The Gladiole plant belongs to the genus “Gladiolus”. It belongs to the family “Iridaceae”. The gladiolus genus comprises of about 260 varied species. They are perennial plants that are known for their beautiful lovely flowers that make good cut flowers.
These tube shaped flowers come in a range of vibrant colours. A gladiolus must be handled carefully as some parts of the plant may be poisonous, also some species cause skin allergies.
Gladioles are planted by dividing rhizomes or bulbs.The best time to plant Gladioles is early spring.Before planting the Gladiole plant , the soil must be prepared well. The soil must be well drained, must have organic manure and must be rich in nutrients. The bulb must sown 8 to 10” below the surface of the soil.The plants would need some watering during the summer months.
The insect “gladioli thrip” is the major threat to these lovely plants.The bulbs must be checked before planting and any “gladioli thrip on the bulbs must be removed immediately or else they can cause irreversible damage to the plant.The weeds must be removed fully while preparing the soil or else the weeds will take away the essential nutrients from the soil leaving the plant in a difficult situation that would affect its overall growth and also the quality of blooms.The regular use of fertilizers, fungicides and pesticides is essential to ensure healthy plants and beautiful healthy flowers.