How to Propagate Gladiolus? A Detailed Guide to Three Common Methods
Gladiolus is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Gladiolus of the iris family (Iridaceae) and is one of the world's famous cut flowers. Its flowers are brilliantly colored and its blooming period is long, making it very suitable for decoration. Gladiolus can be propagated artificially by seed sowing, division, and tissue culture. Let me briefly introduce these three propagation methods for gladiolus.
Gladiolus
I. Seed Propagation
Seed propagation is mainly used for crossbreeding and the selection of new varieties, and is rarely used in production. Gladiolus seeds have no dormant period, and the seeds have a relatively short lifespan, so they should be sown immediately after harvest, generally in early to mid-September, using the broadcast sowing method. The optimum germination temperature is 20°C, seedlings emerge in 25-30 days, and they can bloom in 2-3 years.
II. Division Propagation
This method is mostly used in production. After the aboveground parts of the gladiolus die back, dig out the corms, remove the small cormels attached to the large corms, grade them, dry them thoroughly in the sun, and store them in a ventilated, dry place at 5-10°C. The following year they can be planted in drills, and after 1-2 years of cultivation they can bloom. In addition, a method of cutting the corms can also be used for propagation. Select robust, large corms, remove the outer skin, and cut the corms into several pieces with a sterilized sharp knife, each piece must have more than one stem bud and part of the basal plate. Coat the cut basal plate with plant ash, charcoal powder, or sulfur powder to prevent rot. After drying, plant them with the stem buds facing upward in culture soil at a depth of 5-10 cm, and they generally bloom the same year. This method is rarely used now.
III. Tissue Culture
Dormant buds, axillary buds, and corm pieces can be used as explants for tissue culture.
An Introduction to the Morphological Characteristics and Propagation Methods of Gladiolus
Gladiolus (Gladiolus hybridus) is one of the world's four major cut flowers. Cut flowers generally refers to the collective term for flowers, flowering branches, leaves, etc. that are cut from plants. They are the material for flower arranging and are also called floral materials. They are used for flower arranging or for making bouquets, flower baskets, wreaths, and other floral decorations. The traditional four major cut flowers are: rose, chrysanthemum, carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus), and gladiolus (sword lily). Gladiolus is a common bulbous flower at home and abroad, with a long blooming period, bright and colorful flowers, and varied flower shapes. Forced cultivation can make it bloom in all four seasons, and combined with its good water-holding quality, it is a flower loved by the general public.
Below is a compilation by Duorou Huapu of the morphological introduction and propagation methods of gladiolus.
(I) Morphological Characteristics and Varieties
There are many horticultural varieties around the world, and China currently has about several hundred. Due to long-term repeated hybridization, the varieties are mixed and difficult to summarize and classify. At present there are two classification methods: one is classification by blooming period, with spring-flowering types and summer-flowering types, and among the summer-flowering types there are early-flowering, mid-flowering, and late-flowering classes. The other is classification by petal type and flower color.
(II) Ecological Habits
The vast majority of the original species of gladiolus are native to South Africa, with only a few dozen species native to the Mediterranean coast and West Asia. The currently cultivated varieties are found all over the world, and it is also one of China's main cut flowers. It likes warmth, is not cold-tolerant, and is not tolerant of high temperatures and intense summer heat. The optimum growth temperature is 20°C-25°C, and the corms can sprout when the soil temperature is above 5°C. It is a typical long-day plant; long days favor flower bud differentiation, and insufficient light will reduce the number of flowers, but after flower bud differentiation, short days favor the formation of flower buds and earlier blooming. The bulbs of summer-flowering types must be stored indoors over winter, and the room temperature must not be lower than 0°C. Gladiolus requires deep, fertile, slightly acidic sandy loam soil, with a pH value not exceeding 7; it especially likes fertilizer. Phosphorus fertilizer can improve flower quality, and potassium fertilizer promotes improving corm quality and increasing the number of cormels.
(III) Propagation Methods
Division of corms is the main method, and seed propagation is used in crossbreeding.
In division propagation, after one relatively large corm is planted, it can grow into more than 2 new corms, and many cormels can also grow beneath the new corms. These cormels can all be used as propagation material. According to the size of the corms, they can be divided into four grades: those with a diameter above 6 cm are grade one, called large corms; those around 4 cm are grade two, called medium corms; those around 2.5 cm are grade three, called small corms; those below 1 cm are called cormels and belong to grade four. Propagating with cormels takes 3-4 years to bloom.
Medium and large corms use the method of sowing in drills at marked points, with the drill depth about 3 times the corm diameter, and the plant spacing flexibly determined according to corm size. Small corms use the method of broadcast sowing in drills, and cormels mostly use the direct broadcast sowing method. Before planting, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied, but be careful that the fertilizer does not come into direct contact with the corms. After sowing, pay attention to water management; do not water before seedlings emerge unless the soil is dry. To increase the yield of fresh cut flowers per unit area, the row spacing should be reduced as much as possible without affecting the harvesting of fresh flowers.
The corms used for cut flowers are best the new corms obtained after planting cormels for 1-2 years. If corms obtained after growing flowering corms are used for cultivation year after year, the stems and leaves will turn yellow and wither, the spike will become shorter, the flowers will become smaller, the petal colors will become dull, and the quality and yield of cut flowers will decline. This phenomenon is called degeneration. The causes of degeneration are many-sided. It is generally believed to be caused by poor growth due to high temperature and dryness in summer or by viral diseases, and some believe it is caused by an insufficiently long growth period, insufficient nutrient accumulation, and poor storage conditions during the corm dormant period.
Most of the planting bulbs specifically used for cut flower production are purchased from regions whose climate and geographical environment are suitable for the growth and development of gladiolus. Such corms are of good quality and true to variety, but the cost is relatively high, so one should establish one's own bulb nursery to reduce production costs.
A Complete Guide to Gladiolus Propagation Methods and the Effects and Functions of Gladiolus
Gladiolus has many varieties and very rich flower colors, and it is indispensable for weddings and banquets. So what are the propagation methods of gladiolus? What effects and functions does it have? Next, let's take a look at gladiolus propagation methods and the effects and functions of gladiolus.
I. Gladiolus Propagation Methods
1. Corm division propagation: The smaller the planting bulb, the better it can maintain the genetic characteristics of the variety, but the cultivation period is longer. Larger planting bulbs already have the ability to bloom, consume too many nutrients, and produce commodity bulbs of poor quality. Therefore, in cultivation, medium cormels are best for breeding commodity bulbs. Medium and large corms use the method of sowing in drills at marked points, with the drill depth about 3 times the corm diameter, and the plant spacing flexibly determined according to corm size. Small corms use the method of broadcast sowing in drills, and cormels mostly use the direct broadcast sowing method. Before planting, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied, but be careful that the fertilizer does not come into direct contact with the corms. After sowing, pay attention to water management; do not water before seedlings emerge unless the soil is dry.
2. Corm cutting propagation: For certain rare varieties, or varieties whose propagation coefficient needs to be rapidly expanded, plump and full commodity corms can be cut into 2-4 pieces, and each piece must have part of the basal plate and a complete, plump bud, to be used for cormel propagation. To prevent the planting bulbs from rotting, the cut surfaces should be coated with charcoal powder or plant ash and planted immediately.
3. Tissue culture propagation: Tissue culture propagation can renew and rejuvenate conventional cultivated varieties. Because gladiolus has long been propagated asexually, variety mixing and degeneration are quite serious, so regular tissue culture must be carried out for virus elimination and rejuvenation. Both petals and lateral buds can be used as explants. After disinfection and inoculation, they can be placed under conditions of 25°C and 2000 lux for culture, and seedlings are obtained through induction, subculture, and rooting culture.
II. Effects and Functions of Gladiolus
1. Gladiolus corms can be used as medicine and have excellent medicinal effects. They have the effect of reducing swelling and relieving pain for human traumatic injuries. After being injured, people can directly mash the gladiolus corms and apply them directly to the injured area, changing the dressing once a day, and the swelling and pain can be eliminated quickly.
2. The stems and leaves of gladiolus contain a large amount of vitamin C. After extraction and processing with modern technology, they can be made into vitamin tablets and other health products for human consumption.
3. Gladiolus is also an important material for making cut flowers or flower beds. This plant is beautiful and moving in appearance, and when it blooms it is bright and elegant. It is the most common and most beloved specialty flower throughout the country.
4. Gladiolus can be cultivated separately and is also an excellent gift for relatives and friends. The flower language of this plant is love, devotion, peace, and longevity, and it is suitable for giving to different groups of people. When placed at home, it can also absorb a large amount of carbon dioxide, and it has an obvious effect on beautifying and purifying the environment.
The above isgladiolus propagation methodsand an introduction to the effects and functions of gladiolus. Everyone can choose the variety they like for propagation.