Freesia Watering and Propagation Methods
Watering plants is an essential task in growing plants, especially potted plants. However, watering is not something that can be done at will; it needs to be done appropriately and in a timely manner according to the plant's growth habits and growth state. So regarding the watering and propagation steps for freesia, the editor will provide some reference here.
How to Water Freesia
1. Watering when potting
When first planting, not much water is needed; simply keep the soil slightly moist.
2. Daily watering
For daily watering, follow the "water when dry, stop when wet" method, watering about once a week.
3. Watering at bud stage
When flower buds appear, around February, the environment is also relatively dry and more water is consumed, so increase the amount of watering and keep the soil in a moist state.
4. Watering after blooming
When the flowers have been in full bloom for 1 month, gradually reduce watering. At this point summer is approaching, and summer temperatures are high and the environment is stuffy; too much watering at this time will cause the bulbs to rot.
5. Watering when leaves turn yellow and withered
When the plant's leaves begin to wither and drop on a large scale, watering can be paused.
6. Watering during the growing season
Watering during the growing season is also once a week, and not too much.
Freesia Propagation Methods
1. Sowing
Cut flower varieties are usually propagated by seed. Collect and sow the seeds promptly after they mature in May to June. The seeds do not go dormant, so sow immediately after harvesting. During sowing, keep the temperature at 15-20 °C and ensure a dark environment; they will germinate after 21 days. After sowing, when the seedlings grow 5-7 leaves, the above-ground part will gradually wither and yellow, and the corms enter dormancy. At this time, carefully protect the corms; after dormancy, re-cultivate and they can bloom!
2. Division of corms
Around a large corm, 4-6 small corms can form. Usually the plant can be divided after growing for 3-4 years. Steps are as follows:
During the summer dormancy period, dig out the corms and directly break off the small corms by hand. Store the mother corms and small corms separately and wait until autumn to plant.
In early August, plant the corms in flower pots with sufficient base fertilizer. When planting, cover the small corms with 1-1.5 cm of soil. Water thoroughly, and after 10 days they will germinate and grow.
In May of the second year, the small corms grow larger and develop into planting corms. If cultivated as a cut flower variety, the corms should directly grow to more than 8 cm to ensure the quality of the cut flowers.
How to Fertilize Freesia
1. Top dressing
This plant's corms are not large and do not store much water or nutrients, so when the plant grows 2 to 4 leaves, top dressing is needed. Liquid fertilizer is mainly used for top dressing.
2. Base fertilizer
Before planting, some granular fertilizer can be buried in the soil. This will increase the soil's nutrients and its looseness and aeration, and most importantly, it can make the plant grow more robustly.
3. Soil requirements
After discussing fertilization, let us also understand the soil for planting it. It has relatively high soil requirements. Besides good looseness and aeration, it also needs sufficient nutrients, which is very beneficial for planting and future growth.
When Does Freesia Bloom
Freesia is a common indoor ornamental flower in winter, so its flowering period is mostly in winter. Generally, freesia is planted in autumn and blooms in winter and spring. Of course, there are exceptions; sometimes freesia also blooms in March——April. Overall, the flowering period of freesia is from February——May.
When freesia blooms, the flowering period generally lasts about 15 days. The flower stem is single or branched, with spike-shaped flowers at the top, and each inflorescence bears about 5——7 flowers. After flowering, it will bear fruit.
Freesia is a flower that grows indoors, so it also blooms in a warm indoor environment. Therefore, the flowering of freesia should not be noticeably affected by temperature, so when planting freesia we can appropriately take some measures to extend the flowering period of freesia.