My gladiolus still have all of their leaves standing tall with no sign of brown. Is this normal? I was thinking they died back earlier last year. Any idea when they might die back in zone 7a this year? I want to dig them up this year to give them to a friend.

Many of mine are still green as well. You can dig them up now assuming they've been in the ground since spring...they've had enough time to gain energy for next year. Or you could wait until you've had a frost and then dig them up.

so does that mean that all the ones i have to move anyway should be ok, since my son wacked the green off with the weed wacker?

tell ya what ive been doing
ive been just going along daily and looking at them. if they have any kind of brown on them ive been giving em a good yank. many times they wil separate,if they dont,i leave em be. i had planned on leaving the garden be thi winter but im seeing where the alamanacs are calling for a HARD winter this year. i may still dig em up
i sure would like some advice

i've always left my glads as is through the winter.

in my zone, 6b, i'm supposed to pull them up for the winter. i never have - i've just put down a good layer of leaves (about 6 inches) for the winter and they've always been fine. i leave the leaves on too - i like to let them get as much energy stored as possible for the next season...i clear out the dead leaves in the spring.

If I didn't think I would be moving before next summer I would leave them in the ground too. I did last year and half of them had twins. But I don't want to leave them here when I can give them away to friends instead. Thanks for all the information.