Planting: Plant when your trees are leafing out and soil has warmed, and can 
be planted anytime till July 1st. Almost any soil will do if well drained. Plant 
in full sunshine, in rows as you would corn. Rows at least 18 inches apart. 
Plant large bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep, depending on, soil. Light scil deepest, 
smaller bulbs in proportion. Bulblets one and a half inches deep, one inch 
apart in rows, not closer. Plant Gladiolus away from trees and buildings. Ro- 
tate plantings. Plant in same ground but once in four years. Any soil that will 
grow a good crop of vegetables or weeds is good for Gladiolus. 
Fertilizing: Fertilize—yes and no, use your own judgment but never plant 
Gladiolus bulbs where they might touch green manure (any kind), or come in 
contact with fertilizer. Novice growers better let fertilizers alone. 
Cultivation: Cultivate once a week not deeper than 2 inches. If it rains, re- 
peat after soil becomes workable (so it will not clod). Keep your garden free 
of weeds, they take the same water and feed on the same elements as your 
Gladiolus. 
Watering: After fourth or fifth leaf appears (four or five weeks before bloom- 
ing), water once a week or ten days, one inch of water, if you don’t get rain in 
that amount. Set a flat container in your patch. One inch of water in the 
container indicates one inch of water for that period. After bud spikes appear, 
same amount of water twice a week. 
Spraying: Dust with D.D.T. 5% about once every ten days after plants are up 
6 to 8 inches, or spray with,50% wettable D.D.T. one oz. in 3 gal. water. Repeat 
after a rain. Both control Thrips. Best time to dust, in evening when wind is 
down. Dust should be like light fog. If light breeze let dust float over patch, 
start to windward. Spraying can be done anytime during the day. 
Blooms: Cut your blooms preferably in the morning when one or two florets 
are open. Use a small sharp narrow blade, run) down spike, then cut through 
with a slanting cut. Be sure to leave four or five leaves on plant to mature 
bulb. Place spike in water, fresh water every day, cut off half inch of spike 
each day. Spike will open to tip. Use tips for floating table decorations, cor- 
sages. To keep for shows, place in cool basement; must have some ventilation. 
Digging: Bulbs blooming in July can be dug six weeks after blooming. Those 
blooming in September will mature in four weeks. Dig plantings before ground 
freezes. Dig with a fork, lift out plant, cut top off flush with bulb, place in 
shallow trays (boxes) not over four inches deep. (Burn tops when dry.) Do 
not leave in hot sun, protect from frost. Dust with 5% D.D.T. After drying 
three to five weeks, remove old bulbs from new. Burn old bulbs. Do not remove 
husk from new bulb. When clean and dry, dust again thoroughly. 
Storing: Store in cool, dry part of basement, 35° F., to 45° F. is about right. 
Bulbs stored under moist conditions will be more susceptible to disease and 
storage rot. 
For further information and up to the minute developments and methods, join 
your local or state society and/or 
The New England Gladiolus Society—Dues $3.00 
The North American Gladiolus Council—Dues $1.50 
If you wish to include with your order for bulbs—dues in either or both of the 
above societies, we will gladly see that your memberships are properly placed. 
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