We follow the rules for storing gladioli tubers

Gladioli are perennial plants. Some growers cut the green stems of flowers even during bud formation. If you put gladioli in a vase, then they will dissolve all the flower stalks. To preserve the corms until the next planting, after flowering, it is necessary to dig out the gladioli from the soil. Digging is carried out in the fall. After the autumn digging of gladioli, their stems must be cut off, if you did not do this in the summer. This will increase the shelf life of the bulbs. After cutting off the stems, dry the gladiolus bulbs.

Preparing the bulbs for storage

Put the bulbs on a paper towel, they are transferred to a warm room with access to sunlight. The soil dries quickly under the sun, which allows the bulbs to be peeled. After they dry, you need to remove the root system of the gladioli. Then the future planting material is treated with insecticides to get rid of thrips.

Thrips are small insect pests that feed on the sap of bulbous plants. In order for gladioli to be stored for a long time, it is necessary to treat the bulbs with volatile insecticidal preparations. After drying, sevok and adult bulbs are transferred into a bag or other sealed container and sprayed with an insecticide. After 20 minutes, all thrips on the gladioli bulbs will die.

It is necessary to open the bag with a volatile insecticide in a ventilated area, since insecticidal preparations are dangerous for people.

After chemical treatment of the bulbs gladiolus treated with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide. The bulbs are kept in solutions for 20 minutes. After this treatment, the bulbs will not rot. After the bulbs have been processed, they can be sent for storage.

Storage tank for gladiolus bulbs

Well-dried gladiolus bulbs are placed in a liter glass jar. After placing the first layer of bulbs in the jar, sprinkle it with garden perlite. The bulbs are laid in layers until a distance of 10 cm remains from the neck of the jar. Garden perlite is an excellent mulching material. It inhibits spores of fungal diseases, so that gladiolus bulbs do not rot during storage. The jar must be closed with food grade paper and rubber band to ensure air circulation inside the jar.

Under no circumstances should the jar be sealed, otherwise the bulbs will not be suitable for planting in open ground.