Here is a video of the engine. There are marks on the ball to make it's rotation easier to see. You will notice that at the start I hold the ping-pong ball in my hand very briefly so the liquid nitrogen will boil and start the rotation quickly.
They can be planted in the spring around your last frost date. Gladioli bloom about 90 days (three months) after they sprout in spring, so the bloom time really depends on when you plant them. In warm climates, where they stay in the ground year-round, gladioli bloom anytime from late spring (deep South) to midsummer (middle South).
With your Gladiolus corms, you will probably see a few 'buds' situated around the corm. The main flower stem is sent up from the centre of the top of the corm. Once the flower stem and foliage starts to grow above ground, it forms a new corm on top of the one that you have planted.