Expert: Long Island Gardener - 8/14/2006

Question
I live in Michigan zone 5 I believe. My question is I grew beautiful glads for the first time this year, but now the stems I did not cut have seed like pods growing where the flowers were and some have popped open...any idea what this may be? please help if you can

Answer
Seedlike pods where the flowers were - I think you have guessed the answer to that question, Kristin.  They're seeds.

Whether they're fertile or not is anyone's guess.  You can probably bet, however, that if you grow them, odds are they will not look anything like the parent plant you harvested them from.  

Confirming that is simple.  It is easier, but a little more expensive, to acquire new corms every season - but if you want to know how to turn those mysterious seeds into glads, start by putting them in the refrigerator in a damp paper towel.  Wait for germination (in a month, give or take a few weeks).  Then refer to Botany.com's page on Gladiolus (www.botany.com/gladiolus.html), where you will find complete instructions on seed propagation as well as cultural advice.

My favorite Gladiolus source: Brent and Becky (www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com).  For years the foremost purveyors of Daffodils, this gardening couple sells plants from Acanthus to Zephyranthes between bookwriting and speechmaking.

Can't blame you for getting hooked on Gladiolus.  They are easy, gorgeous, inexpensive, and great cut flowers.

I hope I've answered your question - but rephrase if not, I am sometimes a little slow on the uptake.

Thanks for writing.