The Effect of Planting Dates with Growing Mediums on Corm and Flower Production of ‘Golden Wave’ Freesia Variety

This research was carried out on ‘Golden Wave' Freesia variety, in unheated greenhouse of Agriculture Faculty in Dardanos Campus of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, in between the years of 2012 and 2013. At the research, flower bulbs (corm) of ‘Golden Wave' Freesia variety, has got a diameter of 7–8 cm, were used as a plant material. In the study, it was aimed to determine the effect of different planting dates and growing medium on new corm (cormel) production and flowering of ‘Golden Wave' Freesia variety. At the research, corm planting was carried out, with starting from the middle of October, at intervals of 15 days (October 15, October 31 and November 15) in Çanakkale conditions. Mixtures of soil, sand, peat, pine bark and perlite were used, at certain ratios, as a growing media. Quantity of corms, which produced at the end of the vegetation, were determined, weight and diameters were measured. Spike length was measured according to planting dates, number of spike and florets per plant were also determined by the flowering time. According to the results, the highest value of corm production was recorded at mixture of peat/pine bark/perlite and peat/sand/pine bark growing mediums, which were planted on 31th October. Similarly the highest value in terms of corm weight and corm diameter was determined in peat / pine bark / perlite mixture. In terms of the formation of spike and floret, the lowest value was detected on 15th November in soil/sand/peat mixture. Conversely it was also observed that, the growing mediums used in this study has got any effect over the length of the spike. It was determined that, plantings on peat / pine bark / perlite mixture provides earliness at low rate in terms of flowering.