GardenersHQ

How to Grow Freesia Plants in your Garden

Gardener's HQ Guide to Growing Freesia

Freesia are half hardy bulbs. They carry beautiful funnel like flowers that have a lovely fragrance.

Freesia flower in the winter and spring; these flowers can be of many patterns and colours, including orange, yellow, pink, red, blue, or white.

Many gardeners like to grow them in containers to show their Freesia's off as feature plants.

Striped Fressia
Striped Freesia by Living in Monrovia.

Freesia
Freesia by ahisgett.

How to Grow Freesia

Freesia Growing Guide and Facts

Common Names: Freesia
Life Cycle: Half hardy bulb.
Height: 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm).
Native: Africa.
Family: Iridaceae.

Growing Region: Zones 9 to 10. Or in containers.
Flowers: Winter and spring.
Flower Details: White, purple, red, pink, orange, yellow. Funnel-shaped. Fragrant.
Foliage: Herbaceous. Narrow leaves.

Sow Outside: Warm areas only.
Corms: 1 to 2 inches (3 to 5 cm). Autumn. Spacing 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm).
Seeds: 1/4 inch (6 mm). Before the last spring.
Sow Inside: Germination time: three weeks to one month. Temperature: 65 to 75°F (18 to 24°C). Seeds should be soaked for one day. Sow in the beginning of spring.

Requirements and care: Full sunlight. Good drainage. Moist soil. Mix in manure. Regular watering whilst during vegetative growth. Light watering whilst in bloom. Provide support for Freesia with twigs or grow in close proximity. Propagate: from offsets in the autumn.

How to Grow Freesia

Freesia can be grown from either corms or seed. The corms can be planted outdoors in the autumn at a depth of about 4 to 5 cm (2 inches) in warm areas.

It is probably best to grow Freesia from seeds (and corms) indoors first. Firstly soak the Freesia seeds in warm water for a full day, then plant the Freesia seeds at a depth of 6 mm (1/4 inch), and corms at 5 cm (2 inches).

Germination takes about a month, and should be done at about 18 to 24 degrees Centigrade (64 to 75°F).

Caring for Freesia in the Garden

Once growing, young Freesia should be transplanted out into the garden at a distance of 10 cm (4 inches) apart. Locate in a sunny area of the garden that has good drainage.

Freesia likes to grow in a moist manured soil. If you require to grow more Freesia plants then you can take offsets in the autumn.

Freesia require frequent watering until they come into bloom, once flowering, Freesia should be lightly watered. This can be discontinued once the flowering season has finished.

I hope that you found this guide on how to grow Freesia plants in your garden. You may also enjoy my gardening guides on how to grow Blue eyed Grass, Dierama plant, and Libertia plants.