HOW TO GROW PRIZE WINNING GLADS 
Just how to grow Gladiolus is a question of many angles. Every grower has his 
own pet theory and practice and thinks everyone else is wrong, but they all seem 
to produce the goods, even though they do use different methods. However, grow' 
ing bulbs and producing flowers are two different propositions, the flowers requiring 
more time and cultivation to obtain the desired result. Many times during the 
blooming season am I coaxed to a quiet corner of the field by some visitor who 
demands that I give him the “low'down” on Glad growing. My only answer could 
be that success in gardening is more of a matter of sweat than brains. Pretty disap' 
pointing to most of ’em, but it’s the truth. 
However, according to my late dad, I cannot entirely disclaim the credit of 
having brains for he had a favorite saying, “Young man, you’re a leetle too smart.” 
But getting down to business, to grow extra good Glads without undue expense we 
should start about year before last. What I mean to say is that cultivation of the 
plot a year or so before planting Glads will help kill out the weeds and put the soil 
in good condition to raise a valuable crop of either flowers or bulbs. One important 
step, since we are becoming an arid nation, in respect to summer rainfall, is fall 
plowing. Plowing in the fall is almost necessary if we are to conserve soil moisture 
to carry us through a drought period. Not only does this store up moisture but 
the freezing kills weeds and pulverizes the soil and puts it in an ideal mechanical 
condition for cultivation. So much for preparation of the soil. 
After we obtain a good seed bed we must dig holes or make trenches for the 
bulbs. About five or six inches deep for bulbs and two or three for bulblets. Don’t 
worry about getting them in too deep; even the bulblets will come through if they 
are plowed under. For the grower on a commercial scale, furrowing out with a 
single plow tooth on a horse'drawn cultivator, twice in a row, will generally give 
the desired depth for bulbs and once for bulblets. For the home garden a h oe wil l 
serve. We use super phosphate applied to the bottom of the trench and lightly 
mixed with the soil in proportion of one handful per step. In case animal manure 
is used, it best be applied several months previous to planting. After dropping the 
bulbs, either cover lightly and after a week finish covering with another layer of 
earth, or hill up over the furrow and after a week level off with a rake to kill weeds 
and stir the soil, which is another good method. Either serve to the same end and 
any extra time spent at this period will mean a saving later. Cultivation is the price 
of success and should be started even before the sprouts appear and continued 
throughout the growing season, and also while the blooms are at their prime. Many 
visitors complain of the load of earth in their shoes owing to the looseness of the 
soil as they walk through the rows, but this we cannot avoid. We find we must 
either cultivate continually to raise exhibition spikes or stop and regret afterward. 
The season of 1934 proved to us that we can grow exhibition quality spikes 
without rain or irrigation if we will everlastingly stir the soil. Especially after a rain 
(should we have one) is it necessary to cultivate, the moment the soil is dry enough 
to work. Earth packs mighty easy at this stage and once packed is tough to loosen 
and work up. Of course, there are soils that do not pack and you are lucky if you 
have the choice of this sort for your garden, but cultivation for the latter sort is just 
as important and thoroughness brings its reward. Irrigate or water, if you are 
equipped to, and Glads thrive on plenty of moisture, but cultivation is the most 
important. 
