Glads are a little bit early, need advice please

[froggy127]

Hello all!

I have some Frederica Gladiolus that I bought years ago and planted in an old flower garden / border. I rescued them a couple years ago and put them in my greenhouse and they bloomed beautifully last year, problem is I left the in the pot and I just noticed the other day that they have broke ground with 3 new shoots. Problem is its January and they were never outside over the winter. They are very special to me because I am on the Town Council and will be running for Mayor next year in ........Frederica Delaware! Help please. Should I let them grow? I thought that I read that Glads had to winter before they will bloom, right or wrong? I even went as far to contact the nursery that I bought them from years ago and they told me that they will not be offered again.

Pete Rager
Frederica De

[froggy127]

https://www.hirts.com/Butterfly-Gladiolu ... B000NKPV0G

[applestar]

According to that link, it's a zones 8-10 plant and it seems to me that zone 10 winters can be mild. So I guess it depends on your perception of what "winter" is supposed to be like.

How cold did it get in your greenhouse?

(Good luck with your endeavors!)

[froggy127]

I did run out of oil in December but my propane backup came to the rescue and I am thinking that the low was high 40s

[froggy127]

So you are saying feed them and hope for the best?

[catgrass]

I live in the deep south, so my conditions are a lot easier than yours. If they didn't experience temps below 40, they are fine. I leave mine in the ground-and they are sending up shoots now, and we are having some low's in the mid 30's sometimes, but not often. Glads are pretty hardy. I'd let them grow.

[applestar]

Have you had your glads for long @catgrass? Have they ever grown but not bloomed or have your ever seen that happen around you, possibly due to the winter temperatures being *too* mild? I think that's what @froggy127 is worried about.

...although the cold could still be a problem around here -- it's only the end of January...

[imafan26]

I live in zone 12a formerly zone 10, I have had glads in the ground for years popping up whenever they are ready and they are never dug up and stored for winter, because I don't get cold enough to harm the bulbs.

I think if you just feed them they should still bloom. Mine never get a winter chill. What determines bloom is the size of the corm, if the corm or cormel is not big enough, it will send up foliage to grow the corm but will not bloom. Once the corm gets big enough it blooms.

[catgrass]

Apple, I never dig mine for storage, just to move them, or get rid of them, which is hard to do. The larger corms make the little bulblets that are constantly coming up, and not blooming, I do find, that the younger corms will bloom, though the stalks are not as big as the bigger ones as imafan said.