How to germinate gladioli before planting at home?

Spring is the time when we, gardeners and truck farmers, start taking active steps: we buy seeds, prepare beds, clean our flower beds. One of the nicest things to do is watch the flowers awaken. For example, we can sprout gladioli right on the windowsill at home. The optimal timing for this event will largely depend on the climate in your area.

When to germinate gladioli?

When determining the timing, be guided by the date of disembarkation. Gladioli are planted in a permanent place when the ground warms up to + 10-12 ° C. In each climatic zone, this time comes at different times:

• in Siberia and the Leningrad region - from early to mid-May;
• in the southern regions - from mid-February to mid-April.

Bulbs are not afraid of frost, because we completely immerse them in the already warm earth, slight subzero temperatures will no longer freeze it.

Another factor affecting the timing of germination is the length of the warm season.

• If spring is late, and summer is short, as in the northern Urals, then germination begins a month before planting in order to achieve early and friendly flowering. In addition, flowers for sale in the market are sprouting early.
• In the south, a few hours of soaking is enough to awaken the growth point, because over the long summer, gladioli will have time to demonstrate all their beauty.
• In the middle lane, gladioli are laid out on the windowsill 2-3 weeks before disembarkation.

If you still have not decided when to germinate gladioli, focus on the traditional dates for the middle lane. The climate of this region prevails in Russia. In the conditions of the Moscow region, gladioli begin to germinate in late March - early April. If you live to the south, then start the event 1–2 weeks earlier, to the north - later.

Preparing bulbs for germination

It is not enough to just germinate gladioli before planting. Only healthy planting material will ensure lush flowering, so it is also advisable to carry out a number of preventive measures. This can be done at home with simple tools.

Preliminary preparation of gladioli for germination is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Peel dry scales from corms. In this case, you must not damage the kidney in the center. On some bulbs, in addition to the central one, there are also lateral buds, they are located on the shoulders. They, too, must be kept safe and sound during cleaning.
2. Separate the old roots from the last year from the bottom of the bulb. They are collected in one bundle, which can be easily separated as a whole, you just have to pry on one edge with something thin and pull. Under the old roots, you will see a clean bottom and tubercles - these are the beginnings of new roots.
3. If, after cleaning, under the scales on the sides of the bulb, dark dried or, conversely, rotten damp spots are found, it is important to remove them correctly. Cut the damage with a knife to healthy tissue, grabbing it a little. In the future, plant such bulbs separately from healthy ones. Discard the heavily affected immediately.
4. Disinfect the bulbs. To do this, hold them for 2 hours in a solution of potassium permanganate (0.5%). You can use copper-containing drugs: HOM, Granosan, copper sulfate, etc. How to dilute them, see the instructions.

Only after such preparation can you start germination. Without removing the integumentary scales, you will not see if your future gladiolus is healthy. Without disinfection, the hatched sprout can die due to fungi or insect pests.

Small baby onions do not peel or germinate. Soak them in a solution of potassium permanganate or growth stimulant and plant.

Ways of germinating gladioli at different times

For early flowering, forcing begins in the spring, one month before planting. But keep in mind that as a result of such germination, a full-fledged seedling is obtained, which must be planted carefully, without breaking the roots. And the elongated sprout will have to be protected from frost or gladioli should be planted at their end.

Early germination stages:

1. Pour the substrate into the bowl: sawdust, river sand, coconut fiber, or loose soil mixture from the store. Layer thickness - 3-5 cm. You can prepare a separate glass for each onion, fill it up to half and sign so as not to confuse varieties.
2. Pour boiling water or potassium permanganate solution over the substrate.
3. Spread out the bulbs, pressing lightly into the surface so that there is good contact between the bottom and the ground. No need to bury.
4. Keep such plantings on the window at a temperature of about +25 ° C, maximum - +30 ° C.
5. Moisten the substrate as it dries.

Most experienced gardeners simply lay out the peeled bulbs on a dry windowsill. Already after 10-14 days in the light, they will turn green and give sprouts 3–5 cm long. Only diseased bulbs are disinfected after removing dead tissue, smearing wounds with brilliant green or iodine. Gladioli sprouted in this way are planted 2 weeks before the end of the frost - this is how much time is required for germination.

If the ground has already warmed up and you do not need early flowering, then you can start germination on the day of planting. Wrap the bulbs disinfected as described above in a damp burlap or cotton cloth and put in a warm place for 2 hours. Roots and sprouts during this time, of course, will not appear, but such measures will be enough to awaken the bulb. After being saturated with moisture, falling into warm and fertile soil, it will give life to a flower.

Germination tips

On the Internet, you can find tips for germinating gladioli on a damp cloth or napkin. Do not follow these recommendations. For distillation, use the cloth only on the first day for soaking. In the future, roots appear - if they grow through the fibers of the material and are woven into them, they will break when trying to separate the bulb from the substrate. We'll have to cut it with scissors and plant it along with the pieces of tissue.

Your gladioli, not purchased or taken from friends, can not be disinfected without signs of disease. If at least one bulb is damaged, you need to pickle everything.