Gladiolus Flower Bulbs

About Gladiolus Flower Bulbs

Gladiolus Flower Bulbs grow in full sun positions. Flowering runs late summer or summer through late summer. The figures below are the ones on the packets in this group; each product page carries the exact numbers for that variety.

When to plant

Plant in spring. Bulbs go in while the soil is still workable, and want to be in the ground long enough to settle before it freezes. Hardy in zones 4 to 11 — your local frost dates decide the exact week.

Where to plant

Choose a site in full sun. Water needs are average once the plants are established. Drainage matters more than anything else: bulbs sitting in wet winter soil rot. Allow 3 to 6 inches or 5 inches between plants so air can move between them.

How to plant

Set the bulb 4 to 6 inches deep or deep enough to cover with 2 inches of soil deep, pointed end up, spaced 3 to 6 inches or 5 inches apart. Water gently to settle the soil, then keep the surface evenly moist until seedlings or shoots appear.

How to care

Keep watering average, at the base of the plant rather than over the leaves. In zones 4 to 11 these come back each year: let the foliage die down naturally after flowering, since that is what feeds next season's growth. Flowers appear late summer or summer through late summer; cutting or deadheading regularly keeps more coming.

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