Prepare Gladiolus for Winter: Digging and Storing Bulbs

Gladiolus reproduce via a swollen stem called a corm, often referred to by casual gardeners as a bulb. These tender plants cannot survive cold weather and their bulbs must be dug, dried and stored for winter.

Place tags on your gladiolus plants to indicate the color before the flowers fade completely. As any gardener can attest, although you may be sure you will remember where each color was planted, once flowers fade it is difficult to remember. And once bulbs are stored, it is nearly impossible to remember which bulb is which.

Loosen the soil around the base of the gladiolus plant with your hands or a hoe, using care not injure the corm.

Grasp the stem of the plant and pull it from the soil. Pulling straight up reduces the risk of damage to the bulb.

Shake gently to remove excess soil. Twist the leaves from the top of the bulbs and discard the leaves.

Place the corms on an old screen to dry. Elevate the screen above the ground to prevent introducing mold and mildew from moisture at the ground level. Allow to dry in the sun for a day or two.

Move to a dry well-ventilated area and allow corms to dry for another two to three weeks.

Remove the outer "husk" and divide the cormels from the new corm, if desired. Cormels form around the base of the large corm and look like small bulbs or buds. These may be used for planting, and will produce new blooms in two to three years. Tucking them amongst your mature glads and harvesting the corms each year will increase your collection of glads.

Remove the old withered corm from the new corms. A new corm forms on top of the old one. The North Dakota State University explains that corms only live one year and are replaced by a new corm each season.

Place the corms in a paper bag or onion sack and tie the top. Mark the bag to indicate the color of the gladiolus.

Hang in a cool dry area where temperatures remain between 40 to 50 degrees until spring.

Plant mature gladiolus bulbs in the spring once the danger of frost has passed in your area. To plant the cormels, soak them in water for 24 hours and plant 1 to 2 inches deep. Cormels smaller than the size of a dime may not produce well.

Gladiolus corms with more than one bud can be cut in half before planting. The North Dakota State University recommends drying the cut corm for several days to allow the cut to heal before planting.

Lifting and storing those gladiolus bulbs are a sure way to guarantee a bounty of gorgeous blooms to brighten your garden next year. Plant a few extra for cut flowers to brighten the home as well.

SOURCES:
North Dakota State University Extension: Giddy Over Gladiolus
University of Minnesota Extension: Storing Gladiolus Bulbs