Phlox annual description. Annual phloxes: planting and care rules, growing time. Caring for perennial phlox

Such a herbaceous plant as Phlox is directly related to the blue family (Polemoniaceae). This genus includes approximately 70 species, with approximately 40 species being cultivated. For the first time, phlox began to be grown in European countries in the middle of the 18th century. Today, thanks to breeders, about 1.5 thousand different varieties of such flowers have appeared. WITH Greek language"phlox" is translated as "flame". This is how this plant was named by K. Linnaeus in 1737, and that’s all, because in some of the phlox species the flowers have a very rich color. IN natural conditions such flowers can be found in North America. Due to the fact that the climate of those places is quite harsh, the plant is distinguished by its low maintenance and vitality. And phlox flowers are incredibly fragrant, and the flowering itself is long-lasting.

Features of phlox

Phlox, even of the same species, can differ greatly from each other, and this is influenced by the characteristics of the climate in which the flower grows. So, for example, those plants that grow at an altitude of 4 thousand meters are bryophytes and have a fairly short stature, only 5–25 centimeters. Their branching stems are covered with evergreen leaf blades. If the plant grows in favorable climatic conditions, then it has an erect bush that can reach 30–180 centimeters in height. Subshrubs are also found. These plants also differ in flowering time. So, there are early (spring), middle (summer), and late (summer-autumn). The most common are upright varieties and species. Sessile, entire, oppositely arranged leaves can be elongated-ovate or lanceolate-oval in shape. The diameter of the flowers varies from 2.5 to 4 centimeters. They have a tubular-funnel shape and are part of a complex inflorescence. So, one inflorescence can have up to 90 flowers. The flower consists of 5 stamens, 5 slightly bent petals, and 1 pistil. Most phlox species are perennial plants. However, Drummond's phlox (Phlox drummondii) and its various shapes and the varieties are considered annuals.

Main types and varieties

Phlox annuals

Phlox Drummond

The best annual phlox grown in the garden is Drummond. The Englishman G. Drummond, who was a naturalist, traveler and theologian, brought it to England from Texas in 1835. In England, this flower has taken root. Flowering for this plant begins in June and ends with the onset of the first frost. The oppositely located leaves have a lanceolate-oval shape. The thin stem is quite branched, and it reaches a height of 20–30 centimeters. The colors of the fragrant flowers are dark red, yellow, purple, white and salmon.

Plants of this species are divided into 2 varieties, namely: large-flowered and star-shaped. Phlox in height Drummond's stellate(Phlox drummondii cuspidata), as a rule, reaches 30–40 centimeters, but more compact plants (up to 12 centimeters) are also found. The dissected petals give the bright flower a resemblance to a star, in the center of which there is a peephole. Phlox Drummonda grandiflora(Phlox drummondii mixed) - its height, as a rule, does not exceed 30 centimeters. Its flowers are quite large in size and can be painted in various colors. But plants with flowers in red shades are more impressive.

Flower growers also divide these plants according to size into dwarf ones, which reach a height of 15 to 20 centimeters, and large-flowered ones. Varieties classified as large-flowered: Tall fiery red, Tall white and Tall bright red. Varieties related to dwarf phlox: Shamoa (pink), Salmona (salmon), Snowball (white), Isabella (yellow) and Defiance (fiery red). All varieties of this type of phlox have both semi-double and terry varieties. The most popular are terry flowers of the Promise variety in various colors.

Phlox perennial

Phlox subulate

The earliest type of phlox belonging to perennials is subulate, its flowering begins in May. The plant itself is highly branched and blooms profusely. During flowering, the bush is completely covered with flowers, which can be of various shades from dark red to pure white. The leaves are narrow, awl-shaped, which influenced the name of the variety. This plant is suitable for decorating alpine slides, as well as rockeries.

Phlox splayed

Phlox blooming spread out it also begins in May, but 7–14 days later than phlox subulate. Compact bushes decorated with small bluish-lilac flowers. This species loves light less than the previous one, and it also has less dense, but larger foliage and woody shoots.

Phlox paniculata blooms in mid-summer. This species is very popular among gardeners. It has spectacular green leaves and fairly large inflorescences consisting of many fragrant beautiful flowers.

Phlox paniculata

Phlox paniculata- thanks to this species was born a large number of very interesting varieties. Thus, among them, the terry phlox Pure Feelings stands out, in which fairly large inflorescences consist of white flowers, a green stripe runs down the center, and purple flowers are located in the lower part. The elongated petals are slightly curled. The bush can reach a height of 70 to 80 centimeters. And also special attention deserves terry phlox Natural Feelings. The inflorescences, similar to the flowering branches of lilac, consist of small greenish-white-pink flowers. Also, thanks to breeders, frost-resistant varieties, for example, phlox Orange (Orange Perfection, Orange Spat), the flowers of which are painted in different shades red-orange color that do not fade when exposed to sunlight. They are undemanding, easy to reproduce and have a spectacular appearance. The most popular variety is Phlox King. The bush can reach 100 centimeters in height, the flowers of such a plant are quite large (diameter about 4 centimeters) and can be painted pink, white, crimson, lilac, as well as other color shades.

Growing phlox from seeds

When grown correctly, flowering phlox can decorate your garden from spring until the onset of autumn frosts. The most popular method of propagating such plants is vegetative (by layering, cuttings and dividing the bush). However, some gardeners prefer propagating phlox by seed. Freshly picked in autumn period Perennial seeds must be sown in the soil in winter (in November or December). First you need to decide on the site where these plants will be grown for several years. If snow has already fallen, it should be removed from the garden bed and simply scatter the seeds over the surface of the soil, trying to leave a distance of 4–5 centimeters between the seeds. After this, you need to pour a small (about 1–1.5 centimeters) layer of pre-sifted soil on top of them. And then cover everything with snow again. You can purchase soil in a special store or collect it in advance. Freshly sown seeds have a germination rate of approximately 70 percent. But with the onset of spring it decreases significantly. At the very beginning of spring, phlox shoots will appear in the garden bed. They should be picked only after they have formed 2 pairs of true leaves. The distance between plants should be about 20 centimeters. Planting of such seedlings should be carried out within the prescribed period.

As a rule, phlox, which is an annual plant, is propagated by seeds. To do this, in the spring, you should sow the seeds, leaving a distance of about 3–4 centimeters between them. Then you should water with a sprayer and cover the bed plastic film. You should not sprinkle soil on top of the seeds, but you need to raise the cover for a while every day and remove any condensation that has formed. After the first shoots appear, the shelter should be removed.

How to plant phlox annuals

Growing such plants from seeds is discussed above. However, there are gardeners who are afraid of night frosts in the spring, which can destroy the plant, so they prefer to grow seedlings at home. Seeds are sown at the beginning spring period(in March). The first shoots can be seen just 7 days after sowing. Young plants need to be provided with a sufficient amount of light, watering, and moderate temperature conditions. 14–21 days after emergence, the plants need to be pruned. After the picking is done, it is recommended to shade the phloxes from direct sunlight for several days. They can be covered with newspaper sheets or opaque film. While the seedlings are growing in the house, you can add mineral fertilizers to the soil 2 or 3 times, using ½ of the dose recommended for adult phlox. To make the bush more lush, after 4 or 5 true leaves appear on it, pinch it.

Seedlings are planted in May, leaving a distance of 15 to 20 centimeters between the bushes. To successfully grow phlox, you need to choose a suitable place. Annual phloxes are not afraid of cold and drought, they love light, but react negatively to overheating of the roots. The most spectacular plants grow in partial shade. It has been noticed that the more the area is shaded, the longer the plant will bloom, but at the same time fewer flowers will grow on it. It should be noted that most varieties fade in the sun during the flowering period. But this does not threaten plants in partial shade. The color of their flowers remains rich for a long time. Particularly beautiful are the “blue” varieties growing in a shaded place, the flowers of which become almost blue in poor light. For planting phlox it is recommended to use raised beds, next to which there are no bushes or trees with a fairly extensive root system.

Such a plant needs soil that contains a lot of humus. Please note that the plant may die in heavy soil with poor drainage. If you have chosen an area with acidified soil for planting, then you must add lime to it. The most suitable for growing such flowers is fertile sand, which does not contain clay. If you water the plants planted in it well, they will grow powerful and beautiful. Before planting phlox in heavy loam, it is necessary to add organic fertilizers, sand, and peat. Prepare a not very deep hole for the plant and be sure to pour compost, vermicompost or 2 handfuls of wood ash into it. The roots should be spread horizontally.

Caring for annual phlox

Growing annual phlox is not difficult. So, they need to carefully loosen the top layer of soil 6-8 times per season; in the second half of the period of intensive growth, they need to hill up the plant during loosening, for better and faster formation of the root system. Organic and mineral fertilizers should also be added to the soil. In the last days of May, you need to feed the phloxes with liquid manure for the first time (25 g of the substance is taken per 10 liters of water). The second feeding is carried out in the first days of June, but at the same time superphosphate or potassium salt must be added to the prepared liquid manure. In the first days of July, liquid manure (without additives) should be applied to the soil for the third time. In the last days of July, you should feed the plant 4 times, and the fertilizer should contain potassium salt and phosphorus.

How to water correctly

Plants should be provided with systematic moderate watering in the morning or evening time. When watering, water should be poured at the root, while 1 square meter 15–20 liters of water should be used. If you water phlox on a hot day cold water, this can lead to cracking of their shoots. It is recommended to pick off faded flowers, because they interfere with those that have not yet bloomed.

Diseases

Phlox can develop variegation. In this case, a pattern unusual for of this plant, which significantly worsens the decorative qualities of the flower. A diseased plant cannot be cured, so it must be dug up and destroyed. If phloxes become infected with powdery mildew, they will also need to be destroyed. You can tell that a flower is sick by the matte white coating that appears on the foliage and shoots.

Such a plant can also become ill with formosa, in which case the leaves dry out and the stems become brittle. For preventive purposes, it is necessary to treat foliage and shoots with colloidal sulfur. It should be taken into account that during processing the air temperature should be above 18 degrees, and the substance should not be allowed to come into contact with the inflorescences. When infected with septoria, dark brown dots form on the surface of the foliage. As the disease progresses, they increase in size. The diseased plant must be treated with Bordeaux mixture, as well as the surface of the soil near it. After half a month, repeated treatment is carried out. Verticillium wilt has a detrimental effect on the plant's root system, but only those phloxes that grow in acidic soil are susceptible to this disease.

Pests

A nematode (a very small thread-like worm) can settle on the plant and suck the juice out of it. A sign that phlox has such a pest are disfigured inflorescences, crushed flowers and thinned shoots. The infected plant is dug up and destroyed (burned). The soil must be treated 3 times with nematicides, and an interval between treatments should be maintained at 3 weeks.

Naked slugs can eat leaves, flowers and even the lower part of shoots at night. Systematic loosening of the soil and weeding is an excellent preventive measure against slugs. In case of severe infection, it is recommended to sprinkle the soil surface with wood ash, fluff lime or tobacco dust mixed with ash. Any butterfly caterpillars on the foliage can be removed manually. In case of severe infestation, plants are treated against leaf-eating pests.

Planting and caring for annual phlox

Planting perennial phlox

Planting such phloxes is very similar to that used for annuals. However, when planting plants in the spring, you will need to pour a layer of mulch (humus or dry peat) onto the soil surface. The distance between the bushes should be left quite large (about 50 centimeters), since in a few years they will grow quite strongly. When purchasing seedlings of such flowers in the autumn, they should not be planted in open ground. It is recommended to bury the seedlings to a depth of 20 to 25 centimeters, choosing for this an area protected from gusts of wind; snow should also be retained on it for a long time. winter time. After the soil freezes, cover the plants with dry leaves or peat.

Sometimes it is possible to plant perennial phlox in open ground in the fall. A bush that has grown and lost its beauty can be divided in the autumn (from mid-August to mid-September). For planting, the side divisions are used, and the central part is thrown away. In autumn, transplantation is also carried out to permanent place phlox, which were planted from cuttings in the spring.

During autumn planting Compost should be added to the soil, and peat should be added to sandy soil, and sand to clayey soil. The holes are placed at a distance of 50 centimeters from each other. The divisions are lowered into them and the roots are straightened horizontally; they should be dug shallow (about 4–5 centimeters). In dry weather, watering is carried out every 2–3 days (within 14 days). Take 2 liters of water per bush. The dried surface of the soil must be loosened and sprinkled with a four-centimeter layer of mulch (humus or peat).

Care

Care rules are similar to those used for annuals. But such plants need to be fed 5 times per season, with the last time fertilizers being applied to the soil during seed formation. For feeding, a solution consisting of 5 liters of water, 10 g of superphosphate and 5 g of potassium sulfate is used. You need to feed in the evening after watering, but do not allow the solution to get on the foliage. If you care for the plants correctly, they can be grown in one area for 7 years.

Cuttings of these plants can be carried out during the entire period of intensive growth. The cuttings begin at the time when the stem reaches a height of 5 centimeters, and the end occurs in the last days of September. Cuttings taken from the plant in spring and summer take root best. The plant can also be propagated by layering. Before the plant blooms, its shoot is bent to the surface of the soil, fixed along its entire length and covered with a mixture of peat and humus. In autumn, a young plant is separated from the mother bush and planted in a permanent place.

Features of care after flowering and in winter

Annuals can grow in the spring of next year, but their decorative qualities will be low. Having collected the ripened seeds in the autumn, remove the remains of the plants and dig up the soil, removing the remaining rhizomes.

In the snowless winter period The growth buds of phlox will most likely freeze in frosts of about minus 10–15 degrees. If it is colder than 20–25 degrees, this will lead to the death of the root system. In this regard, in autumn, the dried upper part of the plant must be removed, and the root collars must be covered with a layer of soil mixed with peat. They should be covered with dried leaves, straw or spruce branches on top. With a snow cover of 50-60 centimeters, phloxes can easily withstand thirty-degree frosts.

I want to tell you about annual phloxes. I planted them once, and after that they settled in my garden and heart forever. In its family (Sinyukhidae) there is only one annual species, which was given the name

Drummond's phlox (

Phlox drummondii

Drummond Phlox Twinkle Star Annual phloxes come in peach, chocolate, beige, whipped cream and coffee shades, while perennials are predominantly pink or raspberry. These flowers attract attention with the unusual structure of the flower, similar to a snowflake. U perennial phlox there is no such structure.

Agrotechnics of cultivation

A few words about the nuances and subtleties of agricultural technology annual phlox. For a long time it was believed that growing phlox from seeds was a thankless task, since large, dense seeds did not want to sprout. Previously, out of hundreds of seeds sown, one or two sprouted. Let's take a closer look.

Due to the fact that phlox seeds are quite large, with a dense outer shell, there was an opinion that they should be buried in the soil to a depth of 0.3 or even 0.5 cm. But annual phlox seeds germinate only on the soil surface and in the light.

Phlox annual seedlings. Photo from the site dacha-foto.ru This means that they need to be laid out on the surface of the ground, watered with a sprayer and covered with a transparent film. At the same time, every morning the boxes with crops must be ventilated, shaking off the condensation that has accumulated overnight. This is the peculiarity of growing phlox from seeds. If you follow these rules, then the shoots and seedlings will turn out friendly.

Annual phlox seedlings are sown in March. The picking should be done after two weeks; young plants tolerate it well. For the first three days, the plant should be protected from direct sunlight to avoid burns. Therefore, picked phlox seedlings should be covered with newspaper or opaque film.

Annual phloxes with other flowers in my flower garden It is useful to feed the plants once a month, that is, before planting in the ground, you need to carry out two or three feedings with mineral fertilizer. Once the frosts have passed, we plant them in open ground, usually in the second half of May.

My experience

Having bought 3 bags of seeds, 10 pieces each, and soil for flower seedlings, I sowed them for the first time. And she immediately made the mistake of covering the seeds with soil.

Later I read that they first need to be soaked in a solution for seed germination, spread on the surface of damp soil and pressed a little. Then cover with glass or film, place in a well-lit place, ventilate daily and remove condensation. After 7-10 days they germinate and after two true leaves appear, they are picked.

Since I sprinkled the seeds with soil, they sprouted in two weeks and even later, the shoots were unfriendly. I picked them about 3 weeks after the first shoots. Some plants already had 2-4 true leaves, but there were also some that had just emerged.

In this photo, my phloxes are in early June. I planted them at the end of May at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. I planted them in two rows to make them look more magnificent. Phlox grow very quickly, they need to be watered regularly and fed with complex mineral fertilizer once a month. They bloom continuously from June until the first frost. For better flowering, you need to remove wilted inflorescences.

Throughout the summer, I collected dried flowers and put them in a box for the seeds to ripen. It must be borne in mind that the box must have a lid, since ripened seeds shoot out and scatter over a considerable distance, just like those of a viola.

Look how beautiful phlox is in the fall! They were almost as they were at the beginning of summer.

My phloxes in autumn This photo was taken on September 15th. Few of my neighbors still had flower beds blooming in full force until this time. Plant it, you won’t regret it!

In this article we will talk about annual phlox, consider their most popular varieties and the main ways to grow this plant in your garden.

Phlox can be annual or perennial.

It is not for nothing that perennial plants are considered the rulers of flower beds. But, despite such an honorable title, they will look poor without the presence of annuals.

Among gardeners, the only known annual phlox is Drummond.

Annual Phlox

Annual Phlox - Phlox Drummond

Phlox Drummond is a beautiful herbaceous flower that amazes with its rich palette of shades.

Unlike perennials, a flower can have a peach, chocolate, beige, coffee, or creamy color.

The plant has thin branched stems that can reach a height of 60 cm.

Drummond can be:

  1. Star-shaped. Drummond's star can reach 40 cm in height. But you can meet low growing flower, which will reach 15 cm in height. The buds of the star annual have dissected petals that resemble a star with a bright center.
  2. Large-flowered. It has simple, double or slightly double inflorescences. The height of this species can be about 30 cm.

Benefits of annual Phlox

Looking at the Features annual variety, you can find advantages over perennials:

  1. To begin with, annuals are rich in bright and varied colors, shapes
  2. In addition, Phlox Drummond is not whimsical or capricious; it tolerates drought and light frosts well. The plant is more resistant to diseases and pests.
  3. And unlike perennials, annuals bloom longer.
  4. This annual has small buds. But since they grow in inflorescences, the flower looks lush and decorative.

Benefits of phlox

In addition, the opposite, slightly oval leaves emphasize its individuality. It is these qualities that make the flower look like a colorful blanket, so it is an excellent option for designing and decorating garden plots, loggias, and balconies.

Star fdoxes

Five popular varieties of Phlox Drummond

Fragrant Phlox Drummond is distinguished by a wide variety of colors, shapes and varieties.

The most popular annual varieties:

  • Constellation

This variety has a lush bush with bright buds of various shades.

Constellation is a great option to create beautiful bouquet and the original flowerbed.

After all, flowers, in addition to their varied colors, have a fragrant, attractive aroma.

  • star Rain

This variety is characterized as a tall shrub with straight leaves. The height can reach 50 cm. The buds look like fragrant stars.

The plant is distinguished by high, long-lasting flowering.

Star rain is resistant to frost and drought. In order for the annual to delight with its blossoming buds for a long time, it must be planted in sunny areas.

  • Terry

This is a medium-sized shrub reaching 30 cm in height.

The buds fit tightly to each other and have a variety of color palette from creamy to dark red.

This variety is ideal for decorating a loggia or balcony. But terry phlox is often grown at home in pots.

  • Twinkling star

This variety is considered a low-growing plant that reaches 20 cm in height.

The buds form unusual pointed petals. This species blooms both indoors and outdoors.

The plant begins to bloom in June and ends in September.

  • Promise Pink

This variety is distinguished by a small shrub that reaches a height of 20 cm. Terry buds Pink colour. This type of phlox is an excellent solution for decorating a flower bed or alpine hill.

Features of growing annual phlox

Growing annual phlox is not a troublesome task, but it must be approached responsibly.

To make the plant happy abundant flowering, you need to plant it in a sunny area.

The soil must be equipped with fertilizers.

Such as peat or humus.

There are two ways to grow a crop:

  1. Using seeds directly into the soil. A good time for planting is the beginning of May. Before sowing, the soil must be prepared. After that, small holes are made, and several seeds are placed in each. It is necessary to plant so that the holes are 15 cm apart from each other. Sprouts will appear 2 weeks after sowing. All these 2 weeks the soil should be moist. And after the emergence of seedlings, you need to start loosening the soil and liquid nitrogenous fertilizing. The plant needs to be fed once a week. And in July, when the first buds begin to form, you should equip the soil with fertilizer.
  2. With the help of seedlings. This method of sowing will give you the opportunity to admire the flowers as early as May. To do this, you need to sow seeds in boxes in mid-March. Moreover, they are buried in the ground, but only lightly sprinkled. After sowing, the box must be covered with polyethylene, but we must not forget about daily ventilation. In a week the first shoots will appear, and then you need to move the box to a bright place. Then the seedlings must be fertilized with liquid nitrogen, and with the onset of warmth (in April), the box must be placed outside for several hours (so that the flower gets used to it and gets stronger). In May, when the weather has already settled and it is warm outside, the seedlings can be planted in open ground.

Annual Phlox seedlings

Phlox Drummond is not capricious.

It has simplicity and unpretentiousness.

The plant does not need special care, but they are demanding on watering, especially during the period of growth and budding.

You need to know that plants should not be watered, especially with cold water, in order to avoid fungal diseases such as powdery mildew. Therefore, it is better to water on the ground around the bush, and in warm weather simply leave a hose with water near the bush for a while. This type of watering is very beneficial for phlox.

Where to plant annual phlox?

The flower is ideal for decorating paths, lawns, alleys, hedges, balconies, loggias, flower beds and borders.

Phloxes look like beautiful colorful blankets that will take your breath away.

They are a real boon for landscape design.

The plant goes well with flowers such as:

  • bells;
  • ornamental cereals;
  • nivyaniki;
  • Veronica.

Phlox diseases

The most common disease of phlox is powdery mildew.

This disease mainly affects the leaves and stems, first a white-brown coating appears, and then almost all the leaves become dark brown, which negatively affects the decorativeness and causes weak flowering.

In conclusion, it should be noted that annual phlox is no worse than perennial one. You could even say it's better. Indeed, unlike perennials, annuals amaze with their rich colors.

Annual phloxes are not whimsical and capricious.

It does not require special care.

It is for these qualities that gardeners love him so much.

Have a beautiful garden!!!

These are fragrant beautiful flowers came to Europe from North America from the middle of the 18th century and became inhabitants of lawns, gardens, ridges, borders, and often even balconies. It is possible that the harsh climate of their homeland endowed them with strength, unpretentiousness, and vitality.

Phloxes (translated from Greek as “flame”) belong to the genus herbaceous plants from the cyanaceae family. They number about 70 species, and only a little more than half of them are grown.

Among the many varieties and varieties, Drummond's annual phloxes are in favor with professional and amateur flower growers. Compared to their long-term “relatives”, they have long held the palm. This is largely due to the wide variety of varieties, flower shapes, and their shades compared to perennials. They look great on alpine slides and flower beds. They can decorate the space near houses using decorative containers.

Description of colors

One complex inflorescence of phlox can contain about 90 flowers. Each of them has 5 stamens and bent petals, 1 pistil.

Their tubular-funnel-shaped shape resembles simple, semi-double and double stars, snowflakes with a rich palette of tones and halftones. These are beige, cream, red, pink, yellow, blue, purple, brown, black and other colors.

Phloxes have an amazing ability to change their appearance, responding to the vagaries of “Mother Nature” and the climate. So, for example, in the bright sun their colors become brighter, but in cloudy times they dim.

And the bushes themselves, with their green mass of developed shoots, resemble a colorful ball. With more favorable conditions they will be erect and even up to 1.5 m high. Phlox subshrubs are also found.

And those growing at high altitudes will be bryophyte and low-growing up to 25 cm with evergreen leaves. The most commonly grown phloxes are erect ones with entire, sessile, oval, lanceolate, oblong ovate leaves.

Phlox propagation

If you know and know how to grow such plants, then you can admire their delicate beauty from spring to early autumn. After all, according to the flowering time, they are early, middle and late.

There are possibilities for propagating phlox vegetatively:

  • layering
  • cuttings
  • bush division

However, many gardeners prefer to use seeds for propagating seedlings. From them you can grow fairly strong seedlings suitable for planting in due time.

After all, even seeds that fall into the ground in the fall give up to 70% germination in the spring. And yet, we invite you to get acquainted with some of the nuances of planting seeds yourself for effective cultivation of seedlings.

When to plant seeds for seedlings

An important argument in favor of growing phlox seedlings is to avoid cases of seedlings freezing from seeds that have fallen into the ground. Along with this, plants from seedlings have longer flowering periods.

Preparation for planting seeds of annual flowers begins from late February to mid-March. Such terms allow you to see the infructescence after 2 months in May. And the seeds sown directly on the site at the same time germinate and bloom only from the end of September.

Growing phlox seedlings

This process consists of preparing the soil, containers, the seeds themselves, as well as creating optimal lighting, temperature regime. At the same time, in each of these stages there are nuances that should not be ignored.

Preparing soil and seeds

Loose soil consisting of peat, rotted humus, lime, sand, and mineral fertilizers is suitable for planting seedlings. It is placed in various containers (boxes, containers, cells, peat pots, etc.). Then the soil is moderately moistened and sowing of seeds begins.

Sowing seeds

Held in March. Despite the density of large seeds, they do not require deep penetration into the soil mixture, but good lighting. They are simply scattered over the surface, lightly pressed with the palm of your hand and sprayed a little with a spray bottle.

After this, the container with the planted seeds is covered clear glass or film and is located in a warm and bright place, for example, on a windowsill. It should not be below +23 °C.

Next, the future seedlings are ventilated daily, sprayed, and the condensation formed is carefully shaken off the film/glass. As soon as the small roots of the hatched seeds attach to the ground, the transparent “shelters” are removed. After 7-10 days, the first shoots already appear.

Seedling care

It consists of picking 2-3 weeks after the appearance of the first true leaves at a distance of more than 15 cm, uniform lighting at a temperature of +20°C.

Moderate watering through a spray bottle is carried out when the top layer of soil is dried. To harden the seedlings on the eve of planting them outdoors, you need to lower the temperature to +15 °C and increase the frequency of watering with the addition of mineral fertilizers.

When 4-5 leaves appear, the plant is pinched to create bushy bushes.

Planting in open ground

After the onset of stable warmth in May, the seedlings are transplanted into areas with light, fertile soil saturated with vermicompost and compost. “Heavy” soil must be lightened with sand, organic matter, and peat. The best option– sandy, non-clay soil with good drainage, medium acidity.

When planting seedlings on a site, choose a place in partial shade where direct solar radiation does not penetrate. Taking into account the future height and spreading nature of adult phloxes, a distance of about 20 cm is maintained between “neighbors” (snapdragons, bluebells, etc.).

Planting is carried out in a small hole with the addition of ash (up to 150 g). A seedling with horizontally straightened roots is placed there and lightly covered with soil.

Caring for flowers in summer

After “relocating” to open ground, growing phlox is quite easy and enjoyable.

The main principle of caring for annual phloxes in summer period– don’t interfere with growth!

To comply with it you will need:

  1. regular watering in hot weather, because the plant withers during drought due to overheating of the root system
  2. periodic careful loosening of the soil to ensure its breathability. In the 2nd half of the plant's growing season, hilling is carried out to form the root system
  3. pinching shoots to create fullness of the bush and speed up the onset of flowering
  4. 4-fold feeding mineral fertilizers, organic:
  • the first one is carried out at the end of May with manure,
  • the second - in early June with liquid manure with superphosphate / potassium salt,
  • the third - in the first ten days of July only with liquid manure, the 4th - at the end of July with phosphorus and potassium salt. For abundant flowering, the plant can be fertilized with ammonium nitrate several times a season.

Mulching the soil around the plants will help increase the effect of these simple agricultural techniques. Re-growing phlox in next year You can already use your own seeds.

How to collect your seeds

You need to select your favorite flower varieties for subsequent breeding on time. To do this, the branches, along with large bolls that have already begun to turn yellow, need to be cut off after flowering has completed.

Further ripening of the seeds will occur in a paper or linen bag, but not a plastic bag. After cracking the oval box, the seeds remain in the same bag.

All that remains is to sort out the ripest, largest planting material and store it in a dark, dry, cool place until next sowing in the spring.

Types and varieties of annual phlox

Drummonda has 2 varieties:

  • Large-flowered phlox, which can grow to a height of about 30cm. Their rather large inflorescences are characterized by a variety of colors, but phloxes with red tones look especially attractive. These include varieties such as: Tall white, Tall bright red, Tall fiery red.
  • Star-shaped They are distinguished by their greater height (up to 40 cm) and less often – lower ones up to 15 cm. Bright flowers externally they resemble stars with an eye in the middle.

Some gardeners classify annual phlox not only by these characteristics, but also by their low height of up to 20 cm. These are the so-called dwarf flowers.

Today the most common varieties of Drummond are:

Annuals phlox, we sow seeds Drummond Phlox: video

We hope that with the help of these basic information, you will be able to realize your design ideas for garden and home improvement.

Phlox ( Phlox) is a herbaceous plant of the cyanaceae family. It owes its name to Carl Linnaeus, who was simply delighted with the flowering plant and gave it the name phlox, which is translated from Greek as flame. Native to North America, this plant has become so established in our flowerbeds and gardens that we are accustomed to seeing it growing in the same place year after year.

Yes, phlox is a perennial. However, among its diversity there is one species that is annual, and that is Drummond's phlox ( Phlox drummondii).

Reproduction of annual phlox

Cuttings

This species can be propagated in two ways - cuttings and seeds. As for the first method, cuttings, it must be carried out in the period May-June. To do this, carefully cut a cutting from a part of the plant that has not yet been lignified, which should contain at least two pairs of leaves and one internode.

The resulting material is planted directly in open, moist soil and provided with regular watering. For better rooting of the cuttings, it must be shaded from direct sunlight, and in particularly hot weather it must also be sprayed.

After about a month, the phlox has already formed a developed root system and by autumn it is already able to produce young shoots and have time to bloom.

How to sow seeds for seedlings?

As for the second method - propagation by seeds, it must be carried out in the period March-April and first the seeds themselves are sown to obtain seedlings. In this case, the composition of the earth is not so important as its temperature, which should not fall below 23 degrees. Only then can we expect successful seed germination and friendly shoots that appear in about 10 days.

After the seedlings have formed a pair of true leaves, they need to be planted into separate containers, ensuring regular watering and sufficient lighting.

At the end of April - beginning of May, ready-made seedlings are planted in open ground, at a distance of approximately 20 cm from each other. During this period, they need to be shaded from direct sunlight, which will significantly improve rooting.

What if we go straight to the garden?

You can also sow seeds directly into open ground and best time for this purpose, mid-May, when the soil is already sufficiently warmed up. In this case, the area with crops must be watered regularly and also shaded from direct sun.

You can sow the seeds for the winter, in October-November. As a rule, they tolerate frosts well, but for this the planting site must be additionally insulated with dry grass or leaves.

Regardless of the chosen method of phlox propagation, as the bush forms, young shoots must be pinched. In this case, flowering will be more abundant, and the bush itself will form more magnificently.

Phlox Drummond in the garden (varietal mixture "Grandiflora

Annual phlox planting and care

Phlox Drummond grows up to 60 cm in height and is characterized by lush flowering from June to autumn. Therefore, when choosing a place for planting, it is necessary to take into account the possible height of the plant, so that it does not interfere with the growth and development of neighboring plants.

As for the soil, it should be noted that the plant can grow anywhere, but it is better to give preference to light, fertile areas where the flowering of phlox only improves.

Phlox Drummond is thermophilic, but can easily tolerate light frosts and tolerates prolonged rains well. The only thing that needs to be avoided when growing it is shade and dampness. Therefore, if you want the plant to be beautiful and healthy, then it is better to plant it in open areas of the garden or flower bed, with sufficient quantity Sveta.

In general, phlox is an unpretentious plant and does not require any special care. However, there are several recommendations that you should follow when growing it on your site.

— Regular watering, especially in dry times.
— Regular loosening of the soil around the bush for better soil breathability.
— After every 5th pair of leaves, the shoots need to be pinched to make the bush more luxuriant, which in turn stimulates flowering.
— Faded inflorescences must be removed in a timely manner. But if you plan to collect seeds, they are left until they are completely ripe.
— Regular fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.
— Carry out prevention from powdery mildew- the most likely phlox disease.

All varieties of annual phlox Drummond are suitable for growing in our latitudes and simply amaze with their variety of shapes and shades of colors. The gardener can only make his choice and follow all the recommendations for growing it, so that it unpretentious plant pleased with its flowering all summer.

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Phlox are beautiful flowers, loved by many gardeners and gardeners. Today, more than seventy types of phlox are known, but only half of them are grown in culture. And almost all varieties of these flowers are perennials. Perennial phloxes have a lot of advantages, but they also have a significant drawback - a limited range of colors (pink-raspberry shades) and a monotonous structure of the inflorescences. But the annual phlox is colorful different colors, its petals have a carved shape and resemble original snowflakes. Unfortunately, there is a drawback here - growing an annual is much more difficult. This article will be devoted to how to grow annual phlox from seeds, when to plant these flowers for seedlings and in the ground. From here you can learn about the characteristics of flowers, what methods of growing them exist, and what care annual phloxes need.

Annual Phlox Drummond

Phlox (translated from Greek as “flame”) belongs to a genus of herbaceous plants from the cyanaceae family. They number about 70 species, and only a little more than half of them are grown.

Among the many varieties and varieties, Drummond's annual phloxes are in favor with professional and amateur flower growers. Compared to their long-term “relatives”, they have long held the palm. This is largely due to the wide variety of varieties, flower shapes, and their shades compared to perennials. They look great on alpine slides and flower beds. They can decorate the space near houses using decorative containers.

Externally, Drummond's phlox is a branched plant from 20 to 60 cm in height. Its flowers are clove-shaped and about 1.5 cm in diameter. The color of the petals is also varied, but always bright: white, pink, red, purple, and sometimes two-color, with an eye in the center. This species is not afraid of rain and wind; they will not damage its inflorescences. And Drummond phlox can be planted either in the garden in group plantings or on alpine slide, and on the balcony, if your own suburban area only in plans for now.

When to plant annual phlox

Seeds of the Drummond variety and other hybrids are planted for seedlings in the spring, in March. 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.

Growing annual phlox from seeds

You should pay attention to the fact that seeds lose their viability if stored for a long time and improperly. Therefore, they must first be checked for germination using the stratification method. In other words, germinate.

To achieve longer flowering, Drummond phlox is recommended to be grown as 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.

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 warm water. The seedling boxes are covered with glass or polyethylene and put away in a 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 the appearance of two or three true leaves, the young plants are seated in separate pots

Moderate watering through a spray bottle is carried out when the top layer of soil is dried. To harden the seedlings on the eve of planting them outdoors, you need to lower the temperature to +15 °C and increase the frequency of watering with the addition of mineral fertilizers.

When 4-5 leaves appear, the plant is pinched to create bushy bushes.

Planting phlox seedlings in open ground

Determine a place on your site where the plant can grow quietly for several years. Remember that phlox loves sunny areas and semi-shaded areas. Do not plant them in swampy lowlands or under dense tree canopy.

Prepare the soil thoroughly for planting. It should be loose and nutritious, since on such soil phlox will grow well, and their flowering will not only be long-lasting, but also very lush. These plants do not do well in soils with a high sand content; they also do not like heavy soils with strong acidity. You are unlikely to be able to achieve seedlings in such places. Flowerbeds or beds should be prepared before the first frost.

Seedlings are planted in shallow holes, at the bottom of which compost or vermicompost and a little ash are poured. The roots are carefully straightened horizontally and sprinkled with soil. The plants are watered and the soil around them is mulched.

How to care for annual phlox

Caring for phlox is not very different from caring for others. garden crops. It is necessary to perform weeding, loosening, watering and pruning the bush. If you need to grow a stunted and lush bush, then it’s worth pinching from time to time. It is necessary to understand that this will delay the plant from flowering for several weeks.

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It is best to do pinching in May. Watering phlox should be done in the morning or evening. At the same time, both drought and abundant moisture are unacceptable for them. Pour water exclusively under the roots, not allowing it to fall on the leaves. During extreme heat, it is worth watering the crop 2 times a day. To retain moisture in the soil, it should be mulched using humus or peat. The layer thickness should be 5 cm.

Diseases of annual phlox

They are divided into viral and fungal. Here are photos of the diseases.

Viral:

  • rattling. Light spreading spots on leaves;
  • necrotic spotting. Dark brown spots 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.

Fungal:

  • septirosis. Leads to the death of leaves due to the appearance of spots gray. Then the foliage turns yellow and red;
  • powdery mildew. Spider-web spots cause leaves to dry out;
  • rust. Brown spots that appear and spread lead to the death of phlox foliage.

In addition, caterpillars, nematodes, slobbering pennies and other pests threaten.

What to plant next to phlox

In order for a flower bed with phlox planted on it to look more beautiful, you need to know what plants can and should be planted next to these bright beauties. Here are some examples of those flowers and plants that will look harmonious next to phlox:

In summer time:

  • alpine aster;
  • low-growing bell;
  • small petal;
  • geranium;
  • clove-herb;
  • Veronica;
  • Highlander.

During the summer-autumn period:

  • astilbe;
  • host;
  • lungwort;
  • basilisk;
  • Siberian iris.

In spring:

  • dwarf iris;
  • primrose;
  • saxifrage.

During the autumn period:

  • snowdrops;
  • crocuses;
  • scillas;
  • dwarf barberry Thunberka;
  • spirea

When choosing varieties, it is important to consider decorative features phlox in garden design not only during flowering, but throughout the entire growing season.

The homeland of phlox is North America. The harsh climate of this country endowed them with strength and vitality. They are very popular in European countries, and in Russia they have earned the love of flower growers due to their unpretentiousness and pleasant appearance. According to the flowering time, phloxes are spring, summer and summer-autumn. There are about 70 species of phlox, but only a little more than half of them are grown.

Phlox belongs to herbaceous crops from the Sinyukhov family and is similar in description to hydrangea. The appearance of representatives of this genus differs even within the same species. Characteristics vary depending on climatic conditions. For example, at an altitude of 4 km, mainly low-growing and bryophyte crops grow. They have branched stems and evergreen leaves. The height of the crop reaches 5-25 cm. In more favorable conditions, you can find upright bushes 30-180 cm high.


Phlox generally have an erect stem shape. The foliage is located opposite, its edges are solid. The shape of the leaves is oval-lanceolate or oblong ovoid. The flowers are approximately 2.5-4 cm in diameter. They are collected in complex inflorescences of 90 pieces. The fruit looks like an oval box.

All phlox that can be grown in the garden are perennial crops, but there are exceptions. Phlox Drummond and many of its varieties are annual.

The following plant varieties are distinguished:

  1. 1. Star rain. The variety is resistant to drought and frost. Its representatives bloom for a long time. The plant looks like a shrub up to 0.5 m in height with a straight stem that branches heavily. The inflorescences are in the form of brushes and have a pleasant smell. The flowers look like stars in shape. For this variety you need to choose a bright place.
  2. 2. Twinkling star. The culture is a small shrub up to 25 cm in height. The difference is the pointed petals. Due to its small size, the plant is grown not only in open ground, but also at home. For example, you can plant it in a flower pot and leave it on the balcony or windowsill. The flowering period lasts from the beginning of summer until the end of September.
  3. 3. Terry phlox. The variety appeared relatively recently. It is named so because of the unusual structure of the petals. The shrub itself is 20-30 cm high. It is covered with large inflorescences that have the shape of scutes. Their shades are very different: white, pink, cherry. This crop is also great for growing in pots.
  4. 4. Constellation. The variety has light and bright shades. The inflorescences are no more than 3 cm in size. They have a pleasant fragrant smell. The plant branches heavily. The inflorescences are shaped like corymbs. Typically, this variety is used to create bouquets, as well as for growing in groups in the garden.

There are also low-growing annual phloxes. They grow to a height of only 20 cm. They look like branched shrubs, their foliage is pubescent. These varieties are great for growing on window sills and balconies. An example is Promise Pink: the inflorescences are double and have pink tint. This variety is usually used for flower beds in gardens and for decorating rockeries.

Growing phlox from seeds

When growing from seeds, it is better to use the seedling method: this will help avoid freezing of the seedlings. In addition, in this case the flowering time will be longer.

Preparing seeds for planting must be done from the end of February to mid-March. Thanks to this, fruit will appear within 2 months - in May. And if at the same time you sow the seeds in open ground, the buds will bloom only by the end of September.

Growing seedlings involves the following steps:

  1. 1. Prepare the pots. These can be containers, boxes, cells, peat pots. There must be holes at the bottom for draining water.
  2. 2. Pour drainage into the bottom of the pot. You can make a 2 cm layer of pebbles, gravel, expanded clay, small stones, broken slate or brick.
  3. 3. Prepare the substrate. The soil should be loose and include rotted pus, peat, sand, lime, and mineral additives. The substrate should be poured into the pot and moistened before sowing the seeds.
  4. 4. Prepare seeds for sowing. It is recommended to first keep them in water for several hours or a whole day.
  5. 5. Plant the seeds in the ground. The material should be planted shallow. It is enough to scatter them on the surface and press a little with your palm. Spray the top with water from a spray bottle.
  6. 6. Cover the container with transparent plastic film or glass and place in a warm place with good lighting. The temperature must be at least 23 0 C.
  7. 7. Ventilate the container every day: remove the top cover for a while, for example half an hour. Spray the soil periodically. It is necessary to shake off the condensation that forms from the film.

When the seeds begin to open, the film should be removed. After about 1-1.5 weeks, the first shoots will appear.

After the first true leaves have formed on the seedlings, after 2 weeks you need to pick, that is, plant the sprouts so that there is a distance of 15 cm between them. The temperature should be 20 0 C. When the top layer of soil dries, it is moistened with a spray bottle. For hardening, the temperature must be reduced to 15 0 C. Gradually, the frequency of watering should be increased. When 4 true leaves appear, you need to pinch them so that the bushes become more luxuriant in the future.

In May, plants are planted in open ground. It is necessary to ensure that the soil on the site is saturated with humus. If the soil is too heavy, then it is necessary to add peat, sand, and organic fertilizers. The optimal soil option is non-clayey, sandy with an average level of acidity.

It is best to choose a place in partial shade, where there is no direct sunlight, otherwise they will leave burns on the plant. A distance of 20 cm is required between the bushes. Planting should be done in small holes. It is recommended to add up to 150 g of wood ash to them first. Place the root system there, straighten it and cover it with soil. In the end, all that remains is to compact it and water it.

Rules of care

Caring for annual phlox involves the following activities:

  1. 1. Watering. It should be moderate but regular. Usually per 1 sq. m, 1.5-2 buckets of water are enough. It should be at room temperature, settled. You can use rainwater. In dry weather, watering is recommended in the morning and evening. Water should be poured directly under the root. It should not be too cold, otherwise the roots will crack.
  2. 2. Loosening the soil. This only needs to be done 2 times a month. In the second half of the growing season, it is additionally necessary to hill up the crop: thanks to this, the root system will form much faster.
  3. 3. Feeding. It should be done several times a season. Both mineral and organic fertilizers are suitable for this. At the end of May it is necessary to use liquid manure. You will need 25 g per bucket of water. At the beginning of summer, it is necessary to add the same amount of potassium salt and superphosphate to this product. In July it is necessary to use liquid manure again. In August, it is necessary to fertilize the crop with phosphorus and potassium salt - 1 tbsp. l. for 2 liters of water.
  4. 4. Mulching. It makes the soil breathable and prevents drying out. Leaves, dry peat, compost, and humus are suitable as mulch.
  5. 5. Pinching. Young shrubs should be treated in such a way that they later branch better.
  6. 6. Trimming. When the inflorescences fade, it is necessary to trim them so that the plant retains decorative properties and attractive appearance. Thanks to this, flowering will last longer. In addition, this will prevent self-seeding in the future. Around mid-autumn, the stems are cut at ground level. There is no need to leave stumps.

If you liked the planted varieties of phlox, then after the fruits have formed, you can collect seeds for further cultivation of such a crop. To do this, when the branches, along with large boxes, begin to turn yellow, they need to be cut off. In the future, the seeds will ripen in a fabric bag or paper envelope. But it is not recommended to use plastic bags. When the box cracks, all that remains is to sort out the largest and ripest seeds. The material should be stored in a dry, dark and cool place until the next season.

  • 1. Leaves dry out and fall off. This is due to a lack of water in the soil. As soon as watering is resumed, the plant will begin to develop again. It is recommended to spray the plant with a spray bottle. Sometimes leaves begin to dry out on plants that have only recently been transplanted. In this case, you need to darken them a little.
  • 2. The stem is cracking. This usually appears during a period of intensive growth; it may also be associated with an increased level of soil acidity or a high concentration of nitrogen in it.
  • Annual phloxes can be damaged by certain insect pests:

    • slobbering pennies;
    • slugs;
    • nematodes;
    • black flea beetle;
    • caterpillars.

    Annual phloxes can suffer from the following viral diseases:

    • leaf curl;
    • ring spot;
    • necrotic spotting;
    • threadlike leaves;
    • variegation.

    It is possible to cope with fungal diseases to which phloxes are susceptible:

    • white spotting;
    • verticillium wilt;
    • powdery mildew;
    • rust;
    • fomoz.

    They are called high humidity soil and low temperatures air. They will help save plants from them special means with fungicidal properties. For example, you can use Bordeaux mixture, Fundazol. The treatment will have to be repeated in a week. In more advanced cases, plants are destroyed to fungal infection did not move to other plantings.

    Herbaceous annuals and perennials with bright, burning flowers of various shades - these are phloxes. These plants have been known for more than 300 years. From their homeland, North America, phlox spread throughout the world and became popular due to the variety of varieties. In this article you will learn how to grow phlox from seeds and when to plant. Annual flowers will become a real decoration of your flowerbed and entire landscape design.

    Varieties and types of phlox

    Today, botanists and amateur flower growers talk about more than 300 varieties of phlox. Phlox are predominantly perennial plants. Annuals are represented by phlox drummond. Among the most characteristic varieties of annual phlox are:

    1. Phlox variety "Star Rain" sun-loving, unpretentious to moisture and resistant to temperature changes. They grow in the form of shrubs up to half a meter high, the flowers have a shape similar to stars, which is why they got their name.
    2. "Shimmering Star"- low-growing bushes that bloom in the period June-September. The flowers have pointed edges. Thanks to their miniature size, Twinkling Star phlox can be grown on balconies.
    3. Terry phloxes. Small bushes, up to 30 centimeters high, when flowering, produce flowers of various shades with many petals.
    4. Phlox "Promise pink" It is small in size and has flowers with double petals of various shades of pink. Used for growing in flower beds and alpine hills.
    5. Phloxes are low growing. Strongly branching shrubs, reaching a maximum height of no more than 20 cm. Suitable for growing on balconies.

    How to grow phlox in the country

    Phlox is bred in two ways:

    1. By cuttings. For reproduction perennial shrubs Phlox plants use the cutting method. In May - June, a young side shoot with 2-3 formed leaves is planted in well-moistened soil. The plant is shaded and provided with abundant watering daily. With this care, in a month the young plant will take root and subsequently, after 2-2.5 months, it will sprout.
    2. Seeds. This method is used for breeding annual phlox. You can sow phlox in open ground before frost sets in. In the spring, after the soil has thawed, seeds moistened with meltwater will begin to germinate.

    When to plant phlox? Some gardeners sow phlox in the spring, after the threat has passed. spring frosts. Phloxes have time to take root, but they will delight you with flowers only in the fall. If we decide to start growing phlox in the spring, we need to grow seedlings from seeds, which are subsequently transplanted into the ground.

    Growing phlox from seeds

    To grow phlox from seeds you need to take a few simple steps:

    Step 1. Work begins in mid-March. Small boxes are filled with loose peat soil, water well and sow seeds.
    Step 2. The box is placed on the windowsill and periodically turned with different sides towards the sunlight.
    Step 3. It is necessary to maintain the temperature in the room to 20 degrees, and after the first shoots appear, lower it to 15 degrees to harden the plant.
    Step 4. You need to water the sprouts as the soil dries. The plant does not like stagnant water, the roots may die. You can use a spray bottle.
    Step 5. After three weeks, the seedlings are picked and transplanted into separate pots, where they continue to grow and strengthen before being planted on the site.

    Planting annual phlox in the ground and care

    Towards the end of May, the grown seedlings are transferred to open ground. The soil for phlox requires light, loose and moist. Plants are placed 15-20 centimeters apart. Caring for phlox is simple, it includes several basic tasks. Water as needed, but do not over-wet the roots.


    Phloxes should be well lit, but not in direct sunlight. To ensure that the soil is saturated with oxygen, it is loosened every 3-4 days. Phloxes require fertilizing four times per season with nitrogen-based liquid organic fertilizers. The fourth feeding, which is carried out at the end of July, should include phosphorus fertilizers. To make the bush lush and bloom faster, the side shoots are pinched. The bush is periodically inspected, flowers that have bloomed and diseased shoots and leaves are removed.


    When flowers or leaves appear infected with fungal diseases, which appear in the form of plaque or black spots, such bushes are immediately dug up and destroyed; the soil and remaining bushes of the plant are treated with sulfur. If phlox is damaged by nematode worms, the plant is treated with insecticides. Seed collection is carried out in late autumn. The stem is cut off along with the seed pod, the pods are left on paper until ripening. Then the boxes are opened and the seeds are stored in a dry, dark place.


    Annual phlox growing from seeds Any summer resident can do this, the main thing is to know when to plant and how to care for these flowers. or at summer cottage with phlox, then you can add bright notes to your landscape design.

    Also read:

    • What annual flowers bloom all summer. Catalog…