How to Remove Gladiolus Bulbs
- 1). Pierce the soil at the base of a gladiolus with a garden shovel or hand trowel. The corm rests three to six inches below the soil surface, so the shovel blade tip needs to penetrate at least three inches below the bottom of the corm. In order to avoid slicing into the corm, slide the shovel blade straight down into the soil three to four inches away from the plant stem and leaf bases. Make multiple cuts into the soil all around the plant to be removed.
- 2). Grasp the bottom four inches of stem or leaves just above the soil and gently tug upwards as you continue to slice into the soil around the underground corm. Begin wedging the shovel blade to help thrust the corm upwards. This becomes easier as more soil is loosened and roots are severed all around the gladiolus.
- 3). Lift the corm and attached stem and leaves up from the soil with a combined upward tug from the shovel blade and the lower stem. Rest the corm and plant sideways on the soil and knock off the soil clinging onto the roots.
- 4). Look into the hole where the corm was to see if any additional smaller daughter corms, called "cormlets," remain in the soil. Dig them up as well.
- 5). Cut off the stem and leaves of the plant one to two inches above the top of the corm. Do this only if you wish to keep the corm to replant next year. Otherwise, discard the gladiolus into the compost or garbage.
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