Growing Floral Freesias
Rodger Whitlock (Tue, 14 May 2013 14:24:42 PDT)
On 13 May 2013, at 21:00, Robert Hoel wrote:
I have had mixed results growing the hybridized floral freesias in pots in my
greenhouse. Has anyone tried to grow them outside in the ground in the summer
months? The plan is to use these for cut flowers. I am in the Chicago area and
realize that they are not winter hardy and would need to be lifted for the
winter. Any thoughts/suggestions appreciated.
Freesias are winter-growing, spring-flowering plants. Here in Victoria, the old
school method was to grow them from seed, overwintering them in a sheltered,
south-facing coldframe that you covered with mats during seriously cold weather.
My memory is vague, but I think seed was sown one spring for flowering a year
later. But don't quote me on this point!
To the degree that your natural conditions aren't in harmony with this pattern
of growth and flowering, you will have difficulty with them.
--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Z. 7-8, cool Mediterranean climate