Freesias are extremely popular plants in flower gardens around the world; they require little maintenance and grow in most temperatures and climates. Since freesia is a corm plant, it's important that some steps are taken to ensure it blooms year after year.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Allowing Freesia to Do Photosynthesis
Step 1. Understand the life cycle of a potted freesia
This plant has three vital stages:
- The first is the flowering phase, during which it produces dark green foliage and beautiful flowers.
- The second is a resting phase, in which the plant stops producing flowers and begins to use its leaves to store energy in the form of corms.
- The third phase is that of dormancy, which is necessary for the plant to rest, so that it can flower again the following year.
- Read on to learn how to care for freesias in their resting phase.
Step 2. Consider removing the flowers from the stems
The resting phase begins when the last blooms have died 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 dead.
- Sunlight is by far the most important factor during this time. Green leaves need to use sunlight for photosynthesis and store energy for the next year; a bit like hibernation.
- If too little nutrition is stored, the plant may refuse to flower or have significantly reduced foliage the following year.
Step 3. Place the plant in the sun
After removing the flowers from the plant, place the pot in full sun and fertilize according to package directions.
- Leave the freesia in full sun for the next two to three months or until the leaves turn yellow. During this time, you should water frequently and avoid disturbing the plant too much.
- This stage is critical for the production of healthy corms for the next year.
Part 2 of 2: Wintering in Freesia
Step 1. Prune the plant
When the freesia begins to die and the leaves turn yellow, it's time to prune. Remove any yellowed or dead leaves.
Step 2. Move the plant to a cool, dark place
Once two-thirds of the plant is dead, move it to a cool, dark place and allow it to enter dormancy.
- It is important that the plant remains dry during this time, so you should reduce your water supply when the plant is showing signs of wilting, to prevent the corms from trying to bloom at the wrong time.
- You can keep freesia in a dark place until it is ready to start flowering again, even if you change seasons. If you remove the plant from dormancy in the winter, you will be able to enjoy flowering during the summer. If you remove it in the fall, it will bloom in the spring.
Step 3. Separate the corms
If your plant is a few years old, it's probably time to dig up and separate the corms.
- Make sure you remove the entire plant from the pot and avoid digging into the corm system. Try touching the pot and remove all soil and corms on a newspaper to avoid damaging the plant.
- With a light hand, start pulling out the branching corms.
Step 4. Remove the mother corm
Typically there is a large, firm corm, with other smaller ones next to it. Near the bottom it will look old and unhealthy.
- This withering corm is last year's mother corm that is still attached to healthy young.
- You need to remove and separate the new corms from the old one and set them aside in a dry place to allow them to heal for several weeks before replanting.
