Gladiolus Culture 
Gladiolus bulbs must be stored so air can circulate among them. ‘Therefore when 
your shipment of bulbs arrives, open the bags to allow air to get to them and if not 
ready to plant store in cool basement. 
Salect a planting plot as far from trees and buildings as possible. Trees draw 
moisture and buildings reflect heat. 
Prepare your glad bed well. Spade deep and add plenty of decayed cow manure if 
‘ you can get it, otherwise use a complete artificial fertilizer such as Vigoro. Dig a 
trench 7 inches deep and apply a heavy dusting of Vigoro or similar fertilizer in the 
bottom of the trench. Now cover this with two inches of soil, upon which plant your 
bulbs. ‘This will bring the bulbs 5” below the level. If you want to grow show spikes 
space the bulbs 7 to 10 inches; however, you can plant closer if you must, but glads need 
root room to develop good spikes. 
You cannot expect to grow first class spikes without sufficient water. It usually 
rains enough during the first part of the growing season but glads usually need extra 
water during August. A mere sprinkling is harmful ,as it draws the roots to the hot 
surface. Soak them down deep once a week. Keep the ground moist way down 
until the flower is cut. 
Glads are primarily cutflowers. Cut when first bloom opens and develop indoors. 
‘You can enjoy the spike a long time because a good variety will open every bud to the 
tip, in water. Leave four leaves in the plant to develop the bulb for next year. 
Thrip is the main insect pest. Thrip is a tiny insect, a mere speck which sucks 
the life juice from the tender flower spike before it emerges from the plant. The result . 
is a poor spike, or one whose buds fail to open properly, or with mottled injured bloom. 
Fortunately in cold climates thrip do not overwinter outdoors. If thrip are present 
at digging time, there is danger of carrying them into storage with the bulbs and if 
the storage is somewhat warm thrip will overwinter on the bulbs. Therefore if you 
have bulbs on hand or just bought them, disinfect every bulb before planting. We soak 
every bulb we plant in a solution made by dissolving 1 oz. Bichloride of Mercury in 
7 gallons of water, soaking them 18 hours, keeping temperature of solution 60 or over, 
This dip kills thrip and their eggs, also certain bacteria. 
Since all people do not kill thrip on their bulbs before planting, you may still get 
thrip from other gardens. 'To be on the safe side, start spraying the plants when 4-6 
inches high and every week thereafter up to blooming time. If rain washes off the 
spray you must repeat. 
A standard formula for spray is: Dissolve 1 oz. tartar emetic and % lb. brown 
sugar in 3 gallons water. Cover entire plant with fine spray, not enough to run off. 
All this sounds complicated but is easier than it sounds. OCTOBER is the usual bulb 
digging month. Cut the tops off close to the bulb. Dry in shallow boxes or screen 
bottom trays until dry enough to remove old bulb and roots. Then store in screen 
bottom trays or shallow boxes in coolest place you have but they must not freeze. 
Temperatures of 34 to 40 over winter are ideal, this temperature will discourage thrip in 
storage. If temperatures in storage are warm, sprinkle 1 oz. Napthalene flakes per 
100 bulbs in the trays or boxes but DO NOT LEAVE AMONG THE BULBS LONGER 
THAN JAN. 1, as around that time root nodules start forming and napthalene is 
injurious to these root nodules. 
Bichloride of Mercury is Poison, use wood or crock container for dip. Tartar 
Emetic is also poison. 
