Gladiolus - landing and care in the open ground

A beautiful, majestic flower - gladiolus - will always be a valuable decoration in your garden. How many bright shades of buds can be found now in stores and create a whole composition. Gladiolus to any bouquet adds charm and captivates with its beautiful aroma.

Preparing bulbs for planting

Planting and caring for gladioli in the open ground does not require much effort. Plant the plant with bulbs. You should carefully consider each and cleanse the husk. If you find a dry or spot, you can throw it away. Put the bulbs on a flat surface in a dry bright place, but make sure that the bright rays of the sun do not fall on them. Do not break the little shoots. In two weeks, the bulbs will "wake up" and be ready for planting in the soil.

Site selection and preparation of soil

Flowers do not like to stay in the shade for a long time, so you should choose a sunny place for them. It is also important to know when to plant gladiolus in open ground. The soil for the bulbs should be heated to ten degrees, so the best period for planting is considered the end of April - the beginning of May. If the place is low, you should manually lift it, that is, pour in a layer of earth to make a hill. The distance from trees and bushes should be no less than 2 meters. Make wells under the bulbs in the depth of 10 - 15 cm from the surface. Pour a half teaspoon of mineral fertilizer and a small layer of sand onto the bottom. After, put the bulb in the hole and fill it with earth. If you decide to place your gladioli in a small flowerbed, then make sure that the distance between the holes is not less than 25 cm.

Care for the gladiolus

A few days after planting, the trunks of the plant will begin to break out of the ground. Growing and caring for gladioli in the open field requires certain works:

1. Watering . Take care that the land does not dry up. Water in the evening a lot of water your flowers every 3 to 4 days and in any case do not get on the sheets of the plant. In a hot season, you need to do this every 1 to 2 days.
2. Weeding . In this, your flower is very fond. Immediately after watering, gently ground carefully. If you do not, the gladiolus will not grow to the right size, or there will be few buds on it. The air must constantly penetrate to the bulbs of the plant.
3. Fertilizer . Fertilizers are seasoned once a season with mineral mixtures. You will find them in specialized stores. Make the solution according to the instructions and pour it into the ground at the base of the gladiolus stem. Also, manganese can be used for fertilization. Dissolve it in water until it is bright red and pour a flower at the base.
4. Pest control. Do not let the weeds grow near the plant, because from them on the leaves of the gladiolus can move the harmful beetles and slugs. In addition, the weeds absorb all the useful elements from the soil, which prevents the gladiolus from growing.

If you have properly taken care of gladioli from the moment of planting, then in mid-August the flower will start to blossom the buds. Until the end of September, he can please you with his beauty, but, of course, if the weather is sunny.

Digging bulbs

At the end of September, while the weather is still warm, you will need to cut off the gladiolus trunks and leave only 2 cm above the ground from them. Approximately four days after the cut, you can dig out the bulbs. Do not you dare pull it out, not to deform. Wash the bulbs off the ground, but do not fill. Select those that began to wither and throw them away. The remaining ones dry well in a dry place at room temperature (1-2 days) and fold in a paper bag. Until spring, store your gladioli in the refrigerator or in the cellar.