Hey Stan, I must of bought the late kind, because last year mine didn't bloom till September. I even started them early around April (shallow dish w/ 1" water on the bottom).
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Gladiolus Wine & Roses

I'm not sure but if you start them too early they might flop when transplanting outdoors after the frost warning?

Maybe someone will know for sure if its ok to start them this early?

Mine are overwintering still in the pumphouse, I'm going to try again since the corms were huge when I dug them up last fall.

Sharon

I think I started mine in April for my daughters wedding in Aug.They were not ready so the best I cud do ( cheap EX) was pick wild flowers for the tables and whatever else I had in the garden for the head table.

Hi Stan, I had the same plan for my sister in-laws wedding last year. I didn't get any blooms. This year I'm going to start them in window box planters soon and not even bother with transplanting them, just going to use them for cut flowers. This way I can move them in and out of the greenhouse if necessary, we get lots of frost. Cheryl

I never had any luck in the ground, but two years ago I started them in terracotta pots on my balcony and had great blooms from June or July-Fall with plantings every two weeks or so. And I didn't start them early either. Last year I did try starting early, and they weren't that great.

Good to know gladzoe, guess I will hold off for awhile. Thanks Cheryl

Wow thanks everyone, this place is amazing! Everyone is so willing to share. Sharon, thanks for the pictures of your glads, they are beautiful and that is why I'm thinking of trying them this year. I guess by what everyone is saying, they won't be in bloom by Aug but I am going to try anyway because the flower are so beautiful. I'm not sure where I'm going to start all these plants. I have a greenhouse with a gas furnace in it but it is much to early to turn it on so will find some place in the attic. My dear wife will be so pleased! Stan

Sharon (crazy gardener),Your flowers are beautiful!!! I needed to see that on a snowy morning today.
I wonder what month 'gladzoe' started hers on her balcony? That sounds like what i will need to do, too.

Those are beautiful, Sharon. Such a nice photo with that big old barn in the background...

For the past 2-3 years I've been growing quite a few glads. I bought the early blooming mix from Wm Dam seeds. But they're still very staggered in their bloom time, starting in late July (usually Priscilla is first to bloom) and a few stragglers go on into September (the white are the last to bloom).

I've started them in shallow flats of soil in the greenhouse in early April, and then when planting out I plant them deep with only the top inch or so of green leaf showing above the soil. This helps their flopability factor. They started blooming right around early August.

Last year (and planning to again this year) I put plastic over a raised bed to warm the soil then planted the glads (that were not started) about mid-April. I then covered the soil with Remay cloth to help keep it warm and left the Remay there until those glads were a few inches tall. They also began blooming in late July to early August.

Wm Dam lists the following as early blooming varieties: Frosty White, Greenstar, Jester, Jubilee, Priscilla, Violetta, and Zorro. In my mix, Priscilla blooms first with all the others close behind except the white which is the latest. They say early blooming will bloom in 60 to 75 days. Late blooming needs 75 to 85 days.

I have a book about growing specialty cut flowers - it has quite detailed info about growing glads - here's a bit: Flowers are initiated after a certain number of leaves are formed, usually 8-10 leaves are formed in most cultivars. Glads that do not flower are said to be blind. Blind mature glads are plants in which the flowers were formed but aborted, known as blasting. Blasting is a result of poor light conditions or the drying out of developing plants. High light and long daylength is required in the 1 to 5 leaf stage to prevent blasting. Most summer grown glads will boom on average in about 70 days. They need warm soil so planting started glads into cool/cold soil can stall them. Low night temps can cause flower blasting. Water stress affects the developing flowers - immediately after planting and in the 4-7 leaf stage (when the flowers are developing) are the most sensitive to water stress.

Before planting or starting the glads, I soak the corms for a few hours in a weak bleach water solution just in case of thrips

Good luck.

Thanks ;)

I guess the key is to buy the early type ones for our zone. I didn't realize that there were early, late ones since I read an article in some magazine.
I also didn't know you could plant them deeper. I'll try that this year. Thanks for the great tips Pudge.

Sharon

Today I brought up my glads and they all look great, no mold or fungus stuff growing. I also brought up the Crocosmia 'Lucifer'.

As Pudge suggested, I soaked the corms for a few hours in a weak bleach water solution first, will let them dry out a bit and place them in a shallow dish of water tomorrow.

This year I'm planning on planting them in the whiskey barrels and plant Cherry Tidal Wave Petunias around the base.

Sharon

Sharon - I am definately coming out to visit you so I can pick your brains about gardening! Or I will set up a tent and live outside with the dogs for a couple of seasons and follow you around everyday!

My mom always grew beautiful glads but she passed when I was very young and didn't pass on too many of her growing secrets. I love glads but have not really had much luck with them. Care to share your growing procedure? I bought one bag from Walmart the other day to give it another go. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Ginny

I might have started my glads around this time of the year. I couldn't resist the mixed colour bags at Rona. They have glads, dahlia's and other little bulbs in reds, whites, purples, blues and oranges.

Thanks Ginny ;)

No special tips other than starting them early by placing the corms in a shallow dish with 1" of water.

Pudge gave a bunch of great tips, I'm going to plant them deep since I'm starting them so early.

Gladzoe, I was really tempted to buy a purple mix from Walmart yesterday, but I assertively constrained myself ;)

Sharon

Hi Stan, here is some more info (along the same lines that you received on this thread) about starting glads indoors.

Here is a link that might be useful: Starting glads indoors

Thanks everyone! Much appreciated. I'll take pictures this year!

Ginny

Hey everyone, I planted up my walmart corms last week, in a couple of window boxes. I only put in about an inch of soil and then barely covered the corms. Desperate to get blooms this year as last years got hit by frost way to early. This morning I checked them and sure enough I have two little pieces of green sticking up. My idea was that I could keep added dirt for support if needed, and if I didn't get around to transplanting then I could just cut them. Good info on that other thread, especially about the dried husks as that is what the ones I tried to store look like. I thought they were goners. Cheryl