Growing freesia at home: tips, rules, recommendations. How to grow freesia

Can freesia successfully and profitably grown in our country both in large farms and in small producers? We will discuss this with the candidate biological sciences, director of the wholesale company Politsvet Alexey BYKOV.

Alexey Mikhailovich, you cannot imagine how glad I am that we will finally talk about freesia. I “adored” her when I saw her for the first time 40 years ago. But then freesia went to Moscow with Black Sea coast Caucasus as a southern flora. Small such flowers on stalks 15- 20 cm but with an amazing smell. And when Leonid Semyonovich Gil was the first agronomist to start growing large-flowered terry freesia at the Kyiv Vegetable Factory in the late 70s, she could not leave the greenhouse!

Of course, between these "milestones" there were many years of work with freesia at the Research Institute of Mountain Horticulture and Floriculture (Sochi). Dozens of varieties were introduced here from Holland different terms flowering, industrial technology of reproduction and distillation was developed. Do you think that domestic cut freesia has a chance on the market today?

Don't doubt if you bet on a good one planting material. After all, a rich experience in forcing tulips and lilies in modern Russia proven to be cost effective. Soviet flower growers did not have the right to buy imported bulbs and spent a huge scientific and production potential on their own propagation of all flower crops. Now life and the market dictate their own laws. Moreover, the Dutch themselves write about the sufficient painstaking breeding of freesia. It is very important that modern varieties give alternately 3 peduncles: the 1st crop is 60 cm long, the 2nd is 40.3 -20 cm.

Let's first introduce readers to biological features culture.

Freesia- a perennial corm plant of the family. iris, roll from South Africa. Leaves sword-shaped, soft, drooping. The flowers are funnel-shaped, of various colors (white, yellow, raspberry, lilac, pink, etc.), with a strong delicate aroma. Collected by 6-10 or more in racemose inflorescences on high (up to 60 cm) peduncles.

And how does the development of the corm proceed?

It is small (no more than 5, rarely 7 cm in circumference), elongated, covered with leathery scales, formed in the 1st year. At the end of the 2nd year, it dies off, and a new one develops instead - a substitute, with renewal buds and tuber buds at the bottom.

At home, freesia blooms after relative dormancy, which is timed to coincide with the hot season. At this time, vegetative and flower organs are laid and formed in the buds of renewal.

How long is the growing period from planting to flowering?

For Dutch material prepared for distillation, from 14-15 weeks for the most early varieties and up to 18-20 for late ones. In the warm season, forcing is faster.

Now let's talk about the substrate.

The freesia root system penetrates deeply and successfully develops on loose and moisture-intensive soils with a fertile layer of 25-30 cm. sod land(or peat with soddy soil 2:1) with the addition of sand, bone meal (2.5-3 kg/m-1) and lime. Optimal acidity pH 5.5-6.5 on peat and 6.0-6.5 on soil.

What is planting material for forcing by parsing?

Only parsing 5+ or more is for distillation. Its price depends on the variety, on average it is 5-10 rubles.

How much does a cut cost?

The wholesale price is 25-30 rubles, so the market price will be higher. In Moscow stores, freesia is sold, depending on the season, for 70-80 rubles. But for the provincial market it is a little expensive.

How are corms planted?

The depth of planting varies: on light soils -12 cm from the bottom, on medium soils - 8-10, on heavier soils - 6 cm. 15 cm, 1-1.2 m wide. Tracks 40 ^ 15 cm.

Corms are planted vertically in transverse rows spaced 12.5 cm apart. The density depends on the variety and season (12.5 x 6 cm or 12.5 x 10 cm.d.).

Explain in more detail, please.

In summer, they are planted less often than in spring, since the flowering time falls on a period of lack of light. Varieties with wide and spreading leaves require a larger feeding area than narrow-leaved and compact ones. Small-flowered cultivars are planted thicker.

Previously, freesia plantings were mulched. And now?

Necessarily, since the most dangerous thing is overheating of the soil. Coarse mulch is used - granulated peat, sawdust, straw, pine bark.

How to plan landing dates?

Freesia is a year-round crop. I think it's best to use the Dutch seasonal planting pattern.

But summer cut freesia in Russia is unprofitable, so you need to rely on the timing of receipt of products from September to June. There is a way to distill in separate batches, which are planted every month.

What is the distillation temperature?

Soil temperature is maintained at 15-16°C for 5-7 weeks. It is very important! Depending on the season, subsurface heating or cooling plus mulch is used. The optimum air temperature after landing is 6-8°. After 3-4 weeks it is increased. At night they support 7-9″, during the day in cloudy weather 10-13″, in sunny weather 16-18°. Relative air humidity at the level of 65-70%.

Are there any features of agricultural technology depending on the timing of planting?

Let's analyze them, excluding our unfavorable summer cut.

Option A- spring bloom(March-May). Corms, depending on the variety, are planted at 80-112 pieces / m2.

And winter flowering, probably, requires additional lighting?

And not only. There are other features of the technology of option G. The bulk are planted starting from the end of July. The density is less - 64-85 pieces / m2.

Due to the lack of light, the buds may dry out. Therefore, they resort to cutting the leaves to give more light and air to the flowers.

How is it done when?

In winter and late autumn, too strongly developed foliage is somewhat reduced in volume. This is done when the peduncle is still small, a few centimeters. Prune first of all the hanging leaves in the upper part of the plant (no more than necessary).

To maintain the optimum temperature of the soil after planting, which falls on the hottest time of the year, they resort to cooling it.

And, finally, additional lighting - lamps with a power of 220-225 W / m. This is not required, but desirable.

What happens without backlight?

In low light, freesia is grown at a lower temperature level (8-10 ″), the distillation period is extended and the quality, of course, is worse.

How much should be illuminated and when?

What are the features of distillation for the fall? After all, these are all school holidays, name days of Faith, Hope, Love, Sophia ...

To get a cut in September-October (option B), they are planted in May-June, at the rate of 100-128 pcs / m2. The problems of the grower are associated with overheating of the soil. The heat in summer, if not taken care of, can delay flowering by 1-2 months. So in the cold summer, freesia is easier.

Before planting, hold the corms for 1-2 weeks at 14 °. After planting, use a light-colored mulch. And the cooling system is piped with cold water, if needed. Often you have to shade landings.

Starting from August, if there is no strong heat, and the sprout has reached 2-3 cm, gradually increase the access of light so as not to cause burns.

How is freesia developing in the greenhouse?

The entire cycle from planting to digging corms includes three phases of development.

1 - growth phase (from planting to bud formation).

This period is very sensitive to the temperature regime of the soil. A shift of 1-2° is enough to cause changes in freesia development. Since all the processes of leaf and flower formation in the corm proceed in the soil, its temperature of 15-16″ is also a fundamental point.

2 - phase growth and flowering. Plants continue to form and develop leaves and flowers. Now the climate in the greenhouse comes first. Sudden changes in temperature and humidity are harmful.

3 - phase - from cutting flowers to digging corms.

What is the watering regime during forcing?

After planting, the ridges are watered abundantly, and then the water supply is somewhat reduced until the roots form. Irrigation during cultivation is regular, soil moisture is maintained at the level of 65-70% PV, air humidity - 65-70%. It is necessary to water the plants in the morning and make sure that no drops of water remain on the leaves by night.

Are supplements needed?

Freesia is demanding on nutrition, but not very salt-tolerant. The maximum allowable EU is 1.5-2.0. During the season, several top dressings are carried out, based on the data of agrochemical analyzes. The optimal content (0.2n HCL) of nutrients in the soil is as follows, mg/l: N-100-180, P2O5-250-350, K2O-400-500.

The lower limit is optimal during the period of tuber germination, the upper one - during the growth of the vegetative mass. On dense soils with little organic matter and during the growth period, the lower level should be kept.

When are the flowers cut?

At the dissolution of the first flower of the inflorescence. Cut life expectancy is 10 days. The Dutch recommend in winter to cut more mature flowers with 2-3 blossoming buds. They store the freesia in water at +2°C and add cut food if the product stays on the farm in the refrigerator for more than 1 day. Flowers do not tolerate dehydration, so dry cold storage is minimal.

And what does the maintenance of products after cutting without water lead to?

Then all the buds do not bloom in a vase. In addition, freesia is very sensitive to ethylene, it cannot be kept in the same room with potatoes, vegetables, fruits. Exhaust gases also act on it (cold garage).

In what form is freesia sold?

There must be at least 4 buds in the brush.

After cutting the main peduncle, the 2nd peduncle grows 40 cm long, and in a number of varieties the 3rd one is 20 cm long. Probably, their flowers are smaller too?

The main first peduncle, of course, is more powerful, the subsequent flowers are smaller. Abroad, short freesias are sold in bunches (like violets, snowdrops), often multi-colored.

What should a freesia buyer do?

Trim the stems by 3 cm and put the flowers in a package for soldering in clean water. In stores, products are placed in the same way in a solution with top dressing.

So what is it that is also better to sell it on the market in packaging and on water?

This is necessary to keep the product fresh.

What to do with the corm after cutting?

After cutting the flowers for 3-6 weeks, the freesia continues to grow, replacing corms, tuber buds grow. During this period, watering is gradually reduced. During the day the temperature is 15-25″ (at night 12″), the soil is -16″. Corms are dug up at the beginning of the yellowing of the leaves, until they dry out.

Cut off the stems immediately. There are 2 methods of further work with planting material: domestic (tested by our science and practice) and Dutch.

Let's bring the domestic one in this issue, and the Dutch one in the next one.

Dry the material on racks or in boxes with a mesh bottom in a ventilated and shaded room at a temperature of 25-28 ° for 4-7 days. After drying, they are cleaned, sorted by parsing and placed in storage. Corms for 12-15 weeks are kept at a temperature of 28-31 "and air humidity of 65-75%, and 2 weeks before planting - at 12-15 °. If it is necessary to delay the development of corms, they are placed in storage with a temperature of 2-3 "and an air humidity of 90% before the start of heat treatment.

If, after the end of the heat treatment, the planting material is not planted for 6-7 weeks and stored at a temperature of 8-18 °, then the "pupation" of corms and tubers occurs. This happens most quickly at a temperature of 13-15 °. Such planting material does not sprout. In planted and not planted corms, new replacement corms are formed within 7-9 weeks, which are smaller than the mother ones.

Sometimes, to preserve the planting material, “pupation” is specially carried out. After harvesting, it is stored for 6-12 weeks at a temperature of 28-30 °, after which at 13 "- up to 5-6 months. Humidity at this time should be 70-75%. With its decrease, the replacement corms, as a result of the loss of oxen, lose their germination capacity.

Alexey Mikhailovich, how many varieties do your suppliers offer? How do they differ?

About 65 varieties. By color they are divided into white, Ivory, yellow, blue and lilac, orange, with strokes. According to the timing of flowering: early (early), medium and late. In each scale there are simple and double flowers. Most of varieties - fragrant, but there are also odorless.

What determines the price of a corm? From ugliness?

No, on the degree of novelty of the variety. Some trendy varieties with strokes on the petals are more expensive.

Previously, freesia in greenhouses was necessarily tied up, pulling the net, as for carnations. Do today's varieties require a garter?

Necessarily, otherwise there will be a curvature of the peduncles. Support frames are installed on the ridges, on which, when the plant reaches 10-12 cm in height, a mesh with cells is attached. In its absence, longitudinal rows of wire are pulled, which are attached with twine or cord thread. As the plants grow, the net is lifted or stretched 2-3 more tiers at a height of 15-20 cm from each other.

On a note:

- Persian cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) belong to this family. primroses (Primulaceae). This is one of the oldest and most beloved flower crops of floriculture throughout the world. In other countries, as in Russia, cyclamen was traditionally grown for sale from early spring to autumn.

Freesia is a bulbous plant that belongs to the iris family. This flower is native to South Africa. It happens various colors- crimson, yellow, lilac, pink, white. Freesia has a very rich and at the same time quite delicate aroma. You can grow freesia at home all year round. The forcing of freesia by March 8 is especially relevant, when you want to present live and truly spring flowers as a gift. Growing period According to experienced experts, the cultivation of freesia lasts up to 15 weeks, if there is material already prepared for forcing. For not so early ripening flowers, forcing can be delayed up to 20 weeks. As for the soil, root system freesia feels great on loose, moisture-intensive soil, which has fertile layer up to 30 cm. Excellent results gives a substrate of litter peat, humus, sod and leaf ground(all in equal proportions). It is also necessary to add clean sand, bone meal and lime. Acidity should not exceed 6.5 pH. Planting a corm To know how to drive freesia, you need to consider practical tips for planting corms. If we are talking about light soils, then the bulb should be planted at a depth of 12 centimeters from the bottom. If landing is carried out on average - from 8-10 centimeters. Each bulb is planted vertically in a transverse row. The distance between rows should be 12 and a half centimeters. Density may vary depending on the variety of tubers and the time of year. If planting is done in the summer, then the flowering time usually falls on the period when sunlight missing. If wide and sprawling varieties are planted, then they will need big square for food. When it comes to plants with small flowers and leaves, then they can be safely planted thicker. Timing As for freesia, it is a year-round crop that can delight with its beauty throughout the year. When planning dates, it is best to use the Dutch planting system - by season. It is most advantageous to rely on the timing of forcing freesia from September to June. Temperature conditions After the tubers have been planted in the ground, the containers must be transferred to a room with a temperature of up to 16 degrees above zero for 5-7 weeks. This period is very important for the plant, so it is necessary to create conditions with the specified temperature regime. After landing myself optimum temperature is 6-8 degrees above zero. After 3-4 weeks, the temperature should be raised. However, freesia should be kept in a cooler room at night. Humidity varies from 65 to 70 percent. The use of agricultural technology This aspect is especially relevant during the winter forcing, since in winter the flowers need to be additionally illuminated. Otherwise, the freesia buds will dry out. To avoid this, freesia leaves are often pruned to give the buds more sunlight.

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

Choice of corms

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

Line up!

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

Water procedures

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

About nutritional deficiencies

In different phases of plant growth and development, their need for nutrients is different. So, nitrogen fertilizers are necessary primarily for the growth of green mass, potash and phosphorus - for the formation of full-fledged flower shoots and abundant, rich flowering of each bud in the brush. It is noticed that with nitrogen deficiency, young leaves become lighter and smaller, there are fewer buds in the inflorescence. With a lack of calcium, the ends of the leaves first turn white, then darken, curl up and die. With a deficiency of calcium and phosphorus, plants may not bloom at all.

Light and supports

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

Digging and storage

Comfortable conditions of the greenhouse contribute to the rapid maturation of corms.

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

Freesia will be an excellent decoration for any garden or home, as this bulbous plant can be grown not only in open field but also in pots or boxes. The flower belongs to perennial crops, therefore, when planning cultivation in the garden, you need to carefully select a place where this resident of the tropics will be comfortable.

Features of freesia, its varieties, rules for care and cultivation will be described in detail in this article. Using our tips, you will learn how to properly breed freesia, regardless of the climate.

Features of the freesia flower

Exquisite freesias are presented in a wide variety of shades, and even after cutting, the flowers do not lose their freshness and original appearance for a long time. In addition, the plant has an exquisite aroma and is used to produce perfumes (Figure 1).

Picture 1. External Features flower

When properly placed on the site, freesia can become valuable. decorative culture, which will be an excellent component flower arrangement. Most hybrids reach a meter in height, and delicate single inflorescences look great in flower beds.

Species and varieties

The most common is the hybrid freesia, which was obtained by crossing several varieties. But there are other, equally common types of culture that also deserve the attention of flower growers (Figure 2).

Popular varieties of freesia include:

1. Armstrong- a relatively low plant (up to 70 cm) with pink or red bell-shaped flowers.
2. hybrid combines best qualities species that were used to create it. The height of an adult plant reaches a meter, and the buds of a wide variety of shades are collected in small inflorescences. To this species include varieties Ballerina, Rose Marie and Pimperina.
3. Broken distinguished by thin stems and spreading inflorescences of a white or yellowish hue.

Figure 2. Popular crop varieties: 1 - Armstrong, 2 - hybrid, 3 - broken

All the types described above can be both simple and terry. It is noteworthy that on the same bed you can grow not only one particular variety, but also a mixture of different species.

freesia growing conditions

Freesia belongs to tropical crops, although it is grown in open ground and under conditions temperate climate. It should be borne in mind that the bulbs of the plant will not be able to endure the winter cold, and not this period of the year they must be dug up and stored until next year.

Planting and caring for freesia in the open field

Exist certain rules placing a flower in the garden. First of all, you need to correctly determine the landing site. Preference should be given to semi-shaded areas: despite the fact that for abundant flowering culture needs light for 12-14 hours, direct Sun rays may cause leaf burn.

The flower bed should be well protected from drafts, and it is better to choose loose, nutritious and well-drained soil. It should also be borne in mind that some varieties need supports, as thin stems can break under the weight of lush buds.

How to grow

Planting is carried out with bulbs, but, unlike tulips or daffodils, which can be immediately transferred to the ground after warm weather stabilizes, it is advisable to germinate the bulbs slightly before transferring to the flower bed.

In order for the cultivation to be successful, at the end of March or the beginning of April, all planting material is inspected, freed from dry scales and treated with a solution of foundationol for disinfection and prevention of fungi. Next, the bulbs are planted in small pots with peat soil, deepening them into the soil by no more than 5 cm, and exposed to a warm, well-lit place.

Figure 3. Features of planting a plant in the ground

Growing from seeds is rarely practiced and only for breeding certain varieties. AT this case seeds are scattered on the surface wet soil, sprinkle with a thin layer of earth no more than 2 cm and cover with film or glass. After the appearance of the first shoots, thinning is carried out, leaving only the strongest plants in the container. Landing on a permanent place is carried out at the end of May, when the spring frosts stop.

Landing

Since freesia belongs to tropical crops, it is very sensitive to cold and frost. Therefore, planting in open ground is carried out at the end of May, when there is no longer a threat of frost (Figure 3).

Planting freesia in the ground is carried out as follows:

1. We prepare small holes in the flowerbed, since the culture bulbs are deepened into the ground by no more than 6 cm.
2. If you have large planting material, the distance between the planting holes should be 5 cm, and if small - 3 cm.
3. A distance of 15 cm should be kept between rows.
4. The bulbs are placed in the ground, sprinkled with a layer of soil and cover the bed with a layer of organic mulch (peat or coniferous soil).

The first buds will appear in August, and when proper care flowering will continue until early October.

The video shows how to choose good time and land in open ground.

garden care

Freesia reacts very positively to top dressing. For the entire period of cultivation, they are carried out several times. The first - when the first shoots appear. In this case, use water solution ammonium nitrate (20 grams of fertilizer per bucket of water). In the future, top dressing is carried out twice a month, introducing potassium salt and superphosphor dissolved in water into the soil in a proportion of 20 and 40 grams of the substance per bucket of water (Figure 4).

In addition to top dressing, the crop needs regular weeding and loosening of the soil, as weeds can simply drown out young plants and they will stop growing.

Figure 4. The main stages of flower care

Irrigation regime also requires some attention. The plant needs watering especially strongly during the period of growth and flowering: at this time, moisture must be applied often and plentifully. When flowering is complete, the number of waterings is gradually reduced and completely stopped. At this time, it will be enough to periodically spray the leaves with water to increase the humidity of the air. It is advisable to carry out the procedure in the evening so that sunburn does not appear on the leaves.

Diseases and pests

The culture is affected by the same diseases and pests as the rest. bulbous plants. Thus, thrips, aphids or spider mites can cause significant harm to plantings, to combat which insecticides and agaricides are used.

Among the diseases, freesia is most often affected by scab, fusarium and rot. Unfortunately, it is impossible to cure a plant from these pathologies, so the affected specimen is simply removed from the soil along with an earthen clod and burned.

For the prevention of bulb diseases, plants are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate before being stored and planted in the ground. The irrigation schedule also plays an important role: neither waterlogging of the soil nor its drying out should be allowed.

Freesia at home

Growing freesia in open ground is considered quite difficult, so more often this crop can be found in greenhouses or greenhouses. However, to grow this unusual flower possible at home.

To do this, you need to know what conditions should be created for the successful cultivation of a crop, and what care should be provided to the plant at all stages of vegetative development.

How to plant

At home, freesia is most often grown in order to enjoy its flowering in winter and in early spring. To enjoy in the cold season lush bloom culture, you need to properly plant (Figure 5).

Note: If you want the first flowers to appear in winter, the bulbs should be planted no later than September.

Before planting, the bulbs are soaked in a disinfectant solution of potassium permanganate or azotobacterin. If possible, additional treatment with growth stimulants can be carried out.

Figure 5. Features of planting and growing flowers at home

A layer of drainage is laid on the bottom of the prepared pots, then a mixture of peat, sand and soddy soil is poured and several bulbs are placed in it to a depth of 5-6 cm. But as soon as the first shoots appear, the pot is moved to a warm and sunny room and watered abundantly.

Home Care

Take care of this unusual flower culture at home is much easier than in the open field, since in a city apartment it is easier to create optimal conditions for this resident of the tropics.

The subtleties of freesia care at home are as follows:

• In autumn and winter, the plant needs additional lighting, since the daylight hours should be at least 12 hours.
• Supports must be installed in the pot with each plant, as the thin stems of the culture may not support the weight of the buds and break.
• Watering is carried out every time upper layer the soil will dry out. For this purpose, it is better to use settled water.
• In winter, the leaves must be sprayed to increase air humidity.

In addition, during the flowering period, the culture needs mineral supplements, which are applied every two weeks. Fertilizer is stopped when the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out.

Freesia after flowering

Care of the plant after flowering largely depends on the conditions in which it was grown. For example, after flowering is completed in a home crop, it is necessary to completely remove the leaves and cut the stem, leaving only the bulb in the ground. Watering the culture is continued for one and a half to two months, so that new bulbs form on the maternal root. Further, planting material can be removed from the soil, treated with potassium permanganate and sent for storage.

Care garden culture after flowering begins in late September or early October. During this period, flowering has already ended, but the leaves have not yet completely wilted. It is at this time that the bulbs are removed from the soil, the stems are cut, old scales are removed and placed in a disinfectant solution for 30 minutes. Next, the planting material must be dried for several days and sent for storage in a cool place.

Storing freesia bulbs

A key role in successful cultivation is played by the correct storage of planting material. To do this, all bulbs are treated with a disinfectant solution and carefully inspected, removing all rotten or dry specimens.

Figure 6. Proper storage of crop bulbs

Next, the planting material is placed in nets and stored in a warm and humid room (humidity up to 80% at a temperature of +25 degrees). Bulbs should be regularly inspected to remove damaged specimens in time and prevent further damage to the material (Figure 6).

About a month before planting in the ground, the bulbs are transferred to a cooler room and stored at a temperature not higher than +15 degrees.

Such storage conditions are relevant only for temperate and cold climates. In the southern regions with warm winters bulbs can be left in the ground by covering them with a layer of organic mulch.

Freesia is not often found in gardens, but this flower is familiar to everyone. Fragrant freesias are grown for cutting and are usually sold in the spring. Freesia pretty capricious flower but it can also be grown in the garden.

Freesia (Freesia) is a corm plant of the Iris family. Her homeland South Africa, this flower grows among shrubs, prefers moderately wet places. The culture uses hybrid freesia (Fresia hybrida), which appeared more than 100 years ago as a result of crossing several natural species. Her flowers are much larger than the original species, the peduncles are longer, they can reach 80 cm.

Freesia corm is small, covered with thin light brown scales. The leaves are linear, thin, 15-20 cm long, a prominent central vein is noticeable.

The flowers are collected in loose paniculate inflorescences. They are very fragrant, funnel-shaped, their color is varied. There are freesias, white, yellow, various shades of pink and purple, there are purple and blue with transitions in shade from more saturated to pale. Among modern varieties you can find freesias of very different colors - with an orange-red border and spots in the funnel-shaped throat, with bluish-purple edges and a yellow interior. Terry forms are known, but they are short-lived, as they are more capricious.

There are up to 10 flowers in the brush, flowering lasts 4-6 weeks from mid-August until frost. Peduncles are thin and flexible, sometimes they are tied with a fishing line, sometimes they are allowed to grow freely, gracefully curving under the weight of fragrant flowers. To prolong the flowering of freesia, it is transferred to a cool room with the onset of cold weather. Dried inflorescences should be removed.

Freesia is grown in greenhouses in industrial scale to get a cut. This is a very convenient plant for this purpose - freesia can bloom at any time of the year, the flowering period depends mainly on the time of planting the corms. In addition, freesia lasts a long time in water. It is rarely grown in gardens, it is a heat-loving plant, it is afraid of frost and, at the same time, does not like heat.

Light and temperature. Freesia - photophilous plant, it requires a long daylight hours. AT natural conditions freesia blooms after a dormant period during the hot season. During flowering, she needs moderate temperatures. In our conditions such ideal conditions can be created in a greenhouse, but freesia blooms well in August in gardens.

Landing. Corms are planted at the end of April. The depth of planting of freesia corms (from the bottom) on light soils is 12 cm, on medium soils - 8-10 cm; children - 4-6 cm.

The soil. For the successful cultivation of freesia, loose, moisture-intensive nutrient soils, about the same as for roses.

Watering. Freesia needs good watering during leaf development and budding.

bulb storage. In nature, freesias have a dormant period during the hot summer. For successful flowering, freesia requires a fairly high storage temperature of the bulbs. In winter, the bulbs are stored in a dry, ventilated room at 25-28 degrees for at least 1-1.5 months after digging, so that flower buds are laid. Then the temperature is reduced to 10-12 degrees. With a different storage mode, inflorescences very often do not form.

Dig up the bulbs when the leaves begin to turn yellow (usually in mid-October). For several days, the corms are dried in a warm room, the aerial part is cut off. Dried bulbs are inspected, diseased and damaged are discarded and placed in wide boxes for a hot storage period. So that the tubers do not dry out completely and remain until planting time, they are transferred to a cooler room and stored until spring. Such a temperature difference will give a signal to the beginning of the formation of the peduncle even before the corm is planted in the ground.

freesia forcing. Freesia corms are often used for winter forcing to get flowering plants winter or early spring. For flowering in February-March, corms are planted from July to early September. Before planting, they are soaked for 30 minutes in growth and root formation stimulants (Kornevin, Epin). Bulbs for distillation should be large, healthy.

The substrate is chosen loose, it must pass water well. It is made up of equal parts of non-acidic peat, humus, leaf and sod land. Freesia germinate in warmth (18-20 °C), then it is better to keep them in a cool room at a temperature of 12-14 °C. Flowering time of planted freesia corms can be controlled by changing temperature and humidity. For good flowering in winter, freesias need to provide additional illumination.

reproduction. Freesia can be propagated by seeds and vegetatively. Seeds that have been stored for no more than a year are suitable for sowing. Sow seeds in pick boxes in a mixture of leafy, soddy and humus soil or in a greenhouse compost. At a temperature of 20-22 ° (you can also dark place) mass seedlings appear after 25 days, they are kept in the light at a temperature of about 15 °.

Much easier to breed with children. On each freesia corm, 3-4 babies are formed. Unlike gladiolus in freesia, after harvesting and drying, the tubers should not be separated from the corms.

Diseases and pests. Freesia is affected by the same diseases as - fusarium, gray, dry, hard, penicillary and sclerocial rot. To prevent the development of diseases, it is necessary to immediately rinse and disinfect the corm after digging. To do this, use: a weak solution of potassium permanganate, various humates, epin, zircon. Before planting, disinfection can be repeated.

Of the pests on freesia, aphids can be found more often than others, spider mite and thrips.