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first cultivars of phlox decorated European greenhouses and gardens in the XVIII century. Today, phlox, planting and care in the open field for which novice gardeners can do, one of the most popular garden perennials.
Most often in flowerbeds one can see panicled phloxes with erect leafy stems and caps of simple or semi-double flowers of various colors that open in the second half of summer. For several years, perennial grows, forming a bright curtain. At the same time phlox are not afraid of cold, the plant is not afraid of drought and is satisfied with minimal care.
No less noteworthy are the stunted phlox varieties used for the design of borders, rock gardens, and the foreground of multi-tiered flower beds. They are unpretentious, bloom long and brightly, easily, like paniculate phloxes, multiply and are so diverse that they allow to realize any ideas of a grower.
What are the ways of planting phlox in the ground, when to plant flowers, and how to take care of plants?
How and when to plant phloxes in open ground
Thanks to the good seed germination, adaptability and unpretentiousness of seedlings, it is not difficult to “tame” beautiful perennial flowers. If you apply a little strength, phlox after planting in open ground with seeds, green cuttings or parts of an adult plant will soon delight the first buds and long flowering.
For paniculate and short growing phloxes choose areas:
- in the sun with light protection from the scorching midday rays;
- with a friable garden soil of neutral acidity, well permeable to air and water.
When choosing a place for flowers, it is necessary to take into account that individual variegated varieties in the hot sun can quickly fade, losing a large proportion of decorativeness. It will be better if during the hottest hours, a light shade will cover the inflorescences from the heat.
Planting phlox in open ground
At one place phlox grow well up to 8-20 years. Such longevity relieves the gardener from worries. But the plants weaken over time, the curtain growing on the periphery in the middle becomes bare.
Every 4–6 years, phlox are seated, dividing an adult bush into parts.
This can be done in spring, summer, or closer to autumn. However, if the plants receive a new place of residence in the later periods, they will not have time to take root and do not overwinter. This is important to consider when planting phloxes in open ground in the Urals, in Siberia and other regions where sudden frosts and early arrival of cold are possible.
The rules of division and transplantation:
- Intended for dividing phlox dig, trying not to damage the numerous, up to 15-25 cm of rhizomes.
- Shoots are cut at a height of 10–15 m from the soil level.
- Then use a sharp knife to divide the bush into parts so that each has at least 2–5 healthy growth points.
- Sections are treated with coal powder, after which the delenki are planted in the place intended for them.
To speed up plant engraftment and to simplify care in the open field, before planting phlox the soil is prepared in advance. The plot is dug up on a full bayonet, weed vegetation is chosen, mineral fertilizers are applied.
Planting holes for perennial phloxes are made in the fall, if the plants fall into the ground in spring. For summer and autumn plantings, soil is refined at least 2–4 weeks before transplantation. Fresh organic matter can burn the roots, therefore, only well-rotten compost and manure are used as fertilizers. When the pits are filled, the soil is moistened and fresh desenki are planted. The points of phlox growth after planting in the soil should be at a depth of 2–3 cm. The soil should be compacted carefully, watered once more and thickly mulched.
Similarly, when green cuttings are used for planting, they are cut off, when in May or early June shoots with a length of 15 cm will appear on the phlox. The stalks are cut so that a pair of buds remains on the mother plant. Remove the lower leaves from cuttings, cut the top half. Then the planting material is immersed in water for 40–60 minutes.
After this, phlox can be planted in a greenhouse or immediately in open ground. Cuttings deepened a couple of centimeters. Already after 1–2 weeks, roots appear on new plants, and phloxes that are ready for planting and caring in open ground are transferred to a permanent place.
Care for phloxes in the open field after planting
Taking care of perennial phlox will not burden the summer resident. Plants need watering, maintenance of cleanliness of the soil and fertilizing, which will help phloxes grow and bloom well.
After planting phloxes in the spring, weeding and loosening the soil always take care of them in open ground. Otherwise, the weeds clog the seedlings, and a dense crust does not give enough water and oxygen.
If it rains in summer, no additional watering is required. Another thing - dry months. In this case, the bushes are watered regularly, abundantly, especially during flowering, trying not to fall delicate petals. The best time for watering perennial phlox - evening hours.
From the second half of summer, phloxes are often affected by powdery mildew, one of the most common diseases spread by harmful fungi. To protect phloxes in the open field from the disease, prophylactic and, if necessary, medical treatments of the bushes with fungicides are included in the post-planting care.
Twice spraying is carried out in early and mid summer. If this does not help, the bushes will have to be cut short and richly treated with a liquid preparation containing copper.
Before the start of winter, it is important to remove plant residues from under the bushes, and carefully spray the plants themselves with Bordeaux liquid or copper sulphate.
Perennial phlox tolerate winter well, but if there is not enough snow, they can freeze slightly. Therefore, in autumn, the above-ground part is cut, and the bushes are covered with a thick layer of mulch or lapnik.
