Bright large gladioli are often used to decorate the garden. With the cultivation of crops, sometimes difficulties arise, namely the lack of flowering. How to deal with this and what caused the problem, later in the article.

Gladiolus bloom problems

Most gardeners call the flower the most unpretentious of garden plants. But this does not mean that it is developing perfectly without due attention. Most often, due to planting or care errors, a flowering crop ceases to form healthy buds.

Did you know? According to one version, the gladiolus is named after gladiators who refused to fight in the arena in the name of friendship. According to legend, the friends of Saint and Teres were executed, and beautiful flowers grew from their swords.

Curved flower arrow

For plant growers, the question arises: why does the gladiolus “lie” on the surface of the soil, its arrow (ie, flower stalk) is curved, deformed. Most often, this is an improper landing.

The list of erroneous actions includes:

1. Incorrect selection of planting material.
2. Too small or deep landing.
3. The soil on the site is not fertilized or over-fed.
4. A place that does not meet the needs of culture was chosen.

The bud does not open

It happens that the gladiolus produces an even beautiful peduncle, but the buds do not open. They dry up, not having time to gain strength for flowering. Sometimes starting to blossom, the bud freezes in a half-open position.

The causes of the problem:

• bad light;
• little or excess moisture;
• low-quality fertilizer.

Fade fast

Depending on the variety, the gladiolus begins to throw arrows in July-August, September-October. The full cycle of the blooming period lasts 2 weeks. A crop can quickly bloom due to intense heat (the petals simply dry), lack of moisture or nutrition. Another reason is improper storage of planting material.

Sick bulbs, with mold or dried out, give offspring unable to release a flower arrow or keep an open bud for the entire period laid to it

Landing errors

The first thing a gardener needs to do is to purchase quality bulbs that are adapted to the climate in the growing region. Inexperienced gardeners buy Dutch material, which often leads to all the problems described above. Even if the gladiolus blossoms in the year of planting, it is very difficult to get it to bloom again for the next season. The fact is that the climate of Holland differs from Russian weather conditions. Winters are mild and humid, warm, and summers are mostly cloudy and rainy. Therefore, in domestic conditions, the bulbs after the first flowering "fall asleep" for 1-3 years to build up strength.

A common mistake is the joint landing of old and young planting material. Large, broad-bottomed, adult bulbs will inhibit juvenile (seedless) seeds. Plant material of different ages should be separately, in different flower beds.

A place for a flower garden is chosen illuminated, without the close proximity of tall bushes or trees. It is advisable that the site be closed from gusty winds. The depth of groundwater is recommended at least 1.5–2 m from the surface.

The soil is prepared in the fall:

1. Heavy clay soil is "diluted with sand and peat."
2. If the soil is sandy - on the contrary make clay and peat.
3. Acidic soil must be calcified with wood ash or dolomite flour. Gladioli love the earth with an acidity index of 5.5–6.5 pH.

Important! It is recommended to carry out an analysis of garden soil in order to know which components, in what quantity to add.

Landing technology:

1. Under the autumn preparation, nitrophoski 30 g / m² is added (black soil does not need to be fertilized).
2. In the spring they dig again, remove weeds, form a bed, add urea 15 g / m².
3. For 2 weeks, the bulbs are carefully cleaned of dry scales, so as not to damage the green sprouts.
4. An excellent disinfectant for planting material is garlic infusion (250 g / 10 l of water). You need to soak for 2 hours - this will protect against diseases and pests.
5. Planted in soil heated to + 10 ° C, to a depth of 12 cm, if the soil is heavy, and 15 cm, if it is light. It should be noted and the size of the onion: large plant deeper, small - closer to the surface.
6. First, sand is poured into the furrow, a tuber is placed, sprinkled with sand, and then soil.
7. At the end of the procedure, watering is carried out and the surface is mulched with straw or peat.

Proper care

Bad weather is often manifested by the lack of flowering in ornamental plants. However, competent care can fix this. If the summer turned out to be hot and dry, you need to carefully monitor the soil moisture. Usually, watering is carried out once a week, but in conditions of drought and high temperature, you need to irrigate the soil daily. Water, among other things, will help cool the hot soil. The right amount of water is as much as it moistens the earth to a depth of 30–35 cm.

Necessary after watering procedure - loosening and cleaning the soil from weeds. For normal development, the roots of any plant need oxygen. Parasitic herbs are dangerous for the culture because they drag on themselves food and moisture, and also thicken the planting. In dense plantations there is increased humidity and lack of ventilation, and these are ideal conditions for the development of diseases and the dominance of insects.

It is important to nourish the soil before flowering begins. In the spring, nitrogen is needed for laying arrows. You can use solutions:

• urea 25 g per 10 liters of water;
• mullein infusion, diluted 1:20.

When the 6th leaf appears, the culture is fed again, introducing nitrogen fertilizer with the addition of 10 g of potassium nitrate, 20 g of simple superphosphate per 10 l of water.

To bloom was lush and long, during the laying of buds, the culture is fertilized with a mixture of substances (per 10 liters of water):

• potassium nitrate 30 g;
• superphosphate 20 g;
• boric acid 2 g.

Important! Fertilizers must be applied in liquid form. Dry formulations are ineffective because they are poorly absorbed.

The correct cut in a bouquet helps to preserve the ability to reproduce onions. Flowering plants will emerge from those "children" who, after cutting the peduncle, left 5-6 leaves for proper nutrition until complete ripening. In addition, planting stock collected for propagation must be properly stored. Bulbs should be immediately sorted out and thrown away damaged by insects or with signs of illness. Keep until planting in a warm and dry place with good ventilation.

Diseases and Pests

A factor provoking the absence of flowering can be fungal diseases or insects. As a preventive measure, experienced gardeners recommend disinfecting bulbs, not planting for more than 2 years in one place, following the rules of care.

The following mixture is considered an effective insect repellent:

• dry baby powder 50 g (any, as a basis);
• on the tip of the knife are Aktara and Confidor powder;
• 3-5 drops of “Actellica”.

All ingredients are mixed and poured with onion powder, left for a day. Then cleaned on a sieve.

If the bud changes color - turns white, then starts to turn yellow, then it has a “guest” in it, which eats the plant’s juice - thrips. Spider web on leaves, dried greens - signs spider mite. A broad spectrum of Agravertin action can easily cope with both pests. The drug is diluted in water in a proportion of 6-8 ml / 1 l, the flower bed is sprayed twice, the second time after 20 days.

Planting material with the slightest sign of disease is destroyed, disinfection is already powerless. Before planting, healthy “babies” are soaked in garlic infusion or a fungicide purchased in the store, according to the instructions for it.

One of the diseases dangerous for peduncles and buds is fusarium. Conditions for the development of the fungus: lack or excess of fertilizers, high humidity.

A diseased plant can be distinguished by expressive signs:

• poorly developed;
• the stem and flower arrow are deformed;
• before flowering, it turns yellow and dries.

You can fight the disease with the help of the drug "Alirin-B", 2 tablets per 10 liters of water, spray.

Did you know? In ancient times, for many hundreds of years BC. e. people destroyed gladioli, considering them a weed. This is because the culture grew in cereal plantings: wheat, rye, oats.

A way to achieve early flowering

You can make the plant bloom earlier if you plant it like a flowerpot. Sequencing:

1. Gladiolus bulbs are planted in a pot in early March.
2. The container is placed in a well-lit and warm place, for example, on the southern windowsill.
3. Care as a regular flowering flowerpot: watering, fluffing up the soil.
4. A sprouted plant is planted at the end of March in open ground under a film cover.
5. The well is first scalded with a hot solution of potassium permanganate.
6. Shelter is removed after the soil warms up to + 12 ... + 15 ° С.

With such a planting, culture will begin to bloom in early summer - in June. Before the buds are formed, the gladiolus does not need to be fed. He has enough nutrients accumulated onion. If you go too far with fertilizer, the flower may not open completely.

It is not difficult to grow gladioli, the main thing is to create the necessary conditions and not to forget about the rules of agricultural technology. Then the flower bed will delight the eye with bright candles of blossoming buds.