Perennial phlox can be propagated either vegetatively or by seeds.
The method of propagation of phloxes is chosen depending on the goal that is set. So, for example, phlox can be divided in order to quickly propagate a rare and beautiful variety, to obtain a large amount of planting material or its improvement, and finally, to prepare regular cuttings or cuttings for exhibitions.
When are phlox propagated by seeds?
Under good weather conditions, phlox produces seeds in abundance, which often, especially in early varieties, ripen on the bushes. The readiness of the seeds is indicated by the browning of the capsules and the beginning of withering of the leaves. In late-flowering varieties, the seeds reach waxy ripeness in October. To obtain mature seeds, cut the stems, tie them into bunches and hang them on a cold veranda. If the room is very dry, the boxes begin to crack, the seeds scatter, and they can be lost. Then the inflorescences are placed in gauze bags. As they ripen, the browned boxes can be collected from the bushes into paper bags and brought into the room. In a paper bag, the boxes dry out and burst with a characteristic crack. Phlox seeds quickly lose their viability, especially in a dry and warm room. It is best to clean the seeds immediately before sowing. P.G. Gaganov advised mixing the peeled seeds with sand and storing them in a cool room in this form before sowing. The highest germination rate (up to 80-90%) is achieved by seeds when sown immediately after harvesting - in late November - early December. You can also sow in winter - in January-February on a bed prepared in the fall. To do this, snow is removed from the garden bed and seeds are scattered on its frozen surface, at a distance of 3-4 cm. Then they are covered with a layer of sifted earth, prepared in advance, or sand 1-1.5 cm thick and snow. When sowing in winter, seed germination will be 70%.
When growing perennial phlox You can sow them from seeds immediately open ground in the fall or early winter, planting the seeds to a depth of 1.5 cm. In the spring, the seeds will germinate safely and bloom by the fall.
At seed propagation Phlox seedlings bloom in 3-4 years. Sowing is done in the fall, as the seeds quickly lose their viability. With this method decorative qualities the mother plant is not completely preserved.
When sowing at home perennial phlox seeds need stratification. The container with the planted seeds is first kept in room conditions 15-20 days, then in the cold (from -2 to +4 0C) 15-25 days. After low temperatures Place the container with phlox seeds close to the glass and make a screen from the room and heating devices so that the air temperature is no higher than +12 0C. If the phlox seeds were planted in February, the third period will be in April, then the container with the phlox seeds can be safely taken out into the garden under agrospan or polyethylene film. The optimal temperature for germination of phlox seeds is from +5 to +12 0C.
Once the seeds germinate, the difficult, tedious process of waiting ends: “maybe I did something wrong; maybe the seeds are bad; May be...". In the future, the seedlings require the same care as other seedlings.
Small phlox seedlings in the phase of two to three pairs of true leaves are planted at a distance of about 20 cm in a bed with fertile soil. Further phlox care consists of systematic weeding, loosening the soil, watering, and fertilizing. While the phlox seedlings are still small, the soil between them can be mulched with mowed grass. This will keep the soil soft and moist and prevent weeds from growing.
Dry perennial phlox hot weather need watering, but it is at this time that there is a risk of phlox being affected by septoria and powdery mildew. In this case, spraying with fungicides is necessary, otherwise you may lose the plant.
In the summer, as soon as the plants get stronger, you need to pinch over the fourth or fifth pair of leaves. This is done for better tillering of phlox. Phlox blooms from July to the end of September, but the peak is in August. You just need to remove faded inflorescences in time, then new flower stalks will appear from the axils of the lateral leaves. Once every three to four years in May, the phlox rhizomes need to be divided. It's better to do this in early spring or in September so that the transplanted plants have time to take root before winter.
We bring to your attention the video: “How to grow perennial phlox from seeds”
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Phloxes are beautiful and unpretentious; they will be a worthy decoration of any garden, thanks to the huge variety of not only shades of color, but also the different shapes petals. Therefore, today we will learn how to grow phlox from seeds, what are the tricks of growing these flowers, as well as caring for seedlings and adult plants.
The soil
The composition of the soil is important in the process of growing phlox. Humus-rich soil, loose with a small loam content for low acidity, is suitable for them. The seeds are sown in pre-moistened soil, in fairly large boxes for the free development of the powerful root system of phlox. A week before planting, we treat the soil with potassium permanganate, as for any other plant.
Soil fertilization
Despite the fact that phlox is very unpretentious and can grow even in harsh conditions for flowers, fertilizing at the stage of growing seedlings is mandatory. Fertilizer applied in small quantities will help support and accelerate development and rapid growth.
Landing
Phlox seeds are not buried, but placed on the surface of the soil, just like. It is best to place the container with seedlings on the windowsill and monitor the constant moisture of the soil. In this case, it is best to use a spray bottle.
Annual and perennial phlox
Among annuals there are often frost-resistant varieties, such as the Drummond variety, the seeds of which can be sown directly into the soil. Moreover, they bloom three weeks earlier than flowers from seedlings. The main condition is to cover the shoots during spring frosts, especially if sowing was done before winter.
After all, the Drummond variety can be sown even in December (in November for middle zone). We trample down the snow, sow seeds and cover nutritious soil above. Apply a 30 cm layer of snow on top of the sowing.
However, not all varieties of annuals can be sown before winter, so it is better to sow in the spring, then the first shoots can germinate within a week.
Conditions for seedling growth
- The temperature in the room with seedlings is 21 C with fairly high humidity,
- Covering with film in the first days to speed up germination,
- After the seedlings emerge, we greatly reduce the humidity to avoid rotting of the seedlings,
- There should be as much light as possible, remove the film at this time, and periodically turn the container towards the light,
- As the seedlings grow, the temperature is reduced to 15 C so that the seedlings do not stretch ahead of time,
Hardening off the seedlings
The hardening process can begin from late April - early May. At this time, the seedlings should be taken outside during the day.
Sowing perennials
Practically no different from sowing annual phlox. The only difference is that perennials are most often planted directly into the ground - in a flower bed or flower garden. They do this from the end of May, focusing on the weather in your region, so that night frosts do not damage the seedlings.
Place four seeds in the sowing hole and water warm water and cover with film. Further care the same as for seedlings sown in boxes. Feeding can begin as early as the second week.
Flowers planted immediately in the ground bloom a couple of months later, but thanks to this, flowering continues until late autumn in company with, and.
Unlike annuals, it is better not to sow perennial phlox before winter, so that they do not germinate ahead of time and die from the cold.
Seedling care
2 - 3 weeks after sowing, seedlings can be planted if they have two true leaves. It should be taken into account that for different varieties, the time for the appearance of leaves is different.
Feeding can begin a week after the dive. During this period, nitrogen fertilizers should be applied in small quantities. Other complex fertilizers are applied immediately after planting.
So, if you want phlox to bloom in your garden early spring until late autumn, use both methods of growing phlox - seedlings and sowing directly into the ground.
Photos of phlox
Propagation of phlox by cuttings video
Planting and caring for phlox (in brief)
- Landing: sowing seeds in spring or in November-December in open ground or sowing seeds in March for seedlings.
- Bloom: from June to autumn.
- Lighting: penumbra.
- The soil: medium loamy, rich in humus, moist, light and loose, neutral reaction.
- Watering: moderate (1.5-2 buckets of water per m²), regular.
- Hilling: in the second half of the growing season.
- Feeding: organic and mineral solutions: 1st - at the end of May, 2nd - at the beginning of June, 3rd - at the beginning of July, 4th - at the end of July. Perennial varieties are fed for the fifth time during the formation of ovaries.
- Reproduction: annuals only by seeds, perennials mainly vegetatively - by dividing the bush, rhizomatous and leaf cuttings, but it is also possible by seed method.
- Pests: nematodes, slugs, caterpillars.
- Diseases: variegation, powdery mildew, Phoma, Septoria, Verticillium wilt.
Read more about growing phlox below.
Phlox flowers - description
Phlox are diverse even within the same species: their “appearance” changes depending on the climate in which they grow. For example, at an altitude of 4000 meters they are bryophytes and low-growing, their stems are branched and covered with evergreen leaves, and the plant height is from 5 cm to 25 cm. In more favorable conditions phloxes are upright bushes with a height of 30 cm to 180 cm. And there are also subshrubs. According to the flowering time, they are spring (early), summer (middle) and summer-autumn (late). The culture is dominated by species and varieties of erect phlox. Their leaves are sessile, opposite, entire, oval-lanceolate or elongated-ovate. Phlox flowers are from 2.5 cm to 4 cm in diameter, have a tubular-funnel shape and are collected in complex inflorescences of up to 90 pieces each. The flowers have five reflexed petals, five stamens and one pistil. The phlox fruit is an oval capsule. All phloxes grown in cultivation are perennials, but only Phlox drummondii and its many varieties are annuals.
Varieties and varieties of phlox
Phloxes are annual.
Phlox Drummond- one of the best annuals among garden flowers. It was discovered in Texas and brought to England in 1835 by the English traveler, naturalist and theologian Henry Drummond. The flower has taken root in England. Drummond phlox blooms from June until frost. Its leaves are oval-lanceolate, opposite. Thin branched stem from 12 cm to 30 cm tall. Fragrant flowers purple, dark red, white, yellow, salmon colors.
Phlox Drummond comes in two varieties: star-shaped and large-flowered. Phlox drummondii cuspidata usually reaches 30-40 cm in height, although low-growing forms are also known - up to 12 cm. The petals of its bright flowers are beautifully dissected, and the flowers look like a star with an eye. Large-flowered Phlox drummondii mixed grows up to 30cm in height. Him large flowers the most different colors, but red shades are especially attractive.
In the photo: Drummond Phlox
Some gardeners divide annual phloxes according to their size into large-flowered and dwarf (15-20 cm tall). Large-flowered varieties include such varieties as Tall White, Tall Fiery Red and Tall Bright Red. Compact low varieties (dwarf) represent Snowball(white), Shamoa (pink), Isabella (yellow), Salmona (salmon), Defiance (fiery red). Both large-flowered species, and star-shaped, and dwarf species have double and semi-double varieties. Promise terry phlox varieties of different shades are popular.
Phlox is perennial.
Among perennial varieties phlox blooms earliest (in May) phlox subulate. Its densely branching stems are so abundantly covered with flowers of different shades from snow-white to dark red that the leaves, narrow, awl-shaped, for which it got its name, are not visible. This variety of phlox is planted in rockeries and alpine hills. Phlox splayed also blooms in May, one to two weeks later. Its small bushes with delicate lilac-blue flowers look very elegant.
This species is not as light-loving as awl-shaped phlox; it has lignified stems and larger but less dense leaves. Perennial phlox is also represented by such a species as paniculata phlox, which blooms in mid-summer. This is exactly the phlox that we are all familiar with: huge fragrant caps of flowers, beautiful green leaves.
In the photo: Phlox awl-shaped
In the photo: Phlox splayed
Phlox paniculata
- the ancestor of many exquisite varieties, including terry phlox Pure Feelings (large inflorescences of white flowers with a green stripe in the center, purple below; petals are elongated, twisted, plant height - 70-80 cm) and terry phlox Natural Feelings (very small white-green-pink flowers, inflorescences resemble a branch of lilac). The result of selection has also resulted in such winter-hardy varieties as phlox Orange (Orange Perfection, Orange Spat) of orange-red shades that do not fade in the sun. They are easy to breed, easy to care for, and incredibly beautiful. But oddly enough, the most popular among gardeners is phlox King, up to 1 m high with flowers up to 4 cm in diameter in crimson, pink, lilac, white and other colors.
In the photo: Terry Phlox Tiara
Growing phlox from seeds
Having blooming phlox in the garden from spring to the end of September is real, you just need to know how to grow phlox. Phloxes reproduce most often by vegetative means- by cuttings, layering or dividing the bush, but some gardeners prefer growing phlox with seeds. The seeds of perennial phlox, collected the day before in the fall, need to be sown in the ground before winter - in November-December. Choose a site where your phlox will grow for several years. If there is already snow, remove it from the garden bed and scatter the seeds at a distance of 4-5 cm on the frozen ground. Sprinkle them with a 1-1.5 cm layer of sifted soil, and cover with snow on top. The soil can be prepared in advance so that it is not cold and frozen, or you can buy soil in the store. The germination rate of seeds that fall into the ground in winter is 70%; by spring, their germination rate sharply decreases. In early spring, seedlings will hatch, which will need to be picked after the appearance of two pairs of true leaves at a distance of 20 cm from each other. You will plant these seedlings at the right time.
Most often, annual phloxes reproduce by seeds. In the spring, prepare the bed, scatter the seeds over it at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other, water them with a sprayer, and cover with polyethylene. Do not cover with soil, but lift the film briefly every day, shaking off condensation from it, so that the seeds can breathe. As soon as the seeds sprout, the polyethylene can be removed.
In the photo: Growing phlox in open ground
Annual phloxes - planting and care
Planting annual phlox.
We have already talked about how to plant phlox from seeds. But some gardeners do not want to put the seeds at risk, fearing severe spring frosts, so they plant phlox seedlings in the spring. For seedlings, annual phlox seeds are sown in March, shoots appear within a week. Emerging sprouts need light, watering and moderate temperature. After two to three weeks the seedlings sprout. In the first days after picking, try to protect the seedlings from direct sun rays to avoid burns. Cover them with newspaper or opaque film. Before planting phlox in open ground, you can feed the seedlings two or three times with mineral fertilizers. The concentration of fertilizing should be two times less than for an adult plant. To achieve the splendor of the bush, shoots in the phase of 4-5 leaves are pinched.
In the photo: Phlox seedlings grown in cassettes
In May, grown phlox seedlings are planted in a flowerbed at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. It is very important to choose the right place for planting. Annual phlox cold-resistant, drought-resistant, love light, but do not tolerate overheating of the root system. The most beautiful phlox grow in partial shade, and the thicker the shade, the less abundant, but longer, the phlox will bloom. In the sun, phlox flowers quickly fade, but in partial shade they retain their color saturation for a long time, and if you planted the so-called “blueing” varieties, the flowers of which become almost blue in twilight lighting, you will have an incomparable aesthetic pleasure from the flowering of phlox grown in partial shade guaranteed. It is best to plant phlox on raised beds, away from trees and shrubs with a highly branched root system.
In the photo: Growing phlox in a flower bed
Garden soil for phlox should contain a large number of humus. Heavy soils with poor drainage are destructive for phlox. They also do not like acidified areas; in this case, lime will need to be added to the soil. Best cast soil for phlox - fertile sand without clay impurities - with good watering will allow you to grow powerful flowering bushes. In heavy loams you will have to add sand, organic fertilizers and peat. The seedlings are planted in a shallow hole, into which vermicompost or compost (or two handfuls of ash) are added before planting; the roots are straightened horizontally.
Caring for annual phlox.
Growing annual phlox is a pleasant and easy task. The main thing is not to interfere with their growth. All other care is traditional for flowers: careful loosening of the soil (6-8 times), hilling during loosening in the second half of the growing season so that the phloxes quickly form a root system, fertilizing with organic matter and mineral fertilizers. The first feeding with liquid manure (25 g per bucket of water) is carried out at the end of May. The second is in early June, but potassium salt or superphosphate is added to the manure solution. The third (liquid manure without additives) - in early July. The fourth feeding, at the end of July, should contain phosphorus and potassium salt.
In the photo: How phlox blooms in the garden
Watering phlox you need regular, but moderate, morning or evening. You need to pour water at the root at the rate of 1.5-2 buckets per 1 m² of planting. It is harmful to water phlox cold water in the heat of the day, because the stems may crack. It is advisable to remove faded flowers that prevent the growth of new, unopened ones. As for diseases and pests, phlox has plenty of them.
For example, a disease such as variegation covers the petals of the phlox with a pattern unusual for the species, disfiguring appearance plants. There is no cure for this disease, so the bush is dug up and destroyed to avoid infecting other plants. The same sentence will have to be carried out if it is discovered that the plant is infected with a fungal disease, powdery mildew, which manifests itself as a whitish matte coating on the leaves and stems.
Phlox suffer from another fungal disease - phomosis, which makes the shoots fragile and the leaves dry. As a preventative measure, it is suggested to spray colloidal sulfur on the leaves and stems of phlox (not on the inflorescences), but the air temperature should not be lower than 18 ºC. Septoria disease appears as dark brown spots on plant leaves, which increase in size as the disease progresses. At the first signs, spray the bush and the soil around it with Bordeaux mixture, and repeat the treatment two weeks later. Another disease, verticillium wilt, destroys root system phlox, but only phlox growing on acidic soils suffer from it.
Phlox pests.
The most common pest that affects phlox is the nematode, a tiny thread-like worm that feeds on the sap of plant tissue. As a result, the inflorescences become disfigured, the flowers become smaller, and the stems become thinner. The affected bush will have to be dug up and burned, and the contaminated soil will have to be treated three times with an interval of 20 days with nematicides. Naked slugs harm phloxes by eating the bottom of stems, leaves and even flowers at night. They live in upper layers soil, so preventive loosening of the soil and removal of weeds will be completely effective means fight against slugs, but if they do appear on the site, dust the soil with fluff lime, ash or a mixture of ash and tobacco dust. If phloxes are damaged by butterfly caterpillars, it is best to collect them by hand, but if there are too many of them, then treat the phloxes with preparations for leaf-eating pests.
Perennial phlox - planting and care
Planting perennial phlox.
Growing perennial phlox is not much different from growing annual phlox, but there are still some peculiarities. For example: spring planting perennial varieties are carried out in the same way as annual ones, but after this the area must be mulched with dry peat or humus. In addition, the distance between plants should not be 15-20 cm, but at least half a meter, because phlox will grow in this area for many years, and they need a place where they will grow. If you bought phlox in the fall, then do not plant them, but dig them to a depth of 20-25 cm in a place protected from the wind, where snow lingers in winter. As soon as the soil freezes, cover the buried phlox with peat or dry leaves.
In the photo: White phlox in open ground
In addition, perennial phlox are planted in some cases in the fall. For example, in the case when the bush has grown greatly and has lost its decorative appearance, it is dug up in the fall (from mid-August to the first ten days of September), the rhizome is divided, the middle of the bush is removed, which ages earlier than other parts, and the side parts are planted. Also in the fall you should plant permanent place grown phlox from spring cuttings. Before autumn planting compost is added to the soil; if the soil is clayey, then also sand, and if sandy, then peat. Place the divisions in the holes located at a distance of half a meter from each other, straighten their roots horizontally and dig in them shallowly (no deeper than 4-5 cm). If there is no rain, planted phloxes are watered abundantly at the rate of 2 liters of water per bush every 2-3 days for two weeks, the dried soil is loosened and mulched with peat or humus with a 4 cm layer.
Perennial phloxes need to be cared for in the same way as annual ones. But if annuals need to be fertilized four times during the growth period, then perennial species fertilized five times - the last one occurs during the period when seeds are formed in boxes. Feed the phlox potassium-phosphorus fertilizers(10 g of potassium sulfate and 20 g of superphosphate per bucket of water). Do this in the evening after watering, being careful not to get the solution on the leaves. With proper care and good feeding, phlox grow in one place without losing its decorative appearance for up to seven years.
In the photo: Not yet opened inflorescence of garden phlox
- one of the rare crops that can be taken from cuttings throughout the entire growing season. You can start from the moment the shoot reaches 5 cm, but the last cuttings are removed at the end of September. It is worth remembering, however, that spring and summer rootings are more successful than later ones.
In addition to cuttings, phloxes are propagated by layering, and this method is much less labor-intensive than cuttings. Before flowering, the stem is bent to the ground, fixed along its entire length and covered with humus and peat. In the fall, a new plant is formed from this shoot, which is separated from the main bush and transplanted to where it will grow permanently.
Phlox in winter and after flowering
Annual phloxes can bloom in next year, but the quality of the inflorescences is unlikely to be high. Therefore, collect the seeds if you want, cut off the tops that have dried in the fall, and dig up the soil on the site, removing the phlox rhizomes from it. In the spring you will be able to sow collected seeds, and the flowers you like will bloom again.
In the photo: Phlox blooming in the garden
Perennial phloxes, or rather, their growth buds, can freeze out in a snowless winter if the temperature drops to -10-15 ºC, and if the frost reaches -20-25 ºC, the rhizome of the phlox will die. Therefore, in the fall, after the phlox tops have turned yellow and dried out, cut them off and root collars Sprinkle with a layer of soil with peat. Cover them with straw, fallen leaves or spruce branches to keep the rhizomes in the ground until spring. If snow falls 50-60 cm thick, then you don’t have to be afraid of thirty-degree frosts.
You will need
- - phlox seeds;
- -garden soil;
- -sprayer;
- -polyethylene film;
- -garden tools.
Instructions
Collect the seeds. To do this, you need to determine whether they are ripe or not. This is not visible from the outside, since they are in a box. If you miss the moment, the seeds from the bursting capsule will scatter without your knowledge. Collect immature seeds from in this case also makes no sense, they will not ripen. Therefore, drill one of the boxes with an awl and see what is in it. There should be large, dense seeds of different shades of green. Seeds are also sold in flower shops.
The seeds of perennial phlox lose their viability very quickly, so you can’t wait until spring. In addition, for normal development plant seeds must freeze. Start preparing for planting immediately after harvest. Choose an area where the flowers can grow quietly for several years. Phlox do not do well in the shade and in swampy lowlands. A place under dense tree crowns is not suitable either.
Prepare the soil. It should be loose and nutritious. on her phlox will grow well, and flowering will be long and lush. These plants do not like large amounts of sand, nor do they like heavy acidic soils. On such land, seedlings most likely will not appear at all. The flowerbed or bed must be prepared before the first frost.
Sow perennials phlox best in November-December. You can do this in January, but not later. The closer to spring, the less likely it is that the seeds will sprout. Falling snow shouldn't scare you. Just remove it from the garden.
Place the seeds on the frozen surface of the flower bed. The optimal distance is 4-5 cm from each other. Sprinkle a thin layer of regular garden soil. It can be prepared in advance and stored in a warm room so that it does not freeze. Suitable land You can also choose it at a gardening store, where it is sold all year round. The layer does not have to be continuous; you can simply sprinkle the seeds. Fill the bed with snow and calmly wait for spring. With this method, almost all the seeds germinate in the spring, and almost half of the plants bloom.
Growing annual phlox has its own characteristics. Prepare the bed in the same way as for perennials. This can be done in both autumn and spring. Scatter the seeds over the surface of the soil at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other. Water them with a sprayer and cover with plastic wrap. There is no need to cover it with soil. The film is needed every day a short time remove it so that the plants can breathe a little, and also shake off the condensation from it. After germination seeds The film is completely removed.
note
When propagated by seed, perennial phloxes often lose their varietal characteristics. Therefore, it makes sense to use this method if you want to get a lot of flowers, but the variety is not important. Phlox grown from seeds also has its advantages. They are more resistant to weather conditions than their counterparts obtained from cuttings or by dividing the bush.
Seed propagation of perennial phlox is most often used in the selection process.
Instead of garden soil, you can sprinkle the seeds with sand.
It is better to grow perennial phlox from seeds purchased in the store in the spring through seedlings. These flowers, of course, do not really like transplanting. But if you received seeds in March-April, then plant them in boxes and then transplant them into a flower garden, as you do with other seedlings. In the first year, with this method, there may not be any flowering.
Related article
Bright phlox sow on summer cottages and city flower beds, in school flower beds and on balconies. Their name is translated from Greek as “fire”. Phlox bloom for a long time, smell pleasant and calmly tolerate any vagaries of weather. Perennial plants propagate mainly by cuttings or dividing the bush. But they can also be grown from seeds. Annual varieties are propagated mainly by seeds.
You will need
- - phlox seeds;
- - garden tools;
- - a plot of land;
- - film;
- - unfrozen ground;
- - watering can.
Instructions
Before collecting phlox seeds, determine whether they are ripe. To do this, drill through one of the boxes with an awl and evaluate their appearance. They should be large and dense, have different shades Green colour. The seeds of these flowers can also be purchased at flower shops.
The seeds of perennial phlox quickly lose their viability, and therefore you cannot wait until spring. In addition, for normal plant development, the planting material must freeze. Start preparing for planting immediately after harvest. Choose a site where the flowers can grow for several years. Keep in mind that they do not do well in shaded areas and swampy lowlands. And therefore, they are not allowed under dense tree canopies.
Start preparing the soil. It should be nutritious and loose. This will ensure long and lush flowering. There should not be a large amount of sand in the ground; phlox does not like heavy acidic soils. On such lands, seedlings most likely will not appear. The bed or flower bed must be prepared before the first frost.
Video on the topic
Phlox Drummond is annual plant With unusual shape and brightly colored flowers. Planted in mixborders, flower beds or other flower beds, these phloxes will decorate any garden for a long time, as they bloom for quite a long time.
Phlox Drummond is a rather unpretentious plant, but still some recommendations when planting must be followed. For phlox, sunny areas with fertile soil are chosen, but shaded areas of the garden are not suitable for it. In addition, the soil should not be acidic; if necessary, it should be limed. Drummond phloxes do not like stagnant moisture in the soil.
Reproduction of Phlox Drummond
Phlox Drummond is propagated by seeds. They are sown in early April, but sowing can be done as early as the end of March. Approximately on day 10, shoots appear. When germinating seeds, you need to maintain a temperature regime of about 22 degrees.
Phlox seeds can also be sown directly into the ground. But such sowing is carried out in early or mid-May, when the soil is sufficiently warmed up. Having prepared small depressions and watered them, put 3-4 seeds in each and sprinkle with earth. It is advisable to cover the crops with covering material.
In late autumn you can sow seeds before winter. In this case, the plants will germinate earlier and produce more bright colors garden.
Another important point, which is worth paying attention to: fresh manure cannot be applied under phlox. Otherwise, instead of bright, beautiful flowers You will only have to admire the greenness of the leaves. To extend the flowering period, it is recommended to remove faded flowers in time.
Phlox Drummond - excellent plant for borders, ridges and mixborders. And the most low-growing varieties will look great as ground cover plants.
Phlox of various colors will decorate any flower bed. There are species that bloom in spring, summer and autumn. The planted varieties will change without ceasing to delight with their colors. Planting and growing phloxes is not difficult, the main thing is to know a few important rules and put them into action.
How to plant phlox in spring? Choose one of 3 methods: dividing bushes, using cuttings, into seedlings. Flower seeds quickly become unusable, so you should not delay planting and it is better to purchase them in a specialized store.
How to plant phlox: 3 effective ways
Phloxes do not like the bright rays of the sun, which make the colors of the buds dull. A place that is too dark does not have enough light for growth. The best option is to plant the flower in partial shade. Before starting work, you need to prepare the soil, the acidity of which should be neutral or slightly salted.
Then dig up the ground to a depth of 30 cm, remove the weeds and make the beds. Sow the prepared area only after the soil has settled. At the end of autumn or early winter, place the seeds in the ground, with an interval of 5 cm. Sprinkle the seeds with prepared soil or store-bought soil. If snow has already fallen, make a small snowdrift on top.
It is better to divide bushes in early spring or late August. Carefully dig up the phlox and remove excess soil. Divide the plant into parts so that they have growth buds. Place the flower root in the prepared shallow hole and cover with soil.
Propagation by cuttings. Cut a healthy stem and divide it into sections with two nodes. Make cuts under the bottom node and slightly above the top one. Plant the cuttings in soil fertilized with leaf humus, mixed with sand and watered.
How to grow phlox
To grow luxury phlox, you need to take care of them. Flowers do not like dry soil and especially need moisture during the flowering period. They need to be watered right under the bush, without touching the buds. Water the planted cuttings 2-3 times a day for several weeks. In order for the flowers to bloom beautifully and for a long time, nourish the soil with various fertilizers.
The first stage of feeding begins after the snow melts. At this stage, the flower needs nitrogen and water. The fertilizer is diluted in liquid and poured into the soil or poured dry, and then watered from a watering can. Manure or chopped grass – good view fertilizing At the second stage, the formation of a bud and the appearance of flowers begins. During this period, the plant needs potassium and phosphorus more than nitrogen.
Feeding begins at the end of spring with complex mineral fertilizers. This can be a mixture of mullein with potassium humate or with ash. At the last stage, the seeds ripen and prepare for winter, so phlox needs phosphorus. Feeding is carried out in June potash fertilizers, and in some cases urea solution.
Excess nitrogen supplements make the plant more susceptible to various infections, for example, powdery mildew. This is the most common disease when the leaves become covered with white spots and then dry out. In this case, prevention is necessary with a solution of soda ash or a mixture of copper sulfate and soap.
Now you know phloxes and theirs. If you properly care for flowers, they will bloom long and luxuriantly.
Drummond phlox is the only one of the large phlox family that is grown as an annual crop. It has a wide variety of colors, plant heights, and long flowering. Phlox will always be appropriate in a mixborder, in ribbon borders, or in creating bright spots in flower beds.
How to sow seeds?
Phlox sowing is carried out in March - April. The seeds are small, about 2.5-3 mm in size, so sow them superficially, lightly sprinkling them with earth or vermiculite. You can prepare the soil mixture yourself or buy it ready-made in the store. The main thing is that it is not heavy and allows water to pass through well. To avoid fungal diseases, soil mixture spilled in advance with a pink solution of potassium permanganate or a solution of phytosporin. Allow to air a little so that the seeds lie in moist soil and not in a “swamp”. Seeds germinate in the dark. Shoots appear on average from 5 to 12 days. Newly emerged seedlings need good lighting, low temperature (15-18°C) and moderate watering.
How to care for seedlings?
The grown seedlings emerge after 15-20 days. The main point in growing phlox is moderate watering of the “babies”. Overwatering provokes the appearance of root rot. And phloxes are very sensitive to excess moisture in the soil.
Fertilizing can be given a week after picking the seedlings. Use water solution nitrogen fertilizer for growth. Then after 7-14 days, depending on the condition of the plants, they are fed complex fertilizer by dissolving it in water. Suitable fertilizers are rastvorin, uniflor rost, fertika lux.
When to plant seedlings in a flower garden?
Phlox frummonda is a light-loving and heat-loving plant. It prefers soils that are loose, fertilized, sufficiently moist and warmed by the sun. Seedlings can be planted as early as May. Phloxes are not afraid of light spring frosts. Plants are planted at a distance of 12-30 cm from each other, depending on height and habit. Low-growing varieties may already have buds by the time of planting in May. Tall varieties will bloom in June.
Features of plant care.
Phlox are low-maintenance plants. But flowers do not like prolonged rainy weather. When the summer heat sets in, phloxes need watering. For long flowering It is necessary to remove faded inflorescences. For better bushiness and compactness, the tops of plants are pinched. Phloxes delight with their flowering for 2.5-3 months.
Ficus- an attractive house plant that is easy to grow yourself from seeds. To do this, you must follow certain rules and care recommendations.
Transplant the ficus shoots into separate containers with a diameter of 8-10 cm. Plastic cups are perfect for this. As the plant grows, select containers with large diameter.
Place the plant in a bright room, avoiding direct hit sun rays. Remember: ficuses absolutely do not tolerate drafts, even in very hot weather. And poor lighting of the plant can destroy leaves and shoots.
Don't forget to water your plant. To do this, use well-settled water at room temperature.
Phloxes are wonderful bright flowers from the cyanotic family, which are very decorative, used in the formation of flower beds. Beautiful plants have advantages that are why gardeners love them - ease of care, the ability to grow in different light conditions, and survival ability on any soil. When cut, phlox last a long time - they can often be found when decorating the interiors of living rooms.
Phlox grow in flower beds for many years, surviving the winter, very coldy. Breeders have developed many varieties that differ in shades, plant height, hardiness, and other indicators. This genus of plants is one of the best in the flowerbed in terms of flowering time and ability to survive frosts.
You can get your own plant by getting seeds or cuttings. Both methods allow you to quickly grow mature plant, which begins to bloom as soon as possible.
Planting phlox in open ground and caring for them
Phlox can be grown in almost any soil - they are unpretentious. But the most ideal ones are loamy ones. It is recommended to add a little lime to the soil to improve the growing conditions of the plant.
They begin to prepare the site in the fall: they carefully dig up the earth on it, during which weed rhizomes and pebbles are removed, since in the first years the bushes have little resistance to wild vegetation.
Choose the most illuminated areas of the flower beds, since phlox love the sun. The exception is hybrids, the petals of which can quickly fade in the sun.
If phloxes have dark petal colors, it is better to plant them mixed with light ones so that the flower bed looks as advantageous as possible both in the evening and during the day.
How to plant phlox in the ground, watch the video:
Caring for phlox is easy. It is necessary to regularly keep the soil loose and remove it on time weeds. In order for the flowerbed to delight with lush flowering, it is necessary to periodically apply fertilizers.
For phlox, it does not matter where to grow - in the shade or in the sun. But low-growing varieties need sun more. These and other forms of plants need to be fertilized in time so that they quickly and promptly grow to the desired forms.
Watering should be sufficient, but rare. The exception is weeks when it is very hot outside and air humidity is minimal. Then the soil loses water very quickly, so you need to water the plant more often. This procedure is performed in the afternoon, towards evening.
Some varieties of phlox in natural conditions forms seeds. But this is not a 100% guarantee. In order for a plant to produce seed, it needs optimal temperature air, proper growing conditions, proper care. Therefore, you should not worry if there are no seeds - this is a very common occurrence.
Caring for phlox in autumn
Before winter, all phloxes need to be protected from frost by covering them with earth or humus or manure. The recommended layer thickness is 8-12 cm, which is sufficient to protect underground buds from frost. The procedure is mandatory for young plants 1 year old.
Phlox that suffered from fungal diseases need treatment with fungicides, which is carried out in October, when most of the shoots have bloomed.
Often plants grow seed material, but do not have time to do this before frost. To obtain seeds, the bushes are removed from the flowerbed along with the soil and planted in pots, which are kept in the building until the seeds are fully ripened.
Autumn is an excellent time for rejuvenating phlox and replanting, which will be discussed later.
When to replant phloxes
Paniculate phlox - which does not require frequent transplantation. It feels comfortable in one place for up to 15 years. But due to the growth of side shoots and the aging of the center of the plant, it is recommended to rejuvenate and replant at least every 5-7 years.
What, when and how to feed phlox
Phloxes are fed several times a season:
- In spring, in May, before flowering begins - nitrogen and potassium. Potassium nitrate is perfect.
- In early June, fertilizing is repeated, adding superphosphate to potassium nitrate, which will stimulate budding and flowering.
- At the beginning of July, they are fed a third time, reducing the dose of nitrogen.
- At the end of July, they are fed only with phosphorus and potassium salt.
- The last time phloxes are fed is in August, and only if they are still blooming. Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are used.
The consumption of each fertilizer is calculated as follows: Matchbox bulk or granular fertilizer (or mixtures thereof) per 10 liters of water. Use this solution per square meter of area.
An excellent fertilizer for phlox is fermented bird droppings, which are applied before the phlox begins to bloom. Add 0.5 l. thick slush in a bucket of water and pour 1-2 liters of solution under the bush.
Reproduction of phlox by dividing the bush
Any phloxes need to be divided into separate bushes so that they develop normally and have a neat appearance. The procedure is carried out at least once every 5-7 years, but it can be done more often - once every 3-4 years. No special season is chosen for this; division is carried out at any warm time.
The bush is dug in a circle, it is taken out of the soil and the shoots are shortened to 10-15 cm long. Next, using an ax, shovel, or knife, divide the bush into parts with 2-5 renewal buds in each. There is no need to worry about the roots: they are long and developed.
The holes where the plant will be planted must be prepared in advance, that is, they are prepared in the fall for spring, and in the spring for summer. The distance between the pits is 60 cm for tall phloxes and less for the rest.
The pit is filled with compost (0.5 buckets), mineral fertilizer, ash as a source of potassium. If the soil pH is acidic (that is, less than 5-7), you need to pour a glass of lime into each hole. Before planting phlox, all ingredients in the pit are thoroughly mixed to prevent burns to the roots.
Water is poured generously into the hole and placed. Cover with substrate, making sure that the renewal buds are covered only 5 cm with soil. Then compact the soil, adding compost if necessary.
The final planting layer is mulch made from peat, leaf litter or humus, the thickness of which is 10 cm. This layer is needed to create optimal conditions in the ground and speed up the rooting of new plants, because they must have time to do this before frost.
Phlox rejuvenation method
There are other ways to rejuvenate plants. Take a narrow pointed shovel, use it to cut out the center of the bush, treat the cut area with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and pour humus on top. The resulting piece of plant can be planted in another place or divided.
Propagation of phlox by cuttings photo
Green cuttings are used for propagation, which are harvested when the plant reaches a height of 15 cm. This is the ideal time when the cuttings take root best, and then their vitality decreases throughout the year.
When cutting off young shoots, make sure that the mother plant remains with at least two developed buds. Young cuttings are left to sit in water for an hour to protect them from withering during planting and to speed up the rooting process. It is not worth keeping the greens in water longer, so as not to cause the reverse process.
- Before planting the cuttings in the ground, cut off the peduncle and pinch off lower leaves, the rest are partially trimmed to reduce evaporation.
- The length of an ideal planting cutting is 6-10 cm.
A mature cutting can be planted in the shade in a flower bed or kept on a windowsill. The survival rate of phlox increases when covered with wet paper. The cutting is inserted only 2-3 cm deep into the ground, lightly compacting the soil around it. Be sure to monitor the soil moisture; you can cover the cuttings with cut plastic bottle and remove the cap from the neck for ventilation. Rooting occurs 6-14 days after this operation.
Using autumn cuttings to propagate phlox
Autumn plants are ideal planting material for propagating phlox. August-September is suitable for harvesting, although before that you can also harvest shoots by rooting them in shady places in the garden. When the plant overwinters on its own, it will bloom profusely in the spring.
It is important to plant the cuttings deeply, placing a large number of buds underground, which will provoke excellent wintering and vigorous growth in the spring.
Growing phlox from seeds
Phlox seeds have excellent germination, so they are sown directly into the ground in the spring. Many people prefer to sow phlox seeds before winter using seedling boxes. They are left in the garden for the winter and at the first warm weather they are brought indoors to get early seedlings.
They sprout together, so they need to be sown as rarely as possible to avoid picking. However, with dense crops, it is better to plant the plants in separate cups to obtain powerful seedlings. They are planted in the ground in May, having previously hardened the plants.
This video will tell you about growing phlox from seeds:
Phlox and powdery mildew What to do if phlox turns yellow
Phlox is not very susceptible to disease, but powdery mildew is a frequent visitor to this plant. It is unpleasant because the green foliage and flowers are covered with an unpleasant white coating, which is difficult to get rid of. The peak development of the disease occurs in July-August. When damaged, the leaves curl and the plant loses them. It is necessary to immediately begin the fight against the disease.
Preventive measures consist of treatment late autumn flowers copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture at a concentration of 1%, and in the summer fungicides are also added to the complex, which are used to treat the entire flowerbed twice a year (foundazol, topaz, green soap, fast).
If the disease actively manifests itself again, you need to change the therapy and treat the foliage with soda ash in a concentration of: 2 tbsp. l. soda is mixed with 50 g of soap and a bucket of water. Bordeaux mixture (1%), a solution of copper with soap (20-30 g of vitriol and 200-300 g of soap) also works well. But when the plant stops blooming, diseased and dried remains are removed, after which the phlox is again treated with fungicides.
Phlox have a pleasant appearance, noble flowering, so they will be a pleasant addition to any garden, without requiring special care and growing conditions.
Types of phlox with photos and names
Let's consider the most popular varieties and types of phlox, which are especially in demand in ornamental gardening.
Phlox paniculata
The most popular type of plant. It blooms in the last month of summer - early autumn. It is distinguished by large inflorescences collected from multi-colored fragrant flowers - white, pink of various shades, lilac, purple. Yellow there are no petals. Breeders have developed varieties with multi-colored stripes on the petals.
The height of the bushes is 0.4-1 m. They are filled with leaves, lush greenery. The bushes themselves can consist of more than 20 shoots, growing as widely as possible.
Flowering time paniculate phlox makes up the entire season. The number of varieties and their diversity are so great that you can choose summer and autumn varieties, increasing total term flower beds bloom for several months.
Phlox subulate or Phlox subulata
The herbaceous plant is distinguished by its very low growth (no more than 15 centimeters), with soft lilac or lilac-pink flowers in the amount of 2-4 pieces per inflorescence. Each stem contains many branches that end in inflorescences. Thus, phlox subulata forms a whole carpet, covered delicate flowers, under which there is a dense turfy bush. Therefore, it is also called turf phlox. Flowering time is May-June.
The species is distinguished by interesting leathery leaves, which, due to their small width and pointed end, resemble needles.
Subulate phlox is grown as a border flowering plant, used for ridges, perennial clumps, planted in flower baskets, flowerpots. You can cut it, trying to form a flower arrangement of an interesting shape.
Phlox douglasii
The plant is even smaller in height (5 cm), which spreads like a carpet over the surface of the flower bed. It blooms twice a year, which makes it especially popular. The first occurs in May-June, and the second in autumn. The leaves are gray-green in color and small in width. Blooms in white, pink, soft purple and blue.
Phlox creeping ground cover
Also small plant, which blooms very early. The height is only 15-20 cm. It is characterized by no less strong branching than other similar plants. The flowers are combined into umbrellas, of which individual individuals can have up to 10. Flowering time is May-June. Possible colors of petals are pink, purple, red.
Phlox divaricata
The plant is already taller, the height of the stem is in the range of 15-40 cm. With the increase in the size of the plants, the size of the flowers also became larger - they are larger than the rest, have a white, lilac color, shades of gray. The diameter of the main inflorescence - the umbrella - is 10 cm. Seeds are not formed after flowering, which occurs in May-June.
This species is more sensitive to soil composition than others. On peat and acidic forest soils it will wither, but on soils based on humus and different lungs components will be perfect. You should not add peat, leaves, or fresh manure to them.
As already mentioned, paniculate phlox is the most popular type, but this does not mean that other options should not be considered. If you plant low-growing phloxes that bloom early in May-June, this will be an excellent flowerbed decoration in the spring. And taller species will continue to bloom in late summer and autumn. Thus, on the site there will always be blooming carpet which can be used for decoration alpine slide and rockery.