Abstract. Freesias were cultivated in the fields to examine the influence of three terms of corms planting (April 26th, May 9th and May 22nd) on the growth and development of plants. Cultivars of freesia (‘Diva’, ‘Rapid Yellow’ and ‘Rapid White’) planted on April 26th always gave flowers and had the shortest vegetative phase in comparison with plants planted in later terms.

The growth and development of freesia cultivated
in the fields depending on the term of planting

Summary

The aim of the conducted experiments was to examine the influence of three terms of corms planting (April 26th, May 9th, May 22nd) on morphological traits and the beginning of flowering of three cultivars of freesia (‘Diva’ from the standard group, ‘Rapid Yellow’ and ‘Rapid White’ from Rapid group), cultivated in the fields in the years 2002-2004.

It was found that the term of planting had a clear influence on the beginning of flowering of freesia. There was no effect of this factor on number of shoots and leaves. The cultivars of freesia planted on April 26th had the shortest vegetative phase in comparison with the plants planted in later terms. Freesias from Rapid group gave flowers in every term of planting. Standard cultivar ‘Diva’ gave flowers unfailingly only in the earliest term of planting.