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To ensure that gladioli do not fall during the period of active flowering and the flowerbed maintains a well-groomed appearance, it is necessary to take care of the plants at the time of planting in the spring. The flower garden will look neat if you know the features of each stage of growth, starting with site preparation.
Why do gladioli fall when they bloom?
Gladiolus blooms in the Moscow region in the summer, around mid-July. The name of the flower is translated as “sword”, with the tip of which its petals have a certain resemblance.
Seedlings can be germinated in advance at home
A slender shoot can reach 80-120 cm in height. At the top, during the period of active growth, a large peduncle appears. The plant cannot always withstand its weight; they bend down to the ground and spoil the appearance of the flowerbed, and can fall to the ground. There are several reasons for this:
- Too high an arrow, a heavy peduncle causes gladioli to fall and grow crooked.
- In the spring, the location in the Moscow region or the soil was chosen incorrectly. A lack of calcium or excess nitrogen weakens the structure of the gladiolus. The stem and leaves become loose.
- Bad weather conditions. Gladiolus extremely needs a humid environment.If it dries out or gets caught in a strong wind, which is typical for changeable weather in the Moscow region, it bends to the ground and may even die.
- The flower bulbs were not deep enough. Because of this, they constantly need additional moisture during development. Due to dryness, the stem tends to the ground, it begins to fall, and the root cannot anchor properly.
- Mistakes when cultivating soil with fertilizers in the spring. An excess or lack of nutrients causes a weakening of the crop. As a result, the gladiolus may fall off without even reaching full bloom.
- Attack of parasites, fungus, infections. Most often, gladioli in the Moscow region suffer from thrips and wireworms. To avoid this, experienced gardeners advise starting treatment against parasites at the bulb stage, in the spring. Before planting, the soil must be prepared. After the first shoots sprout, you need to monitor their condition and destroy pests in a timely manner.
How to plant gladioli so they don't fall
In order for the plant to look attractive, the stem not to fall or be crooked, planting rules must be followed, starting from the bulbous stage in the spring. The standard conditions of the Moscow region are suitable for this.
Site selection and preparation
Features of gladioli that need to be taken into account when choosing terrain and soil when choosing a site in the Moscow region:
- Loves moisture. Regular watering or placement in an area near Moscow with sufficient humidity is required.
- Does not tolerate low temperatures.For placement in the spring, choose an open area where the sun's rays reach without obstacles.
- In the Moscow region, the place for gladioli should be protected from the wind, open. If the flower is planted in the southern regions in late spring, partial shade is chosen. This way it is maximally protected from the scorching sun and will not fall.
Planting is done in the spring, when the soil is saturated with vitamins and warms up to +8-10 ° C at a depth of 10 cm. For the Moscow region, the optimal time is the end of April, May. At this time, the sun is already beginning to warm up the earth, the bulbs will quickly take root and send out shoots.
Planting depth
In the Moscow region and other regions at the same latitude, clayey and loose, sandy soils predominate. If gladiolus is planted in clay in the spring so that it does not fall, the bulb is placed at a depth equal to three of its diameters. On average - about 15 cm.
The optimal option for placing onions in the furrow is in two rows
For sandy, loose soil in the Moscow region, a depth of at least four times the diameter of the gladiolus bulb is recommended - about 20 cm. One of the common reasons why gladioli begin to fall is insufficient root penetration. In late spring, in loose soil, each seedling cell is saturated with vitamins, the sun penetrates into it without obstacles, unlike dense clay.
As a rule, gladioli bulbs prepared for planting in the spring differ in size. The planting depth depends directly on their diameter. It is not recommended to plant small and large onions next to each other. Large ones will take all the vitamins and minerals from the soil, which will interfere with the growth of small specimens.
Landing technology
You can start preparing the site for the flower bed in the spring. To conveniently place the gladiolus bulbs, dig a long groove.
Experienced experts suggest gradually increasing the planting depth. After the first shoots appear in late spring, they are covered with a layer of earth again until the furrow is equal in level to the rest of the area. This is how the gladiolus takes root firmly and gains maximum strength, which gives it the opportunity not to fall under the influence of the external environment.
The soil in the Moscow region and the furrow for placement must be prepared in the spring. Gladioli do not tolerate excess moisture at the roots. A sand cushion is placed at the bottom of the groove under the bulbs, which will prevent water from penetrating. In addition, it protects against the appearance of fungus on the rhizome of the future plant. Instead of sand, you can use sphagnum.
How to tie up gladioli so they don't fall
Gladioli in the Moscow region become tall towards the end of summer. To prevent flowers from falling, it is necessary to install high-quality support that will not be sensitive to weather conditions and will withstand the upcoming load. It is also advisable to maintain the attractive appearance of the flower bed.
There are several ways to help flowers look neat on a plot in the Moscow region and not fall:
- Pegs. At the end of each furrow with planted gladioli, a support about 1 meter high is installed. You will also need twine, the length of which is approximately 20 cm longer than twice the length of the groove. The rope must be tied to one of the pegs and stretched between the flowers in a zigzag. Then strengthen it on the second support and return to the original position, creating a figure eight. The twine must be securely fastened; the gladioli should not be overtightened. As the plants grow, the rope is raised. As a result, the stems will not fall even when the petals are fully opened.
The twine does not attract attention, the flowerbed looks neat
- Net. An option with a cell size of at least 10*10 cm is suitable. It is necessary to securely fasten the support so that it does not sag to the ground. To do this, small pegs are installed around the perimeter of the flowerbed. Supports can be placed in the spring before transplanting into the ground. The nets are installed during the growth period of gladioli, when flower stalks have not yet appeared. The shoots pass through the cells and are securely fixed. The design will not allow plants to bend or fall.
Part of the mesh can be attached to the greenhouse or fence
- A decorative type fence is installed in the spring next to the flower bed, as close as possible to the flowers. Gladioli are not actually tied up, but do not fall and serve as support for each other. To form a fence, you can use slats, a bucket, parts of pipes, wicker structures and other materials that create a decorative effect. The photo shows how you can tie up gladioli beautifully so that they do not fall.
Wood is used as a fence
Why do gladioli have crooked flower stalks?
In a flowerbed in the Moscow region, you can observe the curvature of not only the stems, but also the peduncles of gladioli. There are several reasons for this effect:
- Incorrect watering. Inflorescences form on the stem approximately after the appearance of the fourth leaf. To prevent the peduncle from being crooked, abundant watering will be required starting from this period. After the first petals bloom, watering in the Moscow region can be stopped. If the weather is hot, you will still need water, but not in such abundant quantities.
- There is excess nitrogen in the soil. The site in the Moscow region must be prepared before seedlings. Gladioli love vitamin-filled, cultivated soil. It is recommended to prepare the soil for the flower bed a year in advance. In the spring, the area is additionally fertilized and dug up to a depth of 20 cm. In the process, last year's roots are destroyed.
To improve the soil health before spring, you can plant rye, oats or other green manure. It is not recommended to use organic fertilizers near the planted bulb. It is better to do this in advance in the spring, then the gladiolus peduncle will not be crooked. During the period of flower growth, fertilizing is not required, then they will not fall.
Conclusion
To prevent gladioli from falling, it is necessary to follow a number of rules even when preparing the soil for planting in the spring. Simple methods of gartering, which are easy to implement on a site in the Moscow region, will help you avoid a growth curve. It is important to monitor the condition of the flowers at each stage of growth, use timely fertilizing, and provide timely, abundant watering.
