"KD" wrote in message
...
Greetings folks:

Very much a beginner here, and this year I'm attempting to actually put
some
effort into the yard to make it more attractive.

I have some tulips and a patch of irises that were already here when we
bought the house. Both did fairly well the first year, but last summer
both
suffered quite a bit. Lots of greenery, few blooms. This year will be
summer
number three.

I'm guessing that maybe they need to be divided to do better. On to the
question. Is this the proper time to do this? Right now I've got greenery,
but only leaves, no buds happening yet.

According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, my Halifax location is zone
6a.

Thanks!

KD


About gladiola...

Bulb digging- as soon the root "hair" loses it's white colour and become
dark. At the same time chicken also start to darken. Also at the same time
leaves are strongly green. But this must not trick you - the bulbs must go
out. Earlier sorts sooner become mature- also remember that. If you do it
later, the number of sick bulbs increase, leaves are soft and is harder to
dig them out, and chickens more stay in the ground. After you dig them out
break the leaf cover near bulb top, or if you cut it leave about 1 cm above
bulb. Bulbs has to be stored immediately, closed room is needed with good
ventilation, it's needed that the whole amount of air in a room is replaced
at least 20 times per hour. Humidity of air - 70-80%, temperature 28-32
degrees of celsius. It this isn't done, it's possible that all bulbs could
die from Fusarium in a few days. After 8 days of drying on temp28-32, bulbs
are ready for cleaning- all with some degeneration - out(diseases), also
mechanical injuries-out.
Usually is used woden box of size 75-50-10, bottom is of wire coated with
zinc, do not overload it, bulbs need air, of course in a dark. Bulbs big
(hen), and small ones (chickens) need to be stored in a place with
temperature 5-10 degrees of celsius constant, if it is higher new bulbs
(chickens) could dry out and die. But 3-4 weeks before planting temperature
has to be risen to 20 degrees of celsius. Chickens has to be keeped twice by
24 hours in lukewarm-tepid water. Immedeately before planting it's needed to
disinfect the bulbs (in 2%solution of benlate, and 0.2% solution of
fosfern).
E. has spoken.