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A simple guide on growing, pruning, and overwintering potted freesia to keep your plant healthy
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Freesias are extremely popular flowers in gardens throughout the world. They require little maintenance and grow in most temperatures and climates. Freesia is a corm plant, so it is important to follow certain steps to ensure that the plant blooms year after year.
Steps
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Understand the life cycle of a potted freesia. The freesia plant has three stages to its life:
- The first is the blooming phase where it produces dark green foliage and beautiful blooms.
- The second is a rest phase, where the plant stops producing flowers and begins to use its leaves to store energy in the form of corms.
- The third phase is a dormant phase necessary to rest the plant so it can bloom again the next year.
- Continue reading to learn how to care for freesias in their rest phase.
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Consider removing the flowers from the stems. The rest phase begins when the last blooms have died back from the plant. If you prefer, you can remove the flowers from the stems, but you should leave any part of the plant that is green and not yellow or dying.
- By far, sunlight is the most important factor during this time. The green leaves must use sunlight to photosynthesize and store energy for the next year; quite a bit like hibernation.
- If too little nutrition is stored, the plant could refuse to bloom or have greatly reduced foliage the next year.
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Place the plant in the sun. Once the plant has it's flowers removed, place the container in full sun and fertilize according to package directions.
- Leave the Freesia's in full sun for the next two to three months or until the leaves turn yellow. During this time, you should frequently water and refrain from disturbing the plant too much.
- This phase is critical for producing healthy corms for next year.
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Prune your plant. When your freesia begins to die back and the leaves turn yellow it's time to prune. Remove any yellowing or dead leaves. [1] X Research source
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Move your potted plant to a cool, dark location. Once two-thirds of the plant has died back, move the plant to a cool, dark location and allow the plant to enter dormancy. [2] X Trustworthy Source Royal Horticultural Society Leading gardening charity in the U.K. providing resources for identifying, growing and caring for flowers and other plants Go to source
- It's important that the plant remains dry during this time, therefore you should reduce watering to when the plant is appearing to wilt, to prevent the corms from attempting to bloom at the wrong time.
- You may keep the freesia in a dark location until you're ready to start blooms again, even if you change seasons. If you remove the plant from dormancy in winter, you'll enjoy blooms during the summer. If you remove them in the fall, you'll enjoy blooms in the spring.
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Separate your corms. If your plant is a few years old, it's probably time to dig up and separate the corms. [3] X Research source
- Be sure to remove the entire plant from the pot and avoid digging into the corm system. Try tipping the pot and removing all the dirt and corms onto a newspaper to prevent damage to the plant.
- With a light hand, begin to pull off branching corms.
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Remove the parent corm. Typically there will be a large, firm corm with smaller, similar corms off the side. Near the bottom will be an older, unhealthy looking corm.
- This withering corm is last year's parent corm that is still attached to a healthy child.
- You should remove and separate the new corms from the previous and set them aside in a dry location to allow them to cure for several weeks before replanting.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionMy plants are in the ground -- do I dig them up when leaves turn yellow?Community AnswerYou can just leave the bulbs in the ground, and once the leaves dry out, place one hand at the base of the plant and press down to be sure not to pull the bulb out when you remove the dried out leaves. If a bulb uproots when you remove the dried out leaves, just re-plant it in the ground, pointy end facing up. You can trim off the dried out leaves close to the ground, as well. The most important thing about freesia bulbs, or any bulbs for that matter, is not to let them get too wet when they aren't in bloom. Otherwise, they will rot and get moldy. Bulbs always pop up in the spring, and with every year they spread and there will be more and more of them.
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QuestionWhen do potted freesias bloom?Community AnswerI would expect the freesias to bloom 10-12 weeks after they are planted. They only bloom once, if they are indoors. Try turning the pot a little every couple days, so the sunlight hits every angle. Also, don't put the plant in direct sunlight, because freesias are sensitive flowers. Lastly, try watering in the morning; it gives the plant's leaves extra time to dry off if you get the water on them. You are only supposed to water the base and roots of the plant.
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QuestionDo freesia plants produce seed pods?Community AnswerYes, the seed pods are on the flower stems and should be left on until completely dried before harvesting for next year.
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Tips
- The term "corm" is nearly identical to that of bulb, but there are very small technical differences. For instance, corms typically lack the full leaves that bulbs have, they also bud from the top and typically you will find previous corms underneath.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Pruning shears
- Hand Shovel
- Fertilizer
References
- ↑ https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/1996/9-13-1996/cormtuber.html
- ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=943
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/storing_and_saving_tender_plant_bulbs_during_winter
- http://www.thegardenhelper.com/freesia.html
- http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/freesia/planting-freesia-corms.htm
About This Article
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Reader Success Stories
- "This illustrated step-by-step description has given me the confidence to over winter my two pots of freesias. This is the first time that I have grown them in pots. Previously I have only bought them as a cut flower. Great to try for an abundance." ..." more
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"This illustrated step-by-step description has given me the confidence to over winter my two pots of freesias. This is the first time that I have grown them in pots. Previously I have only bought them as a cut flower. Great to try for an abundance."
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"I was given a freesia potted plant for Administrative Assistant Day. I've never had a freesia plant before, and had no idea how to care for it. With this article, I now feel confident I will be able to have my plant for many years. Thank you!"
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"Very clear instructions, thank you. I've grown greenhouse freesias very successfully this year and now that they've finished, hadn't a clue what to do with them."
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"Have full and precise instructions as to how best look after my freesias post-flowering. Clearly explained and easy guidance. "
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"I didn't realize they have to go in a cool dark place, I had been leaving mine year to year in the green house."
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