Gladioli a spectacular failure - why?
By Alquamarim
Staffordshire,
United Kingdom 
I was full of hope earlier in the year when my gladioli emerged. As they have matured however, something has been attacking them and their leaves are semi transparent and sort of shredded. What is attacking them?
Will the bulbs be ok if I lift and store them over winter to try again next year or should I write if off as a bad job?
25 Aug, 2009
Answers
Maybe catapillars, snails or slugs...but they wont harm the bulbs.....
25 Aug, 2009
Thanks for the replies, I never realised that gardening involved trying to defeat so many pests!
26 Aug, 2009
Just an update in case anyone is interested - they did flower much to my surprise and are in flower now!
6 Oct, 2009
Thought they might - I had one just coming into bud when you first put your question, much later than it should have been.
6 Oct, 2009
They may yet flower, regardless of the state of the leaves, so don't give up on them till end September, and then take them up and store them over winter.
25 Aug, 2009