How to Dig Up Gladiolus Corms

Gladioluses produce tall spires covered with large colorful blooms ranging from pastel pinks, yellows and white to deep purple or red with a variety of shades in between. Blooming in mid to late summer, these flowers create a profusion of color that lasts for weeks. Although many refer to these flowers' underground storage units as bulbs, they are actually corms that must be lifted in the fall and stored for the winter.

Garden spade or garden fork
Garden clippers
Peat moss (optional)
Paper bags
Box

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the gladioluses' foliage back to 2 to 4 inches once the foliage as been killed by frost. This makes digging and handling easier.
- 2
  Dig around the base of the gladiolus plants with a garden spade or fork to loosen the soil. Slide the blade or fork under the corms and lift them free of the soil. In loose soil, the corms can be lifted by tugging on the stem of the plant.
- 3
  Shake the corms to remove excess soil. Place the corms in a warm well-ventilated area for two to three weeks to cure them.
- 4
  Separate the corms with your fingers. The new corm forms on top of the old corm. Discard the old withered corm, as it will no longer produce a new plant. In addition, tiny cormels may form in a ring around the main corm. These can be saved and replanted, but will not produce blooms for two to three years.
- 5
  Place the gladiolus corms in paper bags or layer them in the bottom of a box. Some prefer to to add peat moss to the box, but it is not necessary.
- 6
  Store the corms in a cool, dark area with temperatures between 35 to 45 degrees. According to the University of Minnesota extension, lower temperatures are best, as long as they do not freeze the corms.

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