Freesia belongs to the iris family. She is originally from South Africa. Only hybrid freesia varieties are used in cultivation. The plant is 50–90 cm tall with sword-shaped green leaves 15–20 cm long, somewhat similar to the leaves of gladioli. Funnel-shaped flowers with a delicate lily of the valley aroma are collected in inflorescences of 5–15 pieces. Their color is very diverse - white, yellow, orange, red, blue, purple, often two-color. There are many varieties with double and semi-double flowers. Freesia is valued for its elegant flower shape and aroma, and is good for cutting.

Growing freesia

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

Growing freesia in open ground

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

Preparing for landing

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

Freesia planting

Freesia is a long-day plant. You need to remember this and choose a place for planting that is not shaded after lunch by other plants or buildings. Interestingly, freesias love heap planting.

Sprouting freesia bulbs

Freesia is propagated by seeds or vegetatively by bulbs.

Planting freesia seeds

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

Planting freesia bulbs

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

It is very important to complete planting work on time so that the plant has time to establish flower buds. It's okay if the temperature outside is cool. If you delay planting freesia and carry out work at +20 °C and above, it will not bloom. The already formed inflorescence will dry out.

Caring for freesia in open ground

When growing freesia in open ground, it is necessary to regularly water and feed it.

Plant the bulbs in a flower bed well lit by the sun.

Provide abundant regular watering.

The bulbs take quite a long time to germinate - about 3 weeks.

After germination, watering is somewhat limited.

Watering

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

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

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

Support

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

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

Top dressing

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

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

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

Harvesting and storing bulbs

The first signal: the foliage is turning yellow.

The second sign: the main root of the plant is thinning. They do a test excavation, and if the main root is still succulent, they wait until it dries into a thread.

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

Harvesting freesia bulbs

There they are laid out on paper or newspaper and dried for several days, avoiding direct contact with sun rays. Then they remove old scales and put them in cardboard box.

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

Why doesn't freesia bloom?

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

So that freesia not only grows, but also blooms, initial stage When growing, it needs a temperature within 15°, and then it is advisable to gradually increase it to 20–30°. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate optimal time plantings for certain climatic conditions.

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

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

In this case, the inflorescence looks uneven, untidy, and has to be discarded.

Caring for freesia in the room. Forcing

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

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

The stems of freesias are very fragile, they do not support themselves and without support they fall and break.

When caring for freesia in a room, be sure to install a decorative slatted lattice or wire frame in the pots for support.

Freesia in a pot with support

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

More suitable for windowsill low-growing varieties, for example, Anyuta, Tenderness, Purple. Here they reach a height of 20–25 cm.

The homeland of beautiful freesia is South Africa. Gardeners of the French court were busy planting, caring for and selecting the flower. That is why freesia flowers are considered a symbol of 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.

Features of freesia

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

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

The plant belongs to the 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 ground in the southern and western regions of the Russian Federation.

Specific characteristics of freesia:

• the fragrance lasts quite a long time, so it is used in the cosmetics 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 species of freesia and many variations, but cultivated - three.

Hybrid freesia It blooms for a long time and has a wonderful appearance. The three main varieties of this species are:

1. Red Lion. The flowers are red in color and the texture of the petals is terry.
2. Vinita Gold. Yellow or orange.
3. Royal Blue. Blue basket.

Landing

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

For planting in open ground, take tubers. 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 and potassium salts is added to the mixture of soil prepared for planting yourself.

The bulbs are placed in the pot for planting at a certain interval so that the sprouts can grow freely.

It is necessary to streamline the watering regime so that the soil does not become oversaturated, but also does not remain dry.

If the climate allows, tubers can be planted immediately in open ground, having previously examined the condition of the tubers.

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

The site for planting must be selected in advance, taking into account the characteristics of caring for freesia. Although she is from South Africa, she cannot stand heat or direct sunlight. A darkened area, calm, absence of drafts - this is all that a gentle flower loves and that ensures its normal flowering.

Peat is added to the ground before planting. The soil is loosened and pegs are first inserted in order to use them to tie up the plant.

For planting tubers, prepare holes approximately 6 cm deep, intervals from 5 to 12 cm. After planting, fertilizer is evenly distributed over the holes.

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

Summarizing landing requirements, the following can be highlighted:

1. Freesia needs to be provided with 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 require more space, while narrow-leaved varieties can be planted more compactly.
5. Flowers can be cut after the first two flowers appear in the basket.
6. Wilted flowers need to be removed so that nutrients are not wasted on them.
7. The flower loves moisture and needs regular spraying. Do not allow water to get on the leaves and blooms.

Freesia care

It is necessary to organize flower care observing the following rules:

It should be taken into account that the first fertilizing is done with ammonium nitrate.

Growing freesia at home

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

The bulbs are pre-moistened in azotobacterin, prepared at the rate of 0.5 g per 10 liters of water, for half an hour. Place drainage substance and charcoal on the tray of the container, then pour soil with the addition of potassium-phosphorus fertilizer. Place 5 bulbs in a pot to a depth of 6 cm. It is better to place the container with freesia in a well-lit room with a moderate temperature. The plant is not watered until the leaves appear. After the first leaves appear, the flower is transferred to a warmer place and begins to be watered.

Caring for freesia at home is easier than in the garden or greenhouse.

1. IN winter period When growing freesia at home, you need to provide it with light; lamps are used for this.
2. To grow a slender flower, you should not forget about supports. They will help the freesia straighten and grow normally. In plant care important place occupies the watering mode. Water procedures should be performed with settled water when upper layer the soil becomes dry.
3. When caring for freesia, we must not forget that it loves humidity and the spraying procedure is mandatory.
4. The flower should be fed 2 times a week until the leaves dry out.
5. After the home freesia has faded, the leaves and stem are cut off, and the bulb continues to be cared for so that other bulbs appear in it. Then the tubers are removed from the soil, treated with potassium permanganate, dried and placed in storage.

Curing the bulbs

Proper storage of tubers- 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 bastweed.

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

Bulbs need to be 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

Growing freesia at home has become a truly exciting activity for many gardeners. After all, the plant often decorates garden flower beds. But when it blooms in the house, the hearts of fans are filled with indescribable joy. Practice shows that it is a rather capricious flower. Therefore, flower growers make a lot of efforts to ensure that she gives them exquisite buds.

The plant was introduced to Europe 200 years ago. At first it was grown in flower beds and gardens, but over time, freesia migrated to window sills and became a houseplant.

Description of a delicate flower

Freesia is a charming plant with graceful buds that exude the unique smells of summer:

• the freshness of the rain;
• ripe fruits;
• green foliage;

Growing freesia at home is truly worthwhile. The plant grows up to 60 cm in height. Large buds of various shades develop on long, erect shoots. The root system consists of bulbous tubers.

Freesia belongs to the Iris family (Irisaceae). Its homeland is considered to be the tropical part of Africa, as well as the Cape region of the South African Republic. At least one species was brought from Sudan. Being in natural environment, freesia tubers are in a dormant state. And as soon as the rainy season begins, they come to life. During this period, the thirsty earth is filled with the indescribable beauty of blossoming buds. How you want to bring such a miracle into your home and turn it into an oasis of pleasure.
Experienced gardeners know how to achieve this goal.

Planting material (bulbs) should not be kept in the refrigerator to avoid rot.

Before you get started, you should choose a plant variety that can take root in indoors. After all, the birthplace of the flower is the African continent, where the climate is far from ideal. The main thing is to create in the house suitable conditions, and it will turn into a valley of lush flowers.

To grow freesia at home, use a hybrid version. It combines 2 types - “Broken” and “Armstrong”. It was specially bred to decorate the premises. To date, more than 20 species of such specimens are known.

Before planting freesia in a pot, select high-quality, viable tubers. They are distinguished by the following characteristics:

• no rotten spots;
• elasticity and density;
• maximum size – 2.5 cm.

When planting material When ready, it is placed in a dry and warm place for 14 days. Some flower lovers place them on a cabinet where the temperature does not drop below 25 degrees.
Before planting freesia bulbs, they are first soaked in a weak solution of foundationazole or potassium permanganate. The same product is used to spill the soil in which the African princess will “settle.”

During soaking, there is no need to remove the scales from the tubers so as not to damage the planting material.

• special holes are made at the bottom of the container for drainage;
• lay pebbles, brick chips or expanded clay:
• pour prepared soil;
• watered;
• place the bulbs at a distance of 3 or 5 cm with the sharp tip facing up;
• With a slight movement of your fingers, deepen the tubers into the soil by 2 cm;
• covered with earth.

In order for freesia to successfully take root in a pot, it is kept in a room with minimum temperature 18°C. After 3 weeks, sprouts will appear, which need to be provided with bright lighting.

Guest from Africa is a rather sociable plant, so it is better to grow several of it in one pot or container.

Planting freesia in a pot for a home greenhouse

One of the advantages of the African beauty is its cultivation in any climate zone at home. Depending on the time of planting, you can plan its flowering. If you plant freesia in a pot in the spring, it will bloom within 3 months. As a result, the room will turn into an oasis of pleasure. To ensure that the buds open in January, the plant is planted in the fall. The best option- October.

You can grow freesia on a windowsill in a container with a diameter of approximately 15 cm. Its bottom is covered with expanded clay and sprinkled with drainage charcoal on top. Next, prepare the soil:

• turf land (2 parts);
• sand (1 part);
• (1 part);
• Potassium phosphate supplement (1 serving).

The ingredients are mixed and the container is filled. About 6 tubers are planted in it, deepened into the soil by 6 cm. The plant is placed in a room with diffused lighting and a temperature of at least 15°C. When sprouts appear, moderate watering is carried out.

When the first stems become stronger, it is advisable to move the container to a place where the air temperature is not lower than 20°C.

Growing freesia from seeds

The original way acquire a tropical beauty - sow its seeds. The best period for this is March. To make the plant germinate faster, planting material is soaked for 12 hours in warm water. At this time, prepare the containers and soil.

Growing freesia from seeds begins with the following steps:

• a drainage layer is placed at the bottom of the container;
• poured on top of expanded clay soil mixture from sand and humus;
• Seeds are planted to a depth of 10 mm and covered with soil.

Next, the container is covered with glass or cling film to speed up the germination of freesia from seeds. The room temperature should be approximately 20-25°C. Periodically moisten the crops using a sprayer. Greenery will appear in approximately 10 days.

To avoid condensation, it is necessary to ventilate containers daily by removing glass or film.

Forcing and replanting an African princess

Since freesia can be grown throughout the year, experienced flower lovers use various methods. The most popular option is forcing. The process takes about 20 weeks, after which the house is transformed into an original greenhouse.

It is best to plant freesia for forcing seasonally, having previously calculated the period of its growth and flowering. As a result, you can admire the buds in early spring, in the winter cold or late autumn. The process begins with planting tubers in containers. Then they are brought into a room where the temperature does not exceed 16°C. They must stay there for 7 weeks.
In winter the plant needs additional lighting. If all forcing rules are followed, the house will be filled with delicate flowers at any time of the year.

Freesia is most often transplanted in the spring. The procedure is performed in a room where the temperature does not exceed 15°C. It is important to maintain such a microclimate for 3 weeks until the first shoots appear.

Rules for caring for freesia at home

Like all houseplants, African beauty demands special attention. Experienced flower fans have noticed that the plant develops better away from direct sunlight. At the same time, it needs diffused light for 14 hours. The optimal place for a flower is the western side.

Proper care of freesia at home involves a number of simple measures:

• selection of soil of any acidity;
• timely feeding;
• regular watering;
• keep the plant away from drafts.

In addition, freesia species that have spreading branches and foliage need to be planted in large pots and supported. For the plant to be lush, the room temperature must be maintained at approximately 22°C. Wilted buds must be cut off. This procedure helps strengthen neighboring peduncles.

As practice shows, watering a plant corresponds to its development phase. During the germination of tubers, freesia is watered moderately, and when it blooms - generously. Before each watering, you need to check the condition of the top layer of soil. It must be completely dry. Excessive moisture can lead to rotting of plant tubers.

During hot periods summer heat freesia should be sprayed regularly with a spray bottle. This procedure promotes active growth and lush flowering of the African beauty. Every 14 days the plant needs feeding. For this, gardeners use special chemicals.

When the freesia has completely faded, there is no need to hastily trim the shoots and foliage. Over the course of 2-3 weeks, tubers form, after which the flower will release buds again.

Growing freesia for March 8 - video

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Bright and festive freesia - growing according to the rules

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

Description of freesia

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

The delicate and elegant plant emits a pleasant aroma similar to that of lily of the valley. This flower is also called Cape lily of the valley. Freesia is grown by many gardeners to create colorful bouquets and compositions.

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

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

The most common hybrid varieties of freesia

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

How to grow freesia?

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

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

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

When to plant freesia?

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

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

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

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

Freesia seed propagation

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

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

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

Freesia care in the garden and disease prevention

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

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