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Post by prairiegardens on May 20, 2018 14:46:37 GMT -5
Just got back and found a bunch of glads had been left 1) some in the baskets they'd grown in last summer and2) some in a bag that never got planted - last year was one of "those" years. Of the ones in the basket, most are clearly finished, but two corms are apparently sound and firm, so they've been popped back into the soil. The ones in the bag, which spent the winter in a totally unheated house which certainly got well below freezing, all appear to be fine. I know Richard leaves his to grow from year to year but suspect conditions there are a good deal milder than a Saskatchewan winter,esp one like this last one. Any bets on whether any will grow if planted now? And if so does it suggest that it would be possible to develop reliably hardy gladioli? Just leave them all out next winter and see if any survive? It would be wonderful to have glads that didn't have to be lifted every fall (or replaced every spring).
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Post by philagardener on May 20, 2018 15:14:30 GMT -5
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Post by imgrimmer on May 20, 2018 15:46:28 GMT -5
In my garden are many different varieties, I planted every interesting type I could find and left it in the ground. Some bulbs are frosted and some survived. This year there are Gladiolus everywhere I planted them before. And this winter was the coldest since 3 years when I started with Gladiolus. It was around -12°C and maybe less for longer times.
I didn`t breed what I originally intended to do. This came out just by selection of current varieties.
At least it is worth to find out if it works in your climate there is more variation in existing Gladiolus then suspected.
Anyway I will crossbreed with G.byzantinus and other hardier species to find new types.
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Post by walt on May 20, 2018 16:01:47 GMT -5
I think the Species Iris Group of North America still has seeds of G. italica, which is one of the hardier species. At $0.50 per pkt., plus shipping, that is a bargain. But looking at the hardier domestic hybrids might suit most people better. Different strokes for different folks.
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Post by prairiegardens on May 21, 2018 17:20:39 GMT -5
That was a very interesting article, and since I have sandy soil in the new place I'll plant the lot of them and see what happens. Thanks all for the feedback.
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Post by steev on May 21, 2018 21:30:24 GMT -5
The problem with leaving glads to their own devices is that as the corms get larger, they get less floriferous, hence the need to lift and divide the corms.
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Post by richardw on May 22, 2018 14:23:03 GMT -5
Dont agree steev, ive two self sown clumps that are about 10 year old, the red Gladiolus in the photo grows in my Asparagus patch and last summer had 45 stems, that started from one stray seed, each year the clump is getting bigger  |
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Post by steev on May 22, 2018 19:03:33 GMT -5
I'm not saying they won't make clumps, just that I think the individual corms can become less likely to bloom; when you have a clump, there will be corms in every size, so always some will bloom.
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Post by richardw on May 23, 2018 0:31:28 GMT -5
They seem to only flower the once while at the same time producing one to two replacement corms which flower the next season, as well as heaps of tiny corms that only grow vegetatively the next year, but i reckon a lot of them are out competed and die out when a clump is left in the ground
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