Gladiola Far West

[Dazed_Lily]

Currently in bloom:

[sue salley]

Cathy that is so pretty. Sorry I didn't get a picture of Mon Amour. Did you? It is definately my favorite glad. I must thank you again.

[Dazed_Lily]

No photo of Mon Amour Sue.
Interestingly, despite temps below freezing(not sustained) and the sprinkler water freezing on the glad foliage, the foliage is still green and I assume the corms are growing.
Today, I had to dig out the glad corms of Far West(above), so I could plant Hydrangeas where they are.
I had totally forgotten how the anatomy of a glad corm transitions thru time. What hapens is that a big fat bulb looking 'corm' grows directly on top of the old withering corm(the one that was planted). The new corm has little cormlets. I doubt the cormlets will flourish. However, I am excited about the corms. This is a pretty glad and I also want to save Mon Amour. So,....

should I try to replant the Far West corms in a pot and let them grow more until it really get freezing out, or just call it a season and put them to bed ? The foliage is active and green so would I just chop that off ?
Any info, how-to's, would be appreciated !
Thanks ! Cathy

[Ann B.]

Cathy,

If they were mine, I would pot them up and give them some winter protection. Have you freed up some room in your garage? That might be a perfect place for them. Just keep an eye on them to make sure that they are not drying up or getting too moist.

Don't be surprsed if the little babies keep on growing for you. Mine pop up all around the Mama bulb every year.

[sue salley]

Cathy, My Mon Amour are close to the house so well protected. The concrete foundation keeps that area a little warmer so Mine are staying in the ground. I plan on piling some extra mulch on the, and my crinum that is in the same bed.
It is so nice here today and the next 2 days that I plan to get that done. Upper 60's and very sunny. I love it.

[Dazed_Lily]

Yes Sue, I have learned alot this past year about the microclimates around my house. I know the spot you are talking about. For me, it is directly in front of a brick wall(the front of the house) next to the entry way. It has a southwest exposure. I have daylilies there right now that are not happy there. I have to make sure they are well watered. If I had it all to do again(which I will come Spring), I would move the daylilies and put the glads in there AND maybe my beautiful collection of foxtail lilies would have been best placed there but they weren't and they are dead now.
I'm glad you can overwinter the Mon Amour, they are great. I just unearthed mine and they were sitting in mud--too close to a sprinkler head.
I'm going to let them dry a little tonight and tomorrow, or yet tonight, pot up the Far West and MonAmour and let them overwinter in the garage. I read to put them in peat but peat has done me wrong with lily bulbs, and I don't like it(gets too dry--can't control moisture level).

[sue salley]

Cathy, My front beds are backed by the concrete ( or block) foundation and have a concrete porch between them and a sidewalk in front of the larger bed. It faces west with some evening shade. It warms up earlier and some of my most prized plants go there. Plus I can see them better right at the front door.
Glads usually overwinter here if planted deep enough. I planted as deep as I could and I figure the extra mulch won't hurt any either. Everything in the bed with Mon Amour is either pink or yellow to match these beautiful glads. Again I thank you for gifting them to me. I cherish most my plants given to me by friends, and the ones from my grandmother and great grandmothers garden.
I too have learned so much in the last couple of years from this forum and the many great people who visit here. I am Thankful for my Landspro family.