With their colorful flowers, gladioli are a highlight in every garden and are in full splendor throughout the summer. The iris family, which can reach a height of 150 centimetres, is available in a large number of varieties, which either have extremely large flowers or are presented with delicate ornaments. No matter which type of gladioli you choose, planting is always the same, as is the right planting time.
time
cultivated gladioli
Gladiolus (bot. Gladiolus) are true sun worshipers who like it very warm and for this reason bloom quite late from mid-June to September at the earliest. Its short flowering time of two weeks is typical for the gladiolus and the targeted setting of the individual bulbs enables a flowering time according to your ideas. The breeding or noble gladions, i.e. the cultivated species, are represented with the following classifications.
- Large-flowered gladiolus from the garden gladiolus (bot. Gladiolus gandavensis)
- Butterfly gladiolus (bot. Gladiolus papilio)
- Nanus gladiolus
- Primulinus gladiolus
All these classifications have a large variety of varieties, but do not differ in the actual planting time. Nevertheless, they differ in their robustness, which of course in turn influences the time of planting. The Nanus gladioli are much more robust than the large-flowered ones and can therefore be planted earlier. The same point in time is always taken as the starting point.
colorful gladioli
- mid-April to early June
- setting until July is possible with late bloomers
You can use this entire period for the individual planting of the tubers, but you should make sure that the tubers of the less robust varieties are protected from the cold. Frost in April and the ice saints in mid-May should be mentioned here in particular, as these can particularly affect the large-flowered and Gladiolus papilio. To be on the safe side, start planting after the ice saints are over, as temperatures can drop a few degrees here. Especially if you live in the cooler areas in Germany, you should pay attention to this point.
gladiolus bulbs
Alternative: bury gladiolus bulbs earlier
Compared to the normal planting period, consider planting earlier if you want to dig up the gladiolus bulbs before winter. Many species can hibernate in warm places for several years and are dug up in autumn and then put back into the ground in spring. In order for the tubers to survive this procedure, they must have collected enough nutrients over the year so that they do not die out over the cold season. For this reason, it is definitely advisable to plant these specimens in April, not later. However, use robust varieties if there is a risk of night frosts.
Gladioli bulbs
wild gladioli
When is the best time for wild gladioli?
In contrast to the cultivated forms, wild gladioli can be planted at a completely different time, as they have hardy tubers. When is the planting time for these varieties? In the autumn. As with other plants that you plant in autumn, such as onions, these wild forms can easily be planted in autumn from late September to November and sprout at the same time as the cultivars. The wild gladioli include the following types of gladiolus.
- Gladiolus communis (bot. Gladiolus communis)
- Meadow gladiolus (bot. Gladiolus imbricatus)
- Marsh gladiolus (bot. Gladiolus palustris)
- Marsh gladiolus (bot. Gladiolus palustris)
These species are more robust than the cultivated forms, but usually appear smaller and grow shorter. Nevertheless, over the years they form excessive clumps and do not place high demands on the location. They are a pleasant alternative to the classic noble gladioli. The duration of the flowering period for wild gladioli is also around two weeks.
Longer flowering period
Since gladioli have a rather short flowering time on average, you should vary the planting times of the individual bulbs in order to enjoy the plants for longer. This means that you should plant new tubers every week throughout the planting season from April to June so that they open at different times and overlap in the flowering period.
You should do the following:
- robust varieties are planted first
- this minimizes the chance of frost damage
- plant the other varieties from June
garden floor
As a result, your gladiolus bed can not only vary in variety, but also bloom over a period from the beginning of August to the end of September. You run no risk of vacant patches appearing in the bed, as the numerous bulbs planted allow for a high density of flowers. Since gladiolus is one of the most popular cut flowers in mid and late summer, you can enjoy the attractive inflorescences of the plant for eight weeks. With the right planning, planting different species ensures a unique eye-catcher in the garden.
Tip: If you have specialized in a single gladioli variety, you should plant it continuously at weekly intervals from May to the end of June. However, you have to make sure that the corresponding flowering period is a little shorter, even if you will then only encounter your favorite variety in the garden.