Gladiolis forever
The Gladioli or Sword Lily as they are sometimes called, should find a place in any garden. If you think of them as being a little out of fashion, then there are plenty of amazing colours and forms available these days that will readily add form and colour to even the most conservative garden. Historically, the British gardener has always revered this excellent perennial flower, but unfortunately our climate is not so accepting. Gladiolis grow from bulb-like corms and are not hardy here in the UK, so they will need protecting during the winter months.
During the winter
The method I use each year to over winter my gladioli:
- Gently unearth the corns at the hint of the first light frosts, tapping off as much soil as possible.
- Break up the clump into individual plants.
- Cut back the stems to within a couple of centimetres of the gladioli corm.
- Break off the old corm: you will see this at the base, where the roots start. It is usually shrivelled and dead-looking.
- Gently clean off any soil and remove dead skin around the corm.
- Discard any gladioli corms that look rotten or diseased.
- Keep back and pot up the small, shot-like ‘bulblets’. In a couple of years, these will replace your current corms, once they have gone past their peak. Place them in a frost free room.
- Place your clean corms into a net bag and hang in a dry, frost free room.
- Check your gladioli corms regularly and pick out and discard any rotten ones.
You’ll be able to plant out your gladioli next spring. I like to give mine a head start in the green house in pots of compost in early March.