The best way to plant gladiolus is to space the corms about 4 to 6 inches apart (whether in a grouping or in a line formation). What is key is staking tall varieties at planting time (making sure not to damage corms when installing the stakes). If your flower spikes are unsupported and breaking, it makes sense the flowers are dying, as damaged stalks disrupt the flow of water and nutrients. The plant is in survival mode, which means flower production is last on its list of priorities!
Hi Debora,
The best way to plant gladiolus is to space the corms about 4 to 6 inches apart (whether in a grouping or in a line formation). What is key is staking tall varieties at planting time (making sure not to damage corms when installing the stakes). If your flower spikes are unsupported and breaking, it makes sense the flowers are dying, as damaged stalks disrupt the flow of water and nutrients. The plant is in survival mode, which means flower production is last on its list of priorities!