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Freesia

I live in NJ and want to grow freesia flowers so bad. I have tried for the last 2 yrs with no luck can anyone help me?

Freesia a native of So. Africa can be somewhat difficult to grow. In zone 9-10 where summers are dry and winter are cool and moist, they can be grown year-round outdoors but go dormant in the summer heat.
In the north (NJ) plant the corms in the spring in well-drained, sandy soil. Apply a 1/2 strength fertilizer every 2 weeks from the time they set bud to the end of flowering. They should bloom in 10-12 wks. (Hopefully before the hot, wet summer) They do best in daytime temperatures of 60-70 degrees and night temps of 50-60. When the sweet-fragrant flowers start to fade reduce watering and let the foliage die back allowing the plant to dry out, dig up the corms and store in a cool, dry place.

Freesia can also be started as a potted houseplant from late summer to early winter. Plant in well-drained potting soil, 2 inches apart. It should be kept in a cool, dark place and watered lightly until new growth start to show and then moved to a sunroom or greenhouse .

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January 22nd, 2008 | Category: BULBS & TUBERS, Freesia | 8 comments

8 comments to Freesia

• Heather

  February 22nd, 2008 at 9:09 am · Reply

  Heather
  I live around Ottawa, Ontario Canada. I have freesia bulbs to plant this spring and I was wondering if I have to dig them up in the fall like I do my glads.Can you help me please.

  Yes, you will need to dig them up in the fall as they cannot be grown outdoors in areas where the temperatures fall below 20 degrees F.

• Sue B

  February 22nd, 2008 at 9:11 am · Reply

  I dug up a bunch of Freesia corms from the beds and put them in a pot. Now, they won’t bloom, but the ones that I missed from the bed bloom in Spring. What is wrong?

  When you dug up the freesia did you let the foliage turn yellow allowing the corms to ripen? If not, the new corms might not have developed enough strength to bloom again. After blooming, the corms eventually die back, this takes 4-6 wks. and then they go dormant for 3-4 mo. This same method has to be duplicated when planting in a container. To bloom freesias also require lots of sunlight and night temp. between 55-60 and day temps of 10 degrees higher which may not happen indoors

  .

• Lan

  September 20th, 2008 at 6:47 pm · Reply

  I live in Toronto,Canada.Can I plant the freesia bulbs in Sept. to have blooms in June and July (as printed in the label) ? or they need to be planted in early Spring.After blooming do I need to wait for the 3-4 mos dormant period before digging up the bulb.

  Hi Lan
  Freesia are not hardy in Canada, therefore you will need to plant them in the spring when the soil warms up. You can dig up the corms after the foliage turn brown and dies back. Store in a cool, dry place until the following spring.
  If you are growing freesia indoors (greenhouse) you can plant them now in pots and with a little luck enjoy flowers 10-12 weeks later.

• Mary Tagiku

  March 12th, 2009 at 2:03 pm · Reply

  I live in southern california in Los Angeles.. I have planted freesia plants which are blooming now in the spring. After bloom is finished and the leaves are yellow, I understand that the plant needs to stay dormant for 3-4 months. Do I need to dig up the corms or can I leave them in the ground?

  Hi Mary
  Freesias are hardy in So. Ca.,therefore you can leave them in the ground. You don’t need to dig them up. Be sure to let the foliage die back naturally so that they can form a new corm. Keep the area that the corms are in dry during the dormant period (Summer). If that’s a problem dig them up and store them in a cool, dry place for the summer and replant in fall.

• Connie Hochberg

  March 19th, 2009 at 8:48 am · Reply

  I live in Dallas and have bought some blooming freesia that have finished blooming. What is the best way to keep them alive to enjoy next year? I am willing to plant them in pots and bring indoors. Thanks.

  Hi Connie
  Dallas is a hardiness zone 8a. Freesias are hardy in zone 9-10. They may survive in the ground, if you mulch them over the winter and plant them in a protected area. Otherwise after the leaves have died back, dig them up and store in a cool dry place and plant outdoors in late winter after danger of frost has passed. Freesia is a native of So. Africa. They need a hot, dry summer for dormancy(3-4mo.) and cool, wet winter (45-60F) to start growing again.

• Chandra

  May 8th, 2009 at 10:47 pm · Reply

  I bought a potted freesia. Now the flowers have dried and the leaves are turning. What should I do next? I live in northern California.

  HI Chandra
  Freesia should be hardy in N. Ca. You should be able to leave them in the ground year round. Let the leaves die back for that they can rebuild the corm. see comment 3/12/09 Mary T.

• Julie

  May 9th, 2009 at 6:50 am · Reply

  I live in Springfield, Missouri. My son sent me a freesia for Mother’s Day. Can I set the plant outdoors in a bed and will I need to dig the corms up?

  Hi Julie,
  Yes, you canset your freesia outdoors but you will need to dig up the corms. They are hardy in zone 9-10, you are in zone 6b.

• Juanita Kern

  June 4th, 2009 at 7:27 pm · Reply

  I live in Springfield, MO. I have a freesia plant that I purchased in a pot and it was blooming around Easter time. I would like to know if I can leave the corms in the pot and have it bloom again next year, or do I need to take the corms out of the pot and then replant them later? If I need to take them out, what time of the year should they be replanted in the pot? If left in the pot, should I keep the soil moist through the fall and winter?

  Hi Juanita
  Its best to remove the corms from the pot (May/June) and let them dry out, then store them in a mesh/paper bag in cool, dry place. You don’t want any moisture on the corms as they may rot. Replant in fresh soil in the fall (Sept/Oct).
  After bloom, continue to water and be sure to let the foliage die back naturally (turn brown) before you store your corms.

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