Fall Cleanup Round 2

I talked about clearing out the raised beds and planting the tulips and daffodils.

On to the next big job- digging up and storing tender bulbs, corms, and tubers for winter: namely, gladiola corms, elephants ears bulbs, and the dahlias.

Digging up the glads is easy-peasy. Since they’re planted in the raised beds, the soil is light and the corms came up easily. Altogether I planted 100 or so and pretty much all of them I was able to dig up and store for the winter.

I use a garden fork to lift the soil under the bulbs and collected them in a couple 5-gallon buckets. It also gives dirt on the corms the opportunity to dry up and fall off easily. Just be sure the glads aren’t packed too tightly in the bucket- they need air so they don’t rot.

I waited a couple weeks to the leaves to finish dying back before moving on to the next step.

Now I needed to strip the leaves off the corms. If the leaves are dry enough, they easily break off the top of the corm. I gently pull off the withered roots and any dirt still sticking to the corm.

There are often little bulblets at the base of the corm, usually they fall off while I’m cleaning. Some of them are good size so I break them off and save them.

Some of the corms were ENORMOUS. This one was as big as the palm of my hand.

(I purchased most of the glads from Longfield Gardens, which reminds me I need to order more for next summer!)

My storage supplies are peat moss, milk crates, and landscape fabric. This is what worked for me last winter, so I’m doing the same this year. How do you overwinter gladiola corms (if you do)?

I line the crate with landscape fabric, making sure to have enough to cover the top of the crate when it’s full.

Then I add an inch or so peat moss, and layer the bulbs on top.

I cover the corms with a goodly layer of peat moss and add more corms, layering to the top of the crate.

When the crate is full, I fold the landscape fabric over the top and store in my basement.

My basement is unheated but the furnace gives off some heat, so I’d hazard a guess it doesn’t go below 45°F. It is very dry though- which is good for the glads but I’m worried about the dahlias.

It took some doing to wrestle the Elephant Ear bulbs out of the ground! Look at the size of one of the bulbs!

Last year the bulbs were much smaller and I stored them in paper lunch bags with peat moss. This year I wrapped them with peat moss in a piece of landscape fabric. I am not sure if the largest bulb will make it through the winter without rotting. Fingers crossed.

I separated all the baby bulbs. After starting the summer with just 2 bulbs look how many!

I checked the gladiolas and elephant ears today (December 30) and so far, so good.

I’m saving the dahlia dig and store for Round 3 post!

Happy Garden Dreams, dear friends. It will be seed starting time soon! Yayyyy!

Hugs, Pam