Gladiolus brings a majestic touch to front yards and gardens. It also impresses with its size of up to one and a half meters and its variety of colors. You can read all the characteristics of the gladiolus in our plant portrait.
Gladioli bloom in many different colors
Plant profile:
system:
- Botanical name: Gladiolus
- Class: Flowering Plants (Monocotyledons)
- Order: Asparagales (Asparagales)
- Family: Iris family (Iridaceae)
- Genus: Gladiolus (Gladiolus)
- Species: Garden Gladiolus
Botanical:
- Growth height: Up to 150 centimeters
- Growth form: Evergreen, perennial, herbaceous with tubers as a survival organ
- Main flowering period: July and August
- Flower: Terminal, branched or unbranched, spiked inflorescences
- Flower Color: White, green, yellow, orange, red, violet, pink, smoky grey, brown
- Leaves: Parallel-veined, sword-like
origin
The distribution area of the more than 200 types of gladioli extends from southern Europe through the Near East to Africa. The gladioli with the most beautiful flowers thrive in South Africa. Only one species grows wild in southern Germany. This is the highly endangered marsh gladiolus.
location and substrate
Gladioli prefer a sunny and wind-protected place. They grow particularly well on deep, permeable and very nutrient-rich soil. If the soil is heavily compacted, you should enrich the substrate with some coarse-grained sand and compost.
Plant gladioli at the end of April at the earliest, as the shoots are extremely sensitive to frost. You can also propagate the flowers in pots and transplant them into the flower bed after the ice saints.
maintenance
Water regularly when the top inches of soil feel dry. When the shoots have reached half of their total height, additional fertilization with a potassium-rich preparation ensures that the hungry plants have enough energy for flowering. Repeat this fertilization every two to three weeks until all the flowers have opened.
cut
As soon as the first two to three flowers on a stalk have opened, you can remove flower stalks for the vase. Do not cut these directly above the ground, but leave two inches. This allows the plant to store nutrients in the tuber and form new daughter tubers.
Cut back faded gladioli in the bed when seeds form. These would cost the plant unnecessary strength and weaken the tubers.
wintering
In the fall, the pruned sprout turns yellow.
- Now carefully dig up the tubers.
- Clean them and store them in an airy place for a few days.
- Separate the daughter tubers from the old ones.
- Smash the storage organs into a sandbox.
- Store the tubers frost-free and cool until next year.
diseases and pests
Bulb and stem blight as well as leaf spot diseases can severely damage gladioli that are not in an optimal location. Remove infested plants immediately and dispose of them in household waste.
tips
Young gladiolus blossoms in particular are a tasty delicacy. Carefully plucked from the stem, they add a colorful touch to summery salads and dishes.