Gladiolus

Bulb gardening has long been a favorite way to add color to the garden that keeps coming back year after year. Bulbs are fairly inexpensive and hearty as well as easy to plant and care for.

One popular bulb is the gladiolus which has distinctive sword shaped leaves and funnel shaped flowers are instantly recognizable to gardeners and non gardeners alike. This striking appearance has made gladiolas a favorite bulb with many gardeners, and they make a fine centerpiece to any garden due to their large size and attractive appearance. The large summer flowering gladiolas can range in height from three feet to a huge six feet, and their variety of colors makes them great for any garden.

If you want to add gladiolas to your garden, plant them after the soil warms up in the spring. They usually bloom about 65 – 100 days later. If you want a continuous blooming bed of gladiolas try planting batches of bulbs 1 ½ week intervals.

To plant gladiolas, put them in 4 times as deep as the width of the bulb. So a 1 inch wide bulb should be planted 4 inches deep. Space them between 4 to 6 inches apart.

Gladiolas do best in full sunlight and they should be watered regularly during their blooming and growth phase. In much of the country, gladiola bulbs can be left in the ground over the winter months, but many gardeners choose to dig them up and store them during the winter. If you decide to take this approach, it is best to dig them after the leaves have turned yellow. The bulbs should be placed in a single layer and stored in a cool, dry and dark place to dry for two or three weeks. After the bulbs have dried sufficiently they should be stored in nylon stockings or onion sacks and kept in a cool and well ventilated place.

Using Annuals In Your Garden
Unlike perennials or bulbs, annuals provide full color for the entire growing season. The downside of this is that annuals only last for 1 season and more must be planted in the garden each year. Luckily, annuals can be purchased rather cheaply and are even less expensive if you grow from seed.

Preventing disease in your garden
A healthy garden is important for lush blooms and vibrant leaves and one way to keep your garden healthy is to make sure your plants don't how any signs of pest and disease.

Common Flower Diseases
No garden is immune from disease and your best way to deal with it is to educate yourself as to the common pests and diseases in your area.

Bulb Guide
Flowering bulbs are great for the garden because they will provide you with colorful blooms year after year. There are all kinds of different types of bulbs that represent every color, size and shape and there should be a bulb to please any gardener.

Asiatic And Oriental Hybrid Lilies
Asiatic and Oriental Hybrid Lilies are popular bulb plants that are a joy to use in any garden. As a bulb plant, these lilies are easy to plant and will reward your good care with blooms year after year.

Tulips
Tulips have long been a favorite flower of hobbiest and professional growers alike. These are the flower that we most closely associate with bulbs and many a gardener has put in fall tulip bulbs and eagerly awaited their blooms in spring.