15. Productio of Gladiolus

PRODUCTION OF GLADIOLUS
Scientific name: Gladiolus spp.

Family: Iridiaceae
- Gladiolus is a beautiful and an attractive flower. It is well known as a cut flower
and lasts for a considerable period in the flower vase. It also gives an attractive
look to the garden when planted in the bed.
- South Africa is its place of origin. The term Gladiolus has come from the latin
word “gladius” means sword as the leaves of these plants are sword like.
-This flower is also known as butterfly flower in Bangladesh.
- This flower comes in different colors such as red, white, yellow, violet and
mixture of these colors.
Variety of Gladiolus
- There are many varieties of gladiolus in the world.
- Some commercial varieties of gladiolus recommended for the plain land are :
Oscar, Golden wave, Bloom fontain, Yellow empire, White fancy, Happy end,
Melody etc.
Climate and Soil
- This flower grows well under cool weather. Generally 15 – 25 0 C temperature is
favorable for its vegetative growth and flowering.
- Gladiolus likes a day light of 8 – 10 hours.
- A sunny place, free from heavy wind should be selected for gladiolus cultivation.
- Well drained loamy or sandy loam soil is the best for gladiolus cultivation.
- The soil pH should be 6 – 7.
Propagation of gladiolus
- Gladiolus can be propagated sexually by seed and asexually by corm.
- Seed propagation is required for raising new variety by seed. But for commercial
production corm is used for propagation.
- For general cultivation corms of 4 – 5cm dia are the best materials to be used.
- But for the production of exhibition flowers 7.5 – 10 cm dia corms should be planted.
- The corms should be sprouted before planting. For this medium size corms should
be soaked in water for 24 hours and then they are to be planted in wet sand.
- After initiation of sprouts they are to be planted in the main field.
Land preparation and Fertilizer application
- The land should be plowed and cross plowed followed by laddering to make the soil
well pulverized. It should be prepared in the months of September – October.
- During final land preparation an amount of 5-6kg cow dung, 30gTSP and 30gMP
per square meter should be well mixed with the soil.
- Gladiolus should not be fertilized with excessive nitrogen because this encourages
plants to form long and weak flower stalk.
- Ten gram of urea per square meter of which 5g should be top dressed 15 days
after planting and the rest 5g should be applied at the time of spike initiation.
Planting of gladiolus corms
- After land preparation in the month of October the previously sprouted corms are
to be planted maintaining a row to row spacing of 30 – 40cm and plant to plant
spacing of 15 – 25cm and at a depth of 7 – 10cm .
Aftercare
- The gladiolus field should be free from weeds. So regular weeding should be done.
- The field should be irrigated after the first installment urea application. Natural
mulching is to be followed as soon as the soil becomes workable.
- During this time the soil from the row space should be pulled to the base of the plants
so that the plants stand on the ridge and for this drains are formed between the rows.
- Irrigation should be given at an interval of 10 – 12 days.
- Staking is to be done in each plant at the time of spike initiation so that the plant as
well as the spike remain straight.
- During this time liquid manure should applied around the base of each plant at an
interval of 7 – 10 days.
Harvesting of gladiolus flowers
- Like tuberose gladiolus flowers also come in spike. When bottom two flower buds are
unopened but take full color are ready for harvesting.
- The spikes should be given a slant cut at the base of long spike with a sharp knife.
- Then the harvested spikes are to be immersed up to its neck in a bucket full of water
and afterward they are stored at a temperature of 6 – 7 0 C.
Storage of gladiolus corms
- The leaves of the plants become yellow and the plants die after flowering. The corms
are then lifted from soil carefully so that they are not injured. The corms are then
graded into large, medium and small according to their size and dried in shade.
- The corms are treated with 0.1% Benlate or 0.2% Captan solution for half an hour
and then dried. These dried corms are dusted with 5% DDT and are put in
perforated polythene bag, sealed and then stored in a cool and dry place of the house.
- It is better if these corms can be stored in a cold store where temperature humidity are
controlled.
- Afterwards these corms can be used as propagating materials as and when required.
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Varieties of Gladiolus

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PRODUCTION OF GLADIOLUS

Scientific name: Gladiolus spp.

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