Gladiolus

Valued for the beauty of flowers and their long-term preservation in cutting. The positive quality of the gladiolus is the ability of all flowers of the inflorescence to dissolve in a cut form. The disadvantage is the lack of flavor, but in recent years varieties with a weak aroma( Acacia, Sweet Lavender, etc.) have been obtained.

The gladiolus inflorescences are cut in the stage of the first lower flower opening. For transportation to distant distances, the inflorescence is cut in buds on the eve of the blossoming of the lower flower. During cutting, you need to ensure that as little damage as possible to the leaves that continue to "work" on the formation of corms and children.

Gladiolus in buds, as well as peonies, can be stored for a long time in a refrigerator or on a glacier.

Gladiolus refers to perennials that do not winter in the ground, which is due to the origin of this plant from the hot tropical countries( Africa, South America).It hibernates in the form of corms( modified base of the shoot), which is also an organ of vegetative reproduction. By the end of the growing season at the base of the corms, small( 1-10 mm) tuber-kidney-babies are formed, which are valuable planting material. They serve to rejuvenate the variety, as well as its accelerated reproduction.

From each baby within one to two years, an adult corm is formed, which gives a flowering plant. With repeated plantings, the corms are replaced by a new, also gradually aging corms, the shape of which gradually changes from rounded to flat, bulbous. Plants obtained from old corms do not bloom well, they get worse. The best in quality are two-three-year-old rounded corms. It is inappropriate to keep corms older than four years, it is better to replace them with young ones.

Gladiolus planting is carried out in the early spring, in late April-early May, as soon as the soil on the plot prepared in the fall. Under autumn plowing or digging, 50-60 tons of humus( but not fresh manure!), Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers of 120 kilograms of active substance per hectare are brought in. In the conditions of the household plot, respectively, 5-6 kilograms( bucket) of humus per 1 sq. Km.meter and 50-80 grams of a mixture of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

Large corms planted at a depth of 10-12 centimeters and at a distance of 15 centimeters from each other. For small corms, respectively, the depth and distance are reduced.

The children are planted at the same time. For the best germination of children, they are pre-germinated in a moist environment( in moss, sawdust, gauze pouches) for three to five days. Baby especially valuable varieties are cleaned from the shell.

Prepared baby is sown in ridges or furrows on a well-divided flat area.

On the ridges, transverse shallow grooves are made at a distance of 15-20 centimeters and the baby is sowed 1-2 centimeters from one another. With insufficient moisture, the soil is watered abundantly, and after sealing - mulch. When the second sheet appears, feed with a 1% solution of nitrogen fertilizer or diluted in 10 times slurry, later give NPK( nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and in late July - phosphate and potassium fertilizers.

For control of weeds, simazine is used for 3-4 kg per hectare.

To accelerate the flowering of gladiolus, the following techniques are used: 1) growing corms in paper cups, 2) early spring film shelter.

Paper cups can be made from newsprint with a bottle. On the bottom of the bottle, a strip of paper is wound up, turning the edges of the paper at the bottom, and they receive a glass. You can also use cardboard cups from under ice cream.

Corms, planted in glasses at the end of March and beginning of April and put in a greenhouse or a light heated room, give plants that bloom two or three weeks earlier than when planting.

Recently, film shelter has been widely used. You can use polyvinylchloride or a more transparent polyethylene film, which covers the ridge immediately after planting( the same as it does on the ridges with tulips).

One of the reasons that inhibits the wide multiplication of gladiolus is their fusarium infection, a dangerous fungal disease that is very difficult to treat. Signs of fusarium infection are yellowing of the leaves, abnormal thickening of the roots, a decrease in the size and stimulation of the corms, the lack of children on them and, finally, complete drying of the plants. On a cut of a sick bulb at strong infection it is possible to see dark concentric wavy strips.

Prevention of fusariosis - proper post-harvest drying of corms at elevated temperature and normal storage conditions. During the vegetation period, the condition of the plants is carefully monitored, immediately removing the diseased from the site. Periodically spray plantations with fungicides: a 2% suspension of TMTD, 1% Bordeaux fluid.

Good results are obtained by preplanting treatment of corms with a 2% solution of Captan for one hour or with a suspension of TMTD( 20 grams per liter of water).

In the absence of these drugs, corms are treated with formalin at a concentration of 1: 100 for 15 minutes.

Often plantations of gladiolus cause great harm to a small sucking insect - tripe. Signs of damage to it: the appearance of whitish spots and spots on the leaves, yellowing and drying of the buds. Trypses contribute to the transfer of viral and fungal diseases.

For the control of this insect, spraying with 0.3% chlorophos( 3 grams per liter of water) or 0.2% carbofos is used. Bulbs infected with thrips are lowered for 2-3 minutes in these solutions or dusted with hexachlorane( 3-4 grams per 1 kg).

In the fight against pests and diseases, proper storage of corms is important: temperature 4-6 ° C and humidity 40-60%.