Any body grown Gladiolus flanaganii

I have tried it from a bulb a couple of times outside, with other South African gladioli, and lost it before flowering. It germinates well from seed, but I am having difficulty getting it to flowering size. Last autumn I had one good sized corm this has just split into two small ones with no leaves seen. I have another crop coming from seed. Any tips.

 

I grow it, no trouble. Grown in a pot and kept frost free and dry over winter. I start watering when it shows growth again about a week ago now. Feed when in leaf with half strength Maxicrop, every 2 weeks or so. Flowers nicely. Never tried from seed as the corms have always multiplied nicely for me.

 

@Palustris
Thanks for the information. I shall carry on and hopefully get flowers in the next year or so.

 

Hi NigelJ - if you are interested in other odd gladioli, I have flowered g. cunonius this year from AGS bulbils. Easy but strange looking. Now forming massive seedpods if you're interested...
I grew flanaganii a few years ago, but didn't keep dry enough over winter, so 'lost' it.

 

@CarolineL G cunonius looks interesting, definitely like to give it a go.
I already grow G tristis, G huttonii and G carneus.

 

@NigelJ - nice ones to grow! I've grown carneus (I think), daleni 'Boone' and a couple of others from seed. But I always seem to end up with them forming rice grain bulbils instead of persisting.

 

The bulb experts say that the reason for any bulb going to rice grains is lack of food. I grow a rather unusual Allium (zebdanense from the Lebanon) which did the same thing until I fed it heavily with Maxicrop at half strength every two weeks during the growing season.

 

Yes, you're probably right. I am so paranoid about making sure the planting medium is open and free draining that I suspect they are on starvation rations