Freesias: when to plant the corms, growing in containers and overwintering

Autumn and spring planting of freesias step by step, why they do not flower in warmth and how to save the corms after the season.

In brief: Freesias are not frost-hardy. In autumn, from September to December, plant the corms in pots for indoor flowers at the end of winter; planting in October flowers roughly in March. In spring, in April and May, plant prepared corms outdoors for flowers in July and August. They need full light and cooler nights.

Autumn planting in containers	September–December, October planting flowers around March
Spring planting outdoors	April–May, flowers July–August
Depth and spacing	outdoors 5 cm, in a container the tip near the surface; 5–8 cm apart
Temperature in a container	3–4 weeks at around 5 °C, then 10–15 °C
Substrate	2 parts substrate, 1 part coarse sand or perlite
Feeding	from bud stage every 2 weeks with a potassium fertiliser

You know freesias (Freesia) mainly from bouquets. They smell sweet and strong, last long in a vase and suit every colour combination. Growing them at home is possible, but they do not behave like tulips: they come from South Africa, cannot stand frost and in a warm living room they become leggy and do not flower.

Good news for autumn: freesias are one of the few bulbs that can be planted now in a pot and brought into flower indoors at the end of winter. Below you will find both routes, autumn and spring, and what to do with the corms after flowering.

Two routes to freesias

On sale you will find two types of corms. Prepared ones have undergone a heat treatment that imitates the South African summer, and they flower in the same season. Unprepared ones are planted in autumn and flower in spring. The method differs accordingly:

	Autumn planting (container)	Spring planting (outdoors)
when to plant	September–December	April, after the frosts also May
where to grow	cool bright room, conservatory, glazed veranda	bed or window box in the sun, sheltered from wind
when it flowers	January–April depending on planting date	July–August
corms	unprepared, or whatever is on sale in autumn	prepared, flower only in the first season
difficulty	higher, needs cold and light	lower, but a shorter flowering

Autumn planting in a pot step by step

Prepare a pot with holes in the bottom; for 5–7 corms a diameter of around 20 cm is enough.
Mix 2 parts of good substrate with 1 part of coarse sand or perlite. Freesias cannot stand waterlogging.
Space the corms 5–8 cm apart, tip upwards, so that the tip is just below the surface.
Water carefully and place the pot for 3–4 weeks in the cool at around 5 °C, but without frost. A cold hallway, a garage with a window or the space between double windows will do.
When shoots appear, move the pot to the brightest place at a temperature of 10–15 °C.
Keep the substrate slightly moist, never wet. Ventilate, as freesias suffer from mould in stale air.
Push supports in next to the plants in good time; the thin stems fall over under the weight of the flowers.
As soon as the first buds appear, feed every two weeks with a fertiliser with a higher potassium content, for example a tomato fertiliser.

The most common mistake is warmth. Already above 15 °C freesias become leggy, and in a living room at around 20 °C they grow only leaves and set no flowers. If you do not have a cool bright room, rather choose spring planting outdoors. General advice on winter growing indoors, especially on light, is summarised in the article how to look after houseplants in winter.

Spring planting on a balcony and in a bed

Plant prepared corms in April, in colder areas only in May, in a sunny spot sheltered from wind. In a bed plant them 5 cm deep in free-draining soil, in heavy soil on a bed of sand. For a window box the same substrate applies as for autumn planting. In the overview of bulbs and tuberous plants you will find freesias among the other summer bulbs planted in spring.

Freesias from a bed flower in July and August, for a shorter time in a hot summer. They do best in containers on a balcony, where they have sun but the roots do not overheat. You can find suitable neighbours for window boxes in the article about balcony plants that will flower until autumn.

What to do with freesias now in autumn

If your freesias flowered outdoors this year, the end of September and October is the last moment to lift them. Frost destroys the corms. The method:

Keep watering until the leaves begin to turn yellow. After flowering the plant needs at least another 8 weeks of growth to form new corms.
Before the first frost dig up the corms, even if the leaves have not yet turned completely yellow.
Leave them to dry for a few days in a dry place, then remove the remains of leaves and soil.
Store them in a paper bag in a warm, dry place. The corms need a warm period to initiate flowers.

Professional growers let the corms ripen at 26 °C and high air humidity for 14–20 weeks. This is hard to imitate at home, so corms from your own harvest often flower more weakly. Many growers treat it as an experiment and buy new prepared ones in spring.

Freesias in a vase

Cut the stems when the first flower is open and the other buds are showing colour. They will open gradually in the vase. Change the water every two days and shorten the stems a little each time. Do not place the bouquet near fruit, as the ethylene from ripening apples and bananas speeds up wilting.

Why freesias do not flower

Too warm. Above 15 °C they become leggy, in warmth around 20 °C they grow only leaves. They need 10–15 °C and cool nights.
Too little light. In winter only on the brightest window, otherwise they become leggy and fall over.
Overwatering. The corms rot and the leaves turn yellow from the tips. A free-draining substrate and less watering help.
Weak corms. Corms from your own harvest without warm ripening often send up only leaves.

Frequently asked questions

When should I plant freesias?

Into a pot for growing in a cool bright room from September to December; planting in October flowers roughly in March. Outdoors in a bed or on a balcony, plant prepared corms in April to May; they flower in July and August.

Are freesias frost-hardy?

No. They tolerate only a very brief light frost, so in the Czech Republic they do not overwinter in a bed. Lift the corms before the first frost and store them dry.

How deep should I plant freesias?

Outdoors 5 cm deep, in a container so that the tip of the corm is just below the surface. Space them 5–8 cm apart; plant them in groups, as singly they look unimpressive.

How do I overwinter freesias?

After the leaves turn yellow or before frost, dig up the corms, dry them and store them in a paper bag in a warm, dry place. Plant them again in spring, but expect that without professional ripening they may flower more weakly.

Why do freesias not flower indoors?

Most often the room is too warm or has too little light. After planting, freesias need a cold period at around 5 °C and then light and 10–15 °C.

Sources

Updated: 27 September 2026

Author: Jana Vránová, the editorial name of the Pěstík.cz team. She writes about the garden, herbs and essential oils. We take safety and dosage information from specialist literature and official sources, which we cite in every article.