GLADIOLUS CULTURE 
As Recommended by Michigan Gladiolus Growers 
Association 
For success with Glads you must do these things: 
1st — Buy sound, healthy bulbs. 
2nd — Follow the cultural directions given below. 
3rd — Store your bulbs properly. 
Upon receipt of a shipment of bulbs open the package 
to admit air. If they arrive before planting time, store in 
a cool cellar until you are ready to plant. 
PLANTING — 
Glads may be planted in Michigan from the time the 
soil is workable in the spring until July 1st. Late planted 
stock must be stored at a uniform temperature of 40 
degrees or less so that they do not sprout in storage. If 
you have a quantity of bulbs, plant at one or two weeks 
interval to insure succession of bloom. The number of 
days from planting to blooming will vary with the 
variety from about sixty days to over one hundred. Extra 
early blooms can be secured by starting some bulbs early 
in pots or flats inside, then planting out when danger of 
frost is over. 
USES — 
Glads may be planted in the border or in beds for 
landscape effects or in rows for cut flowers. Beautiful 
effects may be secured by working them into the perennial 
or annual border. Give them as much sun as possible. 
Do not plant against house foundations. 
SOILS — 
A sandy loam soil that is well drained is best. Avoid 
a clay subsoil if possible. Glads, however, will do quite 
well in most any soil. Incorporate plenty of organic 
matter such as manure, or leaves and work deeply. The 
soil can be prepared in either spring or fall. If done in 
the spring use only well rotted manure or leaf mold. In 
spading, pulverize the soil thoroughly to a depth of 8 to 
10 inches. 
PLANTING DISTANCE — 
If planted in rows, space rows 18 to 2 0 inches apart 
or more. Open a trench with a spade or hoe to a depth 
of 4 to 5 inches. Make an application of your favorite 
standard complete fertilizer at the rate recommended by 
the manufacturer and work well into the soil to mix so 
that bulbs will not come in contact with the raw fertilizer. 
Set bulbs with top up 4 to 5 inches apart in the trench. 
Fill the trench half full of soil and fill in as plants 
up. 
come 
