How to keep freesia from tipping over in the garden

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Freesia do great in the Phoenix, Arizona area. I've had them here in Glendale for many years. I bought my bulbs online at +Easy to Grow Bulbs, Inc.  but you can get them anywhere. Plant them in fall and they will bloom in spring (March). The buds start to form in February.

But as beautiful as they are, I discovered that they're top-heavy. The first blooms I got looked great at first, and then tipped their faces into the mud. I wondered if I was doing something wrong, but no, that's just what happens with these flowers. Apparently the hybridized blooms that are so beautiful have made this plant unable to hold its flowers up on its own. So it needs a little help.

You have to stake freesia. I use bamboo sticks that I get at the Dollar Store and some flexible floral tape. When you see the buds start to form (like in the photo), push a stake into the ground behind the plant and tie it from the bloom stalk. Yeah, it's a hassle, but once the blooms get going it will be worth the effort!

Freesia in bloom March 17th
So, if you're seeing your freesia starting to tip over, don't panic. And don't feel bad - you didn't do anything wrong. They're just top-heavy. Go stake them and they will be fine. Freesia are so beautiful, and did I mention that they smell great, too? Leave the bulbs in the ground and they will return year after year. I'm gonna need to go back to the Dollar Store and get more bamboo for next year!

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