Freesia

Does anyone in zone 8b grow freesia. I would like to get some and I would like to know how they grow here. Help anyone. Thanks Elaine

Hi Elaine,
I don't know for sure how well they grow, but I have one planted that I'm waiting to see how it does. I've read they are very fragrant, so that sounds great.
Pam

I'm going to tryjthem anyway. Thanks Elaine

I have them planted, they come up in the spring, but fail to bloom in my full-sun location.

I've had the same problem Kay. I've planted them twice down here in South Florida during the winter. Get lots of foliage and no blooms and then they die back in the summer heat. Not likely to try them again........I think. LOL

That is odd - I live in a zone that is in between all of you, and I have had no problems. Mines started blooming several weeks ago, so they are all done blooming before it gets too hot. I have some in full sun, some only getting afternoon sun. Here is my afternoon sun patch. I planted them about 4-5 years ago, and they have come back up every year. I do not bother to dig them out - I have asters and the sedum Autumn joy that is in that same spot that will fill in that space in another month or so.

Pamela - they do have the greatest fragrance - makes great cut flowers too.

I suspect it is our hot, humid summers and the fact that they die back early - therefore, can't store enough energy to bloom.

I have freesias that come back every year. It usually gets 115-`120 here. We do not have the hummidity though except in June through Aug.

Those are great pictures, that's for sure. Perhaps I will try them one more time next fall. Timing is such a key element down here. Perhaps, if they're planted in mid/late fall they will do better. They would have a good 6 months of kinder weather/temperatures to perform in. Does anyone have an online retailer they would recommend for purchasing the bulbs? I've seen the bulbs at Lowes & Home Depot, down here, but have noticed the bulbs sometimes sit on the shelves all year and are very dried out and hollow when you squeeze them.

Jon

I would definitely put them in in the fall. I planted my first ones in October I believe.

I love this place and got many of mine from them.
http://www.easytogrowbulbs.com/

Many thanks for the advice Marie. I love easytogrowbulbs also Marie. Just about everything I've ordered from them does very very well if planted at the right time of the year. I'm just loving the Tecolote Ranunculus bulbs they sent me that were planted in November. They're in full bloom right now and pictures don't do them justice. They are one beautiful flower and they last over a week in a vase.

Jon

I need to try those again. I think there is a pretty long thread somewhere here on the bulb forum regarding growing Ranunculus.I never got around to it this las t fall so I will try this upcoming one.

They like sun, cooler temperatures and can survive light frosts so winter would definitely be the time to try them in the Phoenix area. I think I planted mine around November 1st and they started blooming around March 1st...so that's about 120 days in total. I didn't ever fertilize them because, if my memory is correct, recall reading that fertilizer with burn the foliage and also promotes foliage growth rather than blooms. Mine are in the front facing southward so they got good amounts of sun in the winter when the sun is lower in the sky.