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 next year... But is freesia really that hard to grow?

Of course, this is not the easiest culture to care for, but it is also far from a capricious azalea, for example, freesia. She belongs to the bulbous flower plants, accordingly, is grown like any bulbous or bulbous 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 the windowsill and on garden bed.

Where did freesia come from?

The flower belongs to the genus of perennial grasses with corms. The freesia family is Iris. This "lady" is a direct relative of the irises. More than twenty varieties are grown in decorative garden and indoor culture. The most popular species is the crossed hybrid, which appeared as a result of the labor of breeders from several varieties of wild freesia more than a century ago.

Freesia was "born" in South Africa. There it continues to grow in nature on the banks of African rivers. In the wild, this herbaceous shrub reaches an impressive size - about one and a half meters in height, and forms rather impenetrable fragrant flowering thickets.

The name of the flower was given by a botanist and an unknown doctor from Germany, Friedrich Fries. He did not regret his name for the African find, which made him famous all over the world. Today this amazing flower growers know and love everything the globe... Freesia is at the peak of popularity and, it seems, is not going to leave it.

How to tame an "African princess" and make her bloom in an apartment or flower bed in climatic zone the middle lane. Is it possible? Perhaps, if you follow the rules for caring for freesia and create favorable conditions for the plant.

Why freesia is good

Everyone! But the plant has several, of course, outstanding qualities, for which it is distinguished by flower growers from the order of bulbous and corms.

This plant:

Variety of varieties

Freesia can grow up to a meter (in accordance with the characteristics of the variety). The plant has a bare, leafless stem with multiple branches. Corm - with a brownish-gray scaly coating. Thin, sharp leaves, like sedge, are only one and a half centimeters wide, and can reach twenty in length.

The flowers are quite large, up to five centimeters long. Collected in paired or one-sided inflorescences. The petals can be painted in the usual colors (white, orange, red, pink, yellow), or they can have an unusual shade (purple, lemon green, burgundy, blue). The middle of the flower in certain varieties has a contrasting color to the petals.

By the way! The fruits of freesia are seed capsules. But propagation by seeds is impractical. Freesias are propagated by corms, and only breeders use seeds for breeding new varieties.

There are only three main types of freesias successfully grown in indoor floriculture.

One is a hybrid, obtained by crossing the first two parental species, and is the most popular in floriculture. From all three species, through selection, many interesting varieties, double and smooth-petaled, multi-colored and variegated, large and miniature.

Freesia varieties

Variety name	Peculiarities
	The species from which the popular varieties "Alba" and "Fragrant" originated. It is a miniature plant form that does not grow taller than forty centimeters. Thin stems have a spreading shape. The spikelet is paniculate, there are up to five flowers on it. Flowering begins in April. Petals color: white, yellow, orange, variegated.
	Large-flowered, on a miniature stem, up to seven flowers can be located. Possesses a memorable bright aroma with a distinctly present note of lily of the valley. The color of the petals from the edge is lemon yellow, to the base - orange-orange.
	Differs in large white flowers with lilac shading applied to them (nature). The inside of the flower is sunny yellow. It looks very impressive.
	A medium-sized species, which under development conditions is better than average, can grow up to 70 cm. Large bell-shaped flowers are in panicles of 5 pieces. The petal colors are all shades of red and pink. They bloom in May, live for about a month. The most popular variety of this type is "Cardinal".
	They are rightfully considered the most elegant variety. A tall, up to 70 cm bush gives at least three peduncles of 30-35 cm each. They are decorated with dark-scarlet flowers, 10-11 pieces per panicle. The length of the inflorescence can be up to 9 cm. On the red "body" of the petal, yellow spots, yellow stamens, purple anthers and a dark blue pistil are visible. Here is such an elegant and majestic "Cardinal".
	Not only is she herself a derivative of two other species, but also varieties are derived from her. But the beauty of the "genetic" and parental traits is enough for everyone. The hybrid freesia itself grows up to a meter, branching strongly during the growth process. The inflorescences reach 7 cm in diameter, and there can be 6-7 flowers on each cluster. The aroma is strong, fragrant. Colors: lilac, violet, two-tone and variegated, crimson, yellow. The following varieties were derived from hybrid freesia: "Ballerina", "Rose Marie", "Pimperina".
	Its base is yellow, like chicken fluff, the edges of the petals are snow-white, like the first snowball. Also corrugated petals. And a white "heart" with chaotic yellow stripes. The beauty reaches a height of 30 cm, and in one spikelet inflorescence there can be up to 12 flowers. Has an unusually tart odor.
	The bush grows low, the peduncles reach maximum height 25 cm. The flowers are medium-sized, about 5 cm. The petals are bright crimson, the center is white with pink strokes. There are up to seven flowers in a spikelet.
	The variety is mini, with peduncles barely 15 cm high. But it has large, six-centimeter flowers-bells. There are up to seven of them in the inflorescence. Rippled texture, dark red edge, yellow center with red shading. The aroma is subtle.

All varieties can be both smooth-petaled and double-flowered. Terry petals are arranged in several rows. In shops that sell seeds and bulbs, you can buy a mixed varietal mix that will make your balcony box, flowerpot or freesia flower bed fun, colorful, unpredictable and festive.

How to grow

Although in cool latitudes, like ours, an African guest will feel more comfortable in a greenhouse, it is possible to grow freesia in an apartment or in an open garden bed. Growing can take place all year round. But if you have planted corms in a flower bed, they will have to be removed for the winter, and planted again in the spring, because they will not stand frost, even with shelter.

When growing a pot culture or a specially equipped greenhouse, the flowering of freesia can be timed to coincide with winter.

Freesia needs

What does a freesia sissy need for successful flowering... Here are some of the required parameters.

Light

At least 14 hours a day during all periods of development, except for the rest period. At the same time - no direct rays. Shading only. If there is additional lighting (in the winter months), also through shading (light transparent fabric or thin white paper).

By the way! Freesia does not tolerate drafts, so it must be protected from aggressive ventilation. To change the air in the room where freesia grows, it is best to open all possible windows, and at this time take the flower to another room.

The soil

The soil is suitable only for increased looseness. The bottom of the pot must be drained. The soil consists of five components: turf, sand, humus, peat, leafy earth. Necessarily a non-acidic environment.

Temperature

Strictly +22? C, not more until flowering, if you want it to come at all. During the period of pecking, germination of bulbs, the temperature should be 5-7 degrees below normal, but as soon as the leaves appear, it must be maintained at the specified level.

Moisture

Freesia loves not only moist air, but also moderately moist soil. It is better not to pour the bulbs, but humid environment will promote better growth of peduncles and the formation of large flowers. Freesia can be sprayed. Only when the flowers bloom, do not spray water directly on them, they can fall off.

By the way! You can cut freesia flowers already when the first two flowers bloom on the peduncle. The rest will bloom in a vase in the same way as in a pot. After flowering, dried flowers are removed so that nutrients are not consumed by the plant.

Support

Broken freesia is called so because it has weak stems that break easily. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a support for a flower of this type. Also tall species will need support.

Growing in a pot

In home floriculture, freesia, like all bulbous ones, is not grown constantly, but for the sake of the winter flowering process. It is still snowing outside the window, in the courtyard it is time between the coming New Year, Valentine's Day and March 8, and on the windowsill you have a colorful fragrant garden.

1. To "African" bloom in January, corms are planted in early autumn, early September.
2. To bloom in February, planting, accordingly, must be shifted a month later, that is, to start in early October.
3. For flowering in March, freesia bulbs should be placed in a pot with soil, starting the forcing process, it is necessary in the last decade of October.

Before boarding

Rested, dry, undamaged bulbs that have been properly stored in your home or store at the proper temperature and air conditions must be soaked.

1. Soaking is carried out in an antibacterial solution, which can be made:

2. Soak for an hour. After that, rinse with plain water and treat again, this time with a growth stimulant, in the role of which "Epin" has proven itself best of all.

3. Prepare the pots. Flower pots with a diameter of at least 15 cm, it is necessary to wash and disinfect (wash with soap, soda or rinse with a solution of potassium permanganate).

4. A medium-sized expanded clay is placed at the bottom of the pot, there, if any, is poured a little ash or charcoal, the soil mixture is poured (see composition above).

5. Under the bottoms of the alleged bulbs, a stick of prolonged potassium-phosphorus fertilizer is buried two centimeters in depth.

6. In one fifteen-centimeter pot, you can plant up to six onions. If large - four.

7. The bulbs are placed in holes 5 cm deep, covered with loose soil.

8. The pot is placed in a cool place - no higher than + 15 ° C temperature. No watering required. Necessarily a lot of light. When the seedlings hatch, the pots move into warmth and watering begins.

Home freesia care

It is easier to grow freesia in an apartment than in a flower bed. You can control humidity and control temperature, fertilize on time and prevent disease.

In the autumn winter period it is enough not to forget to organize the backlight. For thin stems, build a support.

It is better to water it with room water, which has stood for two days. Spray with it.

During the heating season, you need to humidify the air additionally, using a humidifier or simple household appliances in the form of wet towels or pallets of water.

Top dressing is carried out every 14 days with mineral components as long as the leaves remain green.

After flowering

When the flowering ended, the leaves began to wither and turn yellow, the stem with the peduncle must be cut off, but watering should be continued for about one and a half months. This is necessary for the corm to give children. Of these, in two years you will receive full flowering plants... In the meantime, a month and a half after cutting the peduncle, watering is stopped. They are waiting for the soil to dry in the pot. The corms are removed with the children, disinfected with potassium permanganate, remove excess scales and put to dry.

Bulbs should be stored in mesh bags, at +20? C ... 25? C and rather high humidity - up to 80%. One month before next landing the bulbs are placed in a cool place, where the temperature does not exceed + 15 ° C.

A few words about growing freesia in a flower bed

For planting on a flower bed, it is better to subject delicate freesias to a preliminary germination procedure at home. Everything is the same as when planting in a pot when growing in an apartment. Only the time is different. With the arrival of spring, in the first or second month, the disinfected and stimulated bulbs are placed in pots, preferably peat ones. They should be hatching when you start planting corms in your garden in May.

Planting - in holes 6 cm deep. It is better to plant freesia side by side, literally at a five centimeter distance.

The soil between plantings is mulched. Care is carried out as for the rest of the flowers.

Your freesias will start blooming in August and continue to bloom, if they like everything, until October.

Video - Preparing freesia bulbs for planting

Video - Growing freesia in the garden and at home

Freesia cannot be called the queen of the garden, but it is certainly a princess - real and capricious. Every florist dreams of seeing her in his flower bed, but not everyone manages to pass the test - freesia: growing and caring for open ground... Pot cultivation is mainly used as a houseplant. And often after buying a flowering specimen, it is impossible to wait for a second flowering.

A bright representative of the large Iris family - bulbous freesia needs a special approach to cultivation. It cannot be called the most common flower culture and is rarely seen in a Russian flower bed. But this plant is one of the most desirable and interesting. Therefore, every season, many flower growers light up with the idea of ​​growing freesia and again make attempts to "settle" it in their personal plot.

The flower attracts everyone:

• enchanting aroma;
• sophistication of lines;
• the tenderness of the petals;
• palette of shades;
• grace;
• long flowering;
• good "behavior" in the cut.

Important! Why not everyone succeeds in growing freesia? Due to inaccurate adherence to agricultural techniques and numerous mistakes in care. This plant does not forgive mistakes.

What you should pay attention to when cultivating freesia.

1. Site selection.
2. Soil preparation.
3. The choice of planting material.
4. Warming up.
5. Treatment.
6. Preplant forcing.
7. Compliance with the landing rules.
8. Carrying out care.
9. Cleaning of corms.
10. Proper storage of bulbs until spring.

Step-by-step landing guide

All steps are important and must be followed in strict sequence. At any stage, failure may lie in wait if all conditions are not met or if they are neglected. First of all, the place is carefully chosen.

Step one - choosing a landing site

Freesia needs partial shade. This point is most often not taken into account when choosing a planting site, since flower growers, especially beginners, plant this plant in the sun. Sun rays falling directly, freesias are categorically contraindicated. They can touch the plant only in the morning and in the evening, so it is advisable to place the flower bed near trees and buildings. Also, freesia will not grow where there is a draft.

Step two - preparing the soil

The plant needs fertile soil, which is fertilized. Mechanical processing is also important - the soil must be dug up, loosened, made as light and airy as possible.

But the most important thing is to maintain the acidity of the soil. Its indicator should be no higher than 6.0-6.8. If the soil is too acidic throughout the entire area, it can be corrected. dolomite flour and slaked lime.

Step three - choosing the bulbs

The appearance of the planting material can tell a lot to the florist. Healthy, well-preserved bulbs will grow strong plants that will bloom fully.

By the way. Dutch bulbs are considered the best all over the world, so when buying, pay attention to the country of selection of the material.

There are several criteria for selection.

Step four - warming up

Freesia seeds reproduce very difficult and only under conditions of selection. Therefore, speaking of planting material, the corm is always meant.

The main procedure in preparation for planting is warming up. This is a feature of freesia, without which you can not expect high-quality flowering.

Important! It will take at least three, and preferably four months, to warm up the bulbs. In this case, the air temperature should be constantly within + 28 ... 32 ° C, and the humidity - 70-75%. Under these conditions, the synthesis of phytohormones is carried out, without which the peduncle will not form.

How to ensure heating while maintaining the required humidity? There is different ways... The easiest way is to install a container with water on the heating battery and hang the bulbs in a grid next to it.

How do you know when it's time to finish heating? Root rudiments will appear on the bottoms of the bulbs, and the renewal point will stretch out and lengthen.

Step five - processing

After completion of warming up, place the material for three weeks at a temperature of + 12 ° C. This can be, for example, a heated balcony.

Then disinfection is carried out. For this procedure, you can use a solution of phytosporin, foundazol, or ordinary potassium permanganate.

Store preparations are prepared according to the instructions. The solution of potassium permanganate should be intensely pink, and the corms should be immersed in it for thirty minutes.

Step six - distillation

Forcing begins in early March.

1. Small pots (7x7 cm are enough) are filled with fertile and disinfected soil prepared in advance. It is best to buy a primer intended for bulb flowers in the store.
2. The earth is well moistened.
3. Prepared and disinfected bulbs are planted in pots.
4. Installed on a heated window sill and monitor the observance of the humidity regime.

After about two months, it is time to land in the garden.

Step seven - landing

After distillation, freesias can be planted in a flower bed in early or mid-May. If no forcing has taken place, the disembarkation time is early April. It is imperative to make sure that the return frosts have completely passed, the daytime temperature is kept at + 12 ... 15 ° C, and the nighttime temperature does not drop below + 9 ° C.

Important! Too high planting temperatures should be avoided. At + 20 ° C and above, the formation of inflorescences in the bulb may stop, deformation of the bulb itself and its drying out.

Important! For the next three weeks, it is necessary to ensure that the flower bed is evenly moisturized, avoiding waterlogging and drying out. During this time, the freesia should germinate.

Care

For plants to feel good and enjoy flowering, they must be carefully cared for. The list of measures for freesia care includes standard procedures, but there are some peculiarities.

Organization of watering

The first thing to do after moving the bulbs to the flower bed is to organize watering in such a way that during the period of growing leaves, budding and flowering, plants receive enough moisture.

The peculiarity is that watering is carried out in a special way and at a strictly defined time. Since too high humidity can cause infection with fungal infections, it is recommended to water either in the morning (before noon) or in the afternoon, but no later than 17:00, so that the leaves have time to dry before the evening.

Loosening and weeding

Immediately after planting, it is necessary to mulch the surface to retain moisture until emergence and prevent the sprouts from drying out. But mulching is carried out with peat or humus, and as soon as the leaves appear from the ground, they begin to loosen.

They combine two procedures - loosening and weeding. Thanks to this, weeds do not accumulate around the bulb, taking away nutrients from the plant. Loosening also helps to remove the dense crust that forms on the soil surface. If it is not broken, enough moisture and air will not penetrate to the bulb and roots.

Fertilization

Regular feeding is mandatory. During the period when leaves develop and grow, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are needed. Further, the introduction of complex dressings is carried out.

Here, too, there is a feature - freesia does not like dry fertilizers. The plant reacts poorly to soil salinity. Therefore, it can only be fed with a solution of a weak concentration - two grams per liter of water.

Freesias are responsive to boron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. To replenish these elements in the soil, potassium and calcium nitrates are used.

Pruning

It consists in the sanitary removal of wilted inflorescences as they form throughout the entire flowering period, which begins in August and lasts until mid-autumn.

They consume the substances necessary for the plant during this period to form a replacement bulb. Optimal value trimming - 30% of the stem or to intact young tissue.

Advice. If the unhealthy appearance of the peduncle does not indicate fading, but of the onset of the disease, pruning may be the only way to save the entire plant.

You can cut flower stalks for bouquets when the first and second flowers begin to bloom on them.

Treatment and prevention of diseases

Freesia can be damaged by a variety of diseases and pests. You need to be able to recognize them in time in order to start treatment and, if possible, save the plant.

Table 1. Diseases and pests of freesia.

Problem name and symptoms	What to do
Fusarium is a fungus, the defeat of which is characterized by yellowing of the leaves, the death of the stems in the soil.	For prevention, it is advisable to change the planting site of freesias annually. It is also necessary to monitor sufficient soil moisture. It is imperative to disinfect the soil. For treatment, fungicides are used.
Botrytis is the official name of the well-known gray rot. The plant begins to fade, discolor. The leaves are covered with an ash bloom, and the flower petals are stained.	Here again, preventive measures are needed - ventilation, maintaining temperatures and a stable level of humidity, loose, not thickened plantings - will not give rot a chance to attack freesia. If the leaves die off, and the plates dry out in the center, this is affected by the effect of cold. The plant may be overcooled. Preparing for winter As soon as autumn enters the second half, the freesia leaves begin to turn yellow en masse. It's time to harvest corms. It is necessary to completely stop watering two weeks before the expected digging. At the appointed time (no later than the end of October), carefully remove the bulbs from the soil. Cut off the entire aerial part. Bring to a room with a temperature not lower than + 25 ° C and dry thoroughly. Select all injured and diseased ones. Pack up on meshes depending on the size (this way they will dry evenly, and then you will not have to calibrate). Hang it over a radiator or in another warm place (from + 28 ° C) for winter heating (do not forget to place a container with water next to it or take care of humidity in another convenient way). In February, the temperature drops 2.5 times, and the whole cycle starts over. Popular varieties and description There are over twenty different species of this plant, but only three of them are used for cultural cultivation. Table 2. Cultural types of freesia. Species name Description This is a miniature species that grows to a height of no more than a third of a meter. The stem is weak, hence the name. It is desirable to provide an elegant support for the flowers. The inflorescences are spicate, include up to five medium-sized flowers of various colors, mainly in yellow-green tones. All varieties of this species have a delicate aroma, slightly similar to the smell of lily of the valley. A tall culture that can grow up to 70 cm. The flowers are large, up to 5 cm, bell-shaped. Paniculate inflorescence, each with up to eight flowers. The color scheme is rich and varied: blue, scarlet, lilac, purple, violet. The most popular variety of this species is "Cardinal" with flowers of the same shade as the mantle of a Catholic priest. The most common, most commonly grown species. This is a hybrid of the two previous species, obtained by crossing them. Because of the high decorative qualities it is preferred by professional florists. This is the largest-flowered species. On a peduncle up to 90 cm high, up to 12 flowers with a diameter of 6 cm are formed. There are many varieties within this species. They vary in color. Ballerina, Apollo and Miranda have white flowers. The "Flamingo" variety has pink-purple flowers. "Atlanta" is famous for its delicate blue flowers. Saturated blue color has the "Royal Blue" grade. Bright red flowers in the "Stockholm" variety. All varieties tolerate cutting and bunching equally well. Freesia in garden design The beauty of freesia flowers is undeniable. And, in addition to the intricacies of care, one cannot help but think about how this "princess" will be presented in the garden, among other plants. What kind of frame to create for her, so that the beauty was noticeable immediately and from everywhere.

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Bright and festive freesia - growing by the rules

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

Description of freesia

Freesia is an amazingly beautiful bulbous flower that is successfully grown in any conditions. It's herbaceous perennial, belonging to the Irisov family. There are over 20 varieties of this flower.

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

Bright and fragrant freesia flowers can become great decoration for a wedding bouquet. They do not lose their freshness for a long time and do not fade.

Their amazing scent began to be used in the production of perfumes. Varieties that are red and yellow flowers grow much faster than other species. Freesia hybrid is a tall plant, reaching 1 m in height. Densely branched naked stem covered with brown corm scales. The length of the leaves is 20 cm, the width is 1-2 cm. Fragrant flowers about 5 cm long, they are collected in inflorescences that have a one-sided shape. The color of flowers is very diverse: 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 box with seeds.

The most common hybrid freesia varieties

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

How to grow freesia?

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

Outdoor freesia fades in mid-fall.

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 ground, old roots and scales. Then the tuber is dipped in any fungicidal solution for half an hour. After that, the corm must be well dried and sent for storage. Here, competent and timely care to properly store the planting material until the next disembarkation.

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 freesia red or any other variety in January, the plant's 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 florists additionally, the tuber is treated with root or epin.

After that, we prepare a 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 out a drainage layer with charcoal, then a soil mixture of turf, humus earth and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. In order to make the soil nutritious, a small part of potash and phosphorus fertilizer is added to it. This is followed by 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 must be placed in a cool place. Further care behind plantings - this is to ensure diffused bright light and a stable temperature regime. 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 outdoors has a slightly different pattern. Before planting freesia red in the garden, the planting material is germinated. At the beginning of spring, the bulbs are cleaned of old scales and dipped in a weakly concentrated solution of foundationol - 0.2%. This will prevent the appearance of various diseases in the plant at the stage of growth and development. After that, 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.

Seed propagation of freesia

There is a practice of growing freesia red using seeds. This process is painstaking, time-consuming and not always effective. We spread 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. The first shoots should appear in 3-4 weeks. After they grow up to 2-3 cm and get stronger, they carry out the thinning procedure, removing the shelter. Already in mid-May, when the ground warms up and the threat of the last frosts has passed, plants are planted in the open ground.

We prepare a plot 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 land is mulched with coniferous soil or peat. This will protect the root system from overheating.

Already at the end of summer - in mid-August, the plants will release several peduncles, on which decorative flowers bloom violently. The flowering period 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, 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 are subject to destruction.

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

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

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

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

The height of the plant and the size of the flowers depend on the particular cultivar.

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

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

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

As highlighted above, one of the main advantages of freesia as a flower crop is the versatility of the place where it is grown. Therefore, below we will consider the conditions that must be met depending on the choice of this place.

Seat preparation

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

After choosing a suitable planting site, you can start preparing the soil on it. If freesia will grow as a tapeworm, then you need to dig a hole of a suitable size, 40 cm deep and add soil mixture into it.

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

You can also add vermiculite or river sand for loosening. Freesia does not like acidic soils, therefore, a plot with acidic soil you must first deacidify with liming. Also, mineral fertilizers are introduced into the prepared earthen mixture: nitrogenous and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

Freesia is no longer some kind of exotic flower for Russia, the bulbs of which are hard to find on the shelves of gardening shops. When purchasing planting material, before buying, you need to carefully examine the bulbs for the absence of rot and mold. Also, they should be dense and hard, there should be no dry and soft parts.

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

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

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

Before planting, seeds must also be treated with a fungicide and planted in a planting container filled with a nutrient substrate. From above, the seeds are lightly sprinkled with soil (up to 3 ... 4 mm), the surface is slightly moistened with a spray bottle and covered with glass (you can wrap it in a plastic bag).

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

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

Preparing freesia bulbs for planting: video

Freesias - two weeks after planting: video

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

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

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

To grow freesia at home, you need a pot with a hole at the bottom to drain excess water.

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

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

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

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

This option is the most optimal from the point of view of the possibility of maintaining all those favorable conditions that freesia needs. Unlike planting in the open field, when planting bulbs in spring, this flower culture will bloom not at the end of August, but much earlier - at the beginning - in the middle of summer. Why? Just because the greenhouse has the ability to:

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

We plant freesia in open ground: video

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

The main pests of freesia are:

• spider mite
• thrips

They should be fought with means designed to destroy a complex of pests, because it is not always possible to accurately determine which particular enemy has settled on the freesia.

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

For green florists, a note: folk remedies will not help in the fight against thrips and spider mites, so you have to use a chemical.

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

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

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

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

Freesia seed propagation

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

Freesia propagation by corms

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

Storing bulbs in winter

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

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

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

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

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

Freesia (lat.Freesia), or freesia- one of the most charming bulbous plants grown both in the garden and at home. Freesia is a genus of herbaceous bulbous perennials of the Iris family (Iris), which includes about 20 species. The most famous is the hybrid freesia, which appeared as a result of the crossing of several species about a century ago. Homeland of plants - South Africa where they grow on damp shores and among bushes. They were named after Friedrich Vries, a German botanist and physician.

Freesia is elegant, graceful and delicate, it exudes a pleasant aroma, reminiscent of the smell of lily of the valley, and for this it is sometimes called "Cape lily of the valley". Thanks to all these qualities, it is now at the peak of popularity among flower growers as a cut crop.

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Planting and caring for freesia (in brief)

• Landing: in open ground from the second decade of May. For distillation by January - at the end of August in a pot.
• Digging: October.
• Storage: one month after digging at 25 ˚C, then before planting at 10 ˚C.
• Bloom: in the garden - August-September.
• Lighting: light partial shade.
• The soil: loose, well-drained, neutral or slightly acidic.
• Watering: during growth and flowering - abundant and regular, then watering is gradually reduced.
• Top dressing: in the garden: on seedlings - with nitrogen fertilizers, then twice a month with phosphorus and potash.
• Reproduction: seed and vegetative (corms).
• Pests: thrips, spider mites, aphid.
• Diseases: fusarium, scab, gray, dry, penicillous, hard and sclerocial rot.

Read more about growing freesia below.

Freesia flower - features

Freesia flower:

• is an adornment of any bouquet, it is especially attractive for brides;
• does not fade for a long time, does not lose freshness;
• thanks to its aroma, it has become of interest to manufacturers of elite perfumery;
• takes its rightful place in landscape design;
• it is grown both in the open field (in a greenhouse and in a garden) and on window sills;
• red-yellow grows faster than other varieties.

Photo: Growing white freesias in the garden

Hybrid freesia reaches a meter in height, has a bare, highly branched stem, a corm covered with thin brownish scales. The leaves are thin, with a central vein, 15-20 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide. Fragrant flowers 3-5 cm long are collected in weak one-sided inflorescences. The color of flowers can be any - white, red, orange, blue, purple, yellow, cream, pink ... Often the throat of a flower has a contrasting shade in relation to the petals. The freesia fruit is a capsule.

It is best to grow freesia in a greenhouse or greenhouse, where it is easier for it to create the necessary conditions, but this is an occupation for experienced or professional florists. Basically, freesia can be grown all year round, but since garden freesia does not winter in the soil in our latitudes, in the fall its tubers will have to be removed from the ground. But this plant is also used as a pot culture, and in indoor conditions, home freesia blooms just in winter time... There is General requirements for all types of freesia with which we will introduce you.

• Freesia is a very light-loving, she needs light for 12-14 hours daily, but direct sunlight is destructive, so the best place for freesia is light partial shade.
• Make sure that there is protection against drafts.
• The soil loose with good drainage... The optimal composition of the soil: peat, leaf, humus and sod land in equal proportions. Low acidity is preferable.
• Broad-leaved, spreading varieties are planted more freely, narrow-leaved and small-flowered - more compact.
• If you are interested in lush flowering, then you need a strict temperature regime: before flowering - not higher than 22 ° C.
• You can cut flowers only after at least two flowers have fully opened in the inflorescence. Withered flowers must be removed so that they do not take away nutrients from the newly formed ones.
• In some freesias (in particular, in varieties of broken freesia), weak stems need to support don't forget about it.
• Freesia loves wet air, but when spraying plants, try to do it so that the water does not get on the flowers and buds. The best time for this - 17-18 hours.
• Too hot or too cool weather promotes deformation of flowers and the formation of empty buds.

Photo: Growing freesia seedlings in a container

Growing freesia outdoors

How to grow freesia

Before planting freesia in open ground, it is better to grow the freesia bulbs a little. In March-April, peel the corms from the scales and, to prevent fungal diseases, soak them for half an hour in a 0.2% solution of foundationol. Then place them in fertile loose soil in peat pots 5 cm deep and hold them on a well-lit windowsill or on warm loggia before disembarkation.

At the bottom of a pot with a diameter of 15 cm, you need to lay the drainage mixture and charcoal, then pour a suitable soil (sand, turf and humus soil 1: 2: 1) with a small amount of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers and place 5-6 onions in it to a depth of 5-6 cm. The pot with freesia is placed in a cool (10-15 ºC) is a bright room and kept without watering, but as soon as leaves appear, the plant is transferred to heat (20-22 ºC) and watering begins.

In the photo: Planting freesia in pots on the windowsill

Freesia care at home

Planting and caring for freesia at home is much easier than caring for it in the garden or in the greenhouse, but there are nuances that are important to know. In the autumn-winter period, daylight hours are shorter than in summer, and freesia needs lighting for at least 12 hours a day. So you have to create for freesia additional illumination fluorescent lights if you don't have the ability to keep freesias on east or west windowsills. Also, remember to put up props as weak freesia stalks may not support the weight of the flowers and will break.

Watering carried out with settled water after the topsoil dries up. During the flowering period, watering should be not only regular, but also abundant. During the heating season, it is extremely important that the air around the freesias is not too dry, therefore it is imperative spray plants. Or keep them in a cooler place, such as a glassed-in loggia. Well feed freesia every two weeks mineral fertilizers until the leaves wither.

In the photo: Growing freesia in an apartment

Freesia after flowering

Home freesia

As soon as your freesia has faded, the leaves and stem are cut off, and the bulb continues to be watered for another month and a half in order for new bulbs to form on it. Then the corm is removed from the ground, disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate, dried for several days in a warm place and sent for storage.

Garden freesia

In late September or early October, when the freesia has bloomed, and the leaves turn yellow, but have not yet dried, the corms are removed from the ground, the stem with leaves is cut off, the bulbs are cleaned of soil, roots and old scales, kept for 30 minutes in a weak disinfectant solution of sodium permanganate or any fungicide (maxim, phytosporin, foundationazol) and dried for several days at a temperature of 25-28 ºC in a ventilated room. Then the bulbs are sorted, damaged or rotten, and sent to storage.

Photo: Germination of freesia bulbs at home

Freesia bulbs are stored in nets at a temperature of 20-25 ºC in a room with high air humidity (70-80%). If there is no such room, then place a container of water under the net with onions. Planting material it is necessary to revise at least once a month, separating rotten or diseased corms. One month before planting, the bulbs should be placed in a cooler place (10-15 ºC).

Photo: Freesia bulbs before storage

Types and varieties of freesia

Most often in floriculture, hybrid freesia (Freesia hybrida) is used, obtained by crossing species such as refracted or broken freesia (Freesia refracta) and Armstrong's freesia (Freesia armstrongii). These same types of freesias gave rise to many varieties, which we will tell you about.

Freesia armstrongii

A plant reaching a height of 65-70 cm. Flowers (scarlet, pink or red) bell-shaped, fragrant, collected in panicles of 3-5 pieces. The tube is white with yellow spots. The leaves are xiphoid, long. The varieties of this freesia bloom from May to June.

One of the most beautiful varieties of Armstrong freesia - Cardinal... This freesia is red, non-double, high (70 cm). One bulb produces three flower stalks 35 cm long, the number of flowers in a panicle is from 9 to 11 pieces, the inflorescence length is 9 cm. The flowers are dark red with a yellow spot, the stamens are yellow, the pistil is blue, the anthers are purple.

In the photo: Growing yellow freesias at home

Freesia hybrid (Freesia hybrida)

Combines the best qualities of its ancestors. Its bush is tall (up to 1 m) and highly branched, the brushes consist of large (5-7 cm in diameter) fragrant flowers of purple, crimson, yellow and other shades, both monochromatic and two-colored.

• grade Ballerina- freesia white with yellowness at the base, corrugated petals. The pharynx is also white, with a yellow stripe. In inflorescences up to 12 flowers 5.5x6.5 cm in size. Peduncles 25-30 cm high. Possesses a delicate aroma;
• grade Rose Marie- peduncles 20-25 cm high, in the inflorescence up to 7 flowers 4.5x4.5 cm of bright crimson color, in the lower part of the flower - white with crimson lines;
• grade Pimperina- peduncles are low (15-20 cm), in inflorescences up to 7 flowers 6x5.5 cm, petals are slightly corrugated, red with dark red edges. The bottom of the petals is yellow with red strokes. The aroma is inexpressive.

In the photo: Freesia hybrid white

Freesia white, or refracted, or broken (Freesia refracta)

This species is distinguished by its miniature forms (no higher than 40 cm). The stems are thin, spreading, the inflorescence is a paniculate spike, in which there are 2-5 white or yellow-orange flowers. Blooms in April.

• freesia Alba(Freesia refracta var.alba) - snow-white large flowers with purple strokes on a yellow background inside the pharynx;
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