Growing freesia outdoors. How to plant freesia: the main methods of proper cultivation

Freesia Care

Freesia or freesia is considered to be one of the most charming and tender plants in the garden.

The flower belongs to the Iris or Kasatikov family and is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants, which combines more than twenty types of different freesias. The flower got its name in honor of the famous botanist from Germany - Freesia. Due to its exquisite, pleasant aroma, reminiscent of the smell of lily of the valley, freesia is often called Cape lily of the valley.

Homeland and appearance of freesia

Under natural conditions, freesia can be found in South Africa, where the flower feels great on the banks of rivers, where a humid climate is maintained, as well as among shrubs that protect delicate flower from scorching rays.

Most often, hybrid freesia is grown in gardens. Its height reaches one meter. The stem is branched, the corm is covered with brownish scales. The foliage is thin, with distinct veins. The length of the leaf plate is on average 20 cm, and the width is 1.5 cm.

The flowers are very fragrant, 3 to 5 cm in diameter, collected in inflorescences, one-sided. The palette of flowers is very diverse: white, blue, yellow, red, cream, purple, pink. Often the throat of flowers has a contrasting color that stands out against the background of the petals. At the end of flowering, a fruit is formed on the plant - a box.

Also in the gardens grow freesia refracted or broken and freesia Armstrong.

Freesia is a rather whimsical and demanding plant. Plant care is needed regularly, throughout the season.

Watering mode

Immediately after planting and throughout the season, freesias need regular and abundant watering, however, it is important to avoid waterlogging the soil. The soil should dry out between waterings.

Watering is carried out in the morning.

Light requirements

The plant is able to tolerate direct sunlight, but it is important to ensure good air ventilation, that is, do not plant the freesia too tightly.

In the garden, it is best to choose a place where the sun's rays are only in the morning and evening, and during the day there is partial shade.

Temperature regime

Freesia belongs to heat-loving plants and prefers air temperature in the range of + 25- + 30 degrees.

To receive abundant flowering from the moment of planting until the formation of the first leaves, it is better to keep the plant at a temperature of no more than +15 degrees.

Fertilizers and top dressing

Best of all, freesia reacts to liquid fertilizers and at the same time does not tolerate dry nutrient mixtures at all.

During the active growth of the flower, fertilizers with a nitrogen content should be applied three times, in addition, manganese, phosphorus, iron, potassium and boron should be contained in top dressing.

The following fertilization scheme is used in the garden:

Immediately after germination - top dressing with ammonium nitrate (20 grams of fertilizer per bucket of water);
Twice a month - top dressing with superphosphate (40 grams per bucket of water) and potassium salt (20 grams per bucket of water).

Planting and transplanting freesia

Planting freesia in open ground

The preparatory stage for planting freesia begins at the very beginning of spring - in early March. At this time, the plants are placed in pots filled with an earthen mixture consisting of:

Turf land - two parts;
Peat, humus and sand - one part each.

Nutrients need to be added to the soil: superphosphate, bone meal and fertilizer containing potassium.

It is important to plant freesia, observing a certain density: in a pot with a volume of three liters and a diameter of 15 cm, as a rule, no more than six tubers of plants are placed. The temperature regime required for freesia is from +25 to +28 degrees, while the main thing is to maintain high humidity in the room and regularly moisten the soil.

Shoots appear after two to three weeks, now the beautiful freesia is ready for planting in open ground.

It is necessary to choose a slightly shaded place in the garden for the flower, carefully protected from drafts, where there is fertile soil. Before planting, the ground on the site is well loosened to a depth of 40 cm. You can immediately dig in pegs to which plants will be tied in the future. The depth of planting tubers is not more than 6 cm, the distance between plants is from 6 to 12 cm, depending on the variety and type of freesia. The flower can be grown in the garden, but in a container, this will easily protect the plant and possible frosts and adverse weather.

If they allow weather, freesia can be planted immediately in open ground, without sprouting tubers in advance, but first you need to check planting material- damage and soft parts did not appear on the tubers.

Some gardeners plant freesia tubers in the fall, but this planting is not suitable for those who live in areas with harsh climates and very cold winters.

freesia bulb

Reproduction by seeds

Planting material before planting should be soaked for a day in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The planting period is the second half of April or the beginning of June. Seeds are grown at temperatures from +20 to +25 degrees. When the second leaf appears on the sprouts, they swoop down and continue to grow in a greenhouse or conservatory throughout the summer and autumn.

In the second half of autumn or early winter, it is necessary to lower the temperature to +8 and wait for the buds to appear. When the buds appear, the temperature is raised to +15. At the end of flowering, the tubers are dug up and then stored and planted as adult freesias.

Vegetative propagation (corms)

Before planting, the corm must be carefully inspected so that it is not damaged and soft parts. Then it is cut into several parts so that each part retains one kidney. Sections should be treated with a fungicide (powder) and dried for two days in a well-ventilated area. Then each part of the corm is planted in a prepared pot and sprouts are expected to appear. Strengthened young plants are transplanted into open ground.

In some cases, small children are formed on the corm, usually 3-4 pieces. They must be dug out in the fall along with the parent corm, stored with an adult plant without separating, and planted in the ground in the spring.

Freesia corm storage

In order not to lose all the planting material, freesia must be dug up when the leaves begin to dry out, do not wait until they wither completely.

After digging, the leaves are cut off, and the tubers are processed disinfectant and dried at a temperature of +27 degrees in the room where good system ventilation. The drying period of the bulbs takes from two to three days.

Storage conditions for tubers depend on what kind of flowering you need to get next year.

early flowering

Planting material is wound for two weeks at a temperature of +28 to +30 degrees and air humidity of at least 60%.

normal flowering

For 12-16 weeks, peeled and dried tubers are stored at a temperature of +29 to +31 degrees.

late flowering

Immediately after digging, the tubers are sent for storage at a temperature of 0-+1 degrees. In this mode, planting material is contained from six months to 9 months. Then the tubers are processed and planted in the ground.

In order to grow freesia flowers in winter, at home, you can do the following. After digging, the tubers are stored for three weeks at a temperature not higher than +13 degrees, and then they are immediately planted in containers. It is better to choose flowerpots with a volume of no more than one liter. Planting depth - from 5 to 7 cm, depending on the size of the tubers. Be sure to provide good layer drainage. Adhere to moderate watering and organize supports for plants.

freesia flower

Flowers appear in the second half of August, the flowering period continues until frost. However, flower growers can independently adjust the flowering period of freesia, creating certain conditions for a plant.

Freesia flowers are collected in loose inflorescences. Peduncles are quite flexible and thin, to avoid damage, they are tied up. Modern varieties of freesia are very diverse, there are simple flowers, terry with different colors: plain or variegated.

To prolong the flowering period with the onset of cold weather, containers with plants are brought into the room and dry flower stalks are cut off in a timely manner.

Varieties with double flowers more capricious, they are more difficult to grow, the flowering period is short-lived.

Freesia pruning is carried out in order to stimulate the reappearance of the inflorescence on the plant. Exist certain rules cuttings of flowers and leaves.

dried flower pruning

The optimal pruning period is when the inflorescence has faded, but the fruit has not begun to form.
Used for trimming garden pruner or kitchen scissors.
Pruning is carried out half a centimeter below the flower located at the top of the stem.

Do not cut leaves

Leaves should not be cut at the end of the flowering period, as the leaves help the plant accumulate strength for wintering.

Leaves are cut off after complete drying

It is best to cut the foliage when it turns yellow or brown.

It is necessary to cut the leaves, leaving a stump 5 cm high.
If the cut leaves are healthy and show no signs of disease or insect damage, they can be used for compost.

Note to florist

Why do freesia leaves dry?

Leaves can dry from lack of moisture, both in the soil and in the air. Also, yellow and brown spots appear from sunburn and an excess of fertilizers in the soil.

Why does freesia not bloom?

As a rule, buds on the plant do not appear after improper maintenance of corms (in too warm a room).

Why does freesia not sprout?

Sprouts do not appear mainly due to improper preparation of the bulbs for planting. Perhaps the planting material was not treated with a growth stimulator and was not soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. It is also possible the option of improper storage of corms after digging.

Diseases and pests of freesia

Sometimes in the garden, freesia is attacked by aphids, thrips, and spider mites. If pests are found on the plant, they should be collected and treated with an insecticide purchased from a specialized store.

Freesia is also affected by Fusarium and various types of rot. To avoid such troubles, it is important to follow all the recommendations for growing a flower:

Do not use for watering too cold water(it is better to water the plants with settled water);
Plant plants in such a way that distance is maintained between the bushes.

If signs of the disease are found, it is urgent to treat the bush with a fungicide.

When viral diseases, which provoke necrosis of flowers and leaves, you need to get rid of the affected plants in order to avoid infection of healthy bushes.

freesia care video

Despite your gentle appearance freesia has an obstinate character. When growing a flower in the garden, it is important to find a bright place for it, but protected from drafts, to provide the plant with a long daylight hours, but to exclude sun rays during the hottest time of the day. The mode of watering and top dressing is important. Adult plants tie up and mulch the soil around the bushes. For abundant and long-term watering, corms should be organized right conditions storage.

Freesia (lat. Freesia), or freesia- one of the most charming bulbous plants grown both in the garden and at home. Freesia is a genus of herbaceous bulbous perennials of the Iris family (Iridaceae), which includes about 20 species. The most famous is freesia hybrid, which appeared as a result of crossing several species about a century ago. The homeland of plants is South Africa, where they grow along wet shores and among shrubs. They got their name in honor of Friedrich Fries, a German botanist and physician. Freesia - elegant, graceful and gentle, it exudes pleasant aroma, reminiscent of the smell of lily of the valley, and for this it is sometimes called the "Cape lily of the valley." Thanks to all these qualities, it is now at the peak of popularity among flower growers as a cut crop.

Description of the species

The flower belongs to the extensive family of iris (Iridaceae), which has more than 1800 species. At home, in Republic of South Africa, the plant is found on the banks of rivers and lakes, a delicate flower grows among shrubs. Tuber bulbous plant has linear leaves about 15 cm long with a prominent vein in the center. Stem thin, glabrous. The inflorescence is unilateral, branched, has 3-6 flowers. The height of an adult plant is from 20 to 70 cm.

The flowers of the Cape lily of the valley are tubular, fragrant. Flowering occurs in mid-August and continues until the first frost. The flower smells fresh and citrus. The catalogs contain freesias of a wide variety of colors, from bright and saturated shades to delicate ones. pastel colors. In the photo, you can most often see freesia in yellow, red, lilac, purple, blue and white. When cut, the plant can stand up to 10 days without losing external beauty and aroma. To make bouquets, freesia is cut off after two buds have blossomed on it.

The tuber of the Cape lily of the valley tends to renew itself every second growing season. During renewal, the bulb dies off, and a new root grows in its place. After the plant has faded, a dormant period begins for it.

Growing freesia in open ground

When growing freesia in open ground plants require a semi-shady warm place.

Preparing for landing

The soil should be well cultivated, loose and breathable. The composition is approximately the same - sand, peat, leafy earth in equal quantities. Before planting freesia, the ground should be watered with a dark solution of potassium permanganate; bulbs can also be kept in potassium permanganate for 2-3 hours. These are good preventive measures against diseases.

Planting freesia

Freesia is a plant of long daylight hours. You need to remember this and choose a landing site that is not shaded by other plants or buildings in the afternoon. Interestingly, freesias like to be planted in a heap.

Planting freesia bulbs

The term for planting corms is April - May. They are planted in ten centimeters to a depth of five to ten centimeters. Blooms from spring planting freesia bulbs can be expected in August - September.

It is very important to complete landing work just in time for the plant to set flower buds. Don't worry if it's cold outside. If you linger with the planting of freesia and carry out work at +20 ° C and above, it will not bloom. Already formed inflorescence will dry up.

Freesia care in the open field

When grown outdoors, freesias need to be watered and fertilized regularly.

Bulbs are planted in a flower bed well lit by the sun.

Provide abundant regular watering.

Bulbs germinate for quite a long time - about 3 weeks.

After germination, watering is somewhat limited.

Watering

Freesia does not like drought, but it also has a negative attitude towards waterlogging of the soil, although it likes high humidity. Water under the root so that the earth is moderately moist.

It is better to water before lunch so that the greens dry out by evening: if the plants remain wet long time a fungal disease may develop.

Evening watering of freesia should be carried out at such a time that the leaves dry before nightfall. Otherwise, a decrease in temperature and wet leaves can provoke damage to the flower by putrefactive bacteria.

Support

Tall, sometimes up to one meter, plants require support. This is indispensable attribute freesia care. In greenhouses, for this purpose, a grid is stretched horizontally at a height of 20 cm from the ground. The second grid is placed twenty centimeters above the first. If the variety is tall, then a third will be needed. Plants grow through a mesh that serves as a support for them.

By mid-July, freesia bushes grow up to 40 cm and begin to form buds. Flowers bloom in August.

top dressing

During the budding period, freesia is fed with a 0.2% solution of potassium or calcium nitrate.

Freesias bloom for a long time, opening one flower after another. In mid-October, you can still admire the flowers in the garden or cut them for bouquets.

After all the flowers are cut, the plants are well watered and left without watering dry for several weeks before digging up.

Bulb cleaning and storage

The first signal: the foliage turns yellow.

The second sign: the main root of the plant is thinning. They make a trial digging, and if the main root is still juicy, then they wait for it to dry into a thread.

The above-ground part of the plants that has already begun to turn yellow is cut off, the bulbs are dug up and brought into the house.

There they are laid out on paper or newspaper and dried for several days, avoiding direct sunlight. Then they are cleaned of old scales and put in cardboard box.

They need to be kept warm high humidity Otherwise, the bulbs will dry out. To comply with this condition, a container of water is placed next to the box. The temperature is maintained at 29˚-31˚C for 12-16 weeks. 2 weeks before planting, the temperature is reduced to 12˚ 13˚, but corms can be put in the refrigerator (where the temperature is about 5˚) for no more than a week.

Varieties of freesia

The freesia genus unites about 20 various types bulbous perennials. Only three are suitable for home and garden cultivation:

Freesia Armstrong (Freesia armstrongii). A beautiful flowering species with a height of not more than 70 cm. graceful flowers similar to a bell, 4-5 cm in diameter. The color of the flower is raspberry, pink, purple and eggplant. Aroma is subtle, citrus. This species got its name in honor of W. Armstrong, who first sent bulbs of this species from South Africa to England. The plant blooms in late spring.
Freesia hybrid (Freesia hybrida). This type obtained by crossing freesia broken and Armstrong. The hybrid surpasses its progenitors in size and reaches 1 m in height. Hybrid freesia flowers are quite large, about 5-6 cm in diameter, collected in inflorescences of 7-9 pieces. Coloring can be the most diverse, from snow-white to scarlet.
Freesia white, broken or refracted (Freesia refracta). Most undersized view. A broken freesia reaches only 40 cm in height. The stems are weak, sprawling, ending in fragile inflorescences of 2-4 milky or light orange flowers. It has linear sword-shaped leaves. Freesia flowers bloom in April.

The listed three species have varieties of both a simple form and terry. freesia simple varieties have one row of petals, and their terry counterparts have two or more. by the most popular varieties Cape lily of the valley are:

On sale you can find both a particular plant variety you like, and Single Mix - a mixture of several varieties. Freesia Mix looks very advantageous on household plots, as it gives its owner a whole scattering of beautiful flowers of various sizes and colors.

Freesia breeding methods

Offspring from a plant you like can be obtained using its seeds or daughter bulbs.

Reproduction by seeds

Sowing is scheduled for the period from April to May. The day before planting, the seeds are immersed in a solution of manganese. The next day they are buried in planting boxes with a greenhouse substrate or a mixture of turf or leaf soil.

The first sprouts appear after about 23 to 25 days. When they are already clearly visible, they are "relocated" to the greenhouse. In order for the young freesia to get stronger, they are regularly looked after: they make sure that she has enough light, watered, weeded and fed with fertilizers based on potassium and phosphorus every week.

When transplanting dived seedlings on permanent place use paper cups or special boxes.

Reproduction by daughter bulbs

The tubers are easily stored together with adult bulbs. They are planted in boxes with sand in March, and sent to the ground in April-May. For further good growth freesias are poured into the landing pits with a certain amount of sand and crushed coal in equal proportions, after which they are shed with a solution of "potassium permanganate". Seedlings need frequent hilling and watering. Seedlings can be transferred to open ground along with the planting box.

Diseases and pests

Fungal diseases can develop from too humid air. Morning watering is important here. It can also suffer from gray rot, fusarium. Freesia virus and bean virus threaten her. As a preventive measure, disinfection and washing of dug out bulbs is suitable. And the same procedure before landing. Zircon, manganese solution or foundationol are also suitable. Attack on freesia spider mite, aphids, thrips. This is where soapy water will help.

freesia fertilizer

In order for the plant to grow healthy, it is periodically fertilized. Freesia is highly sensitive to the degree of salinity of the soil, in this regard, only liquid solutions, and dry mixes are categorically contraindicated.

The first feeding of freesia should take place 1.5 - 2 weeks after planting: garden beauty will not refuse fertilizer based on nitrogen. Top dressing with a high concentration of nitrogen should be applied 3 to 4 times during the period of active flower growth.

Later, with the advent of spikelets, instead of nitrogen fertilizer, they use mineral composition, they also support freesia when it is at its peak of flowering. The plant needs especially mineral supplements with enough iron, boron, phosphorus, calcium, manganese and potassium. For the next top dressing at the end of August, it is better to use superphosphate. With the advent of autumn, freesia slows down its growth: by mid-September, the flower stalks of the plant fade, and the leaves begin to turn yellow. Peduncles are removed, but the plant continues to be watered and fed.

Experienced gardeners recommend the following feeding scheme: for the first time, fertilizers in the form ammonium nitrate(20 g per 1 bucket of water) is applied immediately after germination, then every two weeks the freesia is fed with a composition prepared from 40 g of superphosphate and 20 g of potassium salt per 1 bucket of water.

Freesia care in the room. Distillation

Can be held winter distillation by planting: corms in a box or pot on the windowsill. In a small (15 cm deep) pot, 5-7 medium-sized corms will fit (with 7-8 cm occupied by roots and 5 cm of soil above the top of the corm). The planting time here depends on two factors: the temperature in the room and the date of the planned flowering.

The main thing is that during flowering the room should not be too hot. During the emergence of shoots, it should be no higher than 10˚-12˚, although 6˚-7˚ is enough, and during flowering no more than 20˚.

Freesia stems are very fragile, they do not hold themselves and fall and break without support.

When caring for freesia in a room, it is imperative to install a decorative slatted lattice or a wire frame for support in pots.

Corms that were used for distillation in a pot will either have to be thrown away or grown in the soil during the warm season.

Undersized varieties are more suitable for the windowsill, for example, Anyuta, Tenderness, Purple. Here they reach a height of 20–25 cm.

Wherever freesia grows - in a house or in a front garden - she needs care corresponding to the "whims of an aristocrat". In her list of preferences - bright sunlight, warmly, abundant watering, especially during flowering and much more.

Soil composition

soil for growing freesia is used moisture-intensive, loose, rich in nutrients (humus).
the plant is very responsive to the introduction of compost (necessarily - well-rotted).
when grown in room conditions many flower growers use soil for roses.
the optimal acidity index (pH) is 6.0 - 6.8. If it is a little higher in your flower bed, in the fall you can fertilize the soil or add dolomite flour during spring digging.
it is advisable to mulch the soil under freesia with neutral peat so that on hot days the moisture necessary for the formation and development of roots does not evaporate. And in the event of a rainy spring, the mulch will absorb excess water, protecting the corms from rot.

Secret 1. Freesia does not tolerate saline soil, therefore, when planting, mineral fertilizers should be applied in low concentrations (50-60% of the recommended rate).

Growing in a greenhouse

Freesia flowering time depends on the timing of planting. When planting corms in a heated greenhouse in mid or late October, plants bloom in mid-February - early March. By shifting the planting dates to early spring, the first buds can be obtained in early to mid-summer.

Choice of corms

Corms before planting are examined for mechanical damage and traces of diseases, only healthy ones are selected. Dense copies without suspicious stains and wet dents. If there are peeling scales, clean strong tissues should remain under them. For reliability, it is desirable to process the planting material in a saturated solution of potassium permanganate for 20-40 minutes.

Line up!

Peat (2:1) is added to the sod land. The soil is disinfected (spilled with a solution of "Fundazol" according to the instructions), moistened well. Corms are planted in rows (the distance between them is 15-20 cm, between the bulbs in a row - 5-8 cm). laid out on a loose surface, without pressing, sprinkled with a small layer of soil (in general, the planting depth should be 6-8 cm).

Secret 2. If you have a heated greenhouse, grow freesia in it - it's easier!

Water procedures

After this, the plantings are well watered. Repeatedly - in 5-10 days, in the future - as the top layer dries up. Usually 10 liters of water per 1 sq. m. In summer, plants especially need moisture. After flowering, they are watered less often and less, and after a month, watering is completely stopped. The relative humidity in the greenhouse should not fall below 50%. Otherwise, leaf burns, drying of the buds and wilting of the stems may occur.

About nutritional deficiencies

In different phases of plant growth and development, their need for nutrients different. So, nitrogen fertilizers necessary primarily for the growth of green mass, potash and phosphorus - for the formation of full-fledged flower shoots and abundant, rich flowering of each bud in the brush.

It is noticed that with nitrogen deficiency, young leaves become lighter and smaller, there are fewer buds in the inflorescence.

With a lack of calcium, the ends of the leaves first turn white, then darken, curl up and die.
With a deficiency of calcium and phosphorus, plants may not bloom at all.

Light and supports

In winter, greenhouse freesia is illuminated, this improves the size and color of flowers. Plants are tied up, it is best to use a grid with large cells. The duration of freesia flowering depends on the variety and averages 15-30 days.

Digging and storage

Comfortable conditions of the greenhouse contribute to the rapid maturation of corms.
Dig them up when the leaves turn yellow and begin to die. After digging, they are kept for 10-15 days at low humidity, in a well-ventilated room with a temperature of + 25-28 degrees. Then the dried corms are cleaned of old scales and roots and sent to rest.
Store 3-4 months in a room with a temperature of + 27-30 degrees and relative humidity air 60-70%. Shortly before planting, the storage temperature is significantly reduced (up to + 12-15 degrees)

from seed

From the moment of sowing to the beginning of flowering, you will have to wait about 8-9 months. Seeds remain viable for no more than a year. Before sowing, they are soaked for a day in water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate with a temperature of about +20 degrees.

Seeding rules

Substrate layer in boxes - not less than 15 cm. Use sandy loamy compost or greenhouse soil, as well as a mixture of equal parts leaf, soddy soil and humus, moisturize well. Seeds are sown not densely, deepening by 0.5 cm. The soil is mulched with peat in a layer of 1 cm. Before emergence, the boxes are placed in a dark, warm place, where the temperature is + 18-20 degrees.

Seedling Care

Shoots in most varieties appear in about 3-4 weeks. In varieties with blue flowers- 7-10 days later. After that, the boxes are exposed to light, the temperature is reduced to + 10-14 degrees. With the advent of the second leaflet, the seedlings dive according to the 5x5 cm scheme, although it is better to avoid picking from the very beginning: it delays the development of plants.

With the establishment of sustainable warm weather containers are taken out into a closed greenhouse or onto a balcony, shaded from the bright sun with a cloth, shields. When the plants grow up to 10-15 cm, they are tied up.
Optimal length daylight hours for successful growth and flowering of freesia - at least 12-14 hours a day.

top dressing

Plant care during the summer consists of moderate watering, weeding, loosening the soil, fertilizing with a weak (0.15-0.2%) solution of mineral fertilizer every 2 weeks. At the same time, at the beginning of summer, 5 g of ammonium nitrate and potassium phosphate are taken per 10 liters of water, from mid-July - respectively, 5 and 10 g each.

In the greenhouse

If the freesia is supposed to be transplanted from the boxes into the prepared soil of the greenhouse, then this should be done in late July - early August. The day before, the soil is well watered, the plants are planted with a large clod of earth a little deeper (about 5 cm) than they grew in the container. After planting, the soil is watered again. In hot sunny weather, the plants shade for the first time. Be sure to install supports.

To increase the humidity of the air, plants can be sprayed, but so that the water does not fall on the flowers and buds. The best time for spraying - 17-18 pm, so that the freesia has time to dry by night.

On the balcony

On a glazed balcony or loggia, in a heated greenhouse, potted freesias grown from seeds are left as long as possible, until the first frost. The temperature is kept low: at first up to + 13-15 degrees, then up to + 8-10 degrees (in November-December, if the plants do not bloom yet). When buds appear, the temperature is again raised to + 13-15 degrees. Plants light up.

After complete flowering of plants and yellowing of leaves, young corms are dug up, dried in a ventilated room at a temperature of + 20-22 degrees, then cleaned, sorted and stored at higher temperatures.

Secret 3. You can stretch the flowering period of freesia if you sow the seeds several times, with an interval of two weeks (from mid-March to June).

Growing freesia in open ground

Freesia is planted in the garden in the spring, after a threat. return frosts, as soon as the soil warms up to + 10-13 degrees.

For planting, choose a fairly sunny, wind-protected and well-moistened area with loose nutrient soil. Do not forget to provide supports (you can dig in pegs or install gratings).

Freesia looks great both in single monochromatic plantings, and in compositions with contrasting varieties or others. garden plants, blooming in late summer.

Secret 4. The success of growing freesia in the garden is highly dependent on air and soil temperature. Cold and heat are her main enemies.

Temperature regime

Stage 1 of development (5-6 weeks) - from planting corms to the formation of inflorescence primordia.

The optimum air temperature during this period is + 13-15 degrees. At up to +10 deg. the peduncle grows smaller, and if it is even cooler outside, the process of inflorescence formation stops. At +20 deg. only castings are formed, plants are unlikely to bloom this year. At a soil temperature of + 13-17 degrees and air + 13-22 degrees, corms will germinate on the 14-20th day.

2nd stage (lasts about 10 weeks)

The best average daily indicators of soil and air temperature at this time are from +15 to +20 degrees without sharp fluctuations. Under such conditions, plants successfully bloom and begin to lay renewal buds on next year. Withered inflorescences are removed so that nutrients are not wasted.

3rd stage (lasts 3-5 weeks)

During this period, replacement corms and baby develop. The required soil temperature is +16 degrees, air - +25 degrees (and at night it should not fall below +12 degrees). plants are watered less and less often, and 14 days before digging, watering is completely stopped. Corms are dug up until the foliage dies off completely (in October). Dry, clean and store in the same way as those grown indoors.

By the way

The soil around the freesias can be mulched with finely chopped and well-steamed straw in a layer of about 3 cm. In addition to maintaining water balance such mulching on hot days of summer will create a shading effect and allow you to keep the soil temperature no higher than optimal for the plant +20 degrees.
Garden freesia blooms for a month and a half. Twice a season it can be fed with a solution of superphosphate (20-30 g per 10 l of water) and potassium salt (15-20 g per 10 l of water).

Growing freesia in a container

Many flower growers plant in September-October, waiting for the peak of flowering by March 8th. From planting to blooming buds takes about 5-6 months. It is important to comply with the main requirement - until this moment, the planting material must be stored for the period set for it (at least 3 months) at a temperature of + 25-30 degrees C high humidity air, and then undergo appropriate preventive treatment.

Freesia: planting and care at home

For 1.5 liters of peat-based soil, 5 freesias can be placed in a flowerpot, the corm planting depth is 3-5 cm. It is recommended to add a little sand and crushed charcoal. Drainage and drainage holes are required at the bottom of the pot excess water. After planting, it is necessary to constantly monitor the moisture content of the substrate. Sprouts appear in 14-15 days. In the spring, it is better to plant landings on an unheated glazed balcony. It is light and not hot there, which will have a good effect on further development awakened sprouts. But remember: at this time, the temperature should not fall below +3 degrees or rise above +20 degrees - otherwise the plants will not bloom.

During the growing season, it is advisable to feed the freesia twice with a solution of nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer ( best option- 4 g of ammophos per 1 liter of water).

Do not forget to arrange supports for plants: during the formation of flower stalks, they need support, otherwise, under the weight of their own buds, they may lie down or break.

Blooming round dance

Indoor and balcony freesia prefers bright lighting, but not direct sunlight: the leaves can become discolored from a burn. Fragrant flowers on the peduncle bloom alternately from the beginning to the tip of the flower brush. On hot days, from dissolution to the beginning of withering of one bud, it takes about a day, the faded ones must be removed. By gradually reducing the air temperature during flowering, it is possible to significantly extend the moment of withering of each flower and up to 1-1.5 months the decorative period of the entire “bouquet”.

If you feed the plants with solutions mineral fertilizers with a predominance of potassium or containing trace elements, they will keep green until the very cold, until about mid-October. During this time, the bulbs will ripen well. Each of them most often builds up 3-4 small children by winter, which are quite suitable for further development. vegetative propagation freesia in the apartment.

When the foliage turns yellow, cut it off and dig the rest of the plants out of the pots. Corms must be cleaned of adhering soil and disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate. Then dry with room temperature for a week and then keep warm.

Secret 5. Hybrid freesia grown indoors can bloom at any time of the year. It all depends on the timing of planting corms.

Freesia varieties

	Variety "Juno". Tall, with rather large (up to 7 cm) double flowers with a weak aroma. Variety late deadline flowering.
	Variety "Mars". Height up to 80 cm, with 3 peduncles. The flowers are non-double, collected in inflorescences of 8-9 pcs. mid-flowering variety.
	Variety "Romance". Height up to 80 cm, with 3-4 peduncles and large double flowers (there are 9-10 of them in the inflorescence). Medium early variety.
	Sort "Valentina". More than 90 cm high, with large non-double fragrant flowers. Medium flowering variety.
	Variety "Cinderella". Tall (more than 90 cm in height). Flowers are semi-double. Late flowering variety.
	Variety "Hoarfrost". Height about 80 cm, with 2-3 strong peduncles and 8-10 non-double flowers per inflorescence. Medium flowering variety.
	Variety "Cardinal". Tall plant, usually with three peduncles, bearing 9-10 large flowers. Mid-early.

Freesia belongs to the iris family. She hails from South Africa. In culture, only hybrid freesia varieties are used. A plant 50–90 cm tall with xiphoid green leaves 15–20 cm long, somewhat similar to gladiolus leaves. Funnel-shaped flowers with a delicate lily of the valley aroma are collected in inflorescences of 5-15 pieces. Their color is the most diverse - white, yellow, orange, red, blue, purple, often two-tone. Many varieties with double and semi-double flowers. Freesia is valued for its elegant flower shape and fragrance, and is good for cutting.

Growing freesia

This flower is bred both in the garden and in the house. Freesia is grown in greenhouses and greenhouses for cutting. You can expel flowers in winter at home. When bred in open ground for the winter, the bulbs are dug up and stored indoors.

Growing freesia in open ground

When growing freesia in open ground, plants require a semi-shady warm place.

Preparing for landing

Planting freesia

Freesia is a long daylight plant. You need to remember this and choose a landing site that is not shaded by other plants or buildings in the afternoon. Interestingly, freesias like to be planted in a heap.

Sprouting freesia bulbs

Freesia is propagated by seeds or vegetatively by bulbs.

Planting freesia seeds

When spring sowing (March - April), seedlings bloom in October. If sown later, the freesia development cycle shifts accordingly, and flowers appear in winter or spring.

Planting freesia bulbs

The term for planting corms is April - May. They are planted in ten centimeters to a depth of five to ten centimeters. Flowering from the spring planting of freesia bulbs can be expected in August - September.

It is very important to complete planting work on time so that the plant has time to lay flower buds. Don't worry if it's cold outside. If you linger with the planting of freesia and carry out work at +20 ° C and above, it will not bloom. Already formed inflorescence will dry up.

Freesia care in the open field

When grown outdoors, freesias need to be watered and fertilized regularly.

Bulbs are planted in a flower bed well lit by the sun.

Provide abundant regular watering.

Bulbs germinate for quite a long time - about 3 weeks.

After germination, watering is somewhat limited.

Watering

Freesia does not like drought, but it also has a negative attitude towards waterlogging of the soil, although it likes high humidity. Water under the root so that the earth is moderately moist.

It is better to water before lunch so that the greens dry out by evening: if the plants remain wet for a long time, a fungal disease may develop.

Support

Tall, sometimes up to one meter, plants require support. This is an indispensable attribute of freesia care. In greenhouses, for this purpose, a grid is stretched horizontally at a height of 20 cm from the ground. The second grid is placed twenty centimeters above the first. If the variety is tall, then a third will be needed. Plants grow through a mesh that serves as a support for them.

By mid-July, freesia bushes grow up to 40 cm and begin to form buds. Flowers bloom in August.

top dressing

During the budding period, freesia is fed with a 0.2% solution of potassium or calcium nitrate.

Freesias bloom for a long time, opening one flower after another. In mid-October, you can still admire the flowers in the garden or cut them for bouquets.

After all the flowers are cut, the plants are well watered and left without watering dry for several weeks before digging up.

Bulb cleaning and storage

The first signal: the foliage turns yellow.

The second sign: the main root of the plant is thinning. They make a trial digging, and if the main root is still juicy, then they wait for it to dry into a thread.

The above-ground part of the plants that has already begun to turn yellow is cut off, the bulbs are dug up and brought into the house.

Harvesting freesia bulbs

There they are laid out on paper or newspaper and dried for several days, avoiding direct sunlight. Then they are cleaned of old scales and put in a cardboard box.

They need to be kept warm with high humidity - otherwise the bulbs will dry out. To comply with this condition, a container of water is placed next to the box. The temperature is maintained at 29˚-31˚C for 12-16 weeks. 2 weeks before planting, the temperature is reduced to 12˚ 13˚, but corms can be put in the refrigerator (where the temperature is about 5˚) for no more than a week.

Why does freesia not bloom?

Usually the reason is the improper care of freesia corms during storage. If you do not withstand the indicated temperatures, and even more so if you put the corms in the refrigerator for a long time, then they may not bloom. At the same time, the corms “freeze” (that is, the stems do not grow, and the plant seems to fall asleep), they may not germinate at all for several years, or they will bloom poorly, weakly.

In order for freesia not only to grow, but also to bloom, at the initial stage of cultivation, it needs a temperature within 15 °, and then it is desirable to gradually increase it to 20–30 °. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the optimal landing time for certain climatic conditions.

Violation temperature regime leads to stretching of plants. It is expressed in the fact that the distance between the first and second flower increases.

The angle at which the inflorescence departs from the peduncle should be straight or even obtuse, and when stretched, it curves and becomes sharp.

At the same time, the inflorescence looks uneven, untidy, and it has to be discarded.

Freesia care in the room. Distillation

You can spend the winter forcing by planting: corms in a box or pot on the windowsill. In a small (15 cm deep) pot, 5-7 medium-sized corms will fit (with 7-8 cm occupied by roots and 5 cm of soil above the top of the corm). The planting time here depends on two factors: the temperature in the room and the date of the planned flowering.

Freesia stems are very fragile, they do not hold themselves and fall and break without support.

When caring for freesia in a room, it is imperative to install a decorative slatted lattice or a wire frame for support in pots.

Freesia in a pot with support

Corms that were used for distillation in a pot will either have to be thrown away or grown in the soil during the warm season.

Undersized varieties are more suitable for the windowsill, for example, Anyuta, Tenderness, Purple. Here they reach a height of 20–25 cm.

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