COLOGNE, MINNESOTA 23 
GLADIOLUS CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
A plot which will produce good vegetables will produce good gladiolus spikes. 
Select a planting plot as far from trees or buildings as possible. Tree roots rob the 
ground of moisture and buildings reflect heat. 
BE SURE TO DISINFECT THE BULBS BEFORE PLANTING to destroy thrip 
and to kill certain disease germs. THRIP are tiny insects, which damage the flower 
spike even before it emerges from the plant, they live over winter on the bulbs, 
unless they are dusted with DDT while in storage over winter. 
TO DISINFECT THE BULBS USE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING DIPS: 
LYSOL DIP —- 4 teaspoonsfull of Lysol dissolved in 1 gallon of water. Soak 
bulbs in this solution 3 hours. Plant while still wet, in moist ground. 
NEW IMPROVED CERESAN OR CERESAN M- DIP — 1 ounce Ceresan, 1 
tablespoonfull of Dreft dissolved in 3 gallons of water. Soak bulbs 15 minutes and 
plant while still wet, in moist ground. This is a powerful dip and must be handled 
carefully. 
Tc keep the separate lots separate while dipping, place each separate lot in cloth 
bag, labeling each bag. 
PREPARE YOUR GLAD BED WELL by spading deep and adding plenty decayed 
cow manure if you can get it, otherwise use a commercial fertilizer, such as VIGORO. 
Plant bulbs 5 to 6 inches deep. Space them 6 inches apart in the row. 
Since all people do not kill thrip at planting time, there is danger of getting 
thrip from other gardens because thrip can fly and are also carried by the wind, 
sc when your glads are about 6 inches high start spraying or dusting to prevent 
thrip injury. 
Make a spray solution by dissolving 1 ounce of 50% wettable DDT in 3 gallons 
of water. If you prefer dusting use 5% DDT in a small dust gun. SPRAY OR DUST 
EVERY 10 DAYS up to blooming time. 
WATER 
Don’t expect to grow tall glads with long flower heads unless you give them 
plenty water. After the flower spikes start emerging, give them a good deep soaking 
once a. week. A light sprinkling actually harms them, as it draws the roots to the 
hot surface. 
Glads are primarily cutflowers. Cut the spike when the first flower opens and 
develop them indoors. They will open in water, and you can enjoy them indoors a 
long time. When cutting the spikes leave at least 4 leaves on the plant to develop 
the bulb for next year. 
Cctober is the usual bulb digging month. Lift the bulbs with a spade. Cut the 
stem off close to the bulb. Dry them in shallow boxes or trays until dry enough 
to remove the old bulb and roots, then dust the cleaned bulbs with 5% DDT and 
store in cloth bags, screen bottom trays or shallow boxes in coolest place you have 
but they dare not freeze. 
ALL THESE DIPS, SPRAYS and DUSTING MATERIALS ARE POISON! 
