If you’re buying gladiolus stems from me, it should be noted that I cut my stems to the longest possible length. Because of this, there could be a big  variation in stem lengths within a bundle of blooms. This can easily be fixed when setting the bundle up for a vase. Because of the tall height of most glad spikes, a sturdy vase should be chosen, ideally one with a large base.

As soon as possible after the receipt of a glads bundle, they need to be trimmed and hydrated. I use the top of the vase and the bottom floret on the spike to determine how long to cut the stems. I cut the stems long enough so that the bottom floret sits just above the top of the vase. Clean water is best for use in the vase. I like to add a shot of Sprite or 7-up to the water so the blooms get a little boost of sugar. Some people add a bit of granulated sugar to the water instead. The blooms (florets) on a glad spike will open from the bottom, up. As the lower blooms start to fade, I pop them off right at the stem, then I cut the stem to lower the blooms in the vase. I’ll continue doing this until the top blooms have opened up. You may need to transfer the stem to a smaller vase as they bloom out.

With proper care, most glads should last 1-2 weeks in a vase. Some of my most dedicated glad lovers will baby the glads upwards to three weeks, with only a single bloom left at the end.