When to plant gladiolus
Plant gladiolus from the last spring frost to 2 weeks after it. Wait until the soil is at least 55°F. That works out to zone 5b (early May to mid May), zone 7a (mid April to late April) and zone 9a (early March to mid March).
Gladiolus planting dates by zone
| Zone | Plant outdoors | gladiolus ready from |
|---|---|---|
| 4a | May 15 – May 29 | Jul 31 |
| 4b | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 29 |
| 5a | May 11 – May 25 | Jul 27 |
| 5b | May 5 – May 19 | Jul 21 |
| 6a | Apr 30 – May 14 | Jul 16 |
| 6b | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jul 10 |
| 7a | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | Jul 1 |
| 7b | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Jun 22 |
| 8a | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Jun 12 |
| 8b | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Jun 1 |
| 9a | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | May 18 |
| 9b | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Apr 22 |
How to plant gladiolus
| Plant as | corms |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 55°F or warmer |
| Depth | 4–6 in |
| Spacing | 6 in |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to bloom | 70–100 days |
Plant a new batch every 2 weeks until early summer for flowers all season.
In zones 7 and colder, dig corms after frost and store them indoors over winter.
Stake tall varieties.
When to expect flowers from gladiolus
Cut spikes for vases when the bottom 2–3 flowers open.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.