How to Take Care of Gladiola Bulbs During Winter

Gladiolus plants flower in summer but spend winter dormant. The plants grow from a swollen structure called a corm. The corm collects energy and nutrients during the summer that fuel the growth and bloom the following year. Although the plants go dormant in winter, they can't survive frost. You must store the gladiolus corms indoors during the winter months if your area experiences winter freezing. Store the gladiolus after the first fall frost kills back the foliage of your plants.

Trowel
Box
Peat moss

Instructions

- 1
  Dig up the gladiolus after the foliage dies back. Dig a trench 6 inches out from the base of the plant, circling the plant. Make the trench 3 to 4 inches deep. Slide your trowel under the corm and lift it from the garden bed.
- 2
  Brush the soil from the gladiolus corms. Break off any small corms growing from the main one. You can save these for replanting, though they may not bloom for two or three years.
- 3
  Cut the dead foliage stems off the corms with a sharp knife. Leave no more than ½ inch of foliage attached.
- 4
  Dry the corms for 14 to 21 days in a dry, shady area where temperatures remain between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the remaining soil from the corms after they finish drying.
- 5
  Line a shallow box with dry peat moss. Bury the corms inside the peat moss. Store the boxes in a dry, 40 degree Fahrenheit location until you replant them in spring.

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