Dollar store freesia

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If you are tempted to buy some freesia bulbs at your local dollar store, I recommend it. Keep in mind that they will not be as big and beautiful as the super-duper ones from places like Easy to Grow Bulbs. But freesia does fine here in the Phoenix area, requires no chilling and blooms year after year.

A dollar store freesia bloom will be smaller, and strictly speaking, more primitive. It will have less of the look of those gorgeous blooms you see at florists, and more of a "wildflower" look. This little flower has been blooming for about three years, and there was a whole bag of them for a dollar. Let's see, I'm not very good with math, but, uh, that's pretty cheap, isn't it?

Freesia will bloom in late February and throughout March. You can plant them anytime of the year. No chilling or digging them up is ever required. Include a little bit of slow release fertilizer, and in subsequent years, add a little more. I like to use the little house plant food spikes, also from the Dollar Store.

I have found that they look ridiculous all alone, but wonderful growing around rocks. Keep them close to the edge of the garden so that you can see them (this one is only about 6 inches tall) and take off the spent blooms.

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