THE EFFECT OF THE METHOD OF CULTIVATION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF FREESIA (FREESIA ECKL. EX KLATT)

The experiments on 10 cultivars of garden freesia (Freesia x hybrida) were conducted in the years 1997-1999. Two sizes of corms were used and the corms were stored in a special climatic chamber at the temperature 28-30º C, air humidity 85%; and in a store room where the maximum temperature was 18º C, and air humidity 55-65%. Corms were always planted in May in a plastic tunnel and in open ground in the field.
In both the places the beds covered with sawdust or without sawdust cover.
Two different levels of soil moisture and the same level of fertilization were maintained.
     There were differences between the results obtained in particular years of the experiment.
The greatest effect on the developmental stages and quality of freesia were from the storage conditions, and the course of the weather, soil temperature in particular, the growing site and the size of corms.
Soil moisture and soil cover had the least effects.
There were also considerable differences between the cultivars, especially between ‘Rapid’ group and the others.

VIII International Symposium on Flowerbulbs

L. Startek, K. Mynett, P. Zurawik

freesia, plastic tunnel, field, storage, corm, cut flower

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.570.53