Freesia

Freesia is a bulbous plant with exquisite fragrant bell-shaped flowers and a variety of colors. Its value lies in the fact that it blooms from November to April and does not require elevated temperatures for flowering.

Propagates with corms and seeds. Blossoms seven to eight months after sowing seeds or planting corms.

Due to the fact that flowering lasts only for two weeks, stepwise crops are used. The first sowing is done in the second half of April. Seeds are sown in boxes filled with a mixture of greenhouse, compost, leaf earth and sand( 4: 2: 2: 1).The temperature before germination is maintained at 20-22 °.Seedlings appear after 20-30 days.

After the development of the second leaf, the seedlings are dived at a distance of 5x5 centimeters into the greenhouse, at first covered with frames with shading. For the summer until autumn put in a slightly shaded place, fed and watered. Before frosts are introduced into the greenhouse, where the temperature is maintained at 5-7 °.

Win at fresesia is very thin, therefore, when the plants reach 15 centimeters, put a support from the rods and twine. After the buds develop well, the temperature is raised to 10-12 ° C.

Cut phreesis into the first two or three flowers. A month after flowering, the watering is gradually reduced, the corms are removed from the ground, dried and placed at a temperature of 25-28 ° C and 70% relative humidity.

When propagating with corms, they start landing in mid-July. The earth is prepared in the same way as for picks of seedlings. Plant corms at a distance of 5x5 centimeters. Good results are the addition of bone flour( into the bottom of the box).Before germination, the temperature should be 16-20 °, after germination - 8-10 °.As the shoots grow, they are tied up to twine or wire, stretched between pegs.

Dutch florists recommend the following sorts for distillation: Fantasy( light yellow), Diana,. Apollo and the Ballerina( white), Golden Yellow and Golden: Glow( yellow), Copenhagen, Magret and Rosita( pink and red), Romani and Szfayr( blue-lilac), Orange Zon( orange-brown).