GLADIOLI

GLADIOLI are flaring, trumpet-shaped spikes that come in pretty much all colors.  They have erect, sword-like leaves.  They come in dwarf varieties, but most others are about 2-4 feet high or so.  I usually end up staking mine, so they don't blow down in the wind.  Gladioli grow from CORMS, similar to a bulb, and they are planted in the spring.  I plant several groups, about 2 weeks apart for a longer bloom time.  Doing this, I can have them all summer and through the fall. Depending on the corm size, plant them anywhere from 3-6 inches deep, the larger they are, the deeper you plant them.  Space them about 3 inches apart when planting.  They like full sun, with evenly moist soil.  Even though the information on Gladioli say they are hardy in zones 7-10, I experimented, and didn't pull my corms last year here in zone 5--and we had an especially cold winter last year.  Virtually all came up, along with the others that I planted this spring.  One thing I really like about gladioli is that when you do pull them in fall, you can just twist the old part of the corm off, and then just store them for the winter to plant again the next spring.  I save my onion and orange mesh vegetable and fruit bags from the grocery store to store the corms in.  I separate the corms by their bloom color, and use a bag for each color to store the corms.  After I mark the color on the bag, all I do is hang the bags in my shed  over the winter, and they are ready to plant come spring--no extra care is needed.  They are excellent in cut flower arrangements, and don't seem to be bothered by many pests.  Their colors are amazing, and I think they are especially nice planted among other perennials that have already bloomed.   I always like to have them in the beds during the dog days of summer!