Distillation - Gladiolus - Gladiolus L.
Herbaceous tuberous plant. In nature there are about 180 species, mainly growing in South and Central Africa, in the Mediterranean, and in Asia Minor and Central Asia. Several 34 species of gladiolus( about nine) grows on the
in the Caucasus, in the Crimea, in the mountains of Turkmenistan, in the western regions of the European part of Russia.
History and significance of culture. Garden forms of gladiolus appeared only about 150-170 years ago, but during this time a huge number of varieties were hatched, and gladiolus began to grow in many countries of the world. He became a favorite plant of many florists.
Gladiolus is usually grown outdoors for cutting, along with a method developed for growing gladioli in rooms under artificial lighting, which allows you to have flowering plants in winter.
Gladiolus corms, planted in the spring and given a sprout, are constantly depleted and replaced with a new, replacing, which is formed over the maternal of the thickening lower parts of the leaves. On it are laid the kidneys, from which the escape of the next year develops. The corms that form in the young non-flowering plant have one apical bud, the shape of the young corms is usually round or cylindrical, and the old corms formed on the plant blooming for several years - flat, the bottom( bottom part) - large and uneven,on its apex two buds of renewal are formed, located on both sides of the attachment site of last year's stalk.
The flowering of the plant is preceded by a long process of planting buds of flowers and inflorescences inside the kidney. When the corms are planted in spring, only the rudiments of leaves and stems are formed in her kidneys, and the inflorescence has not yet formed. It is established that the beginning of the differentiation of the flower coincides with the development on the plant of three or four real leaves.
The shape of the inflorescence and flower, as well as the size and color, are the most important decorative features.
Inflorescence of the gladiolus is spicate. The number of flowers varies greatly, up to 20-28 in modern 35
varieties. According to the arrangement of flowers inflorescences are single-row, double-row, regular, double-sided, spiral.
Flowers are formed and then unfolded from the bottom up.
The gladiolus flower is zygomorphic, ie incorrect( only one line of symmetry can be drawn through it), simple, with a double perianth, consisting of six unequal, fused to the bottom in a short, curved tube of lobes, bisexual, large.
Growing gladiolus in a room for forcing is fundamentally different from forcing tulips and hyacinths. This, strictly speaking, can not even be called a pasture, since in the corms, when planted, there is no formed flower rudiment, as in bulbous plants. The laying and formation of the flower shoot in the gladiolus occurs during the growth of the plant, so the growing conditions in the closed ground should contribute to this. With insufficient illumination( less than 6 thousand lux), flowering may not occur, and the absence of fresh air will lead to a decrease in the strength of the stem, to a curvature that can not be corrected by a garter. In winter, the correlation between soil temperature and light intensity is of decisive importance. In low light and soil temperature( above 17 ° C), the rudiment of the gladiolus flower stops developing and will die.
Preliminary preparation of corms, which begin 3 months before planting, is of great importance. From November 1 to mid-December( 45 days) they are stored at a temperature of 17 ° C, until January January( 40-45 days) are kept in a bright room with high humidity at 20 ° C.The biochemical processes taking place at this time in the corms provide a rapid development of the shoot. Based on the calculation for 1 m2 of area, 60 to 80 corms of the first analysis( diameter about 3.5-4 cm) are planted to a depth of 8 cm and mulched. The temperature of 36 soils in the last 90 days is maintained at the
level. Fig. Forms of gladiolus inflorescences: 1 - single-row;2 - double row;3 - the next;4 - two-sided;5 -
spiral
10-12 ° С, after which the soil temperature is raised to 15 ° С, and air - up to 20 ° С.
A method for growing a gladiolus with additional lighting has been developed, which makes it possible to have flowering gladioli in the winter and early spring months.
For getting flowers by March 8, the early terms of excavation( September 10-15) and landing in the room at the end of November are recommended. In addition to natural light from the moment of mass germination on the 7th-8th day, additional lighting is included.
For flowering to May 1, the bulbs are planted in early February, from the middle of the month they give additional lighting. To obtain flowering gladioli by November 7 and New Year corms are stored until the end of June at a temperature of 2-4 ° C, then for 2-4 weeks they are subjected to heat treatment - 25-30 ° C with a relative humidity of 80%.Planting time for flowering in early November - July 15 - August 1.For flowering in late December - from September 20 to October 1.Artificial lighting should be at least 15-16 hours a day and good ventilation.
For early distillation, early variegated varieties should be used. The following varieties have shown themselves well: Arabesque, Dixieland, Legacy, Northern Bell, Gintarelis, Zeus, Oscar, White Frosting.
Description of pastoral varieties. Arabesque. The height of the plant is 115 cm, thin, straight. Inflorescence 55 cm, regular. The flower is 8 cm, corrugated, light crimson-pink with a pink-red spot and a border along the edges.
Dixieled. The height of the plant is approximately 120 cm. The inflorescence is 65 cm, the flower is 12.5 cm, corrugated, dull red with a yellowish spot.
Legacy.130 cm high, the stem is durable. Inflorescence 65 cm, two rows. Flower 13 cm, corrugated, salmon-pink, with a white spot. Anthers light-lilac, 38 pistil white.
Northern Bell.135 cm height, inflorescence 65 cm, single row. Flower 12 cm, corrugated, white. Anthers and pestle are white.
Oscar. The plant is 150 cm high. Inflorescence 75 cm, flower 16 x 13 cm, dark red, the shares broad, even.
Gintarelis. The height of the plant is 125 cm, the stem is strong. Inflorescence 65 cm, two rows. Flower 13 x 12.5 cm, light yellow, corrugated.
Zeus. The height of the plant is 170 cm. The inflorescence is two-row, up to 90 cm, out of 26 flowers, simultaneously 8 and 8 colored buds are open. Flower 14 cm, densely salmon, corrugated.