Freesia - grown according to the rules. Caring for freesia when grown in open ground

Freesias are graceful, fragrant flowers grown from bulbs. Freesias make a stunning addition to flower arrangements, and most people grow them for cutting and bouquets. Freesias can be grown either in the ground or in pots and will bloom around 12 weeks after planting. Once freesias have opened their buds, they will remain in bloom for months on end.

Steps

Part 1

Planting freesias

Find out when to plant freesias. Freesias grow from bulbs that must be planted at a specific time of year for them to bloom. The season for planting freesia depends on what growing zone you live in. Learn about the growing zones for your region to determine the best time to plant freesias.

• Freesias can survive winter in warm regions. If you live in a warm region, plant freesia bulbs in early fall to give them time to take root and become established.
• If you live in a colder region, freesias will die in the winter if you plant them in the fall. You're better off waiting until early spring, when the last possible frost has passed. This way the fragile buds will grow and bloom.

1. Choose large and strong bulbs. Freesia bulbs, also called corms, look like green onions. Buy them from the nursery the same day or just a few days before you plan to plant them in the ground. If you live in a cool climate, wait until spring to order freesia bulbs.

   Prepare the planting bed. Choose a place that is well lit by the sun. Freesias will not bloom if planted in the shade. They need sun all day long to bloom and keep you happy with their blooms throughout the season. Choose a planting location so that the flowers receive maximum light for at least eight hours a day. The soil should be relatively fertile, but this is not necessary; the situation can be corrected by applying fertilizers to change the acidity of the soil. However, freesias require soil with good drainage. They need a lot of water, but if the water sits around the bulbs and roots, they will begin to rot.

   Plant the bulbs. Dig holes 5 centimeters deep, 8-10 cm apart. Place the freesia bulbs in the recesses with the pointed ends facing up. Cover the bulbs with soil and compact them gently, then water the bed thoroughly. Sprouts will appear within 2-3 weeks.

   Consider pot planting. If you want to plant freesias in a pot, choose a pot with adequate drainage hole and fill it with regular soil mixture. Plant the bulbs 5cm apart and 5cm deep. Keep the container indoors after planting, and move it to an open, sunny location as soon as sprouts appear.

   Part 2

   Freesia care

   1. Fertilize the sprouts. When you see the first shoots, you can help them get off to a good start by feeding them with a potash fertilizer such as comfrey pellets. Place the granules at the base of the sprouts and gently press them into the soil. This step is not strictly necessary, but it can be helpful if the soil in your area is not very fertile.

      Prop the plants when they begin to grow tall. When they reach a height of 15-20 cm, freesias need support to prevent them from falling. Place small supports behind each plant and carefully support the freesias on them. Check the supports from time to time to make sure they provide sufficient support.

      Water freesias throughout the growing season. Once freesias are planted in full sun, their soil dries out very quickly. Keep it moist, but not soggy, throughout the growing season. After 120 days, the freesias will bloom. Continue watering them until the flowers begin to fall off, from which point you can gradually reduce the watering until they finish blooming.

      • Water your freesias in the morning so the planting bed has time to dry out before nightfall. If water sits in plants at night, mold may begin to grow.
      • Water around the base of the freesias so that the drops do not fall on the leaves and flowers, otherwise the plants will get burned from the bright sun.

   2. Wait until the foliage turns yellow before removing it. When the flowers have fallen, let the leaves continue to grow. Wait until they turn yellow before removing. They continue to provide the plant with energy before dying. The accumulated energy will help your freesias grow strong next year.

      • After the first frost, "harvest" your freesias by trimming the leaves and stems to an inch above the ground.
      • This step is not necessary if you live in a warm climate and the freesia leaves never turn yellow or die.

   3. Dry the bulbs and let them rest. If you live in a cold climate, you'll need to dig up the bulbs and let them dry out throughout the winter, then replant them in the spring. If you don't do this, the bulbs won't survive the winter. Dig up the bulbs and place them in a cool, dry place over the winter, then plant them after the last frost has passed.

      • In warmer climates, you can leave the bulbs in the ground. They will germinate again in the spring after surviving the winter.

   Part 3

   Freesia cutting

   1. Prune freesias when they are in full bloom. The plants will continue to bloom after cutting, so there's nothing wrong with wanting to enjoy them in your home. Use clean pruning shears or a sharp knife and make a diagonal cut towards the base of the stem, leaving a stalk a few centimeters long.

      • Do not use scissors to cut freesias as they will crush the stem instead of leaving a clean cut. A clean cut will ensure long flowering of cut freesias and cause less damage to the plant.
      • Potted freesias can also be cut. Avoid bringing the pot indoors as the freesia will die without adequate sunlight.

   2. Provide clean water and flower food. Freesias can stay in bloom for up to three weeks if you feed the flowers. Fill the vase clean water and pour a packet of nursery food into it. Alternatively, you can add a teaspoon sugar syrup to provide food for the flowers. Add more fertilizer each time you change the water, which should be changed every few days.

      Keep the vase clean. Another way to ensure that your flowers last a long time is to use a very clean vase with no residue from previous bouquets. Even a small amount of bacteria can cause flowers to quickly rot. In addition to using a clean vase and regularly changing the water every few days, try adding a teaspoon of bleach to the water when you change it. Bleach kills bacteria and keeps flowers fresh much longer than if you don't use it.

   • A good way to test how well water is moving through the soil is to test it a few hours after it rains. Any areas where puddles remain are not suitable for growing freesias.
   • If you are starting to get sick of insects, avoid using chemicals as this may damage the flowers. Instead, use fly strips or pick up insects by hand.
   • Freesias do not do well in hot climates.
   • Sixty-centimeter bamboo shoots are the best supports for freesias. Tie the stems with twine or thick thread.
   • The flowering period can be extended if you keep the plant in a cool place.
   • Always plant bulbs with the pointed end facing up.
   • To get beautiful flowers by January, start potting your plants in August-September.
   • Consider a rodent-proofing system for your plants.
   • Do not store the bulbs in closed containers, or pack them too tightly, otherwise they will rot.

Freesia (Freessia) is a corm plant. Belongs to the family Irisaceae or Iris - as you like. They are found in the wild only in South Africa, namely in the Cape Region (South Africa). Many varieties resemble lily of the valley with their scent, hence another name for freesia - Cape lily of the valley.

Flower growers in most cases grow hybrid freesia. It was obtained by crossing broken freesia and Armstrong.

The height of the leaves of cultivated plants is 60-75 cm, peduncles up to one and a half meters. The wild form reaches 1 meter in height, forming difficult thickets in tropical rainforests. The leaves are narrow, sword-shaped, and often have a drooping appearance.

The flowers are funnel-shaped, smooth or double-shaped, collected on one side of a leafless curved peduncle. They come in yellow, white, purple, brown, orange, red, blue.

The plant is named after the botanist F. Friese who discovered it.

There are about 20 species of these flowers in nature.

Armstrong's Freesia (Freesia armstrongii)

The plant is not tall - 65-70 cm. The inflorescences grow in panicles of 3-5 pieces. A distinctive feature of this species is that the flowers come only in red shades - from pale pink to scarlet. Interior The flower base and stamen are yellow, the pistil is blue. The flowering time is short - from May to June.

Cardinal. The Cardinal variety is widespread in our country. Three peduncles grow from one bulb, each of which blooms with up to 11 flowers painted in red tones.

Freesia refracta

A compact plant, no more than 40-50 cm high. The flowers of most varieties are light in color.

Fragrant– milky flowers with a bright yellow spot at the base. The plant received its name for the very strong aroma of lily of the valley.

Alba. Distinctive feature varieties - very large snow-white flowers, covered with purple stripes inside the funnel.

Hybrid freesia (Freesia hybrida)

Hybrids are obtained by crossing broken freesia and Armstrong. One bulb produces up to three peduncles, up to one and a half meters high. The flowers are large, of various colors.

Ballerina. The yellowish-white flowers are arranged in one row.

Caramel. The shoots reach a height of 75-80 cm. The inflorescences are spicate, with up to 8 red-brown flowers on their surface.

Pimperina. The variety is mainly for home growing - a compact plant up to 20 cm tall. The flowers are corrugated, red with a burgundy border, located at the base yellow spot.

Royal Blue– Freesia with purple flowers with dark veins and borders. There is a small yellow spot at the base.

Royal Ball. A plant with double flowers reaching about 6 cm in diameter. Possible colors: white, yellow, purple, red. Flowers are collected in brushes.

Terry freesia

The size of the flowers is small - up to 5 cm, but of an unusual appearance. Often the flowers are two-colored. This type includes:

• Adonis pink;
• Rosalind is red;
• Atlanta and Aida - violet-blue;
• Fantasy with yellow flowers.

Red Lion– popular for growing at home. Double flowers.

Saint Malo. Variety with pink flowers.

Growing in a pot

There is an opinion that freesia is a difficult plant to grow, and it is best to buy it at a flower shop. In fact, compliance simple rules allows you to successfully grow a delicate, fragrant flower.

At home, freesia is grown for winter forcing. This process is fickle and consists of different stages:

1. Preparing bulbs for storage;
2. Rest period;
3. Forcing;
4. Reproduction.

Soil for freesia

To successfully grow freesia, you need moisture-absorbing, loose soils. The bottom of the pot must be drained.

The composition of the self-prepared soil should include forest turf, humus, high-moor peat, and clean sand.

When filling the mixture with microelements, carefully introduce iron, calcium and magnesium. An increased content of potassium and phosphorus will benefit the plant.

When purchasing ready-made soil, you should avoid mixtures intended for growing roses. Freesia is a corm plant and it is worth paying attention to specialized soils.

If it is possible to measure the acidity of the soil, you should definitely do it. Normally, the medium should not give an acidic reaction.

To preserve the properties of the soil when mulching, neutral high-moor peat is used.

Preparing planting material for planting

Storage of bulbs is written in detail in a special section.

Bulbs that have undergone special storage are suitable for forcing.

The diameter of the tubers should be 5-9 cm; the largest specimens should be selected.

Before planting, the bulbs are cleaned of old scales.

A mandatory stage of preparation should be soaking the bulbs in a disinfectant solution.

To do this, prepare a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate yourself. Mixtures of other chemicals ready for dissolution are purchased in specialized stores.

Soaking lasts one hour and ends with thorough rinsing running water.

To accelerate growth, root formation stimulants are used. Big choice Such drugs are commercially available (Epin, Kornevin).

You can get by with the resources that are available in every home.

1. Aloe. To prepare “living water”, take 200 ml of boiled water and dissolve 1 tbsp in it. a spoonful of aloe juice. The composition is left for one week. Before use, the prepared liquid is diluted with 5 liters of water.
2. Yeast. 100 gr. soft yeast is dissolved in 1 liter of water. The corms are soaked in the resulting solution for several hours.
3. Honey. 2 tsp. Dissolve spoons of honey in 1.5 liters of water. Soaking of the root part of the tuber is carried out for one day.

After washing the planting material, they begin planting freesia.

Freesia planting

The time for planting freesia depends on when the plant is expected to bloom.

To flower in January, tubers are planted in early September.

To get February flowers, the bulbs are “launched” in early October. March flowers will be ready if you start growing freesia in early November.

It is important to properly prepare containers for planting.

Pots should not be less than 15 cm in diameter. They are washed and disinfected. You can use soap and soda ash. It would be a good idea to wipe the inner surface with a solution of potassium permanganate (when soaking the corms, you can do it with a reserve).

The bottom of the pot must be filled with drainage. It is good to use small expanded clay and pebbles; adding a small amount of charcoal will have a beneficial effect.

The remaining volume is filled with prepared soil. Recommendations for its composition are given above.

Potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are available in the form of small sticks. Freesia will definitely respond to adding this type of fertilizer to the soil before planting.

The number of corms planted in one container depends on their size. Their number varies from three to six; it is important to maintain the distance. It should be within 7-10 cm.

The planting depth also depends on the size of the planting material. The holes are dug in such a way that the bulb can be covered with a layer of loose soil 1-2 cm high.

If storage at a low temperature was not carried out, the pots are kept for 8 weeks at a temperature of 13-15C without watering.

Within 40-50 days, the rudiments of inflorescences are formed.

Temperature changes during preparation for planting are unacceptable. This will have an extremely negative impact on the quality of the flowers.

Caring for freesia in the room

After the emergence of mass shoots, the plants are transferred to warm room where they provide ongoing care.

Lighting

Freesia grows naturally in South Africa, where daylight hours are quite long at those latitudes. Descendants of wild plants also need additional lighting, especially in winter.

During the period of 8 weeks, while the formation of flower primordia occurs, daylight hours are provided for 12 hours.

Another feature of freesia's natural habitats is deciduous forests. This is where the negative attitude towards direct light comes from, but you can’t do without additional lighting.

At any time of the year, direct sunlight is not allowed on the leaves and flowers of freesia. Plants must be shaded.

It is advisable to cover the plants even from lighting fixtures.

After emergence, it is necessary to ensure a light period of 14 hours.

Temperature

The temperature during the period of aging and germination of bulbs has already been written.

After emergence, it is important to maintain constant temperature+22C.

This is the most difficult condition to fulfill when growing a fastidious plant. After all, in an apartment, not every person can provide this.

Higher temperatures and lower temperatures can cause the plant to fail to bloom at all.

After setting the buds, the temperature can be raised.

Air humidity

Returning to the growing conditions of freesia, we can understand that in floodplain forests the normal air humidity will be around 70-80%.

Unlike other bulbous plants, this regime should be observed not only during storage of corms, but also during cultivation in a pot.

It is useful to place open containers of water next to the pots of growing freesias.

For large rooms, humidifiers are included.

High humidity air does not mean that the bulb should be in a humid environment. Freesia will not tolerate stagnation of water in the soil. Important to do good drainage containers.

To exclude frequent watering the soil around the plants is mulched with peat that is neutral in composition.

Support

One of the types of freesia is called broken, it is completely true. Most varieties have weak leaves that are prone to breaking.

Peduncles without support grow crooked.

When the first leaves appear, be sure to install supports.

Supports must be installed for tall flower varieties.

Freesias in the open ground

To successfully grow freesia in open ground it is necessary to create suitable conditions.

Choosing a growing location

When choosing a place to plant a plant, we once again remember its homeland and growing conditions.

A permanently shaded location is best. Drafts must also be eliminated.

Thus, freesia should be planted under trees and dense bushes that impede the free movement of air.

You can arrange a planting site in a shaded corner of the garden.

Planting freesia seeds

Freesia is rarely planted with seeds in open ground. It is more reliable to grow a plant through seedlings.

Successful cultivation is possible if several conditions are met:

1. Zoned seeds are selected for planting - this indicator is indicated by the manufacturer;
2. Before planting, seeds are treated with a disinfectant solution, for example, potassium permanganate;
3. For sowing you will need individual peat pots depth of at least 10-15 cm;
4. Seeds are sown in early March;
5. The soil for planting is prepared loose and moisture-absorbing. A suitable mixture is peat, coarse sand, garden soil in a ratio of 2:1:2;
6. The seed sowing depth is 8-10 cm. The top of the hole is mulched with neutral peat;
7. Seed germination is carried out in a dark place at a temperature of 20-25 C;
8. Water the soil moderately;
9. A month after germination, the sprouts are fed with organic matter.

As outside temperatures rise, seedlings in pots are transplanted into open land.

Transplanting seedlings into open ground is done only after the threat of repeated frosts has passed - freesia will not survive low temperatures.

Planting freesia bulbs

Before planting freesia, the soil needs to be prepared. Insufficiently fertile soil is fertilized with organic matter in advance, in the fall. Add 1 bucket of humus per square meter of area.

Acidic soils are limed in autumn.

The depth of planting of the bulbs is determined by the degree of looseness of the soil. On soft soils, the bulbs are planted to a depth of 10-12 cm, and on heavy soils 5-6 cm.

The earth is dug up to the maximum possible depth and leveled to prevent waterlogging of individual areas.

Planting is carried out after constant warm weather has established. When frost returns, the plantings are covered with protective material overnight.

Before planting, the soil should warm up to 12C. The air temperature should not fall below 15C.

To speed up the planting time, cover the bed with black film - in this case the ground will warm up faster.

Planting dates in the middle zone begin in mid-May.

In the prepared bed, holes are made with a step between them of 5-8 cm. The distance depends on the size of the planting material. The distance between rows is maintained within 15-20 cm.

Seedlings grown in peat pots are planted together with them; the walls will not be an obstacle to the roots. The peat in the cup will become an additional fertilizer for the plant.

Seedlings grown in boxes or non-degradable containers are watered generously before transplanting.

In the middle zone, freesia tubers are not planted before winter. Also, do not leave the tubers of adult plants to overwinter in the ground. The plants will inevitably die.

Tubers are left to overwinter in the ground only in the southernmost regions of our country. To do this, remove the above-ground part of the plant. The surface of the earth is carefully mulched with peat or spruce branches. coniferous trees, needles. The resinous smell repels rodents that gnaw freesia tubers.

Caring for freesia in open ground

Successful development in open ground requires care, which includes the usual agrotechnical measures:

• Weeding;
• Loosening;
• Watering;
• Application of fertilizers;
• Tying;
• Pruning.

Weeding, as a rule, is combined with the loosening procedure.

Loose soil does not allow water to stagnate in the rows, the excess of which leads to rotting of the bulbs and the occurrence of fungal diseases.

Loosening is carried out weekly and after the soil dries out after watering or rain.

The installation of supports is carried out as the plants grow. If this is not done, the lightest breeze can break leaves or tall, fragile flower stalks.

An additional method of weed control can be mulching the beds.

Watering and fertilizing

Watering is done abundantly, but infrequently. Soil moistening is carried out after the top layer of soil has dried.

Water is applied “at the root”. Water that gets on a flower or bud will quickly lead to its limpness and rotting.

On hot days, spray the leaves and flower stalks with warm water.

Increase the watering rate during the period of bud formation.

After flowering ends, watering is reduced. A month after the end of flowering, when the leaves begin to dry out, watering is stopped completely.

Two weeks after planting the plants in the flowerbed, the first fertilizing is carried out.

The second application of fertilizer is made when flower stalks appear and buds begin to form.

The period of maximum flowering coincides with the third feeding.

For fertilizer, only potassium-phosphorus fertilizers and natural organic fertilizers– humus, compost. Application of nitrogen fertilizers will provoke vegetative growth of green leaves.

Freesia pruning

In order to stimulate reappearance Inflorescences on the plant are pruned with freesia. There are several mandatory conditions that must be met.

Trimming dried flowers

The right time For this purpose, the period is considered when the cluster of flowers has already faded, but the fruits have not begun to form.

Trim the plants with sharp garden pruners or kitchen scissors.

The cut is made 5-10 millimeters below the flower, which is located at the very top of the peduncle.

Leaf trimming

Leaves should not be cut off before the end of the flowering period under any circumstances. Blank nutrients In the tuber, it is the leaves of the plant that carry out wintering before wintering.

Rules for cutting leaves:

• Cut off the foliage only after it turns yellow or Brown color.
• After cutting, a stump of at least 5-6 cm in height should remain.

Only healthy, pest-free leaves can be used for compost. Green mass with signs of bacterial and fungal diseases must be destroyed.

Freesias after flowering

Immediately after the flowers wither, the vegetative processes of the above-ground part of the plant stop. The leaves droop, turn yellow, and the drying process begins. The flower is being prepared for reproduction.

At this time, the bulb begins to ripen. The tuber is covered with hard protective bristles. Daughter nodules form and develop.

The stems and leaves of home freesia are trimmed:

1. Watering, however, cannot be stopped at this time - daughter bulbs continue to form and actively develop.
2. Watering the pruned plant continues for about 40 days after the flowers dry.
3. The bulbs are dug up when the soil is completely dry after the last watering.
4. It will take several days for the lump of earth to completely dry, which over time can be carefully shaken off the tubers.
5. The dug up bulbs are washed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, excess (dry) scales are removed, and the bulbs are dried.

Garden freesia is handled differently:

1. In the last days of September or, in the southern regions, in the first ten days of October after the leaves turn yellow, the tubers are dug out of the ground, cleaned of lumps of earth, roots and hard scales are removed.
2. After soaking for 30 minutes in a pink solution of potassium permanganate, the freesia is dried for 3-4 days in a warm room.
3. It is necessary to organize ventilation of the storage area.
4. After sorting, the bulbs are stored or prepared for winter forcing.

How does freesia reproduce?

Propagation of freesia different ways:

• Cuttings;
• Seeds;
• Daughter bulbs.

The first method is exotic, requires the creation of favorable sterile conditions and is rarely used by gardeners at home. It is used on an industrial scale, in special laboratories for the purpose of propagating valuable varietal specimens.

Propagation by seeds

Reproduction of freesia by seeds is a long process - the first flower buds will appear no earlier than six months later.

1. Seeds are sown from mid-April to the end of May.
2. The seeds are soaked for 12-15 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After such treatment, the seeds must be washed with clean running water.
3. The next day, the seeds are kept in a glass of boiled water.
4. Dry the seeds on a paper towel and mix with coarse river sand.
5. After this, sowing occurs in boxes that are covered with glass.
6. The temperature is maintained at 22C.
7. Sprouts appear after 20-25 days. After the sprouts have become stronger, they begin to harden them by moving the boxes to the balcony or greenhouse during the day.
8. Care consists of regular weeding, watering, and fertilizers.
9. It is advisable to feed young plants weekly with fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus.
10. If the plants are planted in a common container, after the appearance of two full-fledged leaves, pick them.

On a straight line sunlight seedlings are not displayed

Reproduction by daughter bulbs

Propagation of freesia by daughter bulbs is the fastest and most effective way for home growing conditions.

1. At the end of the growing season, when the plant stops flowering and the leaves dry out, carefully dig up the corm.
2. Planting material cleared of soil residues.
3. The children are separated from the main bulb.
4. Unlike bulbs that will be used for winter forcing, young tubers should be stored in a cool room. To do this, use fabric bags filled with dry peat.
5. In the spring, the bulbs are planted again in open ground, and the propagation process continues.

Large bulbs are planted in the soil with the onset of warm weather. Small planting material is first grown in containers or peat pots.

Why doesn't freesia bloom?

There are several reasons for the lack of flowering:

• The bulbs were stored in an insufficiently warm room;
• The tubers dried out due to too dry air during storage. Such tubers are used to produce tubers in open ground;
• Infection of tubers during storage;
• A sharp decrease or increase in temperature in the first 10 days after planting the plant in the ground.

Harvesting and storing bulbs

The dug up and processed bulbs are sorted by variety and size. They are stored in loose fabric bags or nets. It is necessary to ensure constant access of air to the tubers. Air circulation and dry substrate used during storage will eliminate the possibility of rotting.

You can store the bulbs in wooden boxes. The bulbs are not laid in more than two layers. This will ensure unhindered air access and circulation near the planting material.

Sprinkling the bulbs with dry peat will give a positive result; this will also protect them from putrefactive processes.

The “harvest” is stored at a temperature of 20 to 25C.

Air temperature is lower or higher specified limits with a high degree of probability will lead to the fact that the buds of the inflorescences will not set.

Air humidity is maintained at 80%. If the air is drier, place any container of water in the room. The lid is not covered.

The refrigerator temperature is not suitable for storing freesia bulbs.

The bulbs are sorted once a month. By examining, the occurrence of diseases and rotting is identified. Spotted, infected or spoiled bulbs are removed. Tubers with signs of rotting, if they are of a particularly valuable variety, are immediately planted for germination and further planting in containers for growing.

A month before planting, the bulbs are transferred to a room with an air temperature no higher than +15C.

It is convenient to carry out the last stage of preparation for planting in a greenhouse, if it is heated during this period.

Diseases and pests dangerous to plants

At home growing freesia can be affected by common garden pests. Don't pass by indoor plants spider mites, aphids, various types of thrips. All of them are sap-sucking, and live and reproduce on plants, feeding on sap.

Thrips are a dangerous carrier of viral diseases.

When pests first appear, when their numbers are small, they are usually collected by hand.

After removing all insects, the plants are treated with a solution laundry soap An infusion of garlic and onions will help. If there are a lot of pests, they resort to chemicals– Aktellik, Fitoverm.

In most cases, pests on freesia plants appear as a result of non-compliance with care rules. Pests settle on weakened plants.

Freesia diseases:

1. Fusarium. The disease is very common. The source of infection can be contaminated onion seeds or soil from a garden plot. Cannot be used for irrigation rainwater. Fungal disease affects the root system. Often, when loosening, the roots of the plant are damaged, and this is the easiest way for the disease to enter. The disease develops quickly - within a few days.
2. Scab. On this moment doesn't have effective means struggle. When affected by scab, leaves appear brown spots. The bulb becomes covered with brown spots. In a neglected state, the tuber becomes deformed and becomes covered with a shiny coating;
3. Rotten. These diseases can destroy the bulb within one month.

The main method of prevention is pre-planting preparation of bulbs; it will sharply reduce the likelihood of diseases occurring.

Before planting, substrates are disinfected by steaming or impregnation with disinfectants.

Diseased plants are immediately removed to a considerable distance from healthy plants. The bulb is dug up and disinfected. In case of severe damage, the plant is destroyed.

Subject to the necessary care rules, proper watering, temperature and humidity will make the plants strong and resistant to pests and diseases.

Growing freesia is an interesting process. Following the basic rules will allow you to grow a healthy plant that will delight you with colorful, delicate flowers.

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Bright and festive freesia - growing according to the rules

Freesia or freesia (freesia, lat. Freesia) hybrid - one of the most popular varieties, obtained by crossing several varieties. This flower comes from Africa and grows in its natural environment along the coasts of rivers and lakes, as well as near bushes. Let freesia grow in your garden. Planting and caring for it is not very difficult, and this flower will bring a lot of beauty and pleasure.

Description of freesia

Freesia - amazing beauty bulbous flower, which is successfully grown in any conditions. It's grassy perennial, belonging to the Iris family. There are over 20 varieties of this flower.

A delicate and elegant plant emits pleasant aroma, similar to the smell of lily of the valley. This flower is also called cape lily of the valley. Freesia is grown by many gardeners to create colorful bouquets and compositions.

Bright and fragrant freesia flowers can be an excellent decoration for wedding bouquet. They do not lose freshness for a long time and do not fade.

Their amazing aroma was used in the production of perfumes. Varieties that have red and yellow flowers grow much faster than other types. Hybrid freesia is a tall plant, reaching 1 m in height. The densely branched bare stem is covered with brown corm scales. The leaves are 20 cm long, 1-2 cm wide. Fragrant flowers, about 5 cm long, are collected in inflorescences that have a one-sided shape. Flower colors come in a variety of colors: yellow, white, red, purple, blue or orange, depending on the variety. The shade of the pharynx differs in color from the color of the petals. This plant bears fruit. The fruit is a capsule with seeds.

The most common hybrid varieties of freesia

Almost all modern freesia varieties are hybrid; they are more resistant to diseases and variable weather conditions.

How to grow freesia?

Caring for freesia ed, as well as its fellows at home, is as follows:

Freesia, growing in open ground, blooms in mid-autumn.

After the foliage has turned yellow, the plant is removed from the soil. The stem and leaves are completely cut off, and the bulb is shaken off the soil, old roots and scales. Then the tuber is dipped in any fungicidal solution for half an hour. After this, the corm needs to be thoroughly dried and stored. Competent and timely care is important here in order to properly preserve the planting material until the next planting.

When to plant freesia?

Planting freesia at home is carried out in order to ensure a long flowering period - from the beginning of winter to the end of spring. To get a beautifully blooming red freesia or any other variety in January, the plant bulb is planted in the fall - in September. Before planting, it is soaked in an azotobacterin solution for 30 minutes. 0.5 g of the substance is diluted in 10 liters of water. For successful and active growth experienced flower growers the tuber is additionally treated with root or epin.

After this, prepare the container for planting. For this flower, it is recommended to choose a wide pot with a diameter of at least 14 cm. Place a layer of drainage with charcoal on the bottom of the flowerpot, then soil mixture from turf, humus soil and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1. In order to make the soil nutritious, a small portion of potassium and phosphorus fertilizer is added to it. Next comes the landing itself. Several bulbs with a depth of about 4-5 cm can be planted in one pot at once.

After planting, the container with tubers should be placed in a cool place. Further care of the plantings is to ensure diffused bright light and stable temperature conditions. As soon as the first leaves appear on the plant, you can put it in a warm place and start watering. This is a method for growing freesia at home.

Planting freesia in open ground has a slightly different scheme. Before planting red freesia in the garden, the planting material is germinated. At the beginning of spring, the bulbs are cleaned of old scales and dipped into a weakly concentrated solution of foundationazole - 0.2%. This will prevent the appearance of various diseases in the plant during the growth and development stage. After this, the tubers are planted in peat pots with nutritious soil to a depth of 3-4 cm. Before planting in the garden, the plants are kept warm and in the light.

Freesia seed propagation

There is a practice of growing red freesia using seeds. This process is painstaking, requires quite a lot of time and is not always effective. We lay out the planting material on the prepared, slightly moistened soil, then lightly sprinkle it with earth, cover it with transparent polyethylene or place it under glass. Plantings need to be provided good lighting without direct sunlight. After 3-4 weeks, the first shoots should appear. After they grow to 2-3 cm and become stronger, a thinning procedure is carried out, removing the shelter. Already in mid-May, when the earth warms up and the threat of the last frost has passed, plants are planted in open ground.

We prepare an area in the garden and plant the tubers to a depth of about 5-6 cm with a distance of up to 5 cm from each other. The row spacing should be about 13-15 cm. After planting, the ground is mulched with coniferous soil or peat. This will protect the root system of the flowers from overheating.

Already at the end of summer - in mid-August, the plants will produce several flower stalks, on which they will bloom wildly decorative flowers. The flowering time of young specimens is 1-1.5 months.

Freesia care in the garden and disease prevention

Like many decorative flowering plants, freesia can be affected by aphids, thrips, and spider mites. Fusarium and all kinds of rot, as well as scab, are no exception. To avoid this, all bulbs are disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate before planting. Affected specimens must be destroyed.

To grow healthy, beautifully flowering plants at home or in the garden, you must follow the rules of watering, fertilizing and lighting

Freesia is a bulbous plant, belongs to the iris or iris family. Its height is about 60 cm. The leaves are long and narrow. The flowers are funnel-shaped, of various colors, up to 6 cm in diameter. There are up to 10 flowers on the peduncle. It stands well when cut, retaining its decorative value and delicate aroma. Freesia can be grown in the garden, on the balcony and in the room. It will look harmonious everywhere and decorate any corner. Freesia at home can bloom at any time, it will depend on when the bulb was planted. As a rule, flowering occurs 5 months after planting (sometimes a little earlier).

Bulb processing and soil preparation

Before planting, the bulbs must be cleared of dry scales. Treat them with a solution of "Fundazol" or keep them in "Fitosporin" to prevent fungal and bacterial diseases. The substrate needs to be nutritious and breathable; you can purchase ready-made soil for bulbous plants. Good to use as drainage charcoal with clay shards.

Landing

The bulbs must be planted to a depth of 5-6 cm. It is optimal to place 6 bulbs in a pot with a diameter of 12 cm. If suitable germination conditions are created (i.e. air temperature of 20 0 C and soil temperature of about 17 0 C), the sprouts will hatch in two weeks.

Freesia should be kept cool at home, and when buds appear in a warmer room. If temperature regime is not observed, the flowers may be deformed. Growing plants require nutrition; they need to be fed 2 times a month with complex fertilizer. It is necessary to water regularly, but in moderation. It is advisable to tie the stems to a support, otherwise they may break under the weight of the flowers. Flowering lasts about a month. If there is a desire or need to cut off flower stalks, then it is wiser to do this when the lower two flowers open.

After flowering

After flowering, watering is reduced. Fertilizers are not reduced, but phosphorus fertilizers are used instead of complex fertilizers. If the leaves turn yellow, it is advisable to dig up the bulbs, wash them, process them, dry them for a week and store them. Freesia may not need to be dug up at home. In this case, watering should be reduced to a minimum, and when new shoots appear, after about 2 months, care should be resumed.

Bulb storage

Bulbs are best stored hanging in a room with high humidity and a temperature of 25-30 0 C. A month before planting, they must be moved to a cool place (10-15 0 C).

Growing from seeds

Indoor freesia can be grown from seeds. It is better to sow in March. Soak the seeds in a growth stimulator and place in a warm place for a day. Place the seeds in a prepared container with soil, pressing them in slightly. Cover the container with film and place it on a bright windowsill. Ventilate and turn the film over daily. Spray if necessary warm water priming. Freesia at home sprouts in 10-12 days. As soon as the shoots appear, you need to increase the ventilation time, and after a couple of weeks, completely remove the film. When the seedlings grow, they need to be planted, leaving a distance of at least 5 cm between plants. Immediately place a support (it is convenient to use 40 cm skewers) and tie the stems to it. There is no need to shade. But spray regularly, it is also worth ventilating the room. Feed 2 times a month. In 7-8 months the freesias will bloom. Growing these exquisite flowers with the scent of lily of the valley at home is very exciting, and how much joy you will get from contemplating the created beauty!

Freesia is a beautiful and noble decoration for any garden plot. The homeland of the capricious beauty is considered to be warm and humid African lands, where it was discovered and then cultivated in early XIX V. Today, gardeners are attracted by the variety of shapes and shades of freesia flowers. Read our article on how to grow a plant and care for it.

This perennial herbaceous corm belongs to the Iris family, which includes about 20 fascinating species. Blooming freesia always attracts admiring glances. Fragrant, large, bell- and funnel-shaped flowers can create a kaleidoscope of orange, cream, yellow, pink, purple, white and red. Where freesia blooms, the air is always saturated with the subtle aroma of lily of the valley.

Varieties of culture

Freesia Armstrong

The branched stem of this plant reaches approximately 65 cm in height. In spring, such freesia dresses in snow-white, pink, lilac, scarlet or rich red. Fragrant bells are united in 3-5 buds into lush panicles.

Varieties of this type of freesia show off their flowers from May to June. Armstrong's most impressive freesia variety is the Cardinal freesia.

Freesia broken

Its stem rarely exceeds a height of 30 cm. The miniature variety is very different fragrant flowers various shades of yellow. There are also varieties that produce white flowers, such as Alba freesia.

Freesia hybrid

Flower growers love this type more than others. The plant was obtained by crossing broken freesia and Armstrong freesia. The culture is notable for the wide palette of shades in which its buds are painted during the flowering period. The highlight of the flower is its pharynx, which, as a rule, is painted in a contrasting color in relation to the petals. A fairly tall crop, the height of which in some cases exceeds 100 cm. The plant species is distinguished by a bare, highly branched stem and a brownish scaly corm. The leaves of this freesia are neat - thin, divided in half by a central vein.

The most impressive representatives of the species are Ballerina, Rose Marie and Pimperina. Admire these varieties of freesia in the photo:

All types of plants have varieties of simple and double forms. A simple-shaped flower has one row of petals, a double-shaped flower has two or more. Considering that flower shops today offer a wide range of freesia varieties and various combinations of varieties in one package, you can grow a real work of art near your home, consisting of freesias of various shapes and colors.

Decorative value of freesia flowers

This is adorable garden plant valued primarily as a cut crop. This is not surprising, since freesia flowers:

• become the main emphasis when drawing up any flower arrangement. For this reason, freesia is a frequent guest in wedding bouquets;
• maintain a fresh, attractive appearance for a long time;
• attracted the attention of venerable perfumers due to its delicate aroma;
• become integral element landscape design;
• with proper care they delight with their abundance both in the garden and on the windowsill.

Freesia: cultivation and care

The plant feels great in a greenhouse all year round. The bulbs are germinated in large wooden containers or on racks in light and loose soil. A mixture of leaf or turf soil and peat is also suitable. Water the crop regularly and very moderately: after morning watering, the soil around its trunk should dry out noticeably by the evening. Freesia flower stalks must be tied up.

The optimal conditions for germinating bulbs are considered to be a temperature of 20°C. In the cold season, 6 - 7 days after planting, the temperature in the greenhouse is reduced to 10 0 C, and in the spring, make sure that the thermometer does not leave the 20 0 C mark. Sharp cooling or warming (below 2 -3 0 C and above 20 - 21 0 C) spoils freesia peduncles, deforming them. In winter, the flower needs additional lighting.

Growing freesia in open ground

Many people are happy to invite freesia to their personal plot. The plant loves it very much Sun rays, but can’t stand the wind. The crop grows successfully in loose, humus-rich soil with sufficient drainage.

Before planting in open ground, freesia tubers are given a long period of rest: they are stored for about 3 months in a room with a high level of humidity at a temperature of about 28 - 30 0 C. Freesia is planted in the garden when the danger of sudden frosts has passed. After planting, do not forget to mulch the crop with neutralized peat. From the very the best side freesia will be able to show itself if it is satisfied with natural light: the flower loves sunlight very much, but does not tolerate the aggressive effects of burning rays in too hot weather, therefore light partial shade is considered optimal conditions for normal flower growth.

Peduncles appear by August, and freesia will delight you with luxurious flowering until autumn. The better the weather, the longer the flowers do not fade. Flowers for a bouquet can be cut when at least two flowers in the inflorescence have fully opened their petals. Withered flowers are immediately removed, otherwise they will deprive the neighboring fresh buds and flowers of nutrients.

The graceful plant is distinguished by weak peduncles that easily bend under their own weight, so a freesia garden cannot do without a strong support. In truth, a slight curvature of the stem even looks attractive, but the lack of support threatens the freesia with premature breaking and shortens its life. Twine stretched at several levels in the form of a grid can serve as a support. This design will be needed as soon as the plant shoots reach a height of 15 cm.

A correctly installed support will allow the freesia to maintain a vertical position, which will provide the stem and leaves of the flower with uniform access to air, moisture and light. When tensioning the mesh, you need to ensure that the distance between its cells does not exceed 10 - 15 cm. As the freesia grows upward, the mesh is increased due to new levels.

When flowering ends, the corms are dug up - this must be done before the leaves dry out. The above-ground part of the stem is cut off. For 1 month after removal from the soil, the corms are stored at a temperature of about 25 0 C, then gradually reduce it to 10 0 C.

At the beginning of the growing season, freesia especially needs loose, light soil, so do not forget to periodically loosen the soil around the flower. Abundant and regular watering is also of great importance for freesia - it will bloom only if the soil is constantly moist. Abundant flowering garden beauty lasts 3 - 6 weeks. During this time, watering should be gradually reduced until completely stopped. You also need to remember to regularly spray the stem and leaves of the plant, since air humidity is of no small importance for it. Watering and spraying are carried out in the evening, taking into account that the moisture should be completely absorbed by the soil and the freesia itself. IN open ground the flower feels good before the onset of frost.

With the arrival of autumn (late September - early October), freesia fades, its leaves turn yellow, dry out. It's time to dig the plant's corms out of the ground, removing the stem and leaves. Clean the bulbs from the soil, cut off the roots and old scales, and leave them for about 30 minutes. in a non-concentrated solution of potassium permanganate or other fungicide (for example, Fundazol, Maxim) and give them 2 - 3 days to dry completely at a temperature of 25 - 28 0 C in a well-ventilated area. Finally, the bulbs are carefully sorted to discard any spoiled or rotten ones. The healthy part is left for storage.

How to store freesia bulbs

To preserve the integrity of the bulbs of this crop, they are placed in a net and left in a room with a temperature of about 21 - 25 0 C and air humidity above average (about 80%). If there are no suitable storage conditions, you can place a container filled with water under the net with the bulbs. Planting material should be sorted out once a month and inspected for diseased or rotten corms. 1 month before planting in open ground, the bulbs are transferred to a cooler place (from 10 to 15 0 C).

Experienced flower growers store plant bulbs by burying them in dry peat. If severe winters with severe frosts do not come to your area, you can leave the corms in the ground, hiding them under a layer of fallen leaves or spruce branches.

Freesia propagation methods

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

Propagation by seeds

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

The first shoots appear after approximately 23 – 25 days. When they are already clearly visible, they are “relocated” to the greenhouse. In order for young freesia to grow stronger, it is regularly looked after: they make sure that it has enough light, water, weed and feed it with fertilizers based on potassium and phosphorus every week.

When transplanting pickled seedlings to permanent place use paper cups or special boxes.

Reproduction by daughter bulbs

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 of freesia, a certain amount of sand and crushed coal in equal proportions is poured into the planting holes, and then spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate. Seedlings need frequent hilling and watering. Seedlings can be transferred to open ground along with a planting box.

Freesia Fertilizer

In order for the plant to grow healthy, it is periodically fertilized. Freesia is highly sensitive to the degree of soil salinity; therefore, only liquid solutions are suitable for it, and dry mixtures are strictly contraindicated.

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

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

Experienced gardeners recommend the following feeding scheme: for the first time, fertilizer in the form of 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 water.

Diseases and pests dangerous to plants

The diseases that gladioli often suffer from pose a great danger to freesia. The sophisticated plant is very difficult to tolerate fusarium, gray, dry, hard, penicillium and sclerotial rots, scab.

Viral diseases such as bean virus and freesia virus can destroy even very tall and healthy flowers. The causative agent of these diseases, the freesia mosaic virus, causes the development of small wet spots on the leaves of the infected plant, which dry out after a while, leaving behind light marks. If there are a lot of such marks, the sheet dies. Due to the harmful virus, freesia bulbs also suffer: they become covered rusty spots. Beautiful bloom for a sick freesia it becomes an almost impossible task. The plant forms a curved arrow, on which buds with greenish petals subsequently appear. Aphids are considered to be the spreaders of the virus. Diseased plants should be destroyed to protect healthy neighboring freesias.

As preventive measures disinfection is carried out by washing the dug up bulbs. The same procedure is carried out before planting the plant in open ground. For processing, zircon, potassium permanganate solution, and foundationazole are used.

Freesia growing in open ground is often bothered by spider mites, thrips and aphids. Detected pests are eliminated using soap solution or any insecticidal agent.

The health of freesia largely depends on compliance with the rules of agricultural technology:

1. For watering plants, use only settled warm water.
2. Watering is carried out no later than 5 pm, so that the freesia leaves have time to dry by night.
3. Neighboring plants should not be planted too closely, otherwise air stagnation in wet weather cannot be avoided.

Freesia, which is cared for according to all the rules, will thank you lush flowering and luxurious flowers.

Garden and home freesia: features of cultivation. Video