Gladiolus loves good care and fertile soil. If they do not get enough attention, then stop throwing arrows and grow foliage. So that they generously fade and give replacement bulbs and many large children by the end of the growing season, they must be provided with nutrients from spring to late autumn. Fertilizing gladioli is carried out in stages and is divided into 3 periods of different significance: pre-planting, planting, post-planting (root and extra-root) fertilizer application.
Before planting: soil preparation
Before planting gladioli, you need to take care of the site. The soil is prepared in the fall. The earth is dug up on a bayonet of a shovel, and completely rotted manure is introduced: 2 buckets per 1 m 2 . Additionally, it is necessary to fertilize the soil with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer, 30-40 g per m 2 . 3 weeks before the intended bulb planting, urea should be added - 20 g per 1 m 2 .
When the time comes for planting gladioli, it remains only to cut the ridges with a plane cutter and pour them with phytosporin or a solution of potassium permanganate. Some use crushed garlic mass, infused in water (50 g of garlic per 10 liters). Bulbs must be treated with biostimulants before planting.
Menu for gladiolus
Gladioli have special requirements for land. They grow well on light chernozem, sandy loamy soils and loams. The soil reaction should be slightly acidic. In acidified areas, gladioli develop poorly, and in the earth with an alkaline reaction are susceptible to scab infection.
Gladioli most of all need three elements: nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Especially great is the need for nitrogen at the beginning of the growing season, when the plant develops the first 4 leaves. With a lack of nitrate fertilizers, flowering is weakened and growth is slowed down. With an excess - the flower stalk bends and resistance to infections decreases.
If large bulbs were used for planting, the feeding of gladioli in the first stage is carried out with nitrogen and potassium. Children are given complete fertilizer (including phosphorus).
During the budding period, potassium consumption increases sharply. Phosphorus in small doses is necessary for the plant throughout the growing season. These elements are responsible for the abundance of flowering and further ripening of bulbs.
The main root dressing
Fertilizing gladioli used before and during planting is auxiliary. The bulk of the nutrients should come during the growing season.
Gladiolus is in dire need of fertilizer in three periods:
- In the phase of appearance of 3-4 sheets.
- At the beginning of budding.
- At the beginning of flowering.
During each period, fertilizer must be applied 2 times with an interval of several days. Thus, nutrients will flow to the roots of plants more evenly. In total, you need to do 10 dressings per season: 7 root, 3 foliar.
The following solution is applied the first two times (per 1 m 2 ): 1/4 kg of mullein, 5 g of potassium and ammonium nitrate and 3-4 g of magnesium sulfate are required per 10 l of water.
The second period: 25 g of potassium sulfate and superphosphate are added to a bucket of water.
Third period: twice 20 g of calcium nitrate and 100 g of wood ash per bucket of water.
At the end of flowering, once dry superphosphate can be added: 30 g per 1 m 2 .
Foliar top dressing
Fertilizing “according to the sheet” is a very effective means in the quick solution of specific problems. If the leaves grow weakly and are too light in color, foliar feeding of urea can help them. For the fastest outflow of nutrients to the bulb during flowering, plants can be sprayed with superphosphate, avoiding the solution getting onto the flowers.
The first dressing for flowers is held in early June. 2 g of
potassium permanganate and boric acid are taken in a bucket of water. Spraying is carried out in dry weather from the smallest sprayer to avoid draining the solution from the leaves.
To properly form corms and increase the number of flowers, a second spray is carried out at the end of June: 1.5 g of potassium permanganate and copper sulfate, 1 g of boric acid and manganese sulfate, 0.1 g of cobalt nitrate and 0.3 g of sulfate are dissolved in 10 l of water zinc. The third spraying is carried out at the end of July with the same composition of trace elements.
Any top dressing of gladioli is carried out with moistened soil, fairly warm air temperature and dry weather. If heavy rainfall occurs, the nutrients are washed with water. In this case, you must either repeat the fertilizer application, or cancel it until a more suitable time.