Freesia growing at home. Seedling Care

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

Soil composition

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

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

Growing in a greenhouse

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

Choice of corms

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

Line up!

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

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

Water procedures

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

About nutritional deficiencies

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

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

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

Light and supports

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

Digging and storage

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

from seed

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

Seeding rules

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

Seedling Care

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

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

top dressing

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

In the greenhouse

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

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

On the balcony

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

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

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

Growing freesia in open ground

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

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

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

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

Temperature regime

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

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

2nd stage (lasts about 10 weeks)

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

3rd stage (lasts 3-5 weeks)

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

By the way

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

Growing freesia in a container

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

Freesia: planting and care at home

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

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

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

Blooming round dance

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

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

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

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

Freesia varieties

Freesia is distinguished by its beauty and unusual aroma, but it is whimsical to care for. It is best to grow a flower indoors, compliance with the rules of temperature and humidity is required. In open ground, freesia can grow only in summer; for the winter, corms have to be dug up and stored in a heated room. Be sure to remove diseased plants and treat with pest and disease protection before transplanting.

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Description

Spectacular bulbous plant"Freesia", or freesia, cultivated both in gardens and indoors. The genus of these perennial African flowers is represented by corms that belong to the Iris family, and includes approximately 16 varieties. The greatest recognition was received by the "hybrid freesia", which was bred about 100 years ago by crossing several species. The birthplace of the flower is South Africa, while it prefers wet shores and the shade of shrubs.

This is a rather miniature and fragile plant that has a sweet smell, similar to the aroma of lily of the valley, which is why freesia is often called Cape lily of the valley.



Species and varieties

Freesia hybrida (Freesia hybrida) enjoys record recognition among floriculture specialists. It was created by crossing Freesia Armstrong (Freesia armstrong) and Refracted, or Broken (Freesia refracta).



Freesia Armstrong (Freesia armstrong)

This is a shrub up to 0.7 m high. It contains 3 or more bell-shaped fragrant flowers. different colors collected in paniculate inflorescences. Long leaf plates grow directly from the tuberous rhizome. The plant blooms from May to June.




The most impressive variety of this species is "Cardinal": a bush up to 7 cm high, simple flowers are deep red. The bulb gives up to 3 flowering stems with panicle-shaped inflorescences, consisting of 11 flowers, the length of the inflorescences themselves is 9 cm. Red flowers along the edge and yellow around the pistil. The pistil itself is of a bluish hue, the stamens are of a pronounced yellow color, the anthers are of a light purple.



Freesia Hybrid (Freesia hybrida)

This variety combines the basic and winning characteristics of the parent species. The bush is strongly branched, its height sometimes reaches 1 m. The inflorescences are racemose, consist of large fragrant flowers, their diameter is 5-7 cm. Flowers are found in crimson, purple, yellow and white. There are both monochromatic and with a combination of 2 or more shades.




White varieties:

• Ballerina with its white flowers and light yellow base and ruffled petals is one of the most showy varieties of freesia. On the surface of the white pharynx there are yellow strokes. The plant is vigorous (95 cm). Forms up to 12 flowers and shoots with 7-8 flowers. Flowering time - 36 days.
• Apollo is a large plant up to 100 cm high. The flowers are fragrant, white with yellow spots. Inflorescences racemose, formed by 10-12 pieces. Flowering is long.
• Miranda - a plant with a large stem, height - from 0.60 to 1 m. Pure flowers white color, reach a diameter of 6 cm. Inflorescences are racemose, composed of 11, sometimes 14 pieces. The length of the peduncle is 49 cm. It begins to bloom in August.

Bright orange:

• Carmen;
• Orange Favorite;
• Princess Maryke - has narrow, funnel-like, orange or pink flowers, the petals below are yellow-white.

Blue:

• Atlanta;
• Royal Blue.

Varieties of non-widespread colors:

• Fantasy - Peduncles are unstable, 12-15 cm high. The inflorescence contains a maximum of 9 flowers, up to 6 cm high and 5.5 cm in diameter. Petals are dense crimson in color, crimson red during flowering. The underside is yellow with red streaks. The aroma is bright and delicate.
• Rose Marie. It has a height of peduncles of about 20–25 cm. The inflorescence is characterized by a maximum of 7 flowers with a diameter of up to 50 mm. Their petals are purple-crimson, in the lower part they are white, with strokes of crimson.
• Pimpernel. Peduncles are weakly resistant, up to 20 cm high. The inflorescence consists of 5-7 flowers up to 60 mm in diameter. Petals of a bright red hue with clear darker edges, wavy. The lower part of the flower is yellow with red veins. Has a weak aroma.

Freesia white (Freesia refracta)

Recognized by its inherent diminutiveness, it does not occur above 0.40 m. It has thin spreading stems crowned with inflorescences of yellowish-orange or milky-white flowers, there are up to 5 flowers in the brush. Blooms in April.




Varieties and description:

• Freesia Alba (Freesia refracta var. alba). Is different large flowers white, they are based on fuzzy lines of a purple hue.
• Fragrant freesia (Freesia refracta odorata). Inflorescences contain a maximum of 7 bright yellowish flowers with orange spots in the lower part of the petals. It has persistent odor lily of the valley.
• Yellow-spotted freesia (Freesia refracta xanthospila) - white flowers with gray-yellow spots at the base.
• Freesia Leuchtlin (Freesia refracta leichtlinii) - the inflorescence contains 3-7 large flowers that look like a bell. The color is slightly yellow with an orange or red rim along the edge and small spots at the bottom of the petals. Peduncle reaches 25 cm.

Freesia terry

Single planted flowers of freesia terry (Freesia Double) are painted in a bright red hue interspersed with pale white at the base of the petals, the diameter of the flowers is up to 6 cm. The flowering time is in April-August, the aroma is rich. The leaves are linear, narrow, green, the peduncle is strong, 20-35 cm high. In a vase, such a freesia will delight for a long time.



Another variety of terry freesia is Double White. Forms about 12 fragrant funnel-shaped white flowers with a diameter of about 6 cm with a yellow tint at the base, peduncle 30-50 cm high, green, linear leaves.

When purchasing corms in a store, you can often find the name "freesia-mix". This name most often means a mixture of different colors.

Growing conditions

To provide freesia the most favorable conditions it should be grown under glass, in a greenhouse or greenhouse. This method is more convenient for experienced flower growers. This plant, if necessary, can be cultivated all year round. But in temperate latitudes (in the Moscow region), freesia will not be able to overwinter in the soil, its bulb must be dug up. As for regions with a more severe climate (Siberia), it will have to be planted later and dug up earlier. Therefore, it is more expedient to plant such a flower at home, freesia in room conditions will begin to bloom in winter.

Basic conditions for growing all types of freesia:

• The flower is photophilous, however, it is necessary to avoid direct rays and give preference to partial shade.
• It is necessary to protect the plant from any fluctuations and wind currents.
• The soil is loose and well-drained. The ideal solution the soil mixture will become, the composition should contain leafy, soddy and humus soil, as well as peat, while the ratio of components should be equal. Slight acidity of the soil is allowed.
• Narrow-leaved varieties are allowed to be planted more compactly, and more sprawling varieties can be planted as freely as possible.
• To obtain mass flowering need to control the temperature. Until the flowering period, it should be kept within 20 degrees.
• Cut freesia should begin after at least 2 flowers have bloomed. Fading must be removed immediately, otherwise they will interfere with the beginning of flowering of the rest.
• Certain varieties with a weak stem must be supported.
• Must comply high humidity, but do not allow moisture to get on the buds and flowers. The ideal time to spray is 5 or 6 pm.

Planting for seedlings

Before transplanting freesia bulbs into unprotected soil, it needs to be allowed to grow a little. Somewhere in early March or closer to April, the upper scales should be removed from the bulbs, then placed for half an hour in a 0.2% benomyl solution. The mixture will help protect the plant from fungal infections. After carrying out such a procedure, they are planted in peat cups with well-loosened and nutritious soil, it is worth deepening the bulb no more than 5 cm.

After that, you can transfer the pots to a warm balcony or windowsill, provide good lighting. Leave the bulbs in this place until planting in unprotected ground. Flower growers-specialists grow this plant, resorting to seed propagation, but this method is rather complicated and inefficient. In this propagation option, the substrate must be moistened and the seeds carefully placed in the prepared mixture. Cover them with a minimum amount of soil mixture intended for seeds, the layer should not exceed 2 cm.

After sowing, cover the container with glass or a thin film, put it in a place with good lighting. After 3 weeks, the first seedlings should sprout. When their height reaches 2-3 cm, it is necessary to remove the covering material, remove part of the seedlings, that is, thin out. Planting - in the 2nd half of May.

Into the ground

Planting freesia in the ground starts in the spring after the soil warms up a little, and the plant is not threatened by night frosts (mid-May).

The planting hole should be about 3-6 cm deep. The distance between the bulbs themselves is at least 3 cm, if they are large - about 5 cm. The distance between the rows should be 15 cm.

After planting the plant on permanent place the top layer of soil should be fluffed and leveled, then sprinkled with a layer of peat or mulch, this method will protect the soil and the root of the bush from overheating, retain moisture and protect the plant from pests.

Closer to August, each bush will give up to 3 peduncles, and the plant should bloom until the end of September.

Care specifics

During the period of growth and flowering, freesia is in dire need of fertilizer:

• immediately after germination - mineral nitrogen-containing (ammonium nitrate solution): 1 liter of water, 2 g of the substance.
• once every 14 days, the plant is fed with a common simple mineral phosphorus fertilizer - superphosphate and potassium salt: 1 liter of water, 4 g of phosphate fertilizer and 2 g of salt.

Without fail, it is necessary to periodically push the soil on the planting area and eliminate weeds, it is especially important to do this on early stages freesia growth.

It is necessary to provide the plant with a certain moisture regime:

• in phase active growth watering should be generous and regular, at this time the soil should be moist.
• freesia blooms for 1 to 2 months, then it can be watered much less and later reduced to a minimum.

Also, the plant needs regular processing of leaves and stem by spraying. Wetting and processing procedures are recommended to be carried out in the evening, taking into account the fact that water should be absorbed into the soil before nightfall. In gardens, freesia can be cultivated until the first frost approaches.

• "bubble-footed", or "thrips";
• spider mite;
• "Fusariosis" - there may be infected seeds and soil, pathogens persist for a long time in the soil and on plant debris;
• scab - the disease is caused mainly by microscopic pathogenic fungi, as well as actinomycetes and bacteria, affects the surface tissues of leaves, flowers, shoots.
• various rots.

Infected bushes should be immediately dug up and destroyed. It is possible to protect the plant from diseases as much as possible if, before being sent for storage, each bulb is disinfected in a solution consisting of water and 2-3 crystals of potassium permanganate.

Another important factor that will help protect the plant is the proper organization of watering and preventing the soil from drying out or stagnant water.

Freesia at home

At home, the plant is cultivated solely for the sake of aesthetic beauty. In order for freesia to bloom in the first days of January, the plant sits in the soil in early autumn. To do this, the bulb is immersed for half an hour in a solution of bacterial fertilizer containing a free-living soil microorganism Azotobacter (Azotobacter chroococcum): 0.5 g of the substance per bucket of water. Optionally, you can treat the bulbs with a drug that stimulates growth (Kornevin, Epin).




For a planting event, you need to take a pot of about 100-150 mm. Lay a permeable material at the bottom to drain excess water, then pour charcoal, the next layer is poured soil mixture, which should consist of turf and humus, as well as sand (2: 1: 1). Earth mixture must be mixed with a small amount fertilizers, which include phosphorus and potassium salt.

Up to 6 bulbs can be planted in one pot, their depth should not exceed 50-60 mm. The tank must be immediately placed in a place where the plant will receive enough light with a temperature of up to about 15˚, it is not necessary to water the freesia at this time. As soon as the first shoots begin to hatch, the freesia pot should be moved to a warmer place, where the temperature will reach 22˚, then watering can begin.

Care

It is easier and easier to grow freesia at home than in a greenhouse or in open areas.

However, in this case, you must remember the basic rules of care:

1. 1. Provide lighting for 12 hours during the day. To fulfill this condition, plant pots should be placed on the windowsills of the western or eastern windows or additional lighting should be installed.
2. 2. Since the stems of the plant are delicate and can break under the weight of the flowers, it is recommended to install a support and tie the plant to it, if necessary.
3. 3. Water the plant only after the top layer of soil has noticeably dried out.
4. 4. Spray shoots and leaf blades regularly.
5. 5. Carry out top dressing mineral fertilizers 2 times within 30 days until the leaves die off completely.

After flowering

Freesia at home. After the flowers of the plant have completely wilted, it is necessary to cut off its shoots and leaves. Bulb continue to moisturize for about 42-45 days. This is necessary in order for new small onions to appear. After that, you can dig it out, disinfect it in a solution of manganese, dry it for 2 days in a warm place and put it away for storage.

Garden freesia. The plant stops flowering in September-early October, after which it is necessary to dig up the tubers. Stems are cut from the bulb, thoroughly cleans the surface of the ground, remove old scales, and disinfect with potassium permanganate or another suitable preparation. Dry in a ventilated room at a temperature of 25-28˚. Sorted, conducting a careful examination for the fact of infection, damage or rot and then put away for storage.

Storage of corms

The bulbs of the plant are placed in nets and transferred to a room where the humidity is up to 75-80% and the temperature is 22-25˚. Inspection can be carried out once a month, carefully checking the bulbs for lesions and rot.

Freesia is loved by many for its truly royal elegance. Its delicate aroma, vaguely reminiscent of a lily of the valley, and the variety of bud colors make it attractive to flower growers and gardeners.

In addition, freesia flowers stay fresh for a long time in a bouquet.

Freesia: plant description

– a close relative of the iris, belongs to the Iris family (Kasatikov). The birthplace of the flower is Africa.

Freesia stems are graceful, branched, without edging, covered with brown scales. Leaf plates, depending on the type, are wide lanceolate and narrow in the form of a sword.

Also, the shape of the flower buds in different varieties. They can be in the form of a bell, a funnel and a deep bowl. Usually the buds are located on one side on curved stems.

Flowers can be double, semi-double and simple. The variety of petal colors when freesias bloom is striking: red and yellow (such species grow quickly), purple and blue, white and orange, pink and creamy.

The color of the throat of the flower is different from the color of the petals. Freesia blooms usually in the middle of winter. Freesia is a fruiting flower. Its fruit is a basket of seeds.

This plant is bulbous, which makes it possible to choose the method of reproduction. Freesia at home is most often a hybrid species, it grows up to a meter in height.

The leaves of this plant are up to 20 cm long, usually oblong, the inflorescences are one-sided, the buds are up to 5 cm long.

Did you know? Freesia is valued not only as ornamental plant: its delicate, delicate aroma is used in perfumery, in the manufacture of cosmetics(shampoos, soaps, lotions).

Optimal conditions for growing freesia

Freesia when grown in a pot requires increased attention.

To achieve its flowering, you need to create for it all the conditions and care.

Lighting

To provide a flower necessary lighting- 12 hours a day, you will have to purchase a phytolamp as an additional backlight. Optimal location for freesia there will be a southern window sill. When the sun is too active, it is better to remove the plant further from direct rays.

Temperature and humidity

Immediately after planting, the optimum temperature for the plant will be +20 ° C. After seven to ten days, it must be lowered to 10 ° C (if the landing was in winter, the same 20 ° C remain in the spring).

The main thing in temperature regime- avoid temperature fluctuations below 2 ° C and above 20 ° C, otherwise the buds of the plant will wither and become deformed.

Soil Requirements

For planting freesia, you can purchase a special substrate for bulbous plants. Or, before planting a freesia in a pot, prepare the soil yourself.

For this you will need: peat, sand, sod land(2:0.5:1), a generous pinch of bone meal and ash (this will provide extra calcium).

How to plant a freesia in a pot

Before planting freesia, prepare a pot for the plant, be sure to lay drainage on the bottom (expanded clay, small river pebbles, polystyrene foam).

When is the drop off

If you want to enjoy freesia blooms in winter, plant your bulbs in September. In this case, the buds will bloom in January-February.

Landing pattern

Freesia planting material, when planting in a pot, is pre-soaked in azotobacterin solution: 0.5 g per 10 liters of water. Choose a pot with a diameter of about 20 cm.

Lay drainage and charcoal at the bottom, and then a prepared, moistened substrate. Plant several bulbs to a depth of 2-3 cm. After planting, identify the plant in a bright but cool room.

Important! Immediately after planting, do not water the plants until seedlings appear. As soon as the first leaves appear, the plant is moved to heat and watering begins.

How to care for freesia at home

Freesia has brittle stems, so the plant is provided with support so that the stems do not break under the weight of the buds when they bloom. The flowering period of the plant lasts about a month.

Interesting! In Europe, royal gardeners were engaged in freesia, the flower was expensive, and only the aristocratic strata of society could afford to purchase a southern beauty.

Features of watering before and flowering time

For watering the flower use warm settled water. Excessive watering threatens to rot the bulbs, so water as the soil dries out (twice a week).

In winter, under the influence of heating, the air in indoor areas dry - spray the plant from a sprayer, preferably in the evening.

Today, mini-fountains are used as decor, if you have one, it would be nice to put freesia next to it. During the flowering period, watering is needed more often, then gradually reduce. When the freesia blooms, watering stops.

How to fertilize freesia

Freesia is fertilized with complex mineral compositions twice a month. Use fertilizer for flowering plants. Immediately after the end of flowering, the plant still needs to be fed: once every two weeks with a solution of superphosphate.

Features of care after flowering

Freesia at bulbous planting requires care both before and after flowering. As soon as the inflorescences have wilted, they are carefully removed, the leaves are cut off and the stem is cut to the base.

Only the bulb remains in the pot, which is watered for a month and a half. Then they carefully dig out of the ground, wash from the ground.

Before being sent to storage, they are soaked in a weak solution of manganese and dried for several days.

Plant transplant

Having figured out how to plant freesia at home, consider the transplant conditions. Home hybrid freesia is transplanted annually in the spring.

In order for the procedure to be successful, the plant is kept at a temperature not higher than 15 degrees for some time. The microclimate, carefully created for the bulbs transplanted to a new place, will bring the result in two to three weeks - the first sprouts.

Freesia reproduction

Freesia does not cause much trouble when propagating. The plant can be propagated by both seeds and corms. The seed method is used mainly for breeding new varieties.

. To get seeds from your plant, freesia will have to be artificially pollinated. But regardless of whether you collected the seeds or bought them, they must be disinfected before sowing in a solution of manganese, soaked for a day.

For sowing, prepare boxes for seedlings, soil (a mixture of sod and leaf ground). Sowing is carried out shallow, in a moistened substrate.

A little more than three weeks later, the first shoots will appear. At home, young shoots are covered with glass, creating a greenhouse; if possible, plant in a greenhouse.

Care is not difficult: regular watering, weeding, light and weekly feeding with potassium and phosphorus.

Freesia is a stunningly beautiful bulbous plant of the family. In addition to beauty, the flower has a delicate pleasant aroma, a bit reminiscent of the smell of lily of the valley. That is why the plant is very popular with perfumers. Florists often use it as a bouquet decoration. Despite the fact that Africa is the birthplace of the flower, it can also be grown on garden plot central Russia. To do this, you must follow certain rules for breeding and caring for this plant.

Freesia - perennial, a distant "relative" of irises. Almost any color of flowers is found: from white to purple or blue. The variety of shades is simply amazing. Plant height can reach up to half a meter. Flowers form inflorescences, the average diameter of one flower is about five centimeters. The leaves of the plant are thin, long, oblong, bright green. After flowering, they form.

There are more than twenty varieties of freesia, obtained by breeders by crossing several species that grow in their natural habitat.

The most common and affordable varieties for self-cultivation are currently the following types freesia:

Freesia Armstrong. It is characterized by a height of up to one meter, a bright flower color, mostly red or orange, as well as abundant and persistent flowering in June.

Freesia broken. A low plant, no more than half a meter tall. The flowers are pastel, muted shades of white or orange. This species blooms quite early, in April.

Freesia hybrid. It was bred by crossing the two above colors and combines them. best performance. Plants reach a meter in height, have a bright color, inflorescences are formed from many large flowers. It serves as the basis for many varieties of freesia, for example, red Lion, royal ball, Ballerina.

Such a variety of freesia varieties can satisfy the most demanding taste of any grower.

Where can you grow freesias?

It must be remembered that freesia is a tropical plant, therefore cold climate doesn't suit her very well. However, gardeners and flower lovers can independently plant and grow this flower in the open field in the garden or at home.

Cultivation in open ground. For planting flowers on the site, you must choose a warm place without drafts, on sunny side plot, but not in direct sunlight, but in partial shade.

An excellent option would be to plant freesia next to more tall plant, which will cover it from direct sunlight.

The soil in the chosen place must be prepared, namely: loosen, weed, fertilize.

At home. Freesias are grown at home for early or winter bloom. In order for the flowers to delight with their flowering in the winter on the windowsill, you need to carefully prepare the place for planting. A pot for plants should be taken at least fifteen centimeters in diameter. Before planting the bulbs, it is advisable to disinfect it with a solution of potassium permanganate or wash it with laundry soap.

Expanded clay is laid at the bottom of the prepared pot, soil is poured and a little fertilizer is added. The size of the pot is due to the fact that from four to seven bulbs are planted in one pot at a certain distance from each other.

At home, growing a flower is much easier than in an open garden. You can independently control the temperature, lighting, humidity.

How to prepare bulbs for planting

Before planting in open ground or in flower pot on the windowsill, the bulbs need to be prepared. This will ensure good germination and abundant flowering. Bulbs should be strong, dense, without damage and rot, about two centimeters in size.

Spray planting material with drugs that stimulate fast growth plants.
Proper handling bulbs will ensure the future flowering of freesia.

Optimal soil composition for freesia

Freesias do not like heavy clay soils. The most favorable for them will be light, oxygen-rich soils, as the bulbs consume a large number of oxygen. You can prepare the soil for plants by adding peat, humus, turf and sand.

If you plan to grow flowers at home, then fit ready soils for bulbous plants or universal, with the addition of peat, sawdust, perlite. Be sure to use drainage, such as brick chips, charcoal.

Terms of planting bulbs in the soil

As a rule, freesia bulbs are planted in open ground no later than mid-April, when the earth has not yet warmed above fifteen degrees. Of course, fairly stable warm weather in April does not happen too often. Therefore, the time for planting bulbs in open ground can shift to the beginning of May, only then the soil can warm up to the desired values. This is optimum temperature land for bulbs, otherwise the embryos of inflorescences may not germinate.

At an air temperature of twelve to nineteen degrees, the plants germinate in a few weeks. When it gets cold, plant growth slows down. Too hot weather contributes to the development of dense foliage, but inflorescences do not form at high air temperatures. Freesia just won't bloom.

In autumn, bulbs are not planted in the ground, because in winter they can die due to frost.

At home, depending on the desired flowering time, the bulbs are planted in the soil in September, early or late October. Then the plant will bloom, respectively, in January, early February or early March. Of course, these terms also depend on the variety of the flower.

Early maturing varieties can bloom as early as twelve or fifteen weeks after planting, late varieties I bloom not earlier than nineteen weeks from the moment of planting. When purchasing bulbs of a certain variety, it is necessary to clarify the period of time that it will take for the plant to bloom.

How to grow freesia from seeds

As you know, freesia reproduces not only by bulbs, but also by seeds. This is a rather time-consuming process that does not guarantee receipt good result. Freesia seeds are usually used by breeders to develop a new variety. To grow freesia from seeds on your own, you must comply with several conditions:

• soak the seeds in a growth-promoting preparation for approximately twenty-four hours;
• prepare pots with soil, plant seeds there, slightly pressing them into the ground;
• cover the seeds planted in the ground with a film and place containers with earth and seeds in a bright place, preferably on a window on the south side;
• lift the film every day, ventilate and spray the earth with water;
• as soon as the seeds sprout and sprouts appear, the time they are without a film increases, later it is removed completely;
• plant sprouted sprouts at a distance of at least 6 centimeters between them;
• put supports for plants and, as necessary, tie stems to it. It is better to do this before the plant grows, otherwise the roots of the flower can be damaged by the support;
• periodically water and fertilize flowers.

If these conditions are met, freesias will bloom in a few months.

How to properly plant bulbs in the soil

A great find for a gardener - freesia

To choose the optimal depth and location of the bulbs in the soil, you need to decide on the place of their planting.

At home, planting in the soil will not be any difficulty. In the prepared soil, the bulbs are planted to a depth of about five centimeters at the same distance from each other. After the bulbs are planted in a pot, it must be placed in a cool place. The optimum temperature is about fifteen degrees. Before the plant sprouts, watering is not necessary.

In order for the plant to bloom, you need a lot of light, at least thirteen light hours. This can be achieved by setting additional devices lighting. This is especially important during the winter months when there is very little sunlight.

Before planting in open ground, it is better to pre-sprout the bulbs. This will significantly increase the germination of plants. The depth of planting bulbs in open ground is largely due to its composition and characteristics. The heavier the soil, the smaller the depth of planting bulbs. Accordingly, if the soil is light, then the bulbs are planted to a depth of a little more than ten centimeters.

Planting depth in medium soil is about eight centimeters, and in heavy soil - about five centimeters. The distance between rows should be at least ten centimeters.

Plants planted in spring will bloom around late summer or early autumn.

How to care for a flowering plant A gardener needs to remember that a flowering plant requires special care behind him.

The plant needs to be watered periodically. Overdried or too moist soil is unacceptable. A flowering plant is watered more often than one that has not yet bloomed.

The stems need to be tied up or use supports, otherwise it may break under the weight of the flowers.

Freesia loves high humidity air. At home, periodic and frequent spraying can contribute to this. You can not put the plant near heating appliances or batteries that dry out the air a lot.

The plant needs to be fed, especially during the flowering period. Feeding is usually carried out once every two weeks.

Periodically carry out weeding, get rid of weeds and loosen the soil.

Withered inflorescences must be removed immediately so as not to deprive the plant and bulb of nutrition, especially if further propagation of freesia by seeds is not planned.

After the freesia has faded, it is completely pruned. Bulbs remaining in the ground continue to be watered to form new flower bulbs. New bulbs at the same time actively accumulate nutrients for a month or two for subsequent flowering.

For the winter, the plant is dug up, the stems and leaves are cut, leaving the bulbs. Dry in boxes with a mesh bottom at a temperature of about thirty degrees for a week. Then the planting material is cleaned, sorted, disinfected and left until spring in a room with high temperature and humidity.

These simple actions will provide the plant with abundant flowering every year.

While watching the video, you will learn about growing freesia.