LIFTING GLADIOLI.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20221, 3 February 1934, Page 29 (Supplement)

LIFTING GLADIOLI.

KEEP TRUE TO LABEL. As soon as gladioli have finished flowering, cut away all old flower stems and seed pods, except any that are being saved for seed purposes. The bulbs are ready for lifting as soon as the foliage begins to turn yellow and show signs of drying off. The bulbs should be lifted carefully, so the small bulbils or cormels are not scattered about. Clean off the most of the soil attached and lay the bulbs on sheets of newspaper, or something similar, to dry. After a few days it will be found quite easy to rub

off the small cormels and any soil or rubbish around the bulbs. The bulbs can be tied into bundles and hung up, or laid on shelves to dry sufficiently to allow the old flower stems to be cut away. If the bulbs are stood in a small mesh sieve when lifted, most of the soil will fall away through the sieve. The cormels should be collected, put in paper bags and properly labelled. On one point be particular, and that is in keeping them clearly labelled. If you have plenty of a variety, do not save a quantity of cormels for which you have no use. To keep them lying about, or even to leave them on the soil, is only to risk them getting mixed with some other more valuable sort, and even gladioli can become weedy when they are perpetually coming up where they are not required.