When planning the approximate date of work with flowers, it is necessary to stop artificial irrigation of this part of the territory in advance. The soil should dry well, naturally, within reasonable limits.

Preparing for winter storage

The preparation of gladiolus bulbs for winter storage is special. It should happen in several stages:

• timely harvesting of the plant - it is very important to choose the right moment to dig up the plant, otherwise the ground will have time to freeze;
• carrying out pruning;
• cleaning and drying the bulbs for a month;
• processing gladioli bulbs before storage.

To begin with, after digging up the bulbs, you need to carefully remove the old shell so as not to accidentally damage the bottom, which is located under it. If the bulb is heavily soiled, rinse it with tap water.

Bulbous flowers also include: tulips, crocus, lily, decorative onion, hyacinth, iris, hazel grouse, anemone, narcissus.

After this, the corms need to be treated with a weak solution of Fundazol and pink potassium permanganate. The tubers are kept in each solution for half an hour.

The next step is to thoroughly dry the material. The bulbs are placed in a room at room temperature for 30-40 days. In the case when the number of tubers is small, they can be thoroughly dried using available tools, for example, using a hairdryer. This procedure will help stop the progression of the fungus, which often occurs during normal drying.

Storing inside the refrigerator

Many gardeners store gladiolus bulbs in a simple refrigerator. The best place to store vegetables is the lowest shelf.

The main advantage of storing tubers in the refrigerator is the ability to regularly monitor their general condition. At any time, the grower can reduce the storage temperature by moving the bundle of tubers to a higher shelf. Before laying out the tubers for further wintering, they should be thoroughly dried. After this, they are well wrapped in plain newspaper. By combining several packages at once, they need to be rolled into paper with a high density. In this case, it is imperative to think through small holes, the diameter of which will not exceed one centimeter - they are important for ventilation.

Back in the third century BC, the tubers of this plant were baked, and then they were ground with onions and made into cakes.

After wrapping, the tubers must be placed in a plastic bag, at the bottom of which small holes must also be made. Once a month you need to carefully examine the condition of the bulbs for diseases. If you suddenly notice that some tubers have become too raw, then they must be removed from the package.

The procedure for harvesting gladioli

Dismantling of fencing pegs, various garters and the like. In addition, next to the place where the gladioli grow, it is necessary to clear a small space and lay out a piece of thick canvas, burlap or something similar on it. As an option - a sheet of cardboard, plywood, oilcloth.

Digging up bulbs. There is no need to warn about caution - this is understandable. Damaged planting material is definitely rejected. What to work with? It is better to remove gladioli tubers from the soil with a pitchfork. This way there is more guarantee that almost all of them will remain intact. If you only have a bayonet shovel at hand, then you need to stick it into the ground strictly vertically. Holding it at an angle, most of the gladioli bulbs can be easily trimmed.

The process itself consists of carefully lifting the layer of earth along with the tuber, while simultaneously holding the stem in its lower part and slightly pulling it up.

“Children” require special attention. If they are well separated from their parents and covered with a light brown shell, it means they are completely ready for harvesting for storage.

The tubers are laid out on the prepared material and carefully examined. All bulbs damaged mechanically, damaged by pests, or infected by infection are discarded - their storage is absolutely pointless.

The remaining gladiolus tubers after checking for integrity must be trimmed so that a small (about 8 cm) tail remains. But this is if they are stored in a suspended state, in the form of a “pigtail”. When storing bulbs in containers, just a couple of centimeters is enough.

It is better to work with large scissors or pruners. It is not worth breaking off or tearing off the stems! By the way, there are a lot of such tips. They say it will work out both quickly and efficiently. There is no doubt that the speed of work will increase significantly. But the number of rejected gladioli will definitely increase significantly. If you don't believe it, you can try it.

Attention! It is not recommended to leave gladioli unpruned after removing them from the ground, postponing this work until later. The reason is that all the useful chemical compounds that the bulbs have managed to accumulate by this time will immediately begin to pass into the stem and leaves. As a result, in the spring the planting material will be of little use. The tubers will definitely dry out during storage, therefore, it is hardly worth expecting that all of them will produce shoots that are strong and develop well.

Features of storing bulbs

It is not always possible for the owner to transport the tubers from the territory of the dacha to the city for the winter. In this case, you don’t need to be too upset, since such flowers can be stored right outside the city.

Using the cellar

A good place to store plant tubers would be a cool, dry cellar with good ventilation. But if you decide to place the tubers in this particular place for the winter, then you need to take into account one feature: except for gladioli, there should not be any vegetables and fruits in the cellar, since they can release a large amount of moisture, which provokes the appearance of mold.

The large bottom of the onion indicates its old age. In this case, you need to try to rejuvenate the plant.

Inside the cellar, it is important to maintain a uniform temperature of 4−76 degrees Celsius - this condition is considered mandatory. You also need to carefully monitor the humidity indicator; it should fluctuate between 65-80 percent. Gladioli babies are stored in a cooler place with high humidity.

If you have a special mesh, you can create boxes to store the material. The mesh, which is stretched to the bottom, will help provide high-quality ventilation, which will protect the tubers from rotting.

Inside the trench

You can use a special trench to store tubers. This method may work well if your region does not have very cold winters. Groundwater must flow near the selected storage location. It is very important to complete the construction of the trench before the onset of cold weather.

Storage at home

Storing gladioli after digging in an apartment will be quite difficult. It is very important for this to find a place where there will be no sudden changes in temperature. In this case, the indicator on the thermometer should range from 5 to 10 degrees, and the humidity should be in the range from 60 to 70 percent. Such conditions can only be found in rooms that are isolated from radiators.

A more suitable place to store bulbs in an apartment would be:

• openings between window frames or doors to the balcony;
• glazed loggia;
• hallway next to the front door (entrance area);
• toilet (bulbs can also be placed in the toilet next to the cold water pipes);
• storage room without heating system.

In this case, the loggia will be the best option for storage. With the onset of frost, it is best to transfer the tubers to an insulated box with a thermometer inside. Do not place the box on the floor; use boards or a backing for this. If the frost outside is too severe, then you can throw a blanket or a warm blanket on top of the bulbs.

Regardless of where the gladioli material is stored, it must be ventilated. If you notice that mold has suddenly appeared on the bulbs, then you need to dry it thoroughly. When any spots form, pruning must be carried out, and the sections are filled with a solution of potassium permanganate. In this case, the bulbs must be treated with Maxim, dried and placed in a sealed bag. If some tubers become too hard, they must be thrown away immediately - they are prohibited from being used for planting.

Another way

In warm climates, you can leave the bulbs in a trench at your dacha. When digging a hole, take into account the location of groundwater. If they are close, the method is not suitable, as the tubers may flood.

You need to dig a hole 80 cm deep and slightly wider than the size of the box. Place the plants in a wooden container, sprinkle with sawdust and lower them into the trench. Dig in, cover with dry leaves and cover with polyethylene. It is necessary to protect from rain and melted snow.

When storing gladioli bulbs in an apartment, on a balcony, in a refrigerator or in a basement, they should be checked regularly, spoiled ones should be discarded and dried if necessary.

Possible difficulties with the plant

It is mandatory to inspect the tubers once a month in order to quickly identify deviations from the norm if something happens.

Some options for problems with the plant:

1. The development of gray mold is due to too high humidity, it is necessary to dry and replace the paper.
2. Development of thrips - for this, damaged tubers are removed, and healthy ones are treated with Hom.

If there are no suitable means to eliminate thrips, then you can put the diseased bulbs in a special container, which must be hermetically sealed.

Place special cotton wool soaked in medical alcohol with a concentration of 96 percent on the damaged bulbs laid out in a container and close them well with a lid. With this method, thrips that cannot withstand the effects of alcohol simply die. After this, the tubers are well dried:

• this procedure must be carried out twice with a total interval of four days;
• Be sure to place a plastic cover between the cotton wool and the bulb.

Protection against diseases

Thrips are almost one dangerous pest that can damage the plant. They climb under the husk of the bulb and continue to overwinter together with the tuber. During wintering, such a pest can completely drink all the juice from the bulb, as a result of which it simply dies.

That is why the material must be well processed before storage. This is the only way to avoid death. Experienced flower growers advise carrying out such a procedure on the plant as sprinkling it with cockroach powder. It is recommended to carry it out several times - before putting it into winter storage, as well as in early January. To make the tubers look healthy, they need to be treated with chemicals.

Buying the same plant varieties every year is not entirely profitable. At the same time, it will be quite simple to preserve the plant bulbs; you just need to choose a method that is exactly suitable and will help the tuber to survive.

If you want gladioli to continue to please your eyes throughout the summer season, you must be careful about storing them in winter. To do this, it is best to follow the recommendations and advice of gardeners, and also protect the plant from damage by possible diseases, then you will definitely succeed.