How to Grow Gladiolus
Bulb
Gladiolus, often called glads or sword lily, grows from a corm and sends up tall spikes lined with funnel-shaped blooms in nearly every color except true blue. US gardeners grow it for its dramatic vertical form and its reputation as one of the best cut flowers you can raise at home. It is inexpensive, easy to start, and rewards a small planting with weeks of color when corms are staggered over the season.
Planting
Plant corms in spring after the last frost has passed and the soil has warmed, choosing a spot in full sun with loose, well-drained soil. Set each corm about 4 to 6 inches deep and roughly 5 to 6 inches apart, with the pointed side facing up. In most of the country glads are lifted and stored over winter, but in the mild winters of USDA zones 7 or 8 and warmer they can often be left in the ground. For a long run of flowers, plant a new batch every week or two from spring into early summer, stopping about 90 days before your first expected fall frost.
Care
Keep the soil evenly moist during active growth, giving about an inch of water a week and more during hot, dry spells, since uneven moisture can cause weak or blind spikes. Work some compost or a balanced granular plant food into the bed at planting and again when the flower spikes begin to form, following the general rate on the package. Because the tall spikes are top-heavy, stake taller varieties or plant them in blocks so neighboring stems lend support, and hill soil around the base for extra stability. Snap off spent blooms to keep the plant tidy, and in cold regions dig the corms after the first light frost, cure them in a dry airy place, and store them cool over winter.
Bloom time
Gladiolus typically flowers about 70 to 90 days after planting, opening from the bottom of the spike upward. Each spike stays showy for a week or two, and staggered plantings can keep color coming from midsummer into fall.
Garden uses
Glads are prized as long-lasting cut flowers for tall arrangements and are a natural choice for the back of a border or a dedicated cutting bed. Their nectar-rich blooms also draw bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Tips
For the longest vase life, cut spikes in the early morning when the lowest one or two florets are just opening, and the rest will continue to open indoors. Plant corms in blocks or rows rather than singly so the stems shelter one another from wind, and rotate to a fresh spot each year to keep the planting healthy. Choose plump, firm corms since larger ones generally produce sturdier spikes and more flowers.
General guidance for US gardens. Timing and hardiness vary by region; check your local frost dates and hardiness zone. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.