How to Grow Crocosmia and Freesia corms without rotting

last year

I have zero luck or am just inept at growing stuff from bulbs, corms et al. I have successfully rotted 99% of all spring bulbs for multiple years. So, obviously I was careful potting up these - I used 5/1/1 for freesia and 3/1/1 for Crocosmia seeing that they seemed tough/dense/harder. I even put them in terracotta and placed them where they will not be rained upon, at least directly. Still, after several weeks when there were no sprouts, I checked and sure enough, the Crocosmia corms had begun to grow blue/green fungicide on their surface and some of the freesia had fungal growth too (at least a couple were rotten. I dug them all up washed with water, hydrogen peroxide, let them dry a bit and then put them under some dry sphagnum peat moss in a tray. A week or two later, the Crocosmia was again getting the fungicide growth. The corms showed no sign of root or vegetative growth except may be a random root nub on one or two Freesias. What can I do to make them grow the way they are supposed to? Or is it that the big box stores just sell bad bulbs. To be honest, the corms/bulbs appeared healthy before planting.

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seasiderooftop

last year

last modified: last year

I think it may be from the bulbs themselves. Or it maybe it was planting too late in the season? But then again our climates are quite different (I am in z11).

I planted a bunch of freesia at the beginning of this year, probably mid February, some of them in bulbs-only pots with "bulb fiber" MG potting soil + sand, the others I just pushed into the soil around a rose and they shared a pot and got watered the same as the rose. In both cases the freesias grew and bloomed.

The garden center I bought them from were the ones who told me not to give them any special treatment and just use them as companions in a pot with something else.

I'm sorry yours rotted, I think it might be fungus that was already hiding in the bulbs when you bought them.

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Comments (9)

getgoing100_7b_nj
Original Author
last year
Anyone?
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
I know nothing about growing Freezias since they are tender but Crocosmias are hardier and are just grown in the garden here. Full sun, native soil, watering courtesy of the weather. What varieties do you have?

Regarding the failed spring bulbs, what were they and how were you growing them?
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Flower development is regulated primarily by temperature and light intensity. Set the bulbs two to three inches apart in the pot. For 8" pots, plant about nine bulbs. For 10" pots, plant 12-14 bulbs. Set the bulbs on top of the soil in the pot and then cover with peat moss or a sandy mixture so the top of the bulb is one and a half to two inches deep. This means the soil level is well down from the edge of the pot. Make sure your soil is the well-draining type. Freesias cannot be waterlogged. Keep the bulbs slightly damp at 40F. No higher. Full sunlight. Increase the watering as the bulbs grow and when they get seven full leaves, increase the temperature to about 50- 54F. Start feeding with half strength balanced ratio fertilizer as the flower buds start to form. Do not allow the temperature to get over 60F or youÂll get spindly weak growth that will flop over. The ideal temperatures are between 51 and 54 F. I know that is somewhat finicky, but that is how you get the blooms! As thee temperature gets up toward 60F, and never should it be over that high; the growth will get faster and more spindly. I had some in a pot near a sunny window this winter. I suppose that the exposure was good enough without being too hot, and that the nearness of the glass to the flowers kept the blooms cooler even though some heat was on during cold days. The blooms were quite successful, but my disappointment was that the ones I thought I picked out were not the ones that actually bloomed! Someone must have got the corms mixed up in the bins; I wanted pink opal ones, but I got bronzy red!
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getgoing100_7b_nj
Original Author
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It's a mixed blend from Van Zyverden. The picture shows yellow, orange and red blooms. They are supposed t grow to 2-4 foot high. The story of spring bulbs is long and sad. Everything I plant rots -tulips, crocus, daffodils, anemones, mini irises...This time, it was a few tulips and crocuses. I had one and a half blooms from as many surviving bulbs.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
How were you growng your spring bulbs? Potsor ground? I’ve had bulbs eaten but never rotted. Could you be overwatering?

Certain Crocosmia can actually become a nuisance as they spread so much. They are pretty tough.
getgoing100_7b_nj
Original Author
last year
Pots. My Crocosmia have shown no sign of life at all other than opportunistic fungii. Can I force them in water like one doesn't es for spring bulbs? I could pot them up once they sprout?
getgoing100_7b_nj
Original Author
last year
I just gave the Crocosmia corms hit water treatment followed by a wah with some weak baking soda solution, another wash and potted them up in plain perlite (more like just put them on a layer of perlite and topped it so it is just about covered by more perlite. I will keep it watered and watch for sprouting. If it gets more fungus and no sprouting of roots or top growth I am taking it back and asking for my money back. :(
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
Have you actually tried just planting some in the garden? I’ve never seen them grown in pots and I’ve never known them have any issue with fungi.
getgoing100_7b_nj thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
getgoing100_7b_nj
Original Author
last year
I "garden" exclusively in containers because that is my garden. :) I live on the fourth floor and the open balcony is my garden. So, no luck planting them in the garden unless it is someone else's yard. I might resort to that and then dig them up and pot up once they get started!

How to Grow Crocosmia and Freesia corms without rotting

seasiderooftop

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getgoing100_7b_nj
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How to Grow Crocosmia and Freesia corms without rotting

seasiderooftop

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getgoing100_7b_njOriginal Author

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

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