Gladiolus (Gladiole)

Gladiolus comprises some of the most beautiful and easy to cultivate flowering bulbs, preferring rather inorganic soil which should be kept rather dry in winter and moist in spring and summer. Some are winter growing in nature (several South African species) and will lose leaves at low temperatures in winter, but will emerge again in late spring. Species with a hardiness of USDA 7 or 8 are best cultivated as pot plants in a cool greenhouse or wintergarden, thus they will prove as free flowering. All species with a hardiness of USDA 6 are fully winter hardy in Central Europe without any additional winter protection.
Sow at some 5°C preferably in spring (in pots outside) or autumn (in a cool and frosfree greenhouse). Keep pots under cool, yet frostfree conditions and soil always slightly moist. Most Gladiolus seed require a prolonged cooling period for several months before they will germinate with raising temperatures in late spring. Several species tend to have a hypogeal germination, i.e. they make a small corm underground in the first year before the first leaf will emerge in the second year. Pot cultivation for two years before passing on to the open garden, plant bulbs rather deep (some 15cm) to protect them from freezing through. In winter apply some dry mulch layer as additional protection measure. If plants are cultivated in pots, keep them in a cool, yet frostfree spot during winter. Winter dormant species may be placed in shade and soil can be kept rather dry, wintergreen plants require careful watering and full sun.
20 seeds per package.