Planting Gladiolus

Attract hummingbirds and add a bit of elegance to your garden and garden bouquets with easy-to-grow gladiolus.

Plant glad corms right in the garden starting about two weeks before the last spring frost and continuing through early summer. 

Plant large corms 4 to 6 inches deep and smaller ones 3 inches deep and 6 inches apart in full sun or partial shade. You can easily fit up to 50 corms in a 2 x 4 feet area. Extend the bloom time by making successive plantings every 2 weeks, until about 12 weeks before the first fall frost.

Give stems leaning under the weight of the flowers a bit of support. Slip a bamboo cane behind the stem and secure it with a bit of twine. 

Extend your enjoyment by harvesting the flowers when the bottom few flowers on the spike are open or just starting to show color.

A bit more information: Glads are hardy in zones 7 and warmer and can be left in the ground over winter. Those in colder regions need to grow them as annuals and replace every year or lift the corms and store them indoors for winter. Thanks to Longfield Gardens® for use of several images used in this segment.