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Species composition ornamental plants so many faces that experienced flower growers, skillfully selecting flowering vegetation for the neighborhood in the flower beds, they create chic compositions that delight the eyes and soul with early spring until late autumn.
In many cases, such a good “neighbor in the garden” is the fragrant phlox - a flower whose origin story is as beautiful as itself. According to legend, Odysseus and the Argonauts, having escaped from the kingdom of the god Hades, threw burning torches to the ground. But the flame did not go out, but grew fiery bright colors. In 1737 Carl Linnaeus gave them Greek name- "phlox".
And also, according to the famous German collector K. Foster: “A garden without phlox flowers is a mistake.” Obviously because they are ideal for modeling garden space. After all, annual and perennial phlox, low-growing and tall phlox, double phlox, look equally beautiful both in a composition and alone.
Growing Drummond phlox from seeds, when to plant them
Experienced flower growers are happy to replenish garden collections, both perennial and annual specimens of these plants, which wonderfully decorate the landscape with lush color and are considered unpretentious to grow.
They have one interesting feature. Of the 50 species, only one - Drummond's phlox - is an annual, the rest are perennial. Accordingly, their roots and rhizomes live for a year or several years, but every year after flowering, the above-ground parts (stems and leaves) of both die off. Here are just annuals, unlike perennial species, you will have to sow again. Perhaps plant seedlings.
Features of growing annual phlox from seeds
Currently, among the cultivated types of phlox, erect and shrub types are distinguished. Their flowers may have different shape, and the inflorescences consist of 90 pieces of five-petalled cups. The seed is stored in a box shaped like an oval cylinder.
Phlox drummond has two subspecies:
- stellate. Stunted look with star-shaped leaves. Popular varieties: pink Shamoa, red Defiance, sunny Isabella.
- grandiflora. It is famous for its flowers in wonderful shades of bright and fiery red, pure white, the size of which reaches 4 cm in diameter. Plant height - 35 cm.
Contrary to the long-held opinion that growing annual phlox from seeds is a hopeless matter, gardeners still managed to develop correct technique planting without burying the flower seed in the ground.
Important:seeds sprout when placed on top of the soil in good light.
It is interesting that the drummond variety is the only one of the annuals, which, like perennial phloxes, due to its high frost resistance, allows gardeners to sow it before winter, that is, in November.
1. Annual phloxes - growing from seeds, when to plant and how: basic rules.
A flower grown from a seed has better adaptability to soil and changes in climatic conditions. The disadvantage of this method is the likelihood of loss of variety characteristics.
Preparatory stage.
- A). The container in which they plan to grow flower seedlings must be deep due to the powerful root system of the seedlings.
- b). Before planting a seed in the ground, it is advisable to disinfect it 5-6 days before planting by treating it with a manganese solution.
- With). 2-3 days before laying the seeds on the soil, lightly moisten it and then maintain it in this condition. Immediately before sowing, refrain from watering; it is better to water after.
Algorithm for sowing seeds (for seedlings):
- place the seeds on the ground;
- water using a sprayer;
- stretch a transparent film over the container;
- put it in a well-lit, warm place (before sprouts appear);
- In the morning we open the film slightly to ventilate. Shake off the condensation.
In addition, in the room where the container with seeds is located, it is necessary to maintain the air temperature at +21°C, and the humidity is slightly higher than normal (the norm is from 40% to 60%). When shoots appear, as well as to harden the sprouts and prevent them from stretching, the film is removed. Gradually reduce humidity and temperature, water the seedlings a little more often.
The most best place for growing flower seedlings - a window sill. You just need to not be lazy and turn the container different sides towards the Sun so that the sprouts do not stretch out too much.
In general, the agricultural technology for growing annual phlox, planting and caring for them is not very labor-intensive:
- regular, moderate watering;
- fertilizing the soil before planting seeds with complex mineral or organic fertilizers, and then during and after flowering.
2. Methods of growing from terry seeds annual phlox .
Phlox Chanel - peach color, similar to miniature roses, with a wonderful aroma. During the flowering period, the bush is a true decoration of flower beds and borders. It can be planted in flowerpots, balcony boxes. Suitable for cutting. It begins to bloom from the end of June until frost. Seeds for seedlings are sown at the end of March/beginning of April or immediately open ground- in May. Moreover, flowers sown in the ground grow faster and begin to bloom at the same time as those grown from seedlings. The distance between seedlings when planting is 20 cm.
Caring for terry annuals means weeding, loosening, fertilizing with fertilizers, but not fresh manure. During prolonged drought, plants need to be watered.
3. The procedure for growing phlox “Twinkling Star” from seeds.
Wonderful phlox with star-shaped flowers and a unique aroma cannot be confused with other varieties. Its inflorescences of beautiful bright color with a diameter of 10 cm are evenly scattered throughout the low bush.
The favorable time for sowing seeds of this variety is March. To do this you need to prepare seedling boxes with soil. The depth of planting flower seeds is 0.5 cm. Soil temperature is +18°C. If these rules are followed, you can expect seedlings to appear in 7-14 days.
In order for the seedlings of the Twinkling Star variety to grow strong, you need to maintain moderate temperature and humidity in the room with the seedlings. Flower seedlings are planted in the ground in May. At this time, you can already sow seeds in an open area.
Advice: the seeds should lie in water for about a day, but no more than 30 hours.
Planting and caring for annual phlox
When to plant phlox? In May, when it gets really warm, the time comes to plant flower seedlings in flower beds and lawns. That is, into space. Phloxes do not like to be crowded together, so the distance between young plants should not be less than 15 cm. They are often planted next to snapdragon, bells. Such flower arrangement It is considered traditional, but many gardeners do not like it.
Care. In order for phlox to bloom all summer and into late autumn, you need to adhere to simple requirements for watering and feeding the plant, and also regularly loosen the soil. It is no coincidence that sufficient, systematic watering comes first, since this plant, due to overheating of the root system, does not tolerate drought at all. That's why:
- the soil needs to be mulched with something;
- after each watering, the soil should be loosened (not to a great depth, due to the close location of the roots to the surface of the earth);
- to improve flowering in summer, 4 feedings will be required: at the end of spring - liquid manure; first half of June - manure + superphosphate; after a month - liquid manure; end of July - potassium salt + phosphorus.
Important: proper care increases the resistance of flowers to major diseases: variegation, powdery mildew, foleosis, septoria.
When do different types of phlox bloom?
In breeding practice, the direction of breeding low-growing phlox with a bush height of no more than 30 cm is actively developing. They grow in width and are well suited for arranging alpine hills. This species is called ground cover, and its most famous representative is perennial phlox "Subulate".
It begins to bloom in mid-May, when other plants in the garden are still just forming buds. Its white, pink, lilac flowers need to be cut off immediately after they bloom, so that next year Phlox was even more beautiful.
At the end of May, representatives of the variety bloom "Douglas" and purple-blue "Rucelli".
Loose-grass varieties begin to bloom next, after ground cover. So, if the weather is favorable, phlox blooms in the last weeks of May. "Spread" with flowers of white, violet, lilac colors. They will delight you with their beauty for a whole month.
And one more beautiful flower loose-grass varieties - "Stoloniferous". Growing rapidly, it covers the soil like a carpet of white, pink or blue color. This plant tolerates darkness and dampness well.
Flowering periods of popular varieties of phlox:
Varieties of low-growing phlox
An ideal option for decorating small flower beds and balconies is the low-growing variety, as well as dwarf phlox. Feature low growing variety is long period flowering and thick strong stems.
Low-growing phlox: terry Promise
Terry phlox drummonda "Promise" has pink, white, peach shades. Corymbose inflorescences of many double, semi-double flowers, up to 3 cm in diameter, are always brightly colored and do not fade in the sun.
On lawns, plants are planted in groups. Its low bushes (up to 25 cm) will look impressive along borders, in the foreground of a flower garden, in containers on a balcony or windowsill.
Period of abundant flowering: late June - October.
Dwarf phlox: features of the species
Flower culture from the genus Phlox (family Bluebirds) refers to a less common creeping species. The height of the plant does not exceed 30 cm. The stems are green, ascending, which extend from the base (woody). This species has interesting pubescent leaves and large flowers- fragrant, pink with a hint of purple, yellow, white, lilac. Inflorescences are loose corymbose.
The dwarf species is interesting to flower breeders for its wonderful sunny yellow color of flowers, which distinguishes it from other varieties that do not have this shade. The only sad thing is that yellow pigment easily destroyed under the rays of bright sun.
The plant takes root well on slopes, along borders, garden paths, in a flowerpot. It is wonderful in combination with irises, tulips, aubrieta, as well as jasmine, lilac, and boxwood.
Caring for dwarf phloxes is simple: regular watering, loosening the soil, fertilizing, pruning after the inflorescences have faded. The soil must be nutritious, therefore for its normal growth and flowering it is necessary to fertilize the soil with organic and complex fertilizers.
Low-growing annual aster: growing from seeds
Decoration autumn garden- aster. This type of ornamental plants abounds incredible variety sizes, shapes, shades of colors. That is, there are varieties - giants up to 2 m tall. Such as, New England aster.
New Belgian asters- slightly shorter in height (80-150 cm). Many people know them as the Sentyabrina and Oktyabrina varieties, and love them for their huge variety of flower shades. By the way, on one bush you can simultaneously count several hundred flowers.
The lowest of the autumn asters - aster low growing annual It is also called Chinese. This plant has a bushy form with straight stems. The leaves are serrated and large. The upper ones are oblong. Flowers of simple or double shape in the most exquisite shades are collected in large beautiful inflorescences.
Currently, flower growers distinguish 4 groups and 600 varieties of this crop.
Aster is grown by sowing. In early spring, the seeds are sown sparsely, maintaining a distance of 20-50 cm between rows. And depending on the height and spreading nature of the variety, the gap between aster seedlings (in the same row) should be from 10 to 30 cm.
Thanks to its varied shades, abundant flowering and unpretentiousness, phlox has received well-deserved love among gardeners. Plants growing naturally in North America are very popular in all European countries. Even a beginner in floriculture can cope with their cultivation and care, subject to all recommendations and rules.
Description, types and varieties of phlox with photos
Annual phloxes have the greatest variety of shades, shapes and varieties. They can be star-shaped or terry, blue, white, cream or different shades red
One of the best annuals is Drummond phlox, which is native to Texas. The plant is bush with branched stem, the height of which can be from 12 to 30 cm. Its opposite leaves have an oval-lanceolate shape. The fragrant flowers can be salmon, yellow, white, dark red or purple.
The most popular varieties annual phlox Drummond are:
Annual phloxes: growing from seeds
To achieve more long flowering, Drummond phlox It is recommended to grow seedlings. Seeds sown immediately in the ground take a very long time to germinate, and plants grown from them bloom only at the end of summer. More early flowering can be obtained by sowing seeds in open ground before winter.
Sowing seeds in open ground
Seeds should be planted directly into the flowerbed in October - November. If there is already snow, it is removed, and the seeds are scattered at a distance of 4-5 cm directly onto the frozen soil. To protect plants from freezing, the beds are first covered with soil prepared in advance, then with snow and cover with leaves or straw. The seedlings will hatch early spring. When two true leaves appear, they will need to be picked out, planted at a distance of 20 cm from each other.
Sowing phlox for seedlings
At home, sowing is done at the beginning - end of March. It all depends on when the last frost in your area ends. In order for the seeds to germinate quickly, there is no need to press them into the soil. They are sprinkled with a little earthen mixture on top and sprayed with warm water.
Seedling boxes covered with glass or polyethylene, and clean up warm place. The soil needs to be ventilated daily. When the first seedlings appear, the containers are placed in a well-lit place, and the glass or polyethylene is removed. At this stage, caring for seedlings consists only of keeping the soil moist.
After two or three true leaves appear, the young plants are planted in separate pots. Behind them already will need special care:
- In the first days, seedlings are protected from sunlight with opaque film or newspaper.
- When the sprouts take root and grow their sixth true leaf, they are pinched to form a lush and compact bush.
- Before planting in open ground, seedlings are fed twice with mineral fertilizers.
- In April, young plants need to start hardening off. To do this, the pots are exposed for an hour or two. open balcony or to the garden.
Annual phloxes are planted in open ground after the end of frost, at the end of May. By this time, some varieties will have already formed buds.
Drummond phloxes: planting and growing in open ground
Grown, strengthened and hardened seedlings are planted in well-lit areas, protected from the scorching sun. Plants will grow best in partial shade on high flower beds . In the sun, phlox inflorescences fade, but in partial shade the color saturation remains for a long time.
Landing Features
Annual phloxes do not like acidic areas and soils with poor drainage. The best soil mixture for them is fertile sand without clay. Lime can be added if necessary. If the site has heavy loams, then they are diluted with peat, organic fertilizers and sand.
Seedlings are planted in shallow holes, at the bottom of which compost or vermicompost is poured and some ash. The roots are carefully straightened horizontally and sprinkled with earth. The plants are watered and the soil around them is mulched.
Watering and fertilizing
Caring for Drummond phloxes after planting them in open ground is not difficult. Over the entire season, it is necessary to loosen the soil twice a month and hill it up in the second half of the growing season. In this case, the root system will form faster.
Phloxes are watered moderately but regularly. For one square meter Planting requires one and a half to two buckets of water. On hot days, watering is done in the morning and evening. The water is poured directly under the root. It should not be cold, otherwise the roots may crack in the heat.
Phlox Drummond is fed several times a season. organic and mineral fertilizers:
![](https://i2.wp.com/klumba.guru/images/90254/floks-metelchatyj.jpg)
During the season, the tops of young plants are pinched off. In this case, the bushes begin to branch better. Faded and wilted flowers are regularly deleted to save attractive appearance flower and prolong its flowering.
A flowerbed of Drummond phlox of different shades and varieties looks beautiful and impressive. They can be used to decorate alpine coaster and curbs. A large flowering ball decorating the yard can be obtained by planting annual phloxes in pots or buckets and placing them nearby. With proper care and cultivation, you can admire its flowering throughout the warm season.
Phlox drummond
On city lawns and garden beds Often you can see small bright flowers with variegated petals - annual phlox. Flowers are known for their unpretentiousness to the soil, do not require special care and grow well on their own. Phloxes have pleasant aroma during flowering.
Description and varieties of annual phlox
One inflorescence contains several small flowers. Each flower has funnel-shaped petals that make the phlox look like a star. The palette of shades is rich: all tones are found here, from gentle and calm to bright colors.
Phlox can change color depending on the weather. For example, in cloudy weather, flowers may become darker or duller, and when the sun is shining, the colors become richer and richer.
There are more than 70 varieties of annual phlox. The most common type among annual plants- "Drummond." Phlox "Drummond" is notable for its compact bush size - mature plant hardly reaches a length of 30 centimeters. Quite large flowers (2 centimeters in diameter) bloom from the beginning of summer until frost.
![](https://i0.wp.com/sveklon.ru/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/annual-phlox-4.jpg)
Phlox "Drummond" has several popular varieties:
- "Strawberries and cream." Very delicate flowers pink-milky and red hue with semi-double petal texture;
- "Chanel". The flowers resemble roses. They have an attractive pink color;
- "Grandiflora". The variety is a mixture of seeds of various colors. Suitable for those who love bright rich colors;
- « Milky Way" The flowers have a star shape and a combined interesting color.
![](https://i0.wp.com/sveklon.ru/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Floks-Drummonda.jpg)
Reproduction and planting
Phloxes are most often grown seedling method. Seeds are used to plant seedlings. Seeds appear from flowers in autumn. In addition to planting seeds, phlox can be propagated by layering, cuttings or dividing the bush.
Seeds are purchased at the store or used from last year's flowers. The planting deadline is usually the end of February or the beginning of March. This time will be enough for the phlox to begin blooming in early June. The seeds need to be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (3-4 crystals per 1 liter of water) for 2 hours. While the seeds are soaking, begin to form the soil.
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The soil consists of garden soil (5 parts), peat (1 part), humus (1 part).
Important! The soil brought from the garden must be calcined in the oven or on the stove for 2-3 hours. Planting begins as soon as the ground cools down.
All ingredients are mixed and placed in a box or container for seedlings. The bottom of the box should have holes so that water can escape and not stagnate. The soil is well watered and the seeds begin to be planted.
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The seeds are placed on the ground and pressed lightly. The planting depth should not be large, a few millimeters is enough, otherwise the phlox will sprout poorly and take a long time. The distance between neighboring seeds recedes by 2-3 centimeters. When all the seeds are planted, the box or container with the plants is covered with glass or film, and then placed on a windowsill or in a lighted place.
The optimal temperature for seed germination is 23-25 degrees Celsius. After a few days, the first shoots of phlox are visible on the surface of the earth. The flowers are sprayed from a spray bottle, and the glass or film is opened slightly, but not for long; at the beginning, 10-15 minutes of airing is enough, otherwise the seedlings will die.
The most common mistakes when planting seeds are deep planting, lack of cover for the container, insufficient lighting in the room or lack of moisture in the soil. These factors are fundamental for the growth of flowers, so if the growing technique is violated, the seeds simply will not sprout.
Picking seedlings and further care
Picking seedlings begins when the plant is in the third leaf phase. Flowers usually bloom 2-3 weeks after germination. You will need small glasses or containers with a capacity of no more than 300-400 milliliters. A thin layer of drainage is poured onto the bottom of the glass, and then the glass is filled almost to the top with earth. Plants grow together with part of the soil; there is no need to remove it, especially from the roots. The roots of the flower are still weak and can be easily injured.
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After picking, place the phloxes in a well-lit area and continue to care for the flowers: loosen the soil once a week and water as the soil dries; one watering every 5-7 days is enough. Phloxes need to be pinched. The flower will bloom better and more beautifully, and the stem will not stretch upward. Pinch the crown when the plant already has 4-5 green leaves.
Planting outside
With warming, when the ground temperature is above 15 degrees Celsius, phlox can be planted outside. Approximately, phlox transplantation is carried out in mid-May. You need to prepare a flower bed for flowers in advance. The flowerbed should be located in a well-lit area, but not under direct sun rays. First add a bucket of compost and river sand per 1 square meter of land.
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Attention! If the soil is excessively acidic, then add one glass of lime per 1 square meter of land. Carefully distribute the powder in the soil and let the soil stand for 2-3 weeks.
Make holes in the ground, pour ½ cup of stove ash into the hole and immerse the plant in it. Then the roots are buried, and root collar the flower is left outside. You can plant snapdragons, bluebells and other flowers with phlox. The main thing is to maintain a landing interval of 20-25 centimeters. After planting phloxes, the soil is spilled generously with cool water.
Phlox blooms begin in June. In order for plants to delight with bright flowers for a long time, they need to be fertilized. Potassium supplement works great for phlox: dilute 1 tbsp. potassium sulfate in 10 liters of water and water the flower bed with phlox. This feeding will make flowering longer and more abundant. Ammonium nitrate has a similar effect on flowers and is diluted in the same way. Mulch helps retain moisture in the soil, so it should be used and regularly mulched between rows with a layer of peat or sawdust.
Phloxes are unobtrusive and neat flowers that will decorate any garden plot his appearance and bright colors. Annual phloxes do not require tedious care; they grow well on their own and do not cause trouble to the gardener.
Annual phlox from seeds - strong, beautiful seedlings will give a head start perennial phlox! Read today's article if the topic is relevant to you.
North American annual phloxes are grown as both annual and perennials. After experimenting with phlox seedlings in the first year of planting, you can then decide for yourself whether to replant the plants.
Types of phlox:
- Terry (white, blue);
- Red (stars);
There are many more options for annual phloxes compared to perennial ones - another plus to big picture, why annual phloxes are a solution for any garden. In addition, and flowering period they have longer: whole summer + 2 months of autumn.
How to plant phlox seedlings - where to start?
Sowing phlox seedlings begins early spring. In March, the seeds are laid out on the surface of the prepared soil, covered with film and wait for the first shoots to form.
Note: phlox seeds are quite hard, but there is no need to deepen them - they germinate more slowly.
What we do: We take a universal soil mixture and a container for planting. We spill the earth a lot hot water– just a little to moisturize. By the way, pouring hot water will not kill fungal spores. In this case, you need to bake in the oven for an hour. We only activate, saturate, and prepare the soil mixture. Spread the seeds over the surface awns, level them with your hands, cover with film. Now the air temperature should remain stably at +20-23° C. The film is periodically removed to ventilate the crops. If condensation forms, it is better not to remove it with a napkin, but to replace it. From the moment 2 full-fledged leaves form, pick up the seedlings.
Where to place: on the windowsill under diffused rays. Direct ones can blunt the development of seedlings and burn out leaves. After 2-3 days, the sprouts of annual phlox will become stronger. You can give them even more strength with mineral fertilizers– saturate 2 to 4 times before transplanting into the ground, depending on the condition of the seedlings.
How to plant annual phlox seedlings in the ground?
As soon as soil mixture It's warming up a little, let's start preparing our garden. Choosing an appropriate landing site(spacious, well lit, with no direct rays at midday). We measure 15 cm between the sprouts of annual phlox. It's better to plant plants on a hill – from 15 cm. You can make multi-level solutions by combining phlox with other early flowers.
In open ground, phloxes begin feed after 1.5-2 weeks from the moment of transplantation. Add 20 grams of nitrophoska to 1 bucket of water and we water our plantings. Water about 3 times per season. Do not combine with moistening the soil, so as not to flood root system. Loosen the soil a little after these procedures. Now annual phloxes will please your eyes and become beautiful decoration garden
↓ Write in the comments how you sowed annual phlox for seedlings? How did the transplant into open ground go? Send photos of plants and share your own methods of care!
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READ ALSO:
How to plant perennial phlox?
When to plant annual phlox in open ground?
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How to sow annual phlox?
Planting annual phlox with seeds
Planting phlox seeds
Sowing annual phlox seeds for seedlings
The characteristic “calico bloom” is evidenced. It is associated with the coloring of chintz in the variety of favorite shades, the splendor of floral patterns, and the shape of the inflorescences. Some even call it a “village flower”, since it is widespread and grows under the windows of many houses.
Those who deny phlox sophistication, to put it mildly, are not deeply familiar with the species and varietal diversity of the plant. And the recognition of phlox only says that it easily takes root in our latitudes and is liked by people.
The flower is revered by Western breeders. It was they who gave us the selection varieties of awl-shaped, rat-shaped phlox and annual species Drummond. Many people don’t even realize that theirs, decorated with a blooming mat of fragrant flowers, is a type of phlox. In our open spaces, we are more familiar with the paniculate type of phlox, and even then not with all varieties.
The title photo shows the Violetta Gloriosa variety.
Phlox has up to 70 species and more than 1,500 varieties. The color scheme, combinations of shades and variety of shapes will surprise even an experienced gardener.
Types of phlox. Perennial, annual
The main species groups are identified. The basis of the classification is the height of the stems, flowering time, plant shape, flowering time.
paniculate species
Phlox perennial paniculata, the most famous and diverse species. The height of phlox varies from 40 cm to 1.5 meters. The palette of tones and colors defies description: plain, multi-colored (spotted), a combination of different shades. There are also exotic forms, these are the so-called Feelings or “buds”. The inflorescences are collected in non-opening buds of various shapes.
Subulate phloxes
Perennial species ground cover plants(up to 20 cm) with tender fragrant flowers. They lay out a beautiful carpet border flower beds, rockeries, alpine slides. IN color scheme blue, white, lilac-violet tones predominate. But there are varieties with rich colors, raspberry, salmon.
Phlox divaricata
Perennial, low growing, unpretentious plant from 17 to 40 cm. The inflorescences have a heady delicate aroma. This type of phlox can grow in the shade and under trees. Prevail delicate shades purple and blue spectrum of colors.
Phlox splayed
Phlox drummondii
An annual type of flower grown from seeds. Drummond varieties are distinguished by their refined flower shapes and delicate aroma. Height no more than 30 cm. Wide range of colors and color combinations. It differs in that it blooms all summer, until the onset of frost.
How do phlox reproduce?
Most of the plants of these species are perennials. Only Drummonda, an annual, can only reproduce by seed.
Methods for propagating phlox:
- Vegetative method: dividing the bush, layering and cuttings.
- Growing from seeds: seedlings and directly into the ground.
Vegetative method
Since flowers need renewal every 5 years, the bush is divided for this purpose. It can serve as material for planting phlox. They dig up the bush and shake off the clod of earth. If the roots are tightly grown together and intertwined, you can lightly rinse with water. Carefully separate the stem and roots. We remove the old roots, then lightly trim the remaining ones. The seedling is ready for planting.
The other most common method is cuttings.
There are several ways to root cuttings.
Young spring shoots (up to 12 cm) are separated from the main bush and planted in a greenhouse. When the ground warms up, you can plant it in a permanent place.
Second way. Cut the stems with two pairs of leaves at the beginning of summer. In such a way that a piece of the stem remains from the bottom to the leaves. For a day they put it in a nutrient mixture (for example, “Kornevin”). A cutting is planted in a specially prepared greenhouse and covered with a bottle or jar until the roots form and the first leaves appear. In early autumn, you can transplant the seedling to a permanent place. Optimal time end of August, beginning of September. This is done so that the seedling has time to take root on permanent place until the cold weather.
Please note. You can plant the plant in the summer, but in this case you need to maintain a moist regime, regularly, but not abundantly, watering.
Growing from seeds
Important. You should pay attention to the fact that seeds, with long and improper storage lose their viability. Therefore, they must first be checked for germination using the stratification method. In other words, germinate.
Phlox subulate seeds.
How to germinate seeds?
Sowing seeds for germination can be done using standard methods. Sow them in damp sand and watch them to hatch. Then plant as seedlings or in warm open ground at the end of May.
Another recommendation: plant seeds for seedlings directly into prepared boxes to a depth of 2 cm. It is necessary to water the seedlings with a sprayer so as not to wash them. After 2, 3 weeks, the seedlings are picked and the first fertilizing is done (with nitrogen fertilizers).
How to sow seeds?
Please note " Perennial mixture» phlox seeds from the company “Plasma Seeds”. Plasma treatment stimulates the growth and development of the plant. The flower blooms ahead of schedule.
Sprouted seeds can be planted in warm May soil, directly into the ground (depth up to 2 cm). At first, until the sprouts appear, cover with film. Then it is removed. Flowering will begin already during the planting season, but later.
There is a way to plant seeds in winter. Here opinions differ. Some argue that early sprouted sprouts may die prematurely from the cold. Others, on the contrary, say that such planting hardens the plants.
Our advice. In the case when you have your own seed material from mother bushes that have adapted to the climate, you can plant it in winter. If these are purchased seeds of varieties of phlox that have not previously grown in your area, then it is better to germinate them and plant them as seedlings. Plants have memory, so they respond to different climatic conditions growing.
Agricultural technology for growing seedlings
A group of new hybrids, their cultivation from seeds is no different from usual ways. Varieties of annual phlox Drummond can be grown by sowing in the ground in the month of May. The main conditions for successful germination are preparing the soil and covering the crops in the first weeks with spunbond. The land for sowing is prepared by mixing with peat and humus. Plant several seeds shallowly (up to 2 cm) at a distance of 15-20 cm.
Flowering of phlox from seedlings begins earlier than from seeds in the ground, since by this time they have already taken root and begun to develop.
When to plant?
Seeds of the Drummond variety and other hybrids are planted for seedlings in the spring, in March.
Please note. Phlox seeds are similar to small coffee beans with a thick skin. But you can’t push them deep into the ground, because they begin to germinate only if sunlight hits them.
Planting seeds for seedlings, how to plant
Plant the seeds on seedlings, almost on the surface of the soil, slightly deepening them. Cover with glass or film. Moisten the soil by spraying water.
How to grow seedlings:
![](https://i2.wp.com/1decor.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Floks-mnogoletnij-vyrashhivanie1.jpg)
Basic rules for care after planting seedlings
Phlox prefer loose soils, neutral or slightly acidic. Before planting seedlings, add peat, humus, and organic matter.
The second condition for normal growth and flowering, feeding.
Fertilizer application schedule:
- March, comprehensive feeding;
- in May, organic fertilizers, in combination with complex chemicals;
- in June, complex fertilizers, with an increase in the proportion of potash, the addition of ash and urea;
- in July and early August, complex fertilizers with the addition of superphosphates are applied.
It is better to apply complex formulations in the evening, in the form of irrigation solutions. Avoid contact with foliage and inflorescences.
The soil around the roots must be mulched, this is especially important for bushes that are several years old. The roots of the plants lie at a depth of up to 20 cm. As the bush grows, they rise to the surface. This, in turn, can lead to drying out of the root system.
The root system of phlox is shallow (15-20 cm). Therefore, timely watering prevents the soil from drying out and dehydration of the roots. At the same time, phlox does not like excess moisture in the soil.
When to replant and rejuvenate phloxes
Perennials needs to be rejuvenated approximately every 5 years. By this time, the bush is growing and producing many shoots that impede the development of the plant. Crowding of the bush leads to its weakening and reduction of inflorescences.
Dig up old bush phlox, separate cuttings with roots from it, which can be used as planting material. Part of the stems is used for cuttings, from which stem shoots are formed for cuttings.
Many gardeners ask the question why perennial phlox does not bloom.
Important. Perennial phlox may stop blooming if the bush is very old or is covered by strong shadow. If a tree or shrub with a strong root system grows nearby, it can clog the phlox and prevent the formation of inflorescences.
Phlox diseases
They are divided into viral and fungal.
Here are photos of the diseases.
Viral:
- rattling. Light spreading spots on leaves;
- necrotic spotting. Dark spots brown color on petals;
- ring spot. White spots covering the plants deform the leaf shape over time;
- leaf curl. The leaves become covered with tubercles, the stems become brittle.