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How to Plant Gladiolus Flowers in Winter
Gladiolus is a perennial flowering plant that is grown for cut flowers. Gladiolus is propagated from corms. The corm is where the stalks will sprout up and become stiff green fronds. Gladiolus produces its blossom from the mid summer to late summer. Gladiolus can be combined with other plants in the garden bed including dahlias, peonies and lilies.
Before planting, you must buy the gladiolus bulbs. The paper narcissus bulbs can be purchased from the local garden store. When choosing the bulb, make sure it is not be soft or mushy. Instead, a healthy bulb is hard and firm. In addition, the bulb will show signs of new growth of flower buds.
Gladiolus prefers a location with full sun. The ground must be moist and has good drainage system. Soil with good drainage system will prevent water logging in the ground which can cause the root to rotten. Depending on the size of the bulb, you can plant it in a hole of 3 – 6 inches deep. You can plant the gladiolus bulbs in a single or double row. It is also planted in the perennial border as a group of 9 – 24. The bulb should be spaced at 2 – 3 inches apart and 20 – 36 inches in rows.
Gladiolus plants must be watered thoroughly. However, you must not over water the plant otherwise the root will rot away. During the hot weather, you should not water the gladiolus plant. You can apply organic fertilizer to the plant at the rate of 3 – 4 pounds per 100 square. To force the plant into an erect position, you can put a stake near it. It is recommended that you plant gladiolus with other hardy perennials such as Rudbeckia Golstrum. You can also push the soil up on both sides to keep the plants erect. You can add 3 – 4 inches of mulch on the soil. Mulching will help the soil to retain moisture and keep away weed from the gladiolus plants.
You can plant gladiolus flower in a container of water. It is preferably that the container is made from glass. Taller container is better because it can support the narcissus stems. If you use a shallow container, you will have to use raffia string to tie around the stems so that it can grow in a straight position.
To stabilize the plant, you can spread the bottom of the container with pebbles or stones. The gladiolus bulbs should be planted with the pointy end facing upwards. After putting in the bulbs, you must fill half of the container with water. The water that is used to fill the container must be clean and free from chlorine. An example of chlorine free water is distilled water.
The container should be placed in a warm site with partial exposure to the sun. If the water becomes lesser in the container, you can add more water. Within 4 weeks, the narcissus flower plant will bloom.