Info about Florists
Tips on Growing Freesia
Freesia is a fragrant flowering plant from Africa. It was introduced into America during the 1878. The freesia bloom was named after Dr. Freese (1785 - 1876) from Germany. There are about 14 freesia varieties. The most popular variety is the Freesia leichteinii. Twelve varieties are native to the Cape Province in south Africa while the other two varieties are native to the tropical Africa. The varieties of the flower differ in colors including white, orange, pink, purple, lavender and etc. People normally grow freesia to use as a decorative plant in their house. Freesia flower are typically white or yellow in color with a dash of purple at the back of the blossoms.
Freesia is usually grown from corms. From the corm, the branched steam will sprout out. The leaves on the plant shaped like a sword and are light green in color. The stalks are thin and have similar height. Each stalk can bear about eight blossoms. The stem tends to produce a sharp bend on the location of the flower cup so that the flowers will face upward once it is bloomed.
First, you should choose a planting site for the freesia. The ground on the site must have good drainage system. It is best if the site is exposing to the full sunlight. If the soil is not well drained, a pool of water will be seen on top after watering the plant. You can promote good drainage by tilling the ground and adding dolomite. The dolomite will loosen the soil so that the water can absorb properly in the ground. After that, you can add peat moss and slow release fertilizer to make the soil become more rich in nutrients.
To plant the bulb, dig rows of holes that is 2” deep. Each planting hole should be spaced 3” apart. If you want to have a natural garden, you can plant the bulb in random places. The bulb should be planted in the hole with the end facing the surface of the ground. After putting the bulb in the hole, you can shovel back the soil to it.
You must water the bulbs daily to keep the ground moist all the time. The flowering season for freesia occurs from mid to late summer. Foliage that have turned yellow should be pruned away to avoid it from taking the nutrients from the plant. Freesia cannot thrive at a temperature lower than 30 Fahrenheit. Before the first frost, you can dig up the bulb and store it in a cool place. The bulb should be stored in a place with temperature higher than 40 Fahrenheit. In the late spring, you can replant the bulb in the ground.
You can also plant freesia in a container. If you are planting it in container, the pot must be filled with peat based soil. During the winter, you can transfer the container into a warm place in the house. After the frost, you should put back the flowering pot outside the house. Freesia is best to used to make flower arrangements.