When should you plant gladolias?

Answer 1

It depends on where you live- in frost free climates you can plant them anytime, otherwise, in spring, plant when danger of frost has passed and the ground is warming. I live in Pittsbugh, PA so that would be early to mid May for me. If you live in an area where the ground freezes in the winter, you may want to lift and store your gladiolus bulbs in a cool (not cold) dry place, in a box filled with saw dust or shredded paper. Some glass will survive a freeze, however I recommend if you want to risk it, that you put a substantial amount of mulch atop the bulb area, after the killing frost has killed back the plant, but before the ground freezes. Make sure then, in early spring, (mid April for me) you push away the mulch so the ground can start warming and the gladiolus, if it survived, will start to come to life. My dad lives a little more north than I and his glads did survive.