Freesia at home. Growing freesia at home: tips, rules, recommendations

The homeland of beautiful freesia is South Africa. Gardeners of the French court were busy planting, caring for and selecting a flower. That is why freesia flowers are considered a symbol of the aristocracy. A fresh and amazing smell, the porcelain structure of the petals gives the freesia basket a sensual tenderness. It symbolizes youth, tranquility and love of life.

Freesia Features

The color scheme of the plant has all shades of the rainbow. Freesia baskets have a racemose shape, which is completed by a graceful peduncle, framed by xiphoid leaves.

The smell of freesia is similar to the amber of lily of the valley.

The plant belongs to bulbous perennials of the iris family. She loves warmth very much. Previously, freesias were grown only in closed conditions for the purpose of cutting. Breeders have received new varieties of freesia that grow well in open field in the southern and western regions of the Russian Federation.

Specific characteristics of freesia:

• the fragrance of the fragrance lasts for quite a long time, so it is used in the cosmetic industry;
• successfully used in landscape design;
• the plant is excellent for growing both in open ground and at home;
• red-yellow shades of the flower grow faster than others.

There are about 20 types of freesia and many variations, but cultivated - three.

hybrid freesia blooms for a long time and has a wonderful view. The three main varieties of this species are:

1. Red Lion. The flowers are red, the texture of the petal is terry.
2. Vinita Gold. Yellow or orange.
3. Royal Blue. Blue basket.

Landing

Freesia is grown both in garden and at home. The plant grows well in both cases.

Tubers are taken for planting in open ground. The preparation of planting bulbs begins in early spring. They are planted in a substance that is prepared as follows: turf/peat/humus/sand.

Fertilizer with bone meal, potassium salts is added to the mixture of soil prepared for planting on their own.

Bulbs are placed in a pot for planting with a certain interval so that the sprouts can grow freely.

It is necessary to streamline the irrigation regime so that the earth does not oversaturate, but also does not remain dry.

If the climate allows, the tubers can be planted immediately in open ground, after examining the condition of the tubers.

Landing is best done after spring frosts, approximately in mid-April - early May.

The site for planting must be selected in advance, taking into account the peculiarities of freesia care. Although she is from South Africa, but does not tolerate heat and direct sunlight. A darkened area, calmness, lack of drafts - this is all that an affectionate flower loves, and that ensures its normal flowering.

Peat is added to the ground before planting. The soil is loosened and pegs are pre-inserted in order to use them for tying the plant.

Holes are prepared for planting tubers approximately 6 cm deep, between 5 and 12 cm. After planting, fertilizer is evenly distributed over the holes.

To admire freesia flowers at home, they are also grown in flowerpots.

Summarizing fit requirements, the following can be distinguished:

1. Freesia needs to provide a long daylight hours.
2. The flower is sensitive to drafts.
3. The soil where the flower is planted should be loose, with excellent drainage.
4. Broad-leaved varieties of freesia need more space, narrow-leaved varieties can be planted more compactly.
5. Cut flowers are allowed after the first two flowers have appeared in the basket.
6. Withered flowers must be removed to useful material don't waste your money on them.
7. The flower loves moisture, it needs to be provided with regular spraying. Do not allow water to get on the leaves and dissolutions.

Freesia Care

It is necessary to organize flower care, respecting the following rules:

It should be borne in mind that the first top dressing is carried out with ammonium nitrate.

Growing freesia at home

At home, the cultivation of freesia is aimed at winter - spring bloom. To prevent freesia from becoming moldy in January, the tubers are planted in the soil at the end of August.

The bulbs are moistened in advance in azotobacterin, prepared with the calculation of 0.5 g per 10 liters of water, with a duration of half an hour. Drainage substance and charcoal are settled on the container tray, then the soil is poured with the addition of potassium-phosphorus top dressing. 5 bulbs are placed in a pot to a depth of 6 cm. It is better to place a container with freesia in a well-lit room, with a moderate temperature. Until the leaves appear, the plant is not watered. After the appearance of the first leaves, the flower is transferred to a more warm place and start watering.

Freesia care at home is easier than in the garden or greenhouse.

1. IN winter period When growing freesia at home, it is necessary to provide it with light; lamps are used for this.
2. To grow a slender flower, you should not forget about the props. They will help the freesia straighten up and grow normally. In the care of the plant, an important place is occupied by the irrigation regime. Water procedures must be performed with settled water when upper layer the soil becomes dry.
3. When caring for freesia, one should not forget that she loves humidity and the spraying procedure is required.
4. Feed the flower should be 2 times a week until the leaves dry.
5. After the flowering of home freesia, the leaves and stem are cut off, and the bulb continues to be looked after so that other bulbs appear in it. Then the tubers are removed from the soil, treated with potassium permanganate, dried and placed in storage.

bulb aging

Proper storage tubers- a guarantee of growing healthy and beautiful flowers next year.

In those climatic zones, where cold winters are excluded, the bulbs can be left in the ground, covering them with a spruce.

If affected areas are found on the flower, they must be removed immediately.

bulbs before storage disinfect with a solution of potassium permanganate.The procedure should be repeated before planting. Having grown this splendor in the garden, on your windowsill, you can enjoy its delightful flowers every year, inhaling the delicate and noble aroma of freesia.

beautiful freesia flower

To date, about 20 species of decorative flowering freesias are known. These plants are grown both in the garden and at home. As houseplant grow up special kind freesia - its hybrid form.

Freesia hybrid perfect for home use. This is a low plant, reaching a height of half a meter. The leaves of this freesia are narrow, linear in shape. In length, they do not exceed 20 cm, and in width - 10 times less.

On a long peduncle is a beautiful inflorescence. It has about a dozen flowers. The flowers are small, 6 cm in diameter, funnel-shaped, smell pleasant (reminiscent of the aroma of lily of the valley). The color of the flowers is varied: white, red, yellow, purple, lilac, etc.

IN room conditions it is advisable to tie the plants to a support so that they do not hang.

How to grow freesia?

• First of all, you need to pick up a pot and soil for planting. Pots for freesia should be of sufficient size, commensurate with the size of the plant itself.
• The pots should be filled with loose nutrient medium.
• Freesia at home is a pot culture. Therefore, its death is inevitable. After the flowering period is over, cut off the dry peduncle and reduce watering. During dormancy, it is only necessary to occasionally water the soil a little, keep the freesia bulb warm and at good lighting. After 2-3 months, the rest period will end, new bulbs will form.
• Remember that you can not store hybrid freesia bulbs in the refrigerator! So they will die for you!

How to plant freesia?

There are 2 ways to plant freesia at home: using bulbs and using seeds.

1. If you decide to choose the first method, then plant the bulbs in prepared pots in the month of October. They will sprout in two weeks. Keep the temperature below 16°C during this time. Watering should be moderate. After the emergence of seedlings, the plant needs sunlight like people need air.
2. Freesia is grown from seed in the spring. May is the best month for this. At 20°C-22°C the seeds will begin to germinate. Approximately this process will take no more than 10 days. 8 months after planting, freesia grown from seeds will bloom. If you planted plant bulbs, then the time until flowering is reduced.

Conditions for growing freesia at home

Compliance right conditions at home is necessary for the normal functioning of freesia hybrid and its abundant flowering.

• Lighting. Bright sunlight without shading.

• Temperature . From 20°C to 25°C degrees.
• Air humidity. Needs frequent systematic spraying, especially during the summer heat.
• Watering . Abundant. When germinating bulbs, it is reasonable, moderate.
• top dressing . It is necessary to fertilize freesia at home in the following periods: during active growth, the appearance of buds and the flowering period. Mineral supplements are needed every two weeks.
• Transfer . Freesia hybrid is transplanted every year in the spring. A prerequisite for transplantation is the preliminary maintenance of the flower in a warm room.
• The soil for transplantation, a special one is needed, for leaf bulbs, or it can be a mixture of peat soil, humus, leaf soil and sand.

Freesia hybrid - one of the most beautiful views for growing at home. potted handmade from bright flowers you can decorate not only the rooms of your house, but also the balcony (both from the inside and from outside). This species is very good as a cut. Freesias make elegant gift bouquets, or you can present a flower as a gift right in a pot.

In any case, the efforts spent on growing freesia at home from seeds or bulbs will be rewarded with pleasant emotions and good mood you and your loved ones!

Freesia flower (freesia) is a bright representative of bulbous plants. The flower is also called freesia or vriesia. You can grow a perennial culture of the Kasatikov family on the site and at home. There are more than twenty subspecies of the plant. Hybrid representatives of freesias are especially popular. The flower is widespread in southern Africa. IN natural environment culture lives in groups with other green spaces and near water bodies. The refined aroma and unique grace of freesia are especially appreciated. The flower is grown on an industrial scale to decorate bouquets and compositions.

This flower is amazing perennial Iris family.

Sufficient lighting

It will take a lot of effort to bloom freesias. Light-loving culture prefers brightly lit areas. The minimum amount of sunlight daily should be about 14 hours.

In a closed room, place the flowerpot next to the window. On the street, it is desirable to choose a semi-shaded area. On gardening sites, it is often recommended to plant a flower in an open area. Direct sunlight favorably affects the formation of inflorescences.

It is preferable to plant freesia in a heap method. Multi-colored buds form bright and dense spots with a unique aroma.

Under favorable conditions, freesia can bloom all year round.

Temperature regime

During active development, the culture should be provided with warm microclimatic conditions ranging from + 20 to + 25 degrees. After the inflorescences wither, it is necessary to move the flowerpot with freesia to warm room with a humidity level of about 50%.

After 2 months, freesia can be removed from the soil. Planting material should be stored in a bag of peat at a temperature of about + 15 degrees. It is not recommended to place the bulbs in the cellar, basement or refrigerator. Freesia underground shoots may die. In room conditions, you can continue growing freesia in the winter.

Watering conditions

During flowering and bud formation, it is necessary to moisten the soil abundantly and evenly. An overdried substrate will destroy the inflorescences.

Excessive watering causes freesia disease. Waterlogged soil often leads to rotting of the root system. It is almost impossible to restore the plant.

Air humidity standards

The plant prefers elevated level humidity. Maintaining the environment at home is not easy enough. You will need to spray water daily next to the plant. Direct spraying of freesia flowers or leaves can kill the crop.

In open ground, it is necessary to water the flower no later than 17 hours. Soil moisture in evening time detrimental to the plant. Drops of liquid on the culture will not have time to dry. Excess moisture combined with low temperature air contribute to the defeat of the plant by root rot and fungal diseases.

The need for a transplant

Bulbs should be dug up before the first frost.

The culture should be replanted annually. Before planting, it is necessary to carry out heat treatment planting material.

Bulbs should be carefully examined. The greatest germination is guaranteed by small stems without dents and signs of damage. Woody freesia must be destroyed.

For transplanting, you need to mix leaf and sod land with sand. It is advisable to add crushed peat briquettes. You can purchase ready-made soil mixture for bulbous. In order to plant a flowering crop in the ground in the spring, you will need to fork out the freesia in advance.

At the end of October, healthy bulbs must be placed in the substrate. The container should be kept indoors high level humidity and temperature around + 25 degrees. During the period of leaf formation, additional artificial lighting will be needed. The first inflorescences will appear approximately at the end of February. At the stage of bud production, the daylight hours should be reduced by 3 hours.

Pruning procedure

To stimulate re-blooming, you need to cut off the fading inflorescence. This must be done before the stage of ovule formation. The plant will direct all the energy to the production of new buds. To cleanse the culture you will need:

plant in the open field

On the plot, the culture is abundantly covered with inflorescences for more than two months. Cutting off faded flowers will re-bud bud on secondary stems.

plant on outdoors should be fed with a preparation with superphosphates and potassium salt. Fertilizer can be applied no more than twice a month.

The soil on the street is constantly drained under the influence of wind and drafts. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly replenish soil moisture. However, excessive watering is detrimental to freesia.

In the open air, it is necessary to regularly ensure looseness and sufficient soil moisture.

To maintain the balance of thin shoots, stick a support near the base of the flower.
IN open ground the plant is often attacked by insects. As a preventive measure, you can treat the flower with soapy water once every two months. Surfactants contribute to the destruction of spider mites and aphids.

If, after excessive soaking of the soil, the first signs of decay appear, the freesia should be immediately disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or foundationol.

Growing technique

The soil

As a substrate for planting freesia, you can purchase a ready-made soil mixture for onion crops. At home, you will need to mix leafy soil with humus and medium-grained sand.

At the bottom of the container should thin layer lay out drainage material. Expanded clay, gravel or crushed polystyrene are ideal as a filler. When choosing a container, it is imperative to pay attention to a sufficient number of holes for draining water. You can add to the ground wood ash. The component activates the development of freesia.

Mulching

At the base of the culture, it is necessary to regularly maintain about 5 cm of a protective layer. As mulch, you can use rotted compost or dry leaves. The surface coating retains moisture and inhibits the rapid spread of weeds.

Fertilizer

After graduation growing season feeding should be stopped.

It is necessary to feed the flower during active development, at the stage of bud production and during the period of abundant flowering. For freesia, the multicomponent preparation Kemira-Lux is ideal. Twice a month, you can stimulate the development of the culture with a solution of potassium and phosphorus. The product should be prepared in a ratio of three grams of chemical components per liter of water.

For distillation of freesia, nitrogen components can be used (two grams per liter of liquid chemical element). In preparation for winter dormancy, it is necessary to stop feeding.

Failure to comply with growing conditions in flower containers often slows down the development of freesia. Indoors, you need to fertilize the culture weekly with half the dose provided for by the instructions.

How to choose a flowerpot

In order for freesia to please with flowering all winter, you need to choose the appropriate variety. Freesia "White" can produce new buds even in the cold season.

To form inflorescences, the plant should be planted in a suitable container. Flat earthenware vessels with a diameter of about 15 cm are ideal for growing in the garden. Up to 8 bulbs can be placed in each flowerpot. At the bottom of the container should be laid out charcoal and greenhouse land.

The secrets of growing freesia in a pot with moss can be found in the video:

Typical problems and diseases

The flower is affected by diseases typical of bulbous representatives. Lack of proper care leads to the appearance of various pests. Most often, thrips, spider mites and aphids appear on the culture.

The list of the most common bacterial and fungal infections includes fusarium, scab and decay of various origins. As preventive measures it is necessary:

1. Periodically clean the plant from the affected areas.
2. Treat leaves and stems with pesticides to keep insects out.
3. The extracted bulbs should be thoroughly cleaned of contaminants and disinfected with potassium permanganate.

Freesia influence

Freesia flowers are used for various purposes:

• banquet decorations;
• in interior design;
• creating a bridal bouquet.

The aroma of freesia inflorescences can cause allergic rhinitis and dizziness.

Tropical freesia flower has a delicate and unique smell. A strong fragrance can cause an allergic reaction. Most often there is swelling, damage to the respiratory tract, dizziness and nausea. An antihistamine should be taken and contact with the culture should be limited.

Reproduction methods

You can grow freesia at home with the help of seeds and children.

Reproduction of freesia by children

Most effective method breeding tropical plant. After the flowering of the culture follows:

Freesia from seeds

It will take a long time to breed a flower. For proper cultivation would need:

Why freesia does not bloom

There are several reasons for the lack of inflorescences:

1. Planting material before planting did not go through a long stage of warming up.
2. The low level of humidity in the room caused the tubers to dry out. The stems will not be able to form inflorescences. Therefore, the material should be planted in the soil for the formation of new children. In autumn, the extracted tubers should be stored in a well-ventilated area. IN next year new bulbs will be able to produce many abundant flowers.
3. Purchase of infected tubers. Latent infection causes freesia to rot after planting.
4. If in the first week after planting in open ground the plant has undergone a sharp decrease or increase in temperature, the buds may not appear.

How to choose freesia

The supplier of planting material should be carefully selected. It is almost impossible to detect infection of tubers with a virus or fungus.

You can buy 10 Blue freesia seeds at a price of 76 rubles. "White" freesia is a particularly popular type of culture. A set of tubers is sold at a price of 150 rubles for 8 pieces.

Freesia will be an excellent decoration for any garden or home, as this bulbous plant can be grown not only in open ground, but also in pots or boxes. The flower belongs to perennial crops, therefore, when planning cultivation in the garden, you need to carefully select a place where this resident of the tropics will be comfortable.

Features of freesia, its varieties, rules for care and cultivation will be described in detail in this article. Using our tips, you will learn how to properly breed freesia, regardless of the climate.

Features of the freesia flower

Exquisite freesias are presented in a wide variety of shades, and even after cutting the flowers long time do not lose their freshness and original appearance. In addition, the plant has an exquisite aroma and is used to produce perfumes (Figure 1).

Picture 1. External features flower

When properly placed on the site, freesia can become valuable. decorative culture, which will be an excellent component flower arrangement. Most hybrids reach a meter in height, and delicate single inflorescences look great in flower beds.

Species and varieties

The most common is the hybrid freesia, which was obtained by crossing several varieties. But there are other, equally common types of culture that also deserve the attention of flower growers (Figure 2).

Popular varieties of freesia include:

1. Armstrong- a relatively low plant (up to 70 cm) with pink or red bell-shaped flowers.
2. hybrid combines best qualities species that were used to create it. The height of an adult plant reaches a meter, and the buds of a wide variety of shades are collected in small inflorescences. This species includes the varieties Ballerina, Rose Marie and Pimperina.
3. Broken distinguished by thin stems and spreading inflorescences of a white or yellowish hue.

Figure 2. Popular crop varieties: 1 - Armstrong, 2 - hybrid, 3 - broken

All the types described above can be both simple and terry. It is noteworthy that on the same bed you can grow not only one particular variety, but also a mixture of different species.

freesia growing conditions

Freesia belongs to tropical crops, although it is grown in open ground and under conditions temperate climate. It should be borne in mind that the bulbs of the plant will not be able to endure the winter cold, and not this period of the year they must be dug up and stored until next year.

Planting and caring for freesia in the open field

Exist certain rules placing a flower in the garden. First of all, you need to correctly determine the landing site. The advantage should be given to semi-shaded areas: despite the fact that for abundant flowering, the culture needs light for 12-14 hours, direct sunlight can burn the petals.

The flower bed should be well protected from drafts, and it is better to choose loose, nutritious and well-drained soil. It should also be borne in mind that some varieties need supports, as thin stems can break under the weight of lush buds.

How to grow

Planting is carried out with bulbs, but, unlike tulips or daffodils, which can be immediately transferred to the ground after warm weather stabilizes, it is advisable to germinate the bulbs slightly before transferring to the flower bed.

In order for the cultivation to be successful, at the end of March or the beginning of April, all planting material is inspected, freed from dry scales and treated with a solution of foundationol for disinfection and prevention of fungi. Next, the bulbs are planted in small pots with peat soil, deepening them into the soil by no more than 5 cm, and exposed to a warm, well-lit place.

Figure 3. Features of planting a plant in the ground

Growing from seeds is rarely practiced and only for breeding certain varieties. In this case, the seeds are scattered over the surface of moist soil, sprinkled with a thin layer of earth no more than 2 cm and covered with a film or glass. After the appearance of the first shoots, thinning is carried out, leaving only the most strong plants. landing on permanent place carried out at the end of May, when the spring frosts stop.

Landing

Since freesia belongs to tropical crops, it is very sensitive to cold and frost. Therefore, planting in open ground is carried out at the end of May, when there is no longer a threat of frost (Figure 3).

Planting freesia in the ground is carried out as follows:

1. We prepare small holes in the flowerbed, since the culture bulbs are deepened into the ground by no more than 6 cm.
2. If you have large planting material, the distance between the planting holes should be 5 cm, and if small - 3 cm.
3. A distance of 15 cm should be kept between rows.
4. The bulbs are placed in the ground, sprinkled with a layer of soil and cover the bed with a layer of organic mulch (peat or coniferous soil).

The first buds will appear in August, and when proper care flowering will continue until early October.

The video shows how to choose the right time and land in open ground.

garden care

Freesia reacts very positively to top dressing. For the entire period of cultivation, they are carried out several times. The first - when the first shoots appear. In this case, use an aqueous solution of ammonium nitrate (20 grams of fertilizer per bucket of water). In the future, top dressing is carried out twice a month, introducing potassium salt and superphosphor dissolved in water into the soil in a proportion of 20 and 40 grams of the substance per bucket of water (Figure 4).

In addition to top dressing, the crop needs regular weeding and loosening of the soil, as weeds can simply drown out young plants and they will stop growing.

Figure 4. The main stages of flower care

Irrigation regime also requires some attention. The plant needs watering especially strongly during the period of growth and flowering: at this time, moisture must be applied often and plentifully. When flowering is complete, the number of waterings is gradually reduced and completely stopped. At this time, it will be enough to periodically spray the leaves with water to increase the humidity of the air. It is advisable to carry out the procedure in the evening so that sunburn does not appear on the leaves.

Diseases and pests

The culture is affected by the same diseases and pests as the rest. bulbous plants. Thus, thrips, aphids or spider mites can cause significant harm to plantings, to combat which insecticides and agaricides are used.

Among the diseases, freesia is most often affected by scab, fusarium and rot. Unfortunately, it is impossible to cure a plant from these pathologies, so the affected specimen is simply removed from the soil along with an earthen clod and burned.

For the prevention of bulb diseases, plants are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate before being stored and planted in the ground. The irrigation schedule also plays an important role: neither waterlogging of the soil nor its drying out should be allowed.

Freesia at home

Growing freesia in open ground is considered quite difficult, so more often this crop can be found in greenhouses or greenhouses. However, to grow this unusual flower possible at home.

To do this, you need to know what conditions should be created for the successful cultivation of a crop, and what care should be provided to the plant at all stages of vegetative development.

How to plant

At home, freesia is most often grown in order to enjoy its flowering in winter and in early spring. To enjoy in the cold season lush bloom culture, you need to properly plant (Figure 5).

Note: If you want the first flowers to appear in winter, the bulbs should be planted no later than September.

Before planting, the bulbs are soaked in a disinfectant solution of potassium permanganate or azotobacterin. If possible, additional treatment with growth stimulants can be carried out.

Figure 5. Features of planting and growing flowers at home

A layer of drainage is laid on the bottom of the prepared pots, then a mixture of peat, sand and soddy soil is poured and several bulbs are placed in it to a depth of 5-6 cm. But as soon as the first shoots appear, the pot is moved to a warm and sunny room and watered abundantly.

Home care

It is much easier to care for this unusual flower culture at home than in the open field, since in a city apartment it is easier to create optimal conditions for this resident of the tropics.

The subtleties of freesia care at home are as follows:

• In autumn and winter, the plant needs additional lighting, since the daylight hours should be at least 12 hours.
• Supports must be installed in the pot with each plant, as the thin stems of the culture may not support the weight of the buds and break.
• Watering is carried out every time the top layer of soil dries. For this purpose, it is better to use settled water.
• In winter, the leaves must be sprayed to increase air humidity.

In addition, during the flowering period, the culture needs mineral supplements who contribute every two weeks. Fertilizer is stopped when the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out.

Freesia after flowering

Care of the plant after flowering largely depends on the conditions in which it was grown. For example, after the completion of flowering in home culture it is necessary to completely remove the leaves and cut the stem, leaving only the bulb in the ground. Watering the culture is continued for one and a half to two months, so that new bulbs form on the maternal root. Further, planting material can be removed from the soil, treated with potassium permanganate and sent for storage.

Care of horticultural crops after flowering begins in late September or early October. During this period, flowering has already ended, but the leaves have not yet completely wilted. It is at this time that the bulbs are removed from the soil, the stems are cut, old scales are removed and placed in a disinfectant solution for 30 minutes. Next, the planting material must be dried for several days and sent for storage in a cool place.

Storing freesia bulbs

Key role in successful cultivation plays the correct storage of planting material. To do this, all the bulbs are processed disinfectant solution and carefully inspect, removing all rotten or dry specimens.

Figure 6. Proper storage of crop bulbs

Next, the planting material is placed in nets and stored in a warm and humid room (humidity up to 80% at a temperature of +25 degrees). Bulbs should be regularly inspected to remove damaged specimens in time and prevent further damage to the material (Figure 6).

About a month before planting in the ground, the bulbs are transferred to a cooler room and stored at a temperature not higher than +15 degrees.

Such storage conditions are relevant only for temperate and cold climates. In the southern regions with warm winters bulbs can be left in the ground by covering them with a layer of organic mulch.

Not all flowers can be called universal in terms of where they are grown: some feel comfortable only at home, others need to be planted exclusively in open ground. But all this does not apply to freesia - a flower bulb culture that grows successfully at home, in a greenhouse, and in a summer cottage.

There are enough species and varieties of freesia in our time a large number of, but all of them are united by the following features:

• stem glabrous and strongly branched;
• leaves are long, straight, very narrow and smooth;
• flowers have a delicate pleasant aroma;
• narrow funnel flower.

Plant height and flower size vary by variety.

Freesia very quickly gained popularity among summer gardeners for many reasons, among which are:

• versatility of the place of cultivation;
• decorativeness of flowers and the aroma exuded by them;
• cut flowers are very durable.

Below are the most popular and unpretentious varieties three types of freesia, as well as their brief characteristics. I would like to note right away that all three species have both ordinary and terry varieties (they always have the word "Double" in the name).

As emphasized above, one of the main advantages of freesia as a flower crop is the versatility of its place of cultivation. Therefore, the following will consider the conditions that must be met depending on the choice of this place.

Seating preparation

The place for planting freesia on the site should be chosen based on the fact that, although it is considered sufficient thermophilic culture does not tolerate direct sunlight. Therefore, a place with a very light openwork shading is ideal for her.

After selection suitable place planting, you can do the preparation of the soil on it. If freesia will grow as a tapeworm, then you need to dig a hole of a suitable size with a depth of 40 cm and add soil mixture to it.

If it is planted in a row, then a trench is dug with the same depth and width of 40 cm and filled with an earthen mixture. The soil should be loose, so it is recommended to make an earth mixture by combining peat, humus, compost and top layer garden soil in a ratio of 1:1:1:1, respectively.

Also, for loosening, you can add vermiculite or river sand. Freesia does not like acidic soils, so a plot with acidic soil must first be deoxidized with lime. Also, in the prepared earthen mixture are introduced and mineral fertilizers: nitrogenous and phosphorus-potassium.

Freesia has long been no longer some kind of exotic flower, whose bulbs are hard to find on the shelves of gardening stores. When purchasing planting material, before buying, you need to carefully inspect the bulbs for the absence of rot and mold. Also, they should be dense and hard, there should not be dry and soft parts.

If it was decided to grow freesia from seeds, which is a more time-consuming process, then when purchasing planting material, you should probe the package for the presence of seeds, check its integrity and expiration date.

Bulbs before planting begin to prepare in early April. First of all, they are cleaned of hard scales and soaked for half an hour in a fungicide solution (Fitosporin helps well). This will prevent the risk of fungal diseases, and the bulbs themselves will be more resistant to decay.

After that, all planting material is planted in separate pots to a depth of 5 cm for germination. Pots with planted bulbs are placed in a well-lit, warm place before planting and monitor soil moisture.

Seeds before planting must also be treated with a fungicide and planted in landing capacity filled with nutrient substrate. From above, the seeds are lightly sprinkled with soil (up to 3 ... 4 mm), slightly moistened with a spray bottle and covered with glass (can be wrapped in a plastic bag).

When shoots appear, it is necessary to put them on a window with scattered sunlight and make sure that the earth in the container does not dry out. Usually, the procedure for planting freesia seeds for seedlings begins in April, 1 ... 1.5 months before planting in open ground. I would like to note right away that freesia from seeds will bloom only 8 ... 9 months after planting. Therefore, few people plant it in open ground.

• Bulbs or seedlings are planted in a pre-prepared trench or pit at a distance of 3 ... 5 cm from each other.
• In the presence of row spacing, a distance of 15 cm must be observed.
• Freesia bulbs are deepened by 3 ... 6 cm, depending on their size.

Preparing freesia bulbs for planting: video

Freesia - two weeks after planting: video

This flower culture became popular with indoor flower growers for one simple reason - it is able to bloom at absolutely any time of the year, everything will depend on the period of its planting in pots. Of course, many people are waiting for winter bloom, because few flowers can please the eye at this time of the year. To do this, you need to plant freesia bulbs already in late August - early September in a pot.

Before planting the bulbs in a container, you need to process them:

• as a prophylaxis with fungicides to prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases and various rots;
• growth stimulants for rapid awakening and development of bulbs.

To grow freesia at home, you will need a pot, at the bottom of which there is a hole for the outflow of excess water.

In addition, it is necessary to put a layer of drainage on the bottom (for this you can use medium-sized pebbles, coarse river sand or ready-made drainage bought in a store). Then a layer of charcoal is laid.

From above, the pot is filled with a substrate consisting of peat, humus and garden soil, taken in a ratio of 1: 1: 1, respectively. It is desirable to add mineral fertilizers containing a large percentage of calcium and phosphorus to this mixture.

When all the preliminary preparations are completed, you can start planting freesia bulbs. They are buried in the ground by 5 ... 6 cm. There are up to 5 pieces of bulbs per 1.5 l of the substrate.

• The freesia pot is transferred to a cool place with a temperature of about 12 0 C.
• As soon as the first leaves appear, the pot must be moved to a warmer place, in which an average temperature of +20 0 C is maintained.

This option is the most optimal in terms of the ability to maintain all those favorable conditions that freesia needs. Unlike planting in open ground, when planting bulbs in spring, this flower culture will bloom not at the end of August, but much earlier - at the beginning - in the middle of summer. Why? Just because in the greenhouse there is an opportunity:

• constant maintenance of high humidity - it should be at least 50%;
• reducing the difference between night and day temperatures (it is she who main reason many diseases of freesia);
• absence of drafts.

We plant freesias in open ground: video

1. Watering and humidity. Should be abundant and regular from germination to the end of flowering. Then it is reduced, and closer to the digging of the bulbs, they stop watering altogether. It has already been said above that in a greenhouse such a parameter as humidity is easier to maintain. In the garden and at home, freesias are sprayed daily in the evening.
2. top dressing. The first of them is recommended to be carried out already with the appearance of young shoots, using ammonium nitrate, and then every two weeks to apply superphosphate and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. This applies to freesia growing on garden plot. When growing them at room conditions, any complex water-soluble top dressing for indoor flowers is suitable.
3. Organization of supports. Stems with peduncles in many varieties are quite long, in connection with this there is a risk that they may not withstand blooming flowers and break off. To prevent such a nuisance, it is necessary, as the stem grows, to provide some kind of support, which can be a wooden, bamboo stick or a plastic decorative support. In the garden, you can stretch the grid with large cells.
4. Removing faded flowers. Dried and dead flowers must be removed to stimulate the re-blooming of freesia. For pruning, you will need a clean pruner, with which withered flower cut along the stem 0.5 cm from the head. Leaves can not be cut, only in case of severe damage to give decorative effect.
5. Mulching. This is especially true for freesia planted in the open ground. Backfilling the topsoil with finely chopped straw in a layer of 3 cm will help retain moisture in the ground and reduce temperature differences.
6. Loosening and weeding.
7. Organization of additional lighting. This point is especially important when growing freesias indoors in winter. In order for this culture to please the grower's eye with a varietal color of flowers, it is necessary to provide it with a 12-hour daylight hours. To do this, you can buy phytolamps.

The main pests of freesia are:

• spider mite
• thrips

They should be fought with means designed to destroy the pest complex, because it is not always possible to determine exactly which enemy has settled on freesia.

These drugs include Iskra, Fitoverm, Fufanon. These remedies are effective.

For supporters of sustainable floriculture, a note: folk remedies will not help in the fight against thrips and spider mite, so you have to use a chemical.

Freesia diseases that can occur during the entire growing season include the following:

• fusarium and different kinds rot. These diseases are united by the fact that their causative agent is one or another fungus. To get rid of any of them, treatment with a fungicide is required.
• diseases that cause necrosis of flowers and leaves (freesia virus, bean virus) cannot be treated, and when they appear, it is necessary to dig up and burn the entire freesia bush completely to prevent the spread of diseases.

Basically, diseases in freesia occur when the grower himself does not follow the rules of agricultural technology, so do not neglect the rules of care and processing of planting material before planting it.

This flower culture can be propagated both vegetatively and by seeds. Both methods are discussed below.

Reproduction of freesia seeds

To obtain the highest quality seeds, freesia should be planted so that it blooms in April-May. As a result, a fruit is formed - a seed box, in which there are about three pieces of seeds. In order for it to appear, it is necessary to carry out pollination during the flowering of freesia using a brush. You can also resort to the help of bees instead. The harvested seeds have a shelf life of three years. Their best germination occurs after one year of storage. Seed material should be collected only from healthy plants.

Propagation of freesia corms

There are no difficulties at all here - the freesia will multiply by itself, forming 4 ... 5 pieces of children around each bulb. The main thing is to be able to save them, and next season plant them in the ground separately from the total mass for growing.

Storing bulbs in winter

Freesia is a flower culture that has its roots in Africa, it is not difficult to guess that it does not hibernate in the open field in the Russian climate, so it must be dug up in the fall. It is recommended to store the collected bulbs in a room with high humidity, and the storage temperature is quite high - 22 ... 25 0 C. It is clear that not everyone in the house has such a room, so there are several options:

• put the bulbs in a net, and then hang it over a container of water;
• if the site is located in a zone with a favorable climate, and there are no harsh winters, then you can leave the bulbs in the ground, but you will need to cover them with a layer of leaves that have fallen from the trees.

It is in this industry that freesia has long gained its popularity. This phenomenon is connected with its main advantages:

• the decorativeness of the flowers and the shape of the plant allows it to be used not only in solo plantings, but also to form beautiful compositions from its different varieties or combine with other flower crops;
• the versatility of the landing site helps to green even concreted areas of the garden: you can plant bulbs in beautiful flowerpots, containers;
• a wide range of species and varieties contributes to the decoration of freesia even Alpine slide (undersized varieties broken freesias are the best fit);
• the smell exhaled by freesia flowers made it a "star" among lovers of aromatic beds.

Thus, there are really many directions in landscape design in which the planting of freesia is appropriate. It is for this reason that this flower culture quickly spread not only among amateur flower growers, but also among people who are professionally engaged in floriculture.