I like the looks of glads but I don't buy them because i'm in a cold climate and need to dig them and store over winter. For that much trouble I buy things that winter over in the garden. Lots less work. And there is a winter hardy Glad, NANUS GLADIOLAS.

I've had glads [not the winter hardy types] overwinter for quite a number of years now with no problem -- I too can't be bothered to dig them up -- and some are not all that deeply planted anymore. I've wound up weeding out hundreds of cormlets, some of which I've just pitched, others traded away.

I dug them all up this year and am drying them, corms and cormels also. I originaly planted about 75 corms and after two years with all new corms and cormels I probably have close to 1000. It takes a lot of work but they are some of the most disease resistence and insect resistence plant there is and besides they are just beautiful. Where do you go to trade things or to look at the trading lists?

Can I plant bulbs that have been in the garage for over a year, or are they no good? Also, last year my glads would bud and then die on the stalk. Any idea on what I'm doing wrong? Thanks

It sounds like maybe you have an insect problem or the bulbs aren't quite up to power. To check the bulbs in the garage see if they are solid and have no mold or soft spots, they should be dried like an onion skin on the outside. I would replace the corms in your garden with new ones.

I have grown them in recent years. They are gorgeous and an excellent choice if you are looking for multiplying bulbs. In zone 9 they do not need to be dug up and they just keep coming back tyear after year.
I have had a few come up to bloom and die on the stalk, but I believe my issue is weather releated. In June and July temperatures are 90-100 degrees on average in full sun and they just wither. Part shade is usually best.
Other than that they are great plants. When planting the large ones, make sure they are planted deep enough to hold up when they grow tall or provide good support. Some can reach 3-5 ft.

can stand up to high temperatures and they require full sun. Dying before blooming could be like I said before thrips or rotted bulbs. I live in zone 6 and we get pretty hard winters, last year they all came up successfully after the cold passed. I dug them up this year to seperate the corms and the cormels.

This was my first year planting glads. I put in over 200 bulbs. They were planted under some big oak trees and I also had the same problem with the buds drying up before they flowered. I looked at other flower beds in my area and I noticed that a few others that planted under trees had their buds dry up as well. But some had them growing out in the open and they bloomed just fine. I was told by a local farmer that if certain vegetables were planted within 50 feet from a tree, their roots can cause the vegetabls to grow very poor. I'm wondering if this is also the case for the glads?

I absolutely love my gladiolas, but I live in Colorado and always forget to dig up my corms until the middle of winter and usually have to buy new ones in the spring to fill in my bed because only a few manage to survive. Also, my bed is usually full of ants and every year, my husband insists that I am just planting ant food that blooms.

Zone 5/6 can plant Gladiolas in a protected spot, like next to your house where they get the heat from your home, and they do come back. However, mine have not multiplied a lot, I think it is too much for the baby corms. I have tried planting them even 5 feet away from the house and they do not come back.

I have just found an amazing site that is dedicated entirely to gladiolas.

http://www.gladioulus.co.uk/

This site has over an extensive catalog of almost all gladiola species.

You can also check the gladiola photos and descriptions and tips.

Also, they provide a list of the best places to by gladiola bulbs.

Thank you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gladiolus Home

i planted about 300 bulbs and most died. i had a gopher that ate most of my hollyhocks but he is gone. I should try digging some bulbs up to see if there are any left.
My crocosemias are up as well as my narcissus.....
i loved those glad, but i never got to see them bloom.

i love gladiolas. last year i bought about 200 bulbs online from a nursery, and planted them in my flower beds (after waiting about a month and a half for delivery). only a few sprouted and bloomed (about 15).
this year, i tried to plant new bulbs (not as many as last year) and found all the old bulbs mushy,(yuk), i don't really know why, and i don't have experience with bulbs. probably from the winter? i live in zone 5.
any tips on successfully planting bulbs!!
i also bought about 7 rose shrubs from that nursery ( bareroot) guarantee to bloom in the first year. well it did bloom but did not grow much. and this year, they are still the same height (about 7 inches) and very spindly and weak, i was very disappointed.

www.gladworld.com. Steve in Baltimore County

I used to grow glads when I was a kid, picking out a dozen or so of corms from bins at Frank's Nursery and Crafts. I wish I could find a place that sold them like that again - I don't want a bunch of the same in a package, nor do I want a random assortment that includes colors I don't like. I never seem to find bulk bins of them at nurseries these days. Is there a good, reasonably priced online source?

I bought more glads this year, but most of the ones from last year came back (planted right up against a brick building). Very few of the new ones came up, but some did.

However, none of them bloomed. No bud stalks at all, just foliage, which looks healthy.

The ones last year bloomed, just not this year. Any ideas?

They are planted between the driveway and the neighbor's, mostly morning sun but somewhat shaded by a minivan. That hasn't been a problem in the past, the tulips did fine there this spring.

I Believe they may need more sun, mine under a fence (80% shade) don;t bloom, but the same ones 10 feet away always bloom.