The milk containers hold the bulbs for a temporary period only. As soon as time from digging permits, we transfer the bulbs to finely meshed plastic bags similar to the ones in which grapefruit, oranges and onions are sold in the food stores. In fact, we purchase these bags from the food stores whenever they are available. Since the bags vary in size, we use them on the basis of the number of bulbs per variety. Bulbs, along with the bulblets, are dumped into the bags and the identification card with its date is stapled to the bottom flap. The bags are then tied by means of an eye loop and hung on hooks on the basement joists for drying and curing.

Two weeks later we check the bulbs to see if the old (mother) bulb and roots will come off easily - if they don't, we try again in a few days. The old bulb is difficult to remove before it has sufficiently dried but if allowed to become very dry the old bulb is even more difficult to remove. We still find the human thumb is the best means of removing the old bulb. Whenever we come across an overly-cured batch, we find it necessary to use a solid spoon handle to do the task. Whatever device you find useful is fine, but do not use a sharp instrument, ever. When all the bulbs in a bag have been cleaned, the old bulbs are discarded. The new bulbs are returned to the mesh bag as previously labeled. The bulblets that are to be saved are placed in 1/4 pint milk cartons with an identification card stapled to its 'rooftop" closing.

When all the bags of bulbs and cartons of bulblets have been assembled as cleaned, we place them in the cool storage of our basement garage. Good air circulation and a temperature range between 36 and 50 degrees during the winter months gives us an ideal set-up for storage. On bitter cold nights we transfer the entire stock to the basement to avoid any possibility of freezing out our inventory.

The cleaning of the bulbs is an ongoing story for many weeks depending on the number of bulbs harvested and desired to be kept for next year's planting. For you beginners, the task will be pretty light in view that you were prudent enough to plant less than 100 bulbs this year. The few that really said "Hello" to you during blooming time are really the only ones you should want to keep for 1984. If so, your chores during the Fall and Winter will be very limited. Your joy in 1984, however, will be far greater because you will be growing some of the newer and better glads from bulbs you ordered from all those catalog people advertising in the NAGC Bulletin.

When you start ignoring your budget, wife and family in order to grow those newer varieties of glads, then and only then you will realize that "hooking” in glads has several meanings. In this case, your ability to escape from growing glads in future years becomes almost nil. You have become hooked to the wonderful world of glads! Perhaps even forever!

Have a nice winter and a great growing year in 1984.

FALL1983

17