Gladioli

[Granny]

I have recently dug up my gladioli bulbs, cut off the tops and let them dry out a bit. 2 questions: a) do I break off the roots to leave a bare hollowed base, or leave them on? Some have broken off by accident, so do I have to do anything about protecting them?
b) some bulbs have got little holes in them - they look like something has bored its way in. Do I store them with the others, separately, or throw them away?
Thanks
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Granny

[peter]

Bit late on this, but for sure keep the holed ones seperate if you want to see what happens or bin them to play absolutely safe.

When I dig mine up I don't worry about the roots on or off. But I often find the original corm gone mushy or hollow and lots of little corm-lets round the old base, they are a bugger to pick out but worth it as each is a new plant.

[Granny]

Thank you ,Peter.
I'd more or less done what you recommended, but it's nice to have it confirmed.
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Granny

[allotmentkate]

I don't lift my Gladioli, or my Dahlias. The Dahlias are cut down, covered in muck and then either fleece or a double layer of old net curtain, they have survived 5 years so far. The Glads I just leave in the ground. My ground is light and sandy so this is probably the secret. Not sure what your gound is like in Cambridge, we are in Kettering.

[Granny]

We have quite a loamy soil with some gault here and there. I don't know if that would maske a difference. I like the idea of covering them up rather than all the hassle of lifting, storing, replanting etc. I'll give that a go next year. Thanks.
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Granny