How to Grow Gladiolus Bulbs
- 1). Prepare a full-sun garden bed for planting. Lay a 2-inch layer of compost over the entire planting area, then apply 2 pounds of 5-10-5 analysis fertilizer for every 100 square feet of bed. Till the compost and fertilizer into the top 8 inches of soil.
- 2). Plant corms with the flat side down and the pointed side up. Sow bulbs that are 1½ to 2 inches in diameter 6 inches deep, and sow smaller bulbs 3 to 4 inches deep. Space the bulbs 3 to 6 inches apart in the bed.
- 3). Water the bed after planting until it feels moist to a 6-inch depth when you stick your finger into it. Continue to water once a week, moistening the soil to the 6-inch depth at each irrigation.
- 4). Lay a 2-inch layer of bark mulch around the gladiolus when the plants are 4 inches high. Mulch preserves soil moisture and prevents weed growth.
- 5). Fertilize gladiolus a second time when they begin to flower. Apply 1 pound of 5-10-5 fertilizer per 100 square feet of garden. Lay the fertilizer between the plants, taking care not to get it on the foliage, where it can cause damage. Water after fertilizing so the nutrients leach down into the soil.
