freesia bulbs have to be thrown away after flowering and fresh bulbs put in the nxt year

Freesias are perennials in their native South Africa but are treated as annuals in the UK as they need a strict temperature regime to survive and flower again.

I think MG is referring to seed grown Freesia rather than bulb grown ones.

I lift my Freesia bulbs after they have died down - over next few weeks as not been good year for them where I live, though had good scent. Last year I waited till first frost. Overwinter in a frost free place like a garage. Take out again in April/May.

Kildermorie thought they were less than hardy?

I have some in a pot and they stay there year after year in the conservatory. They flower in February like the wild ones on the Algarve. They die off in summer and I leave them dry over the warm months.

That's how they also grow outdoors here in the Arizona desert, Steragram. Growing them in the UK, I would lift them once the leaves die off naturally, and store them warm and dry until time to start them again. They can take mild frost while in leaf, but not much below -3º C.

Dianebulley - thank you everyone, I have printed this up for my file.

Tug, they are warm and dry in the pot of dry compost! They normally stay in the conservatory all the time.

True, true, Steragram! I didn't mean to imply otherwise! I was just trying to tell Julie how to keep them until planting time, whether that's spring or fall, for her. Someday I will learn how to express myself more cogently.

Oh dear Tug, I didn't say that in the tone of voice you read it in! We had a discussion about the difficulty of expressing tings so they can't be misinterpreted just a week of two ago.

Sigh. : / It's even hard to find an appropriate emoticon! ; )

Its all very difficult. Sometimes I read answers on here to a comment I've made and I can't figure out whether I'm being scolded or not.