Issues with flower bulbs...

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-26-2009, 11:00 AM

is there any way that I can fix what happened this year?

I planted a back row of Gladiolus and a front row of Freesias, but I had a lot of issues with both.

First, the Gladiolus did grow but only one grew tall enough to sprout a set of flowers. The flowers are just now opening and it's the later half of August. I expected them to sprout earlier. I planted them after the last snowfall, which was in mid-May. A lot of them grew the green blade leafs but only one bothered to sprout a set of flowers.

Second, the Freesias didn't bother growing at all. I don't even have greenery coming out and I watered the area every day. I planted them at the right depth and right spacing, so I'm not sure what I did wrong.

I'd like to do flowers in the backyard next year where the Shasta Daisies are now. I don't mind the Shasta Daisies, but they get a little unruly and I'd have to cage them because they expand so far out. We do have plans to make the backyard into a deck + garden in the next few years, but long after we redo the bathroom and fix the outer walls in the upstairs (it's waaaaay too cold up there for our liking, so we're going to redo them).

So now I'm sitting here with no clue as to what I did and didn't do to my flowers this year. I'm replacing the flower bed with a vegetable bed, so I'm likely not to put flowers out front this year unless they're in hanging baskets.

**Contrary Housewife** · 08-26-2009, 01:06 PM

I've never had much luck with glads. They are a warm weather plant, and even here in the midwest US they are not hardy. So perhaps it is just too cold in your region, which might explain why they got off to a slow start. I think they need full sun to do well, if they were shaded part of the day they may not have been warm enough to thrive. Also, if the bulbs were small they may not have been able to grow enough to put up flowers.

**never2late** · 08-27-2009, 08:21 AM

I agree, I never plants glads because they are not winter hardy for my zone and I really hate digging things out every fall and planting them again every spring. As for the freesias, did you look to see if the bulbs are there yet? You may have had bulb rot or some varmint may have eaten them.

I prefer perennials myself, but you have to be careful which ones you pick if you don't want them to take over.

**frugalfranny** · 08-27-2009, 08:11 PM

[QUOTE=MomToTwoBoys;1225376]
First, the Gladiolus did grow but only one grew tall enough to sprout a set of flowers. The flowers are just now opening and it's the later half of August. I expected them to sprout earlier. I planted them after the last snowfall, which was in mid-May. A lot of them grew the green blade leafs but only one bothered to sprout a set of flowers.

This sounds like maybe they didn't get enough sun. There is a winter hardy glad. I have grown it but wasn't real impressed with the flowers.......they are smaller......and very limited colors. BUT...they grow almost anywhere.......except TOTAL shade....they will take a lot of it though.

Second, the Freesias didn't bother growing at all. I don't even have greenery coming out and I watered the area every day. I planted them at the right depth and right spacing, so I'm not sure what I did wrong.

Have no clue here.........I couldn't even get these things to grow IN A POT.......someone else will have to help. Unless...you overwatered them and they rotted....don't know much about them.

I'd like to do flowers in the backyard next year where the Shasta Daisies are now. I don't mind the Shasta Daisies, but they get a little unruly and I'd have to cage them because they expand so far out.

If the Daisy is getting too big you can always divide the plant. They tend to be a floppy plant......which you can 'brace up' or tie.......if you can tolerate floppy plants.
QUOTE]

Maybe try the freesia in the hanging basket........have to dug where they were 'supposed to be' to see if they are still there? Do you have squirrels? Maybe they got into them.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-27-2009, 08:40 PM

I'm gonna dig them up tomorrow and see if they rotted. It's possible that they did rot because the ground above them wasn't broken or anything.

The gladiolus were planted in full sun. I have one that's on the very right side that's actually sprouting flowers. It hasn't been cold at all because a lot of the blades on the unflowered plants were yellow (like the sun had burned them).

**frugalfranny** · 08-28-2009, 02:12 AM

Originally Posted by MomToTwoBoys

It hasn't been cold at all because a lot of the blades on the unflowered plants were yellow (like the sun had burned them).

Or.......has some chemical been there? I wonder........have you ever done a soil check? Or do you know....as a general rule...what sort of soil your area has? Maybe it isn't what they like.......

I don't know. My spring bulbs were weird this year. I had daffs. blooming by the gobs and I thought lots of them in one area were gone. They didn't bloom at all last year.

Maybe just leave them and see what happens next year......you did get some green......so they are still kicking down there.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-28-2009, 09:25 AM

I sprayed the entire garden with Miracle Gro Water Soluble Plant Food because the tomatoes were in the same garden. Perhaps that would have been what happened.