May is planting time in the west. Seeds of hardy vegetables and flowers are already planted. Seeds of more tender kinds should not be sown until the danger of late spring frosts is past. Treatment of seeds will reduce losses from seedling diseases.
Vegetable transplants may be set in the garden according to their ability to resist frost. Early cabbage, broccoli, head lettuce and onions can go in even before the frost season is over. Transplanting of celery, cauliflower and main crop cabbage can be delayed for a couple of weeks or so after killing frosts end. Plantings of tomatoes. Eggplants, and peppers should be delayed until all danger of frost is past.
Weak fertilizer solutions (starter solutions) help to give plants a stimulus at transplanting time.
Growing Glad
Generally, glads can be planted at the time trees are leafing out. Subsequent plantings can be made to provide a succession of bloom, A succession can also be had if different size corms of a variety are planted and if different varieties are chosen to bloom at different periods. Make sure the late blooming varieties chosen will bloom before frost threatens in the fall. Glad corms can be saved over from year to year if proper storage facilities are available. If new corms are purchased, buy good quality, disease-free ones from a reliable source.
Dipping the corms in corrosive sublimate, Lysol, or other disinfectant is recommended prior to planting. This is actually considered as an essential step to any vegetable garden planning that includes planting of glades. Use one ounce of corrosive sublimate per six gallons of water and soak the corms for 12 hours. Use Lysol at the rate of 3 1/2 tablespoons Lysol per three gallons water. Soak corms for three hours in this Lysol solution. These clips are useful in killing thrips as well as reducing injury from certain corm and soil borne diseases. Growing the All-America selections of gladiolus varieties is a good way of getting started in the newer, not too expensive vegetable garden introductions.
Plant gladiolus corms from four to six inches deep for the larger corms. Smaller corms may be planted shallower according to size. As a general rule, the heavier the soil, the shallower the corms should be planted. Carmel’s or bulb lets can be planted fairly close together about one-half to one inch apart in the row, and in rows from 18 to 24 inches apart. If started in a frame, the between the row spacing can be reduced. True gladiolus seeds can be handled in much the same way as cornels. Allow the plants from cornels and seeds to grow as vigorously as possible throughout the season. Give them plenty of water.