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Glads

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Posted by mitanoff Z4b Ontario (My Page) on
Mon, Nov 9, 09 at 10:08

Hello All:

About a month ago I dug up all my canna and gladioli bulbs I had in containers outside. I brushed them off and brought them inside to dry. Guess that was a mistake because they got all soft and mushy.
Yesterday we got 15C! (We've had snow and frost already). I decided to dig up the glads I had in the ground. I rinsed them off and put them in the unheated garage to dry.

  • how long should I leave them to dry?
  • I have a small rubbermaid container with perlite in it. Is this good enough to store them over the winter?
  • Do I store the bulbs in the garage? Temps can get as low as -20C in there. If i kept it against a shared wall to the house it will probably be a little warmer.
  • Would the basement be better? probably be above 15C.
  • what in the world do I do with the baby bulbs? A few of them have at least 30 baby bulbs on it! Do I break them off and plant them separate from the momma? Leave them and plant the whole thing together next year?
  • some bulbs have what I think is the old original bulb on it. Its darker and sort of squished looking. It doesn't seem to want to be removed from the younger bulb. Do I just leave it alone?

    Sorry for all the questions. But there's just so much info on the web (not all of it correct) it's hard to winnow thru it. I spent so much time and effort on my first set of bulbs and got nowhere, (I really liked those Cannas, < sniff > ). I realize I can buy glads cheap, but I'm looking at this as sort of a learning experience if I decide to buy other (more expensive - or replace those cannas) warmer zone bulbs later on. Hope to get some advice from you soon.
    Thanks
    Mit

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    RE: Glads

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    • Posted by maryl Z7 Okla. (My Page) on
      Tue, Nov 10, 09 at 23:16

    Mostly my Glads overwinter here, and Canna's overwinter so well that they are almost invasive. But on occasion in years past, I've overwintered Glads and Dahlias with success so I'll give you my thoughts on a couple of things you mentioned. Bear in mind however that I don't have to overwinter in my unheated/attached garage as long as you do, nor would it be as cold in my garage. Number one: Never wash bulbs off. Let the soil dry naturally then brush off any excess. Number two: Kitty Litter is a good medium to overwinter in. It retains moisture for awhile, yet doesn't remain sopping wet. You need to keep the bulbs from drying out and that's about all the water you will need. Another thing I was told by a bulb grower was to dust with sulfer if there are any cuts or abrasions on the bulbs. That's about all I can think of now. Maybe someone in a colder zone then mine can add something to this.

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