2 
PATHFINDER GLAD GARDENS 
How Many and What Size Bulbs to Order 
We are often asked how many bulbs of a variety one should purchase, and 
how many varieties. It all depends on the purpose for which you want them. If 
you are buying: bulbs for cut flowers, do not buy too many varieties, but rather a 
larger quantity, 25 or 50 bulbs each, of just a few varieties. Then you will have 
more blooms of each variety blooming at the same time, and will be able to ar¬ 
range them more effectively. 
Of course, if you are selecting bulbs in order to become familiar with more 
varieties, or to try out new ones, buy smaller quantities of as many varieties as 
possible. Then, the following year, if you do not care to keep them separate, 
throw the ones which do not strike your fancy into a general mixture, and con¬ 
centrate on those which do meet with your approval. Try at least a few new ones 
each season. It will add much to your pleasure in growing glads. 
Large bulbs give the best flowers; medium bulbs always bloom, but usually 
the flower is smaller, and the spike is shorter. Medium bulbs generally produce 
large jumbo bulbs for the next year. Small bulbs do not always bloom, but pro¬ 
duce fine large bulbs for the following year. Bulbs deteriorate after several years 
of use. The first year after reaching large size is their best year. Each succeed¬ 
ing year one finds that the flowers get a little smaller. After about three years 
of use it pays to replace old divided bulbs with young bulbs grown from bulblets 
or small bulbs. 
HOW TO GROW GOOD GUOS 
AflIftfVdl Open all bulbs containers at once in order to permit proper 
evaporation of moisture. Do not change temperatures sud¬ 
denly. If order arrives in cold weather, open package in a cool room. Store in a 
cool dry place as mentioned later. 
nritItP f A Pf Gladioli may be planted over a long period of time. They 
A llllv Bv A lOlBA semi-hardy and can withstand light frosts. In Ne¬ 
braska one can feel quite safe in planting any time from the middle of April un¬ 
til the first of July. To prolong the blooming period make successive plantings 
every few weeks, and plant the early varieties first, and the late varieties last. 
The bulbs may be planted from three to six inches deep. Bulblets from two 
to three inches deep. Shallow planting facilitates digging in the fall, but leaves 
the plant at the mercy of drouth and wind throughout the summer. As a general 
rule one may plant deeper in light, sandy soil, and shallower in heavy clays. 
Culture 
If you want clean, healthy bulbs, free of scab, be careful of your 
fertilizers. The best fertilizer is well rotted cow manure. It should 
be well mixed with the soil, preferably the fall before. Never allow chemical fer¬ 
tilizers to come into direct contact with your bulbs. Either work it into the bottom 
of the trench, with a layer of dirt between the bulbs and the fertilizer, or work it 
into the soil beside the rows after the plants are up. 
Glads should be planted in the open, away from shrubs and trees. When the 
plants come up they should be kept constantly free of weeds. You cannot hoe or 
cultivate too often, but the cultivation should be shallow in order to avoid injury 
to the roots. Never allow a crust to form after watering, or after a rain. 
Glad bulbs require plenty of water, but should not be planted in soggy, un¬ 
drained soil. Never sprinkle lighty, soak the ground so that there is moisture 
down around the roots. 
DiSCSSCS snd Pests particularly hardy, and can be sue- 
cessiully grown by any willing gardener. How¬ 
ever, they have a few diseases, and one “pest,” against which every glad grower 
should guard. There are several kinds of scab and dry rot to which glad bulbs 
are subject. They are very much like potatoes in that clean bulbs, planted on 
clean land each year, -will never contract scab, unless you have unwisely used too 
much fresh manure, or allowed chemical fertilizers to touch the bulbs. I heartily 
recommend that all glad growers disinfect their bulbs before planting. The best 
