How to Plant Freesia

Plant freesia bulbs 2 inches deep and 4 inches apart, pointed end up, in spring after your last frost. They flower about 10–12 weeks later.

How to Plant Freesia
When to plant
Spring, after the last frost. In zones 9–10, late summer or fall planting gives winter and spring flowers
Depth
2 inches, pointed end up
Spacing
4 inches apart
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Water
Keep moist but not wet; overwatering rots the bulbs
Soil
Moist, well-drained and rich in organic matter

Step by step

  1. If your area still gets frost, keep the bulbs in a dry, airy place until the danger of frost has passed.
  2. Choose a spot in full sun or part shade with well-drained, organic-rich soil, or use a container of good potting mix with some coarse sand mixed in for drainage.
  3. Plant each bulb 2 inches deep with the pointed end up.
  4. Space the bulbs 4 inches apart. In pots, a 6-inch pot holds 3–6 bulbs.
  5. Water in well, then keep the soil moist but never soggy.
  6. Expect flowers about 10–12 weeks after planting, so a late-spring planting blooms in mid to late summer.

After bloom

Leave the foliage until it yellows and dries; it builds up the bulb and the small new bulbs around it. In zones 9–10 you can leave the bulbs in the ground. Colder than that, dig them once the foliage has died back, let them dry, and store them somewhere dry and frost-free over winter.
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