Is it worth saving my Gladiolus bulbs?

I have three lots of Gladioli which went in as an afterthought way too late this summer. I planted them around June and they are just flowering now.

If I understand, bulbs put all their energy into flowering and only after the flowers have died, start recharging the bulbs for the next year. My plants will not have many weeks left before the frosts kick in, so are they worth saving?

In my small suburban garden there is no room for plants having a gap year, everything is in full sight and must earn their keep. Then again, I hate binning plants and buying new ones if there is any life left...

Some of them are not flowering and don't even have buds. Would they have a better chance to flower next year than those which are flowering now?

Thanks!

 

I agree - they'll thrive or croak.

 

leave them in the ground. let the green naturally wilt away. next year they will be on time.

 

Thanks everybody

Our winters up here in Newcastle are not very mild, do I really dare to leave them in? That would definitely be the easiest option, and even if they flower poorly the foliage is very nicely contrasting the fluffy Astilbes and Cosmos.

That is- if they survive... I'll give it a try

 

Here in the Cotswolds it gets disproportionately cold and they survive. The only ones that I ever needed to lift was Gladiolus murielae (Acidanthera).