Gladioli question

Hi All,

Just before I possibly make more work for myself, do I have to lift the bulbs when they have finished for the winter or can they stay in the soil. I haven`t lifted my dahlias ever and they`re alright. I won`t bother with them if I have to-which would be a shame, I`ve fallen for a mix of Silverstreak and Black star to take over where my black and white tulips will leave off.

 

Hi Claire
I asked a knowledgeable gardening friend this last autumn and she says she doesn't lift her gladioli either...but the advice is always to lift them. As a test, I lifted half of them and left the rest in situ. I'll let you know how they get on!

IMO it might be too late to lift them now-I always thought it should be done in late autumn before the frosts, but I might be wrong, often am.

 

I lift Gladioli (and would lift Dahlias if I had any).

Risk of damage from severe frost (which we've had this year, but first time for many years)

I think also risk from mice etc. chewing them in the ground, and them rotting in wet ground.

But in mild winters they will probably be fine in the ground.

 

Well, I `ve been and bought them anyway because I can`t seem to control myself near certain colour mixes and burgundy and white have no chance of not being bought.

I have had dahlias a few years and other than chopping the root up a few times to get more that really is about as much attention as I give them. Judging from your garden Kristen-which I`m not at all jealous of honest guv, mine is much more sheltered than yours, aside from being on the edge of a moor, the rain rather than frost appears to be the worst we ever get here. The mice on the other hand may be an issue. I think I`ll risk leaving them in.

Just need a rock peony to set them off ......................................

 

Not planted them yet Aaron, this will the first year I use them; always, rather narrow-mindedly I might add, dismissed them as "old lady" plants along with pansies and begonias. But the stars of my garden last year were the violas and begonias so have had to rethink some of my rather absurd prejudices.

 

Why are you not keen to lift them Lollipop?

I plant about 200 Gladioli, doesn't take all that long. I tend to start them off in a tray of compost - because I'm always late, and that way I get a couple more weeks before I HAVE to plant them out!

(I was going to upload some pictures, but image upload is taking too long, so given up)

 

My Dahlias are never lifted,some have been in for more than twentyfive years in sandy soil.Gladiolas very rarely survive,if I leave them in only one or two come up the next year.Maybe mice are the culprits because the same happens if I leave tulip bulbs in. Joyce

 

Because I have mixed beds mainly, I interplant everything and don`t want to disturb my peonies just to lift gladioli.


That and to be honest I`m a lazy mare-but mostly not to disturb my peonies.


And Kristen..................call me Claire

 

Sorry call-me-Claire, have signature-display turned off, so don't see folks names

Site seems to have speeded up, so have managed to upload images.

 

So when is the best time yo plant them as I bought some Plum Tart and White Prosperity from the garden centre but the bits of paper I got with them don't say

 

Course now-as I` have no doubt you are well aware-you have me seething with jealousy.


I have googled and can`t find any stock images of the ones I have chosen so when they are in flower I will of course post up some pics.


Maybe they will steal my heart in which case I will lift them anyway.

 

Newly planted? After the last frost-in my case end of March.

 

"Maybe they will steal my heart in which case I will lift them anyway"

If they are planted between your peonies perhaps a covering with straw/bracken would do to keep the frost off them?

"Super gladioli piccies"

Don't overdo it John!, they were bought cheaply as the corms were small (eBay) ... but a year on the corms are bigger, will possibly not be planted late this year! and if so should perform nicely.

But I do like to grow lots so that we can have large vases of them.

Sweetpeas too - like to have a couple of hundred plants of them too ...