Freesia is a charming delicate flower with a subtle subtle scent of summer, freshness, lily of the valley, fruits and something unknown, not desired. One of the most beautiful, refined, elegant garden and home decorative flowering plants. Not every grower will undertake to grow freesia. She gained fame as a difficult-to-grow culture, appearing for a short time in flower shops as part of magnificent bouquets, and then disappearing until the next year. But is freesia really that hard to grow?
Freesia: planting, growing and care at home
Of course, this is not the easiest culture to care for, but it is also far from a capricious azalea, for example, freesia. It belongs to the bulbous flower plants, accordingly, it is grown like any bulbous or corm flower. With some peculiarities and nuances, but without super-efforts. And it is not necessary to grow freesia only for cutting - it blooms beautifully and for a long time in a pot on a windowsill and in a garden flower bed.
Freesia is a plant from the Iris family with very fragrant funnel-shaped flowers of various colors.
Selecting and preparing freesia bulbs
It is best to buy garden freesia corms from a reputable garden center or specialty store. When choosing planting material, you must carefully examine the tubers - they should be hard and dense, without traces of mold, rotting, any damage, they should not have dry or soft areas.
The photo shows good bulbs:
Before planting them in the spring, it is recommended to prepare the bulbs:
- The first step is to clean them of scales... However, the scales that cover the tip of the bulb do not need to be touched! If under the scales you see that the bulb is dry or rotten, then you need to discard it, of course, nothing will grow out of it.
- Then you should spend disinfection - soak in a fungicide solution, for example, the drug "Fitosporin-M" is effective (follow the instructions). Such treatment is necessary to eliminate pathogens from the surface of the planting material. In addition, the procedure will make the planting material more resistant to disease and decay.
- After disinfection, you can process freesia bulbs in a solution of a growth stimulant drug, for example, Epin-Extra, Zircon, Heteroauxin, you need to act according to the instructions. Such preparation makes the planting material more viable, helps it germinate faster.
- If you do not want to soak in a growth stimulator, then after disinfection, to stimulate growth, you can just gently soak each onion in aloe juice (if you first put the leaves of the plant in the refrigerator for 10 days, then the juice will be even more effective).
Advice! If you find babies on the corms, then you do not need to tear them off yourself. It is better to plant directly with them.
Growing features
With excessive watering or poor soil throughput, fungal infections can affect freesia. You will learn about them if the leaves begin to wither and wither, but the soil remains moist. Dark, rusty or moldy spots may also appear on the leaves. The removal of damaged parts and treatment with any fungicide (Topaz, Fundazol) will help save the plants.For the prevention of infections in the rainy season, once a week, you should do the treatment with a drug of natural origin - Fitosporin.
You can enjoy the juicy leaves of Cape lily of the valley:
- aphids;
- thrips;
- spider mites.
If you notice signs of damage to flowers by pests or see them on the bushes themselves, treat them with special means - insecticides. To do this, you can use Karbofos, Inta-vir, Aktara or another drug. Re-treatment 7-10 days after the first will be very useful.
Freesia is a rather capricious garden flower, but it is very easy to please. He does not require the creation of supernatural conditions of detention, it is only important for him that he is not forgotten and regularly watered. Plant this plant in your garden to not only admire the delicate bright flowers, but also enjoy their amazing scent.
Scheme of planting freesia bulbs for germination at home
It is recommended to first plant the bulbs for germination at home, and then plant the so-called seedlings in open ground in the spring. Pre-planting allows you to see earlier flowering - already in early June.
The age of seedlings for planting in a permanent place is 1.5-2 months. You need to plant in a pot at home in early mid-March, but no later than early April. For example:
- In the South (Krasnodar Territory (Kuban), North Caucasus) - in the beginning of March;
- in Middle lane (Moscow region) - in mid-March;
- in the Leningrad region, in Siberia, in the Urals - in late March.
For planting bulbs in spring for germination at home, you can use plastic cup or pot with a volume of 200 ml... They must have drainage holes.
It is necessary to germinate garden freesia bulbs in light, loose, nutritious soil... You can use soil for bulbous plants for planting or make a soil mixture with your own hands: leaf earth + sod earth + humus (in equal proportions). Or mix 2 parts of sod land, 1 part of peat, 1 part of river sand, 1 part of humus.
It is necessary to correctly plant freesia bulbs for germination at home according to the following scheme:
- Fill a pot or glass halfway with soil.
- Place the bulb on the ground with the bottom down, it should be level.
- Gently cover with earth, but the tip of the sprout should remain slightly on the surface.
- Water with clean, settled water at room temperature.
- If the soil has settled after watering, then add it to the previous level.
How to care for freesias during germination
Taking proper care of your freesia bulbs after planting at home helps them germinate safely. The temperature must be kept within 18 degrees Celsius during the day and 15 degrees at night.
After spring planting for germination, it is worth rearranging the glass or pot on a light windowsill, but at the same time the plant should be protected from direct sunlight!
If the temperature in room conditions is higher, and the air is too dry, the plants will stretch and thin out, they will be weak, and the stem may even break off. Before landing in open ground, when the temperature is above 10 degrees Celsius, you can take out the plants during the day.
To water it is necessary as the top layer of the earth dries up, using clean, settled water at room temperature.
If the plants are overgrown or elongated, it is recommended tie up a stem to the support so that they do not break off.
When to plant freesia in the ground in spring, in what month
When is it better to plant freesia bulbs or seedlings in open ground in spring, in what month? When choosing the timing of landing, you need to focus primarily on the weather conditions - the air and soil temperature must be stable above + 10 ° C... In different regions of Russia, due to different climatic characteristics, the optimal time for the spring procedure in Middle lane (Moscow region) - in the middle of May, in Siberia, in the Urals, in the Leningrad region - at the end of May or even at the beginning of June, on South corms can be planted in mid-April.
You can choose the landing dates lunar calendar 2019 (this data is also relevant for germination at home):
- Auspicious days: in March - 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25;
- in April - 6, 7, 8, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30;
- in May - 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 31;
- in June - 1, 2, 9, 10, 11.
- in March - 6, 7, 21;
Stages of planting freesia bulbs open ground in spring
It is possible to plant freesia in open ground in spring both with bulbs and with seedlings previously grown at home. But in order to successfully grow freesia from a bulb in the first and second options, it is necessary to correctly complete the preparatory stages and the planting itself.
Seat selection
When choosing a place in the garden for planting freesia in spring, keep in mind that the flower grows well in areas with light partial shade, which are reliably protected from wind and draft... Although the plant needs good lighting, it is not recommended to plant corms in too open areas that stand under the scorching sun all day. But at the same time, the future flower bed should not be completely in the shade, otherwise the flowering will be weak and inconspicuous.
By the way! It is easier to grow garden freesia in a greenhouse and a greenhouse, because it is easier to create the necessary conditions and provide full care in them.
Preparing the soil for planting
The soil must be fertile, drained, loose... If the soil in your garden does not have suitable properties, then it is recommended to prepare it before planting:
- If you have poor soil or you have not applied fertilizer for a long time, it is recommended to dig up the soil with the addition of humus or compost (one bucket per square meter).
- Freesias do not like acidic soils, therefore, with low acidity of the soil in your garden area, you need to add wood ash (glass per square meter) or dolomite flour (200 g per square meter) to it.
- If the soil is too heavy, clayey and dense, it is recommended to dig it up with peat and sand to improve the structure (one bucket of each substance per square meter).
- In general, before planting, it is necessary to clear the future flower garden from debris, stones, eliminate weed rhizomes.
Advice! In addition to the above activities, you can dig a trench about 35-40 centimeters deep and wide (on a shovel bayonet) at the site of the future flower garden. And fill it with fertile soil - a mixture in an equal ratio of the top layer of earth from the garden, peat, humus or compost. Such fertile soil will surely suit freesias' taste during cultivation!
Direct landing
Important! It is possible to plant flower bulbs in spring without first germinating in a pot at home. The timing is the same (described just above), the planting material can be prepared in the same way as before planting for germination at home.
Scheme of spring planting of freesia bulbs in open ground:
- Make planting holes, the distance between them is determined by the size of the planting material (the distance between small corms is 3 cm, and between large ones - 6 cm). If you want to plant many bulbs, the row spacing is about 15 centimeters.
- The depth of the pits is about 10-15 cm (but this is not the planting depth!).
- At the bottom of the hole, pour fertile soil from the top layer of the earth (the thickness of the layer should be such that the bulb itself is at a depth of 4-5 centimeters from the surface of the earth).
- Place the onion evenly, bottom side down.
- Cover the holes with fertile soil.
- Water and mulch with peat or compost (layer thickness - 5 cm).
Note! Since such flowers are recommended to be tied to a support in order to exclude damage to the stem, it is necessary to put a support post even during planting. Doing this when the plant is mature can damage the bulbs or root system. Just dig a post next to the hole, and when the flower grows, tie it up.
And in order to properly plant freesia seedlings, pre-grown at home, it is recommended to follow these instructions:
- If you have not previously prepared the bed, then you need to make a trench to a depth of 15 centimeters and fill it with a fertile mixture. For example, you can put the following mixture: the top fertile soil layer - 1 part, peat - 1 part, humus or compost.
- Or mix the fertile layer and peat in the same ratio.
- And then, on the territory of the future hole, pour one teaspoon of superphosphate (one spoon - for one plant). Mix well with earth.
Important! Immediately after planting seedlings in open ground, it is necessary to put arcs and stretch agrofibre, which will protect against cold snaps, changes in night and day temperatures, and help the plants adapt faster. Such a structure must stand for at least 2 weeks.
Popular varieties
Each type of freesia is good in its own way. The most popular are 3 varieties. If it is difficult to decide, you can buy a mix of different types in a set.
Armstrong (Freesia armstrongii)
This is the most famous plant variety. The flowers are distinguished by a bright color and a pronounced smell. White bell buds have orange spots at the base, perianths are purple-pink. There are varieties with red, purple or blue petals. Maximum height 65 cm, bud diameter 5 cm.
Alba (Freesia refracta var.alba)
Freesia Alba has a spikelet that is split during flowering. The inflorescence consists of 10 snow-white flowers. The petals are corrugated with a smooth transition to yellow at the base.
Alba in bloom
Unlike other varieties, Alba does not have a pronounced odor.
Maximum height 35 cm, bud diameter 7 cm.
Fragrant (Freesia refracta odorata)
It is easy to guess from the name that the flower has a rich aroma. Fragrant has the smell of lily of the valley. The inflorescence consists of 6-8 bright yellow buds with orange specks at the bottom. The flowers are in the form of a narrowed tube. Bushes of medium density with an even thin stem.
Care after the spring planting of freesia
Caring for freesias after planting in open ground in spring is necessary for normal growth and development, beautiful flowering. The agricultural technique for growing Cape lily of the valley is very simple. To properly care for flowers, it is enough to fulfill a number of simple requirements:
- Regular watering. It is necessary to regularly water the plants from planting to a permanent place until the end of flowering (after it stops). The plant does not tolerate a lack of water very badly, therefore, in hot and dry weather, watering should be done almost every day.
- Humidity. The plant loves humid air, so it is recommended to spray it lightly with clean water every evening. But at the same time, do not let water get on the flowers.
- Loosening. It is necessary to loosen the soil around the plants after each watering or rain.
- Elimination of weeds. It is necessary to periodically weed in the flowerbed to remove weeds.
- Mulching. This element of care for freesias in the open field is very useful - mulch retains moisture, in cool weather it is warm, and in hot weather it prevents the soil with bulbs from overheating. As a mulching material, you can use rotted sawdust, straw. The layer thickness is about 3-5 centimeters.
- Top dressing. In the spring, before flowering, nitrogen fertilizers should be applied, and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers should be applied before and during flowering.
- Tying to a support. Since many varieties have a long stem, it is necessary to carefully tie it to a support so that it does not break off under the weight of flowers. For example, a small wooden stick can be used as a support.
- Elimination of faded peduncles. After flowering, when the flowers are withered or withered, they should be trimmed with clean scissors or pruning shears. Manipulation will stimulate re-flowering.
A luxurious flower garden in a country house or a plot of a private house is the dream of any gardener. Moreover, its beautiful and lush flowering largely depends not only on the correct planting, but also on subsequent care. Therefore, do not forget to pamper the delicate Cape lilies of the valley with your attention, and then there will be no limit to your delight!
Use in landscape design
It is difficult to imagine the design of flower beds, lawns, rock gardens without luxurious freesia. Flowers in pots, baskets decorate gazebos, recreation areas and smell of vanilla, lilies of the valley, citrus fruits.
Noble flowers add charm to the landscape composition
Thyme, lavender, rosemary - plants with which freesia are often planted, whose smell cannot be compared with any garden flower. Freesia scent - the scent of spring, freshness. No wonder the creators of prestigious perfumery are trying to create perfumes with such a scent. But the aroma of real freesia is not in any of them. Perhaps the shape of the flowers prompted the name of the world famous brand "Freesia Light" - a lighting company.
Growing and caring for freesia is painstaking work, but worth it. Admiring fresh flowers and inhaling the scent of freesia will give you real bliss.
