Growing freesia in the garden and at home. Growing freesia at home: tips, rules, recommendations Caring for freesia at home

Graceful freesia is considered a difficult plant to grow. However, it is worth creating for a flower comfortable conditions(temperature, correct soil composition, humidity), and she will gratefully respond to care, even if home cultivation. What kind of care does freesia love?

Freesia (also called freesia and freesia, from the Latin freesia) is a representative of a large family of iris (iris). Its homeland is the Cape floristic region, which is in Southwest Africa.

Perennial herbaceous corm plant. Narrow long leaves and peduncles extend from one base. Petals of bell-shaped flowers, similar to porcelain, monochromatic or fantasy-colored - pink, purple, white, orange, lilac, red, blue.

Not large flowers connected by 5-10 pieces in one-sided racemose inflorescences. They have an unforgettable pleasant aroma.

In the 19th century, the plant was popular in Europe, it was grown in royal greenhouses. Graceful bouquets were given to aristocrats. Subtle "lily of the valley" aroma used in the preparation of perfume compositions.

Thanks to the achievements of selection, she "left" the greenhouses and now feels great under open sky in parks, gardens and summer cottages. Connoisseurs grow this delicate flower and in room culture.

Most popular types

The International Database lists 16 species and about 200 varieties of freesia. More often than others, these are grown.
Freesia Armstrongii— Armstrong. Blooms in May-June. Endowed with well-branched peduncles. Flowers pink and red.

freesia refracta- Broken. The most compact of the freesias (up to 0.4 m high) and the earliest flowering. Inflorescences look fluffy due to closely seated white or golden-orange flowers.

freesia hybrida- hybrid, obtained from crossing f. refrata and f. Armstrongii. Larger and brighter than the parental species, a highly branched plant grows up to 1 m. The flowers are large, the inflorescences are large.

Varieties with double and semi-double flowers have been bred. The color of the inflorescences is varied - white, yellow and others. Often grown as a potted plant.

What to pay attention to

Before acquiring freesia, it is useful to learn about its features:

• the flower is grown at home in a pot, in the open field, or in a greenhouse;
• freesia dug out in autumn can be grown as an indoor flower in winter;
• plant at home can bloom at any time of the year, for this, before the next planting of the corm, it needs to provide a 3-month rest period; a bulb planted in October will give a luxurious flowering bush by January;
• plant likes heat, but not heat;
• you need a very bright, but protected from the sun place;
• fragile leaves and peduncles support needed;
• freesia needs top dressing, moistening of the soil and air, but with their excess, the green mass grows, and flowering does not occur.

With improper care, freesia refuses to bloom, so you need to be careful about observing the rules of agricultural technology.

Landing

Growing in a pot at home

In room culture can be planted at any time of the year.

For planting in a pot, you need to pick up high capacity(at least 20-22 cm), with a diameter of 14-18 cm. Several bulbs are planted in one pot, from 5 to 8, depending on the size of the pot.

The plant is placed on a well-lit, southern or eastern windowsill, providing the opportunity to slightly shade the flower on hot sunny days. Growth requires 12-14 hours of daylight.

If necessary, additional lighting should be arranged. During flowering, the duration of lighting can be reduced by a couple of hours.

Maintain temperature:

• during germination 13-16 degrees;
• during leaf growth 18-20 degrees;
• when budding and flowering 20-25 degrees.

Landing in the ground

IN open ground planted in April. The soil at the time of planting should warm up to 12-15 degrees. For landing, a place is selected, sheltered from the wind and direct rays of the sun. The best way- in the light shade of low deciduous shrubs.

It is important to choose the right landing time. In cooler soil development flower buds stops, the plant will give out abundant foliage, but will not bloom.

In this case, the sprouts may appear too early and fall under the return frost. Boarding delay fraught with late shoots, then the growth period will fall on too hot days, which is also not good for freesia.

For curb landing, a trench is prepared with a depth and width of a shovel bayonet or a little more. For solitary plantings make holes of the same size. Prepared recesses are filled with soil mixture.

General rules

Prepare for freesia loose fertile soil:

• rotted compost;
• humus;
• wood ash;
• bone meal;
• potassium sulfate and superphosphate (according to the manufacturer's instructions).

Freesia prefers soil with a neutral ph. To reduce acidity, you need to add dolomite flour or lime.

Be sure to arrange a drainage layer using:

• coarse river sand
• small fraction of gravel
• vermiculite

Bulbs recently purchased and stored in the refrigerator need to warm up at a temperature of about 20 degrees placed over a container of water. Before planting, they are stored in a cool place with a temperature of 8-12 degrees.

For the prevention of fungal diseases before planting corms for 40-60 minutes kept in fungicide solution, Phytosporin or potassium permanganate. It's good to add a growth stimulant. The bulbs are planted to a depth of 5-10 cm. The heavier the soil, the less the bulbs should be buried.

Landings are watered and supports for future plants are established. These can be special plastic or wire ring structures, or a mesh of fine twine. As small freesias grow, their leaves are carefully directed inside the supports.

Plant care rules

Freesia is cared for like this:

• twice a month they are fed with mineral fertilizers dissolved in water (20 g of potassium salt and 40 g of superphosphate per bucket of water);
• every evening in the summer spray and periodically moisten the ground without drying out;
• remove weeds and loosen the soil;
• cut faded brushes, shortening the peduncle by a third.

How it breeds

breeds bulbs and seeds. The first method is more commonly used.

On adult bulbs are formed little onions - kids. They are planted, just like the big ones and grow up.

Such plants do not bloom. When mature freesias fade, fade, and they are dug up for storage, they do the same with grown children. Just on next year these bulbs will give a full blooming freesia.

seed propagation- the process is laborious, long, not always successful. In autumn, the seeds are laid out on the surface fertile soil, lightly sprinkle, moisturize and cover with glass or film.

The seedlings that have risen in a month and have grown stronger are thinned out, the shelter is removed. A few months later, in May, the seedlings are planted, like adult plants, the soil is mulched, shaded.

Disease susceptibility and control

If freesia gets sick, then most often it is:

• scab;
• rot;
• damage by thrips, spider mites or aphids.

To prevent the first two reasons, preventive treatment of the bulbs is carried out before planting.

Insecticides are used in pest control.

In the care of freesia, to obtain spectacular flowering plants, a number of simple rules. But those patient and reverent flower growers who have learned to get along with this capricious, are rightfully proud of their skills and receive recognition from colleagues and admiration for lovers of beauty.

Freesia, or freesia, is a beautiful and exquisite flower with an indescribable aroma. Only growing it at home or in the garden is not so easy. But this does not stop gardeners, and they are ready to take risks, which will be more than justified in the future.

Freesia belongs to the corms of the Iris family. In nature, there are about 20 varieties. Only at home, hybrid freesia is more often cultivated. This name was given to the flower in honor of her discoverer— Friedrich Fries.

Freesia and its varieties

For a long period, freesia was grown exclusively as a greenhouse type. As a result of the selection work of scientists, crossed varieties were obtained that can get along in the southern and western regions of Russia. Homeland is Africa.

plant pretty big, reaches a height of one and a half meters. The leaves are elliptical, elongated, about 20 cm long and 2 cm wide. The peduncle looks like an onion covered with small scales. The stem is slightly curved, strongly branched.

Flowers in the form of buds, collected in groups. The color range varies from white to dark purple. There is a simple freesia and terry. The central part of the bud goes in some contrast with the rest. The fruit is presented as a box with seeds.

The most common types:

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 in good light. 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 required 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 (lat. Freesia)- perennial bulbous plant Iris family (Kasatikovyh), one of the popular cut crops, which is successfully grown both in the garden and at home - on the windowsill. Delicate, bright flowers of various colors serve as a wonderful decoration for flower bouquets and compositions, retaining their freshness and beauty for a long time. The homeland of freesia is hot Africa, where it grows on the wet banks of rivers and lakes among other shrubs that protect the delicate beauty from the scorching rays of the sun.

Freesia is one of the most elegant, graceful flowers with a very delicate and pleasant aroma. Its delicate aroma is used by perfumers to create incredibly beautiful floral perfume compositions that are very popular. Own beautiful name the flower was received thanks to the German botanist and physician Friedrich Fries, who, by crossing several varieties of the plant, discovered it in Europe. In gardens, you can most often find hybrid freesia, which belongs to capricious and demanding plants. To grow an "African beauty" in your garden or at home, you must follow some growing rules and do not forget about the regular care of the plant throughout the season.

Freesia flower description

Freesia flower - a herbaceous compact plant up to 1 meter high with a branched bare stem and thin dark green leaves, 15 to 20 cm long. Leaf width - 1 - 1.5 cm. Freesia is a plant with a corm small size, which is updated annually - last year's bulb dies off and is replaced by a new one. The color of corm scales is light brown. On a refined peduncle are racemose inflorescences with fragrant funnel-shaped flowers of a wide variety of colors: white, blue, lilac, pink, cream, yellow, red and orange. There are varieties of freesia with a combined color of the petals. Freesia petals are very delicate and fragile, have a kind of porcelain texture, for which they are very much appreciated by florists. Freesia looks especially gentle and elegant in wedding bouquets, because it is not for nothing that the flower is a symbol of beauty, youth, trust and serenity. Among the varieties of freesia, there are flowers of a simple and terry form. simple form the flower has one row of petals, and the terry freesia has several. Flowering lasts from 4 to 6 weeks, starting in August, and can continue until the frost itself.

Freesia: types and varieties

In nature, you can find up to 20 species of this beautiful plant. In our climate, in open ground: in greenhouses in gardens, as well as in pots at home, three main types are grown, which are divided into varieties.

Freesia Armstrong. A plant up to 70 cm high with long xiphoid strong leaves. The flowers are bell-shaped, collected in panicles of 3-5 pieces with scarlet, red, pink flowers. The flowering period is May-June. The most beautiful and famous variety:

Cardinal - freesia with a bright dark red inflorescence 9 cm long, flowers in which can be from 9 to 11 pieces, the shape of the flower is simple.

Freesia hybrid. Plant up to 1 meter with strongly branched stems. The inflorescences are large, the flowers are 5 to 7 cm in diameter. The flowers have the most diverse colors: crimson, yellow, purple, scarlet and orange, and have a pleasant aroma. Found among the hybrid freesia and two-color flowers. by the most famous varieties are:

Freesia broken or white. One of their miniature species, plant height no more than 40 cm with thin sprawling stems. The inflorescence contains from 2 to 5 flowers of snow-white shades, there are varieties with yellow and orange shades of petals. Flowering time is April. Among the brightest representatives of the species are:

Freesia - outdoor cultivation

Freesia is a corm plant that is successfully grown not only in greenhouses and greenhouses, but also in the garden, it is enough to observe certain rules her landings. Freesia bulbs can be purchased at flower shop or even in the supermarket where they are sold all year round.

Freesia planting - pre-germination of bulbs in boxes

One of important rules planting freesia bulbs - compliance with the temperature regime of the soil, on which the flowering of the plant will directly depend. Keep in mind that freesia is a native of a hot, humid climate, therefore, for the germination of corms, the soil must be well warmed up, and the air temperature must be with a steady temperature regime of 15 to 25 degrees Celsius. Spring weather is changeable and unstable, therefore, so that the bulbs planted in open ground do not die, they must be grown in boxes with fertile light soil.
For successful germination of bulbs before planting, you must first prepare:

1. Review the planting material. For planting, choose strong, healthy bulbs, and remove rotten or mummified specimens. Soak the bulbs for several hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, they need disinfection to protect the planting from the fungus.
2. For planting tubers, prepare low boxes with drainage holes filled with nutritious light soil. Suitable soil mixture, which includes sod land, coarse sand and peat. You can also purchase a special already ready soil for bulbous. The soil layer should be small - 2 cm, sprinkle the bulbs with no more than 1 cm of soil.
3. Boxes with planted tubers are placed in a warm place, without drafts. The plant begins to grow quite quickly, important condition growth is daily soil moisture. With the advent of the first sprouts, watering increases. It is important that the boxes have drainage holes through which excess moisture. No less important is the temperature of the room where the containers with sprouts will be located, it should be no lower than 18 degrees during the day, and not lower than 14 at night.

Landing in open ground

As soon as the height of the sprouts reaches 10 cm tall, subject to warm weather, they can already be transplanted into open ground. Soil for freesia should be chosen nutritious and moisture-permeable. Especially well grow and give abundant flowering freesia, in the soil, into which rotted humus or compost is introduced with the addition of a complex mineral fertilizer. The soil for a capricious beauty should be neutral. — 6.0-6.8 If the soil has increased level acidity, it is added dolomite flour, autumn - lime. To provide the plant optimal conditions growth, you need to take care of good layer drainage. You can use pieces charcoal, broken brick or clay shards. Tubers are planted at a distance of 3-5 cm from each other, to a depth of 8-10 cm, very small bulbs - 4-6 cm. The planting site should be light, with partial shade, to protect the delicate petals from the scorching sun, without drafts.
After planting, the plant needs abundant watering and mulching with a thick layer of peat, which will retain moisture in the soil. It should be taken into account that optimum temperature for the growth of freesia is 13-20 degrees Celsius. With a sharp decrease in temperature during the period of plant growth, the formation of short peduncles is possible, and at a high temperature, the deciduous part of the plant begins to develop, a barren flower is formed.

Planting freesia in a greenhouse

The flowering time of freesia, which is planted in greenhouses or greenhouses, depends on the timing of its planting. For a flower to bloom in winter, it should be planted from early August to October, and for flowering in early spring- from November to February. The soil, as well as for planting in the ground, is used light, nutritious, air and water-permeable; after planting, the bulbs are mulched with peat or coniferous soil. In the conditions of a greenhouse, when planting flowers in a row, support frames are pre-installed, on which a mesh or twine is stretched, for which the plants are tied up.

Planting freesias in pots for indoor growing

Delicate beauty freesia can be planted in a pot and grown at home, this is a real decoration of the room. Planting bulbs is carried out in the period May - September. Choose a pot for planting bulbs with a diameter of 15 cm, 5 or 6 tubers can be placed in it, planting depth is about 5-6 cm. Do not forget to put drainage on the bottom of the pot. Freesia at home successfully grows in a bright room at an air temperature of no more than 20 degrees.

freesia care

Freesias planted in the garden require special attention and care, they are very demanding on watering, and they also need to be well protected from the wind, which can break its fragile stems. During the period of active growth, it needs top dressing with mineral fertilizers.

Watering

Plants should be watered regularly, but without overflow, as excess and stagnation of moisture in the soil contributes to the decay of the bulbs. To avoid overflow, it is recommended to loosen the soil regularly, very carefully. In addition, loosening during the growing season helps to remove weeds from the site. Since freesia comes from hot countries with a humid climate, daily spraying of leaves has a beneficial effect on the plant. It is better to spray and water the flower in the morning to allow moisture to be completely absorbed into the soil. It is worth noting that during the growth and budding, watering should be plentiful and frequent, and after flowering, it should be stopped.

Top dressing and fertilizers

During the period of active growth, the plant especially needs top dressing. As soon as the first leaves appear, the plant is watered. liquid fertilizer ammonium nitrate(based on 10 liters of water - 20 grams). Then, every 2 weeks, potash and phosphorus fertilizers in liquid form must be applied to the soil. The recommended solution is:

• Potassium salt - 20 grams
• Superphosphate - 40 grams
• Water -10 l

Avoid overdose of fertilizers, as this negatively affects both the development and flowering of the plant. After the freesia fades, during the formation of corms, it is fed with superphosphate.

Garter and trim

Freesia stems are thin, delicate and fragile, they can break from a gust of strong wind or from the own weight of the inflorescences, so it is very important to prepare a reliable support for the plant. You can stretch the twine between the rows or arrange a trellis by attaching the growing stems to the support.

Already at the end of July - in August, the period of freesia budding begins, and from August to October it begins beautiful bloom. After the freesia has faded, dry buds must be cut off to encourage the plant to bloom again. There are several rules for proper pruning:

1. Pruning of the dried bud is done before the formation of the fruit. The optimal amount of stem pruning is considered to be 30% from the top. For pruning, well-sharpened scissors or secateurs are used.
2. After the end of flowering, the green leaves of the plant are not cut off - they accumulate strength for the upcoming winter.
3. As soon as the foliage is completely dry and turns yellowish or brown shade, it can be cut off, leaving a stump 5 cm high.

reproduction

Freesia, like all bulbs, reproduces vegetatively by dividing daughter bulbs from the parent corm. Daughter bulbs are formed in autumn, the number of children can be from 3 to 5 pieces. For wintering, they should not be separated from the mother, they are dug out together with an adult bulb and stored until next landing and then separated.
Freesia can also be propagated by seeds, but, as a rule, the seed propagation method is rarely used in practice, as it is very painstaking, time-consuming and often inefficient. Planting seeds is carried out in moist, light and loose soil, covered with a film. Containers with seeds are placed in a warm good lighting, but without direct sunlight, location. After 3-4 weeks, the first shoots should appear. As soon as they grow a few centimeters, they are thinned out, the film is removed. Sprouted seeds are planted in the ground in May, when the soil warms up enough and stable warm weather is established.

Freesia corm storage

Freesia bulbs in autumn must be dug up for wintering indoors, since during the dormant period they need a certain temperature regime. When the foliage of the flower is completely dry, the bulbs can be dug up. Then the bulbs are cleaned, treated with disinfectants and dried in a well-ventilated warm room at a temperature of 25-27 degrees for about 2-3 days. Dried corms are stored in a warm and humid room over the winter to ensure abundant flowering and active healthy growth. next spring. To support high humidity rooms, place a bowl of water next to the bulbs, you can also simply hang the bulbs over a container of water or place them on a wire rack. 3-4 weeks before planting, storage temperature planting material it is necessary to reduce to 12-15 degrees, and before planting it is recommended to wash them with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. In case the bulbs did not pass proper storage, but were all winter in the refrigerator, they will not give abundant flowering.

Diseases and pests

Freesias are susceptible to pests such as aphids, thrips and spider mite. It is very important to start the fight against these pests at an early stage or to take preventive measures. During the growing season, treat the leaves and stems with soapy water. In case of damage by pests, insecticides are used, which are bred according to the instructions. In addition, freesia is prone to infection with Fusarium and different types rot or scab. To combat the disease, fungicidal preparations are used, which are used in the form of spraying or top dressing under the root of the plant. To prevent infection with fungal diseases, freesia bulbs must be treated in a manganese solution before planting. If the plant is infected viral disease, provoking necrosis of flowers and leaves, the infected bush must be dug up and burned to avoid infection of neighboring healthy flowers.

Freesia in landscape design

Freesia is a fragrant and exquisite decoration of any garden or window sill. She decorates flower beds, flower beds, alpine slides and lawns, used in plantings in mixborders with herbs: thyme, lavender, rosemary. For decoration personal plot freesia is planted in pots or containers, in which it decorates verandas, arbors, garden paths.

Its beautiful flowering and the ability to keep fresh for a long time after being cut are used to create flower arrangements and incredible beautiful bouquets. Delicate and sophisticated white freesias are simply created to create a bridal bouquet.

Freesia is a capricious and heat-loving beauty that requires attention and special care and protection. By listening to our recommendations and advice, you can easily grow southern belle freesia in my garden.

freesia photo