How to Plant Gladiola Bulbs

With their sweeping upright stems, funnel-shaped flowers and leaves shaped like swords, gladioli make one of the most striking displays in the garden. According to "The Royal Horticultural Society's Garden Plants and Flowers," gladioli grow from enlarged underground stems called corms, which store food and allow the plant to remain dormant until conditions for growth are favorable. Gladiola bulbs can be planted in borders among other plants or naturalized to grow through your lawn.

Things You'll Need

• Selection of gladiola bulbs
• Shovel
• Garden fork
• Garden trowel
• Bulb planter
• Garden rake
• Sharp edging tool

Instructions

Buying Bulbs

1. Purchase enough gladiola bulbs for your planting area. According to "Garden Plants and Flowers," gladiola corms should be spaced 3 to 4 inches apart.

2. Choose large bulbs that are firm and plump if you purchase loose bulbs from a plant nursery or garden center, as recommended in "The Royal Horticultural Society's Essential Gardening Techniques."

3. Buy your bulbs from a reputable grower who will certify the bulbs to be disease free.

Planting in Borders

1. Prepare your planting area by removing weeds and gently loosening the soil with a shovel or garden fork.

2. Position your gladiola bulbs on the bare soil where you intend to plant them, to provide the range and density of color you desire.

3. Use a garden trowel or bulb planter to dig a planting hole for each gladiola corm. According to "Essential Gardening Techniques," most bulbs are planted at approximately two to three times their height. For gladiola bulbs, that means planting at 4 to 6 inches deep.

4. Place the bulb root end down in the hole, with the tip pointing upward. Use a garden rake to gently pull soil over the bulbs, tamping the soil with the back of the rake when done.

Naturalizing Gladiola Bulbs in the Lawn

1. Select a location in your lawn that can be left uncut for about six weeks after the gladioli flower, to allow the corms to draw energy from the foliage and build their food reserves. Once the foliage dies down, you can mow over the area without problem.

2. Mark the area you wish to plant, and use a sharp edging tool to cut through the grass and its roots. Cut an "H" pattern, and peel back the sod in two sections, away from the middle of the "H."

3. Use a garden fork to loosen the soil, and scatter the gladiola bulbs randomly over the soil's surface. Leave adequate space between the bulbs, and press them lightly into the soil.

4. Roll the two sections of sod back over the bulbs and use the back of a rake to firm them into place. Do not use too much pressure, to avoid smashing the bulbs.

Tips & Warnings

• Naturalizing bulbs in the lawn is an easy way to achieve colorful drifts of gladioli with a one-time effort. If left undisturbed, the corms will continue to grow and expand year after year.

• Gladioli can grow as tall as 32 inches. Plants may require staking to help them stay upright. Alternatively, plant in an area sheltered from wind and driving rain. Do not use weed killer over naturalized bulbs.

References

• The Royal Horticultural Society's Garden Plants and Flowers: An A-Z Guide to the Best Plants for Your Garden; Ian Spence; 2003
• The Royal Horticultural Society's Essential Gardening Techniques; Christopher Brickell, Editor-in-Chief; 2002

Resources

• Information on Gladiolus From the University of Missouri Extension