Content
- Gladiolus bulbs, a little wonder of nature
- The onion botanically seen
- Shift flowering time
- Gladiolus bulbs also thrive on the balcony or terrace
- Tips
The onions are the power plants of the gladiolus
Gladiolus bulbs, a little wonder of nature
Gladioli are among the most popular flowering plants and enjoy uninterrupted popularity. The life energy and magnificent bloom springs in a small tuber, the gladiolus onion.
The onion botanically seen
The gladiolus bulb is a storage organ in which the gladiolus stores starch and minerals for the next growing season during the resting phase. The onion allows the gardener to easily cultivate frost-sensitive plants such as the gladiolus in our latitudes. In autumn, the small tuber is dug up and allowed to hibernate in a frost-free room. Next spring, when no more late frosts threaten after the Eisheiligen, the gladiolus onion is planted again and drives there within a few days new.
Gladiolus bulbs are botanically not true onions such as our onion, but rhizomes with limited growth. These have the property to form numerous small daughter onions, with which the gladiolus can easily reproduce.
Shift flowering time
Unfortunately, the flowering period of the gladiolus is quite short and lasts just two weeks in many regions. However, they can take advantage of the rapid sprouting of gladiolus and thereby shift the flower from late spring to October.
If you want flowering gladioli very early, you can grow the onions as early as March. Two-thirds placed in a flower pot with conventional soil, the gladiolus on the room window drives out almost explosively. If you transplant them after the ice saints into the open, you can soon enjoy the flowers.
In order to extend the flowering period into the autumn, put the bulbs at an interval of one week over a longer period of time. As a result, the gladioli germinate with a time delay and you can enjoy the attractive flower stalks for weeks.
Gladiolus bulbs also thrive on the balcony or terrace
Onion plants do not necessarily have to be placed in the garden. In planters on the balcony or terrace, the gladioli can be excellently cultivated and set charming accents. It is only important that the balcony is sheltered and sunny, so that the needs of the gladiolus are met. You must also be careful when casting: Gladioli need sufficient moisture, but when it comes to waterlogging, the gladiolus bulbs quickly start to rot.
Tips
Onions have two distinct sides: From the flat side, the roots develop while the foliage and the flower grow from the top. Always place the onion flat-side down in the ground.