Gladioli are very beautiful flowers, and many gardeners adorn their areas with them. However, due to difficulties in the care of some flower growers refuse from these plants. Difficulties due to the fact that every year for the winter it is necessary to dig out the bulbs. In the article we describe the features of this event and describe how to store gladioli in the winter at home.
When and how to dig gladioli correctly
Digging gladioli should be in the fall. It is important to have time before the onset of cold weather and subzero temperature. Tubers are very sensitive to frost, and even slight frosting can make them unsuitable for planting.
Usually, the digging of gladiolus falls in the middle of October, when potatoes are already harvested from the garden, but the harvesting of cabbage has not yet begun. It is important to adhere to one very important rule: the digging can be done no less than 35 days after flowering.
Important! In no case should not store the bulbs in the refrigerator! They will freeze and be unsuitable for disembarkation.Gladiolus cleaning in the fall is done with shovels or forks. Must be carefully dig up a bush and pull out a plant. After that, as soon as possible, you need to chill the soil with them and cut the leaves.
The fact is that through the leaves, moisture evaporates actively, and during storage of the bulbs, they dry out too quickly and become soft. Also, various pests can crawl from the leaves. To avoid such troubles, it is recommended to cut the above-ground part with the help of a secateur, after which sun drying is performed during the week. In order not to begin the process of decay, this place must be well ventilated.
Preparation of bulbs for winter storage
The preparation process of the plant bulbs includes following stages:
- timely cleaning - it is important not to miss the moment of digging, otherwise the plant will freeze;
- pruning;
- cleaning and drying for 30 days;
- treatment of gladiolus bulbs before storage.
Bulb flowers also include: tulip, lily, daffodil, hazel grouse, hyacinth, iris, anemone, muscari, crocus, decorative bow.
After that, the bulbs must be processed using a weak 0.1% solution of "Fundazol" and a pink solution of potassium permanganate. In each of them it is necessary to hold the tubers for about 30 minutes.
The next stage is thorough drying. The bulbs are placed in a room with room temperature for 30-40 days. If the number of tubers is small, they can be dried using improvised means, for example, a hair dryer. This procedure will slow down the development of the fungus, which can appear during normal drying.
How to save the tubers in the refrigerator
Many flower growers use an ordinary fridge for storing bulbs. The ideal place is the vegetable compartment - the lowest shelf.
Did you know? The name of the flower is derived from the Latin word gladius - "sword". Its leaves are very similar to swords, so the plant acquired such an interesting name.The advantage of storing tubers in the fridge is the ability constant monitoring of their condition. At any time you can reduce the temperature or, if necessary, shift the bundle to the shelf above.
Before you send the tubers for the winter, you need to dry them a little. After that, they are wrapped in newsprint. Combining a few convolutions, it is worth wrapping them in a paper of greater density. Be sure to make holes, the diameter of which will be approximately 1 cm - they are necessary for ventilation.
Did you know? In the III century BC. er Gladiolus tubers were baked, then ground with onions and delicious cakes were prepared from the resulting dough.
After that, the bundle should be placed in a plastic bag, at the bottom of which you also need to make holes. Once every 20-30 days is worth inspect the bulbs for the absence of disease. If you notice that some tubers are damp, they should be removed from the bundle.
How to keep flowers in the country
It is not always possible to remove the tubers from the summer cottage after the end of the season. Do not be upset, we will tell you where to store flowers.
In the cellar
An excellent storage place is a cool, dry, ventilated cellar. However, if you decide to store the tubers in this place, you need to take into account one nuance: in addition to the bulbs, there should not be fruits and vegetables in the cellar, as they can release large amounts of moisture, which can lead to mold.
Important! The large bottom of the bulb speaks of her old age. In this case, it is recommended to rejuvenate the variety.
Maintaining a constant temperature of 4-7 ° C is one of the mandatory storage conditions. It is also necessary to monitor the humidity indicator, it should be in the range of 65-80%. Storage of children gladioli should be carried out in cooler conditions with high humidity.
If you have a grid, you can build special boxes. The mesh, stretched to the bottom, will provide good ventilation, and the tubers will not rot.
In trench
To store the tubers, you can use a trench. This method is suitable if your region does not have severe winters. Near the selected site should not pass groundwater. It is necessary to dig a trench, the depth of which should be about 80 cm and width 70 cm.
If you do not have a place to plant gladiolus, you can grow them in a container.
Gladiolus bulbs are folded in boxes, filled with dry sawdust and lowered into the recess. Top boxes should fall asleep dry leaves and cover with foil. Thanks to this protection, rain and melt water will not fall on the bulbs. It is very important to complete the trenching before the onset of severe frost.
Corms in the apartment
Storage of gladioli after digging in the apartment is quite problematic. It is important to find a place in which there will be no sudden changes in temperature. The indicator on the thermometer should be 5-10 ° C, and the humidity should be in the range of 60-70%. Such conditions can only be provided in areas isolated from a battery.
Science knows more than 200 varieties of gladioli. Find out which are their most popular varieties.
Most Suitable places in the apartment for storage of gladiolus bulbs:
- openings between window frames or balcony doors;
- hallway near the entrance door (the territory of the landing);
- toilet (you can place the tubers next to cold water pipes);
- glazed loggia;
- unheated pantry.
Regardless of the place of storage, be sure to air the bulbs! If you notice that mold has appeared, it is necessary to dry the tubers. When stains form on them, be sure to cut them off, and cover the sections with a strong solution of potassium permanganate. At the same time healthy bulbs should definitely be treated with the drug "Maxim", dried and folded into a dry clean bag. If some tubers have become soft or too hard, you need to get rid of them - they can no longer be used for planting flowers.
If you want beautiful gladioli at the summer cottage, you should pay attention to their storage in winter. Follow the recommendations, and you will succeed!
