Japanese gladiolus: landing, care
The Japanese gladiolus, also known as montbrecia, is a flower that has a long and abundant flowering. Its inflorescences can be orange, red or yellow. Montbrecia is an unpretentious plant, so it is easy to grow in any climatic conditions.
Planting a Japanese gladiolus
You can grow gladiolus from seeds or from bulbs. It is easier to do this in the spring in the second way. In addition, when planting bulbs, flowering will begin next year, and with the use of seeds, no earlier than 2 years later.
Japanese gladiolus blooms from early summer to late autumn
In order to plant bulbs, follow the following algorithm:
- Determine where to grow, it should be sunny and free of drafts.
- In the fall, dig up the ground and add fertilizers to it: potassium chloride, slaked lime, humus and superphosphate.
- Begin cooking the onions in mid-March. If they were stored in a cool place, then keep them at room temperature for several days.
- A few hours before planting, soak them in a weak and warm solution of potassium permanganate. This is necessary to disinfect and stimulate growth.
- At the end of April, when the soil warms up to 7-8 ° C, loosen it, remove stones and weeds. Apply nitrogen fertilizers to the ground, water well.
- Plant the bulbs in the ground, to a depth of about 10 cm. Deepen small specimens by 5 cm. Leave 10-12 cm between them, and at least 25 cm between rows.
- Water the garden bed and cover with plastic wrap for a few days to keep it out of direct sunlight.
These are simple and basic steps that will be required to plant gladiolus corms.
Thus, planting a montbrecia in the garden is within the power of a novice amateur florist.
In the process of growing gladiolus, he needs constant care. Water the plant about 3 times a week, do not allow the top layer of the earth to dry out. Loosen the soil after watering or raining to prevent crusting. Weeds should be removed as needed.
Gladiolus needs feeding. Therefore, with the appearance of the first leaves, apply nitrogen fertilizers to the soil, do this 2 times a month. In the summer, once every 2 weeks, feed the flower with mineral fertilizers, and during the formation of buds – with potassium fertilizers.
In autumn, after flowering, you need to prepare the plant for winter. To do this, cut off the foliage and stems from it.
In the southern regions, it is necessary to mulch the soil for the winter; sawdust, straw, fallen leaves can be used. Cover the ground with a dark plastic wrap to keep the bulbs from freezing.
If the region has a harsh climate and cold winters, then the bulbs should be dug up, dried and stored in a cool and dry place. They can be planted out again next spring.
In return for these elementary actions, the Japanese gladiolus will give abundant and exquisite flowering. Grow this flower in your garden, care for it and enjoy its vibrant colors.