Gladiolus, one of the four major cut flowers in flower shops, has so many bulbs after one year of planting that they can’t be given away
Gladiolus is a species of the genus Gladiolus in the family Iridaceae, commonly known as gladiolus. In the field of horticulture, it is known as one of the "four major cut flowers" along with roses, gerberas, and carnations.
In the eyes of the ancient Romans, the spikes and leaves of gladiolus were very similar to the swords in the hands of gladiators in the arena, so they called it gladiolus. It is a diminutive of the Latin gladius, which means "small sword". The English nickname of gladiolus, sword lily, and the Chinese nickname "Jianglan" may have been named in this way.
Gladiolus grows robustly and has good adaptability to soil. It can be grown in any soil that is well-drained and not heavy. Sandy and sandy soils with deep soil layers, good drainage, rich in organic matter, and sufficient water are the most suitable. The soil should be slightly acidic, with a pH value between 6.0-6.5.
Gladiolus has a strong light requirement. When the growth temperature is low, insufficient light will affect flowering. Insufficient light during the flower bud development period will seriously hinder flowering. The formation of flower buds begins with the third leaf and is completed when the 6th-7th leaf appears. Therefore, from the beginning of the growth of the third leaf to the flowering period, the light should be as sufficient as possible. Avoid planting density that is too high or the cultivation area is blocked by surrounding trees, buildings, etc. Insufficient light in the early stage of flower bud development will cause the inflorescence to disappear and blind buds to occur. If insufficient light occurs when the 5th-7th leaves are drawn out, the flowers will be small and withered, and the number of flowers will decrease.
In addition to light, temperature is also an extremely important factor in the growth of gladiolus. The plant's growth temperature is between 10-25 degrees. During the bud incubation period, high temperatures will cause bud loss, especially when there is insufficient light.
Gladiolus needs adequate water throughout the growing season and good drainage. Rapid root growth is most important, so water should be sufficient and the soil should not be too dry in the early stages of planting.
After the gladiolus plant blooms, it will grow for a period of time before the above-ground part withers. The newly produced corms and stalks (the stalks swell up at the tip of the mother corm) enter a dormant state. The length of the natural dormancy period varies depending on the variety and the cultivation season, generally between 1-3 months. The smaller the corm, the longer the natural dormancy period. END
