This wonderful African plant has long since captured the hearts of our gardeners, and they've learned to create entire carpets of colorful freesias, whose fragrance and vibrant blooms outshine many of our garden beauties. Moreover, they're easy to grow and undemanding.
Landing
The soil for planting is prepared in April. Typically, a mixture of turf, peat, sand, and humus is used—one part each. The day before planting, the soil is treated with a potassium permanganate or any other fungicide solution. The bulbs are treated with the same solution.
By the way, if you can't find bulbs at the store, you can grow freesias from seeds. Sow in March at a depth of 5 mm. Cover the container with plastic or glass until the seedlings emerge. The room should be heated to 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit). Supplemental lighting and moderate watering are essential. Two weeks later, when the third leaf appears, transplant the freesias into separate trays, six at a time. By May, the grown freesias will be ready for planting in the flowerbed.
Freesia is best planted in partial shade, but sun is also acceptable. Plant the bulbs up to 10 cm deep and space them 5 cm apart. Ideal temperatures are no higher than 15 degrees Celsius (this is necessary for abundant summer flowering).
Take another look, How to plant aster seedlings.
Freesia care
After planting, the plants need to be watered. Watering should be regular, as the soil moisture should be 70%. However, it's crucial not to let water splash on the plants when watering, as this can lead to rot. The water temperature should be between 22.5 and 24.5 degrees Celsius. Watering should be done in the afternoon, around 5 p.m.
To ensure excellent growth and bloom, freesias require fertilization. Before they bloom, feed them with a liquid solution of ammonium nitrate (2 g per liter). Once the flowers have opened, alternate feedings: a liquid solution of potassium salt (2 g per liter) and a superphosphate solution (4 g per liter) every 14 days. Fertilize even after the plants have finished blooming. Fertilize them with a liquid solution of superphosphate (4 g per liter) once every 15 days.
Freesias are delicate plants. They can be damaged by strong gusts of wind or large drops of rain. Therefore, when planting, it's important to plan ahead for how to arrange the flowers in the flowerbed to ensure they have support.
The bulbs will sprout within three weeks. If the freesia has been cared for properly, the first flowers may bloom in early August. Remove faded flowers to prevent seed formation. All the nutrients should be used to form new bulbs.
Good tips on how to plant flowers according to lunar calendar, very convenient.
Post-flowering care
The freesia has finished blooming, and the leaves have turned yellow. Now it's time to trim the leaves and stems. The bulbs are watered and fertilized for about 40 days. During this time, the baby bulblets (or baby bulblets) begin to grow. It's important to remember: don't leave the bulbs in the soil over the winter; they'll freeze! Therefore, be sure to dig them up, clean them, and discard any damaged ones. Afterwards, treat them with a potassium permanganate or fungicide solution. Then, place them in a dry, very warm place (temperature around 24-25 degrees Celsius) to dry.
Storage
After this, they are put away for storage. If possible, the bulbs are stored in peat. It's important to keep the room warm (they should never be stored in a basement). The air humidity should be approximately 90%. To achieve this, you can place a container of water under the bulbs. In March, the bulbs should be moved to a cooler location, where the temperature stays around 15 degrees Celsius. This will ensure good flowering of the freesia in the flowerbed during the summer.
See also: Cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse: planting and care.