Gladioli belong to the iris family of plants and are bulbous plants. This makes the propagation of the magnificent flowering plants very easy and uncomplicated.
The tiny daughter bulbs are excellent for propagation
Propagation by onions
Since very few types of gladioli are hardy, you will need to dig up the bulbous plants in the fall to overwinter them indoors. On this occasion, carefully remove the tiny daughter bulbs from the mother bulb and store them separately from the large bulbs in the winter quarters.
Plant all the bulbs in the garden in spring to allow the bulbs to continue growing. The small tubers are not planted as deep as the mother bulbs. Dig them only about four centimeters deep. Since it is not always easy to find the small onions again in autumn, you can put them in boxes or grid trays that are dug into the ground.
However, the small gladioli only bloom in this way after two to three years. So some patience is required.
Propagation by seeds
Like many bulbous plants, gladioli can also be propagated by seeds. However, the offspring is more time-consuming and a little more difficult. Since some gladioli varieties are hardly available in the trade, this propagation is still worthwhile.
Obtaining the Seeds
You can easily obtain the seeds yourself by not removing faded flowers immediately. Let the seed pod fully mature and then cut it off.
Proceed as follows when sowing:
- Since gladioli are sensitive to frost, it is essential to sow them in a planter.
- Sow seeds over a wide area and cover with a thin layer of soil.
- Wet well with a sprayer, being careful not to wash away the small seeds.
- Put a transparent plastic bag over the jar to create a warm, humid climate.
- Air daily to avoid mold and rot.
Gladioli do not always germinate well and in some cases the efforts are even in vain. However, if the seeds germinate, you can count on splendid and healthy plants after two to three years.
tips
Alternatively, you can continue to care for the gladiolus bulbs in the pot. In this way you can raise several generations of gladioli and always know how old the offspring is and when you can expect the first flowers.