The gladiolus is a spectacular flower that can brighten up any garden around the globe. Trouble is that it does not grow everywhere in the world because in some places it is simply too cold for the gladiolus to survive. Although it is possible to hibernate the gladiolus corms using a method called winterization it does not mean that all of the corms will survive and the extra work it means might just not make it worth it. Luckily that is where the hardy gladiolus steps in.
The thing about the hardy gladiolus is that the only difference between it and any normal gladiolus is that it can take cold a little bit better. It will not make it hardier against winds, diseases or any other problem that might show up in the garden but a little cold is no problem. A lot of cold, however, is. The hardy gladiolus corm might survive temperatures around freezing but if it drops further this special hybrid of gladiolus will freeze to death all the same. So you better make sure that the gladiolus corm will be alright in your garden even before you buy it, otherwise it will just be a total waste of money.
How cold it may get in your area is not only dependent on your geographical location, although it is a huge part of it. Closeness to the sea and other factors is very important to know and think about when deciding if the hardy gladiolus is the right thing to plant in the garden. Strong cold winds can also be a real hazard for the hardy gladiolus as it will freeze the ground without any trace. In a garden there are also often specific spots where cold air tends to gather up, these spots will be the first ones to freeze so it will be a shame to plant the hardy gladiolus there. Learn all you can about your garden before planting the hardy gladiolus, or any other plant, and it will help a long way on the road.
If there are any risk that the temperature will drop it is possible to help the hardy gladiolus out momentarily. Most people do not have heating under their gardens and although that would be the simplest and best solution there are other ways to keep the hardy gladiolus safe. By insulating the hardy gladiolus somewhat it will be able to hang in there for a few more days so it is just a temporary solution to a temporary problem, there is no way to hibernate the hardy gladiolus in the ground in several cold degrees with just insulation. Good materials for insulation are the general compost material as extra soil, autumn leaves, wood chips and real insulation mats. With a little luck the hardy gladiolus will survive the short-lived frostbite and bloom again in the spring.