Hi Iris lovers, I love Iris too, but we just don't happen to have so many great ones here as you lucky people in America have!
Gladiolus belongs to the same family, and I wonder how many of you grow these as well?
I am getting into growing the species Gladiolus, you would be AMAZED at how many gorgeous species there are. Around 260 of them, most in South Africa.
There is a thread on Dave's Garden requesting a Gladiolus Forum, some of us feel that it needs a Forum of it's own.
Would any Iris Lovers be interested?
If so register your vote here>>>>>>>>>>>
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/661541/#new
Gladiolus are related to Iris...Please look!
Gladiolas are lovely, but usually have to be dug in the Fall--Iowa's winters are ghastly.
Most people around here plant them as an annual.
There could be a lot to gained then if a lot of people grow them, even as an annual. They are really not expensive to buy, and can be lifted but I know a lot of people don't want to lift them. Very special ones would be worth the trouble though!
I sympathise with you ghastly weather, and I thought it was bad here...
It keeps our population low and leaves plenty of room for the rest of us! :) I have a few that like to winter over in an east garden that is protected from the wind by a nearby house. They last 2-3 winters before they give up. Our cannas must be dug too as well as dahlias, peacock orchids & other tender bulbs. Most people have trouble storing them in an unheated portion of their homes. Our attached garage gets too cold, but I have a basement corner that works. Just not much room. And I'm so lazzzy by the end of the summer.
There is that advantage! Don't we all like our space. So many people there seem to have basements, I suppose they were built to accommodate winter storage. No-one here that I know of has them, the very old houses had space in the loft for storage of grains etc., so they didn't get them stolen, but I think it would also been a good place to keep them dry and warm. The storage place for other things in older houses was and still is traditionally a 'pantry', where the jams, preserves, meats etc. could be kept in a cooler place.
I'm just getting to the point where I'm thinking of trying cannas in the ground, my dahlias already survive well.
There are some pics posted on a thread started by boojum on the bulb forum of gladiolus that have overwintered in zone7 for 3 years, even multiplied. Perhaps there are some which are more tolerant, they certainly are gorgeous, it's something which with a little sharing of knowledge that could be found out and tried. You did well to have some last 2 to 3 winters. Now if you could get a variety that multiplies too you are there!
Zone 7 is VERY warm compared to my zone 5. llilyfan & Moby are zone 5b (southeran Iowa & southern Nebraska) and just warm enough to grow oriental lilies & reblooming iris better than I can.
I have cannas wintering over and increasing in a charity garden I planted some years ago. It is in a south- facing 90 degree angle of a brick building where a wing joins the main structure. It is very protected from our winter winds & the bricks store heat. the cannas are 6 years old & going strong.
That's encouraging! People here are only just learning to push the limits, which are much warmer than yours, but we don't often get the heat in summer, spring and autumn are mostly very cool. Oh well, can't have it all ways.
Tazzy always tells me I'm not a gardener until I " kill a few things". Transalation: until I push the limits of my growing experience.
I love glads and dig what few I have and replant in the spring.
makshi I found a really good site with some really good glads, you might like to look at gladiola.com
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/669217/
I know I would be very tempted!
I planted glads several years ago and would dig them every fall. I finally got tired of digging them and left them in the garden. They have came back every year and have multiplied too! I also left my dahlias in the ground last year and they came up too. However the cannas I left in the ground did about a 50/50 on the survival. You just never know! But we did have a mild winter last year without much snow. Who knows what will happen this year, everything might die out.
abbigail, that is the way we often find out, by just trying it either through lack of enthusiasm/energy to dig them out or taking the risk. Much does depend on soil type, micro climate in your garden, what you have planted them next to which can take up excess water to save rotting etc.
As you found with your cannas, some survived. This is good to hear! Some varieties are more hardy so this has to be a learning experience. Having said that, Canna Australia is supposed to be more tender but mine had a -3C in their pots without being touched. There was about 1/8" of ice on top of the water in the bath tub next to them. I grew them in lots of organic material which may have toughened them, the leaves are quite thick.
Do you know the names of the Gladiolus that have regrown and multiplied? It might be helpful to others wanting to try them.
They have cages to put tulips in to keep them from marauding rodents. Could glads be put into something like that? Then when you lift them, you just dig up the cage and lift them out in a mass.
I see no reason why not, do rodents eat glads? Sounds good to me anyway!
Wanda, I have had no trouble with orientals - they're my favorite (after tulips, lol) but did lose the only reblooming iris I had. I shoulda checked into that more before I bought one. Live and learn!
Wandasflowers, winter in your area can't be that bad if Cannas overwinter outside! I could only imagine such a thing and I'm in zone 5b....our snow can still be around in April...and with 4-5 feet of the white stuff each winter, I daresay there are few places in zone 5 that have winters like ours! However, having said that, I do have two Gladiolus species that survive here and would like to attempt more, if only they were available. I have the common byzantinum and the not-so common saudersonii...the later is quite beautiful.
I wish I had bought that one Todd, they had the seeds at silverhill when I got my first lot but I was trying to keep the numbers down. As if that worked, I ordered another lot! They didn't have it this time, oh well there is always next year.
If byzantinum survives there then I would think a few more should, it's supposed to be a little tender here.
Your deep snow probably keeps them warm.
The only reason Wanda's cannas are surviving the winters is the protection she's giving them. None make it here. I concur - IA winters are ghastly! (I really like that phrase, Wanda. LOL)
Well looky here!
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/673791/
Dont forget Janet, if they are related to iris, then they are also related to crocosmia.................. lol
http://www.simplesite.com/CROCOSMIA/
True true Mark, but this was on the Iris forum! Now here's a guy that has got the bug real bad, just like me with the species Glads.........I would love to make it Iris species too but have to stop somewhere!
omg iris species too...................... lol
is the name of the forum right Janet??? Gladiolas???? i thought it should be gladiolus!!!!
Better ask Terry about that, I don't really know, but it looks like they are called by that name.
http://aolsearch.aol.co.uk/web?query=gladiolas&isinit=true&restrict=wholeweb&x=30&y=10
Oh, ok............... i always thought they were called Gladiolus. LOL
Maybe its the american way of spelling it.................. you know what they are like!!!!!! hahahahaha
The cannas that are making it thru winter don't know their isolated brick corner is in Iowa or they would have been mush long ago! My garden cannas are busy drying in the basement right now. Looks like I'll have plenty to give away at the Iowa Round Up in May. Gladiolas need to be dug and stored too unless the area is very protected or we have a mild winter.