Gladiolus are semihardy perennial plants that are fairly easy to grow. Their beautiful alternating flowers with striking colors and their slender leaves work well if you want to make a unique and dramatic statement in your garden. Gladiolus are in the Iris family and are also called “Sword Lillies,” “Gladiola,” or simply “Glads.” The word ‘gladiolus’ comes from the Latin word ‘gladius,’ meaning ‘sword’ since the shapes of the leaves are thought to resemble swords. They are originally native to South Africa, and in certain Mediterranean countries gladiolus are popular for use in festivals and holidays that celebrate various saints. Because gladiolus come in such a wide variety of colors they are one of the most popular annuals among gardeners.

Even though many people refer to gladiolus as being grown from bulbs, they are actually grown from corms. Corms are compressed underground bulb-like stems with buds at the top, and like bulbs they have all the energy the plant needs to survive. Inside of corms you will usually see white starchy cells. Corms can be dug up and planted just like bulbs, and every year new corms will form along the tops of the older ones with smaller ones growing at the base, which are usually called cormels. It's okay if you call your corms bulbs, but it's also good to know the difference.

Gladiolus normally bloom in August and come in colors of orange, yellow, white, pink, purple, salmon, green, and many bicolors. (The only color that is not available is a genuine blue.) The flowers open first at the bottom, then the tops will open. If you want to use gladiolus for cut flower arrangements in vases, it is recommended to cut them before the top portion opens, that way the tops can bloom while they are indoors.

Gladiolus prefer full sunlight and a richer variety of soil. Partial shade is okay, but for the best blooms and stronger stalks aim for a lot of sunlight. Sun will also help the corms store up a lot of energy. Also you should make sure your soil is well-draining. Working the soil to loosen it to a depth of about ten inches will help drainage. You may need to make raised beds if necessary.

You should plant gladiolus during the spring. You can plant them in groups, or in rows (if you're primarily harvesting for use as cut flowers, it will be best to plant them in rows so you can stake them up and collect them with little effort) or you can plant them singly.

Always choose corms that are larger – those smaller than about 3/4 of an inch usually won't produce any blooms. You want chubby, tall corms that are in the shape of a Hershey's kiss. Plant the pointed side up to the sky, four times as deep as their width. For example, 1 1/2 inch corms would be planted six inches deep. Put down a little mulch to help retain moisture, then add a healthy amount of fertilizer about once a month to keep them growing strong and also to increase the size of the blooms. Gladiolus don't require too much care once they are planted (but they do like a lot of water), and for a small amount of effort you will be rewarded with tall unique plants and beautiful flowers.

Gladiolus will reach three and a half to four feet high during summer, and they are prone to tipping over so you will have to use stakes to prop them up. To encourage other blooms to open you should remove flowers that have faded. To straighten stems and help the lower flowers grow, snip off the green buds at the top.

In the fall, wait until the plant has completely died before digging up the corms. When you get them out of the ground, you will see little baby corms growing on the main corm. Simply separate the smaller ones and wash them thoroughly. Set them out to air dry for two to three days, then put them in a dark cool place for winter storage.

When cutting gladiolus, use a sharp knife and don't cut them during the heat of midday. Wait until early morning or night time. Always keep at least four leaves on the plant for energy for the corms. Cut the stalk diagonally and put it in warm water immediately after cutting. When you've harvested all the glads you want, place the bucket in a cellar or another dark cool place for a couple of hours so the blooms will harden up a little. In your vase, it is best to add some floral preservative before arranging. Every few days nip off a inch or so from each stem at the very bottom.

Thrips are usually the main problem when growing gladiolus. Thrips are small insects that live on corms. You should spray with carbaryl or acephate when you notice any damage from thrips. Treating the corms before they go into storage is the most effective way to prevent thrips, and there are a few different ways to do this; you can put them inside a bag and shake them with a small amount of carbaryl added; or you can dip them into boiling water for a couple of minutes and dry them before storage; or you can store the corms in a cloth bag with mothballs added.


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