Planting guide
When to plant gladiolus
Tall spikes of ruffled flowers grown from corms; plant in batches for months of blooms. In Melbourne it goes in Sep–Jan.
- Start as
- Corm
- Flowers in
- 11–14 wks
- Spacing
- 15 cm
- Depth
- 10 cm
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- Regular
- Effort
- Some care
- Colours
- red, pink, orange, yellow, white, purple, multi
- Frost-tender
- Yes, plant after the last frost
When it goes in
● means gladiolus can go in that month, ○ means wait. Worked out from each town's climate zone and season, the way planting guides do it. Pick your town for the full list for that month.
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Melbourne | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Brisbane | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Perth | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Adelaide | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Gold Coast | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Newcastle | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Sunshine Coast | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Canberra | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Central Coast | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Geelong | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Wollongong | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Hobart | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Townsville | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Cairns | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toowoomba | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Darwin | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Ballarat | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mandurah | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bendigo | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Launceston | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mackay | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Rockhampton | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Coffs Harbour | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Blue Mountains | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Bunbury | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bundaberg | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Alice Springs | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Mildura | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Port Macquarie | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Wellington | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Christchurch | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| London | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Manchester | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Edinburgh | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Dublin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| New York City | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Los Angeles | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Chicago | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Seattle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Austin | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toronto | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Vancouver | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Cape Town | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Johannesburg | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Singapore | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Mumbai | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Paris | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Berlin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
How to plant gladiolus
- Plant corms 10cm deep, pointy end up, in full sun.
- Plant a new batch every two weeks for a long season.
- Stake tall spikes in windy spots.
- Cut when the lowest flowers show colour.
Gladiolus varieties
Classic varieties are the reliable, widely grown ones. Adventurous ones are heirlooms, odd colours and rarities.
- Karma Classic11–14 wksPink flowers
- Amber Mystique Classic11–14 wksSold by The Seed Collection
- Bako Classic11–14 wksSold by The Seed Collection
- Bananarama Classic11–14 wksSold by The Seed Collection
- Barcelona Classic11–14 wksSold by The Seed Collection
Where to buy seedlings
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Shops shown are for Australia. The chooser picks shops for your country.
Gladiolus by month
Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
More to plant
Sweet pea · Snapdragon · Larkspur · Stock · Dahlia · Ranunculus
Not sure gladiolus is right for your space? Answer a few taps and see everything that can go in this week.
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