Phlox planting and care in the open field in the suburbs

Phlox are surprisingly plastic plants - they adapt well both to the continental climate, where they winter well with shelter and thick snow cover, and to the high summer temperatures of southern Russia.

Creeping miniature species, blooming in spring, are drought-resistant and photophilous, grow well on poor sandy soils, do not tolerate waterlogging. Usually they are planted along the edge of the bed on a sand cushion or in a rock garden.

Tall phlox, on the contrary, are moisture-loving plants. They need loose, nutritious soil, the site must be sheltered from the wind. They feel good both in the sun and in partial shade.

Phlox is planted in spring or autumn. For spring planting in dry and warm weather, shading and frequent watering are necessary. In autumn, one must not be late, otherwise the plants will not have time to root well and may freeze out. The best landing dates in the Moscow region: late April - early May and late August - early September.

Before planting, the soil is dug on a shovel bayonet, semi-decomposed organic fertilizers (manure, compost) are applied, peat - 1-1.5 buckets per 1 m², wood ash - 150-200 g per 1 m², or potassium chloride - 30 g, superphosphate - 50-60 g. Acidic soils are limed - 200-300 g of lime per 1 m², in sandy soils - in addition to organic fertilizers, clay soil is added, and in heavy clay soils - sand. The earth is thoroughly mixed. Rhizomes of perennial weeds are removed: wheatgrass, ditch, bindweed.

The roots of the plants are carefully spread out in the planting hole and covered with fertile soil so that its layer above the rhizome does not exceed 3 cm.

When planting in autumn, the stems with leaves are not completely cut off, as they contribute to better rooting. Plants water and mulch the soil abundantly. The distance between plants when planting for tall phloxes should be at least 50-60 cm, for undersized ones - 35-50 cm. Bushes can stay in one place with proper care for up to 10 years. Care consists in fertilizing, watering, combating weeds, diseases and pests.

In order for phlox to bloom profusely, they need to be fed several times per season. Immediately after the snow melts, sprinkle urea or other nitrogen fertilizer - 20-30 g per 1 m², then loosen the soil and mulch it. At the end of May, liquid feeding is given with mullein infusion (1:10) or chicken droppings (1:25). In mid-June, the same top dressing, but with the addition of a handful of ash or superphosphate to a bucket of liquid. In early July, before flowering - the third. But here they reduce the amount of nitrogen fertilizers and slightly increase the amount of potash and phosphate fertilizers.The last, potassium-phosphorus top dressing - at the end of flowering, in August. Foliar dressing with microelements has a beneficial effect on plants.

Fertilizers are applied after rain or watering and watered again with clean water.

Phloxes have a shallow root system and therefore suffer greatly from a lack of moisture, especially in open, blown places. They immediately lose their decorative effect, the inflorescences decrease, the flowers become smaller, and the flowering period is reduced. At the same time, plants do not tolerate stagnant water in the roots, especially in the autumn-winter period. Over time, the old bushes seem to stick out of the ground, so before the onset of cold weather, it is necessary to add fertile soil to them.

The ability of phlox to multiply by all parts of the plant, from roots to seeds, is amazing, but in home gardening, bush division and cuttings are most convenient. Plants 4-5 years old are either dug up and divided into several parts, or they simply cut off the necessary part of the bush with a sharp shovel, and the resulting hole is covered with fertile soil.

By cuttings, phloxes are usually propagated in order to quickly obtain a large amount of planting material. In the spring, when the bushes grow back, young shoots are broken out at the base and planted on a separate bed with loose nutrient soil under a film or in partial shade. The rooting rate is up to 100%. For summer cuttings, phlox stems are used before flowering.

Cut them into pieces so that there are 2 knots on each handle. The lower leaves on the handle are cut off, and the upper ones are shortened by half. Cuttings are planted under a film in loose moist soil, leaving the upper node with leaves on the surface. In hot weather, they are watered or sprayed. For better rooting, cuttings can be treated with growth stimulants (heteroauxin).

If for any reason the phlox bush died, then do not rush to throw the ego away. The roots remaining in the ground are able to form renewal buds, so after a while the bush can recover due to root growth. It is only necessary to remove the dead stems and the upper part of the roots. Cover the formed hole with loose nutritious soil and keep it clean from weeds and moist.

As for seed propagation, this method is used only in breeding when developing new varieties.

With proper agricultural technology, phloxes are resistant to pests and diseases, but a stem nematode from pests can bring troubles to a grower, and powdery mildew and septoria from fungal diseases.

One of the signs of nematode damage is leaf curling. At the top of the stem, they become underdeveloped, threadlike, and the stem itself lags far behind in growth, deforms, cracks. The affected bush must be removed from the site as soon as possible along with the soil. Treat the remaining hole with bleach or formalin solution. For prophylaxis, faded stems are cut and burned in the fall.

Powdery mildew appears as a white powdery coating on the leaves, which often occurs in wet weather, thickened planting and poor agricultural background. Once a decade, diseased plants are treated with a 1-1.5% solution of colloidal sulfur, a copper-soap preparation (25 g of copper sulfate and 100 g of laundry soap or washing powder per bucket of water) or a solution of soda ash (50 g of soda and 100 g soap on a bucket of water).

In case of septoria disease, dark brown spots appear on the leaves, which subsequently merge, and the leaves die off. In this case, the plants and the soil under them are sprayed with a 0.4-0.5% solution of copper oxychloride or 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid.

In the garden, phloxes can be planted both as separate bushes and in groups on the lawn in various color combinations.Look great, for example, pure white (Anya Popova, Snezhny Globe) and purple (Ankator Juice, Aida); crimson red (Skhodnya, Flame) or deep purple (Mystery, Edalet, Chernomor) and light pink (Girl of the Moscow Region, Childhood, Pearl).

Phlox is a perennial plant of the Blue family. Phlox translated from Greek means "flame". The name of the flower was given by the naturalist K. Linnaeus. Like many species of plants, they originally grew along the banks of rivers, on the edges of forests, in the mountains, and people took their favorite flowers with them to plant near their homes. In total, there are about 70 species of this flower, many varieties are bred by breeders, especially for certain natural conditions. In the Moscow region, you can find about 40 of the most diverse species. Phlox is a bush of erect stems with sharp leaves and foam of lush inflorescences of a wide variety of shades: white, lilac, red, blue, pink purple colors. They bloom, depending on the variety, from May to October.

Choosing a variety

The earliest species:

• Phlox subulate, varieties: Thumbelina (rich pink flowers), Tellaria (lilac flowers in the form of an asterisk), Candy Stripes (pink stripe on a white flower); Scarlett Flame (translated as "scarlet glow", but usually have a dark pink color).
• Wide-spread phlox, varieties: Clouds of Perfume (lilac flowers with the scent of lavender), Montrose Tricolor (leaves of white, green and pink flowers with blue inflorescences), Blue Dreams (lilac or blue with a dark center).
• Creeping or ground cover phlox, grows to a height of no more than 20 cm, covers the ground with a bright flowering carpet, they are usually decorated with alpine slides, varieties: Wilson (pink or lilac small flowers), Douglas (crimson), Snowy (star-shaped white flowers), Stellaria (phlox with pale blue or white forked petals).

Summer species (bloom from July to October):

• Panicled phlox is the most common type, varieties: Amethyst (blue and purple flowers with a pleasant aroma), Bright Eyes (light pink with a bright star inside), David (snow-white variety), Candy Twist (striped, white and lilac).

Landing in the ground

When propagated by seeds, seedlings can be grown first. In boxes with soil (land from the site, mixed with peat in a 1: 1 ratio) we sow seeds, water them regularly, without overmoistening the soil. After 2-3 weeks, the emerging seedlings dive. They are planted in a prepared, unshaded place at a distance of at least 30-35 cm. Although phloxes and unpretentious plants, they love feeding and, with good care, please with strong green stems and bright large flowers.

The seeds can be sown directly into the garden. In autumn, seeds are scattered on the frozen ground, sprinkled with sifted earth and covered with snow. With this method, seed germination does not exceed 70%.

In the spring, seeds are sown in a soil well moistened from a spray bottle and covered with foil until the first leaves appear. Shake the film periodically to improve air exchange. Seed propagation is carried out if you wish to grow a particular variety.

Most often, phloxes are propagated by dividing an adult bush. Take stems with leaves and root system of lateral shoots (they are the youngest) and planted to a depth of 20-25 cm, after spilling the hole with water. It is advisable to reproduce in spring or autumn, but phlox transplanted directly with flowers in summer with good care will also take root.

Leaving during flowering

In order for phlox to please with abundant flowering, it is necessary to apply fertilizer at least 4 times per season. The first time we fertilize the soil with compost immediately after the snow melts, the second time we add sodium humate diluted in water for irrigation at the end of May, the third time we sprinkle the soil with ash, we water the soil with potassium sulfate during the period of violent flowering and the fourth time we water it with superphosphate diluted in water for long flowering ...

Watering should be abundant, regular, it is advisable to spill the soil not in the center, but around the bush. A flowerbed with phloxes must be weeded out, preventing weeds from thickening. Loosen the soil carefully as the root system is close to the surface.

Diseases and pests

A disease with white powdery mildew (white bloom appears on the leaves, stems and inflorescences) is a sentence for the plant. As soon as possible, the bush must be dug up and destroyed, avoiding contamination of neighboring flowers.

As a prophylaxis against phomosis (increasing dark brown dots appear on the leaves), the bush is treated with colloidal sulfur or Bordeaux liquid.

Phlox Drummond

Variegation is a viral disease that disrupts the color of flowers. Asymmetrical stripes appear, leaves wither. You can skip it, associating the state of the flower with excess moisture in rainy weather. To avoid losing the bush, you need to carefully consider the flower. If non-repeating stripes are found, then you will have to part with the plant, disinfect the earth.

Septoriosis appears as gray-brown spots on the leaves, first small red or brown dots appear, which become larger and change the structure of the entire leaf. It is difficult to get rid of this disease, so it is better to process flower plantings with Bordeaux liquid several times over the summer.

Nematodes are microscopic parasites that destroy the plant by feeding on its juices. If damaged stems or leaves with rounded swellings are found, but the damage to the bush is minimal, you can try to save the plant: dig up a bush, choose the healthiest stem with a root, rinse, disinfect and transplant, having previously loosened the soil. It is better not to plant phloxes in the same place for 2-3 years.

Discovered butterfly caterpillars can be harvested by hand or sprayed with leaf-gnawing pests.

Preparing for winter

In autumn, after the end of flowering, the stems need to be cut off, the ground should be treated with fungicides (topaz, copper oxychloride), the rhizome should be sprinkled with peat, insulated with straw or spruce branches, and in a winter with little snow, sprinkled with snow on top. In this state, no frost is terrible.

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Phlox are rightfully considered one of the most beautiful garden plants. Their advantage is the abundance of flowers and a rather long flowering period. In nature, there are about 40 varieties of phlox, including wild ones. However, most of those that we can see on plots and gardens in the middle lane belong to the bush variety Paniculata, which includes many different hybrids.

The cultivated phlox is a perennial plant. Depending on the species, it can bloom at different times of the year - from May to September. A distinctive feature of phlox is their extremely rich color range - various shades of pink, red, white, purple.

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Types and varieties of phlox

Amethyst

Spectacular phlox of medium height with fragrant bluish-lilac inflorescences.

David

Luxurious snow-white phlox David received a prestigious award from British florists. This stately handsome man grows well both in the sun and in partial shade, practically does not get sick.

Delilah

A short plant with pinkish purple flowers. Phlox varieties Delilah are generally not capricious and resistant to various kinds of diseases, but sometimes they can be prone to spotting.

Candy Twist

Candy Twist is a paniculata phlox variety with a mischievous striped color that resembles candy. This phlox is very aromatic, does not fade in the sun, and is resistant to diseases.

Sandro Botticelli

A delightful variety of phlox, bred by Yuri Reprev, is deservedly named after the great Italian painter. Sandro Botticelli admires the delicate lilac-pink color. You might think that he came straight from the artist's canvas.

Spotted phlox

Spotted phlox is also often called meadow or pyramidal. This is a very close relative of the phlox paniculata. It is possible to distinguish the spotted phlox from its more popular "brother" by two features: small burgundy spots on the stem and the pyramidal shape of the inflorescences.

How to plant phlox in open ground

If you choose the right varieties of phlox and plant them, then you can admire the flowering from mid-spring to the end of September. Phlox can be planted in the ground in spring or autumn, regardless of their type.

Planting annual phlox in the ground

Annual varieties are sown directly outdoors in late autumn. In winter, the seeds undergo natural stratification and germinate better. But most often these flowers are grown as seedlings in the spring. Lush flowering is the result of timely planting of phlox in the ground and good.

Phlox are sown in boxes with earth, covered with polyethylene and watered regularly. Shoots appear in a week. When they have 4 leaves, the plants are pinched so that they branch better. In May, seedlings are planted in open ground at a distance of 20 cm from each other. Phloxes do not tolerate direct sunlight and fade quickly. The best place for them is light partial shade. The larger the shade, the longer the phlox bloom, however, the flowering intensity decreases. Phlox does not like heavy soils and grows best on fertile sandy loam soils.

Planting phlox in open ground

Seeds are sown in open ground before winter - in September - November, depending on the local climate. If we use our own achenes, we collect them in the fall, when the leaves fade, the capsules will become compacted, acquire a greenish-brown color and, when pressed, begin to crack.

How to sow phlox seeds

We plant directly into the garden. You can sow achenes directly into the ground, spreading them every 5 cm in rows 1 cm deep. Having distributed the achenes in rows, sprinkle them with soil.

We plant in seedlings. We grow the planting material in advance in a container, keeping a vessel with sown achenes for a couple of weeks in a cold place. We provide the seedlings with a warm place, good lighting, and timely watering. We plant the plants in the garden when 4 leaves appear.

Planting with seeds is good because the bushes are more powerful and healthy, but, unfortunately, they may lose some of the characteristics inherent in the variety.

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If you want to divide the bushes in the fall, we plant the separated bushes in early September, cutting off the stems by a third: rooting will be faster and easier. For the winter, we insulate the planting with mulch. The first shoots will appear in the spring as soon as the snow melts.

Separated bushes are planted as follows:

We dig in the bush to be dividing, take it out of the ground and cut off the stems, leaving cuttings 15 cm long.

We divide the roots with a sharp knife: on each separated bush there should be 2-5 buds.

We make large holes, fill them with ash (a large handful) and compost (half a bucket), mix the additives with the soil.

Pour water into the holes, put a bush, sprinkle it with earth, covering the growth points by 4-5 cm.

We tamp the soil around the bushes, put a layer of compost and tamp it again.

At the end of planting, cover the soil around the plants with a ten centimeter layer of mulch using peat or straw.

Outdoor phlox care after planting

When caring for flowers, special attention should be paid to the choice of location, watering regime and fertilization. On these three whales the health of phlox is kept.

Location and lighting for the plant

If phlox are planted in a permanently shaded area, they will, of course, grow due to their endurance. But you will definitely not see beautiful bright colors! But take a look at the overly elongated painful stems, thin and deformed.

Give the phlox as much light as possible to get healthy, beautiful plants with a strong sturdy stem that holds the voluminous caps of dense inflorescences.In partial shade conditions, the flowers will appear later than the due date and will be pale and friable. Air humidity

Phloxes tolerate heat and arid atmosphere well, especially with sufficient moisture in the soil. But in the absence of rain, they should be periodically sprayed from above from a spray bottle. The procedure can be carried out only in the evening, when the sun reduces its aggressiveness.

Fertilizing phlox

Fresh manure should not be applied under phlox, various rot may occur. The land intended for planting phlox must first be fertilized.

If the soil is clay, then coarse river sand, gravel, wood ash, peat, compost are added. To fertilize 1 square meter of soil requires 7 kg of peat, about 300 grams of wood ash, about 5 kg of humus or compost. All components are thoroughly mixed, river sand or fine gravel, 30 grams of nitrophoska, 30 grams of potassium sulfate and the same amount of Agricola-7 are added to them.

Then the fertilized soil is dug up again. Phlox also like coniferous compost, although it is not available to everyone.

During the summer, you need to feed phlox three times. If the summer is rainy, then the top dressing is done dry, if the rains are not enough, liquid top dressing is carried out.

The first feeding is done when the stems grow back. Liquid top dressing consists of 10 liters of water and 2 tablespoons of urea diluted in it. The dry top dressing includes: one bucket of compost or humus and two tablespoons of urea. The components are thoroughly mixed and scattered next to the plants. This amount can feed three phlox bushes.

Watering phlox

Growing phlox is not complete without watering. Phloxes simply adore him. During the growth and development of buds, watering is simply necessary for phlox. It must be firmly remembered that phloxes need to be watered at the root, but not over the plants themselves, especially with cold water. This can provoke such a common fungal disease as powdery mildew. In hot weather, the watering hose can be left under the bush for a while. This method of watering for phlox is the most comfortable.

Pinching phlox

In many cases, summer residents in mid-spring take care of perennial phlox by thinning - pinching. Thus, you can achieve an extension of the life of the bush for several weeks. It should be noted that up to 3 shoots can develop on a pinched stem. All pinched stems allow the growth of small inflorescences that can acquire an exceptional decorative appearance. In addition, this way of caring for phlox allows you to achieve rapid development of shoots and increase the flowering time of the bush until the last days of August. On summer days, we pinch the fifth pair of leaves on top of the phlox bushes. Thanks to this procedure, the plants will grow more branchy and voluminous. In addition, this achieves their fastest tillering. It should be noted that, preferably, after four seasons of flowering, it is better to divide the rhizomes into parts.

Do not forget to loosen the soil under the phlox

While loosening the soil, we strive not to harm the immature roots of the plants. Therefore, we carefully cultivate the soil, since there is a considerable risk of affecting young roots in the upper layers of the soil (about 3-4 cm). Systematic and frequent feeding of flowers without proper water supply to the grown phlox is strictly prohibited. It should be taken into account that perennial phloxes develop optimally not only on the soil rich in minerals, but also on sufficiently moisturized soil.

Phlox transplant in the open field

The most favorable time for transplanting is the end of April and the beginning of May. If the transplant is scheduled for the fall, then it should be completed by mid-August. In the autumn, phloxes are transplanted with the trimmed upper part of the plant for better rooting.In a flowering state, a transplant is also possible if the seedling is carefully dug up and watered regularly in the future. If the root system dries up, phlox will not be able to fully take root and in the future will often get sick and will not be able to fully grow and develop. How to care for a cotoneaster, read on this page. When choosing a phlox planting site, you need to take into account its variety. Since some varieties of Drummond phlox reach half a meter in height, forming a lush bush, a place must be chosen where it will not interfere with neighboring plants.

How to prune phlox

It is recommended to prune phlox bushes in the fall, after the end of flowering, approximately from the end of September to the end of October, when all the nutrients accumulated in the plant will go to the root and the soil will begin to freeze. Pruning must be completed before the onset of constant cold weather, in different zones it is different: it can be both in October and in November.

Some gardeners recommend pruning in early spring, (especially in areas with little snow in winter), since the ground part of the bush (stems) will be needed in order to collect snow over phlox in winter, because in the northern regions it is the best protection against frost, and in the south it helps to increase soil moisture. In such cases, snow near the bushes cannot be tamped.

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The process of autumn pruning consists of pruning itself, feeding and mulching the land around the bush, differing only in the materials used.

There are several options for trimming phlox:

• level with the ground - to avoid the preservation of infections and pests;
• leaving 5-10 cm above the ground - to trap snow, in poor snow conditions or when landing in a windy area.

After pruning, all residues (stems, leaves) should be collected and burned, as they may contain fungal spores, foci of diseases and insect pests. The base of the bush and the soil around it should be treated with fungicides against diseases.

Reproduction of phlox by dividing the bush

Phlox can be planted in spring and autumn. In early spring, when young sprouts appear with a sharpened shovel, about 70% of the bush is carefully separated right in the ground. The excavated part is divided with a knife into five or more parts. The resulting plots are planted in a new place, and the old bush grows intensively over the summer and forms new stems. Even if there is no need to multiply phlox for every second year, it is recommended to update the plantings in this way, and excess plots can be given away or destroyed.

The flowering of the transplanted plots occurs in the first summer. The part of the bush left in the old place blooms more abundantly, delighting its owners with large flowers.

The autumn division of the bush begins at the end of the growing season. For these purposes, bushes with 20 cm in diameter and more than 10 stems are chosen. These are, as a rule, three to four-year-old plants. Before dividing, the bushes are cleaned of old roots and planted. For 2-3 years of intensive growth, full-fledged bushes are formed.

Reproduction of phlox by cuttings

Phlox can be propagated quite easily by cuttings taken from various parts of the plant. At the same time, there are quite a lot of opportunities for those wishing to propagate the desired variety. The soil for all types of cuttings is prepared in the same way. A cutter, that is, a bed for grafting, is best arranged in partial shade. The soil should be loose, fertile, moist and healthy, 1/3 of good garden or sod land, 1/3 of leaf humus or weathered peat and 1/3 of washed river sand. If the soil on the bed is fertile, then you can pour a mixture of sand and peat, sifted compost or leaf humus on its surface and mix with a rake with the top layer of earth. The surface of the ridge is leveled, compacted or watered abundantly, and washed sand is poured on top with a layer of 2-2.5 cm.The sand prevents mosses and crust from forming on the soil surface. The edges of the bed are well edged with boards 25-30 cm wide, which makes it easier to maintain the microclimate in the bed, more even temperature and humidity.

On their backyards, flower growers grow many magnificent plants. A favorite of gardeners - perennial phlox, a plant with remarkable decorative properties, which has universal application in landscape design. We will find out what perennial phlox are - planting and care, photos, cultivation features - all this information is below in the article.

Description

Perennial phlox is a decorative flower with bright petals and a delightful scent. A plant native to North America. In translation, its name is translated as "flame" - due to the fact that earlier phloxes were only scarlet.

But now, thanks to breeding work, we can grow varieties of various shades: you can also find purple, pink, crimson, blue, white. Today, about 40 cultivated varieties of perennial phlox are known, which have more than a hundred different varieties.

Outwardly, the plant is a bush with a height of 10 centimeters to one and a half meters. It has straight, even stems and leaves of the correct oval shape.

At the end of the stem is an inflorescence, which can have up to 90 small flowers. The flower itself is tubular, always with five petals.

Growing conditions

Let's get acquainted with the requirements of perennial phloxes for their habitat in the garden.

Seat selection

Perennial phloxes will feel good, grow actively and bloom luxuriantly in a well-lit area of ​​the garden. The site should be protected from winds and drafts, as the flowers are quite thermophilic.

A good choice is a sunny bed, bounded by a fence on the north side. If phlox is a shade-loving variety, you can plant them under trees, shrubs.

Light-loving varieties (and most of them) are not recommended to be planted on the north side of the site, as this will lead to the loss of decorativeness by the plant, the appearance of small, rare flowers in it, moreover, a pale color.

It is not recommended to plant phlox in lowlands and in other areas with stagnant phenomena in the ground, with a close occurrence of groundwater. The best choice is a slight rise.

Soil requirements

The soil in the phlox flower bed should be loose and nutritious - these are the two main requirements of the flower for the soil. The best option is loamy soil with a slightly acidic or neutral reaction. If the soil is acidic, it must be calcified before planting - otherwise phlox will not grow and bloom normally.

The garden bed is usually prepared a year before phlox takes root in it. Fertilize the soil by introducing organic nutrients into it:

• wood ash;
• compost;
• manure.

If the soil has a dense, clayey structure, you can make it lighter and more loose with the help of river sand and peat. If, on the contrary, the soil is too loose, you can make it denser and more nutritious by adding sod land and compost.

Landing

Consider the main points regarding the rooting of perennial phlox in the open field.

Selection of cuttings

Since propagation by cuttings is the easiest way to reproduce phlox at home, this is the method that most gardeners use.

It is advisable to buy seedlings from professional nurseries. If purchased on the market, there is a risk of buying diseased, infected cuttings, or with inappropriate species characteristics. The root of a healthy plant should have several full-fledged buds, and at least 2-3 branches.

Boarding time

For most regions of our country, planting phlox cuttings in April-May is suitable. When choosing the exact date, it is necessary to build on the characteristics of the local climate.You can also root perennial phlox in the open field in September - in this case, they will bloom next spring.

If you are choosing an autumn planting, do not wait until frost. It is important to plant phlox so that they have time to take root before the cold weather. Otherwise, they will freeze out.

Some gardeners also practice planting phlox perennials in the summer. However, this option is very troublesome: it will be necessary to ensure regular and thorough hydration of the seedlings. And this is not always possible for people who work and visit the dacha only on weekends.

Landing features

Planting phlox in the spring in the ground is carried out as follows: cuttings are planted in a prepared and loosened bed with a distance of 30 cm - this is what concerns low-growing varieties. High varieties must be planted at a distance of 50-60 cm from each other - they will need a lot of space.

Immediately after planting for a couple of weeks, the plants should be watered abundantly so that they take root and grow faster.

Other breeding methods

In addition to cuttings, phlox can be propagated by layering, dividing the bush and seeds. Let's talk about these methods.

Layers

The method is often used in gardening, as it allows phlox to propagate in summer and autumn, and not only in spring. To obtain layering, the lateral shoot of the mother bush is bent to the ground and sprinkled with earth. Some also hold it in addition with the help of a wire.

After some time, the layer takes root, while still being connected to the mother bush. After rooting, the layering is separated and transplanted to its designated place in the garden.

By dividing the bush

The method is more complicated than the previous one, but it gives good results. Planting with rhizomes in spring is the best option, but sometimes the division procedure is carried out in early autumn (that is, before or after flowering). However, if there is a choice, gardeners recommend dividing the bush in the spring, since in this case there are more chances for the successful rooting of the delenka.

Only mature bushes are divided - strong and healthy. The bush must be at least 4-5 years old. The procedure is as follows.

1. The bush is dug out, trying to do without injuring its roots.
2. Divide the plant into approximately equal parts so that each part gets at least one full-fledged root.
3. After dividing, the pieces are immediately rooted in a permanent place in the open field.

Seeds

This method is lengthy and is therefore rarely chosen. The seeds can either be purchased at the store or collected by yourself. Seeds are sown in the fall in a container with a mixture of soil, humus and sand. The degree of penetration is 1-2 cm.

The container is left on the street, covered with fallen leaves and snow on top. Thus, throughout the winter, phlox seeds are naturally stratified. In the spring, after the snow melts, the container is brought into the room so that the hardened seeds begin to germinate.

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How to care

Consider the main features of caring for perennial phlox in the open field.

Watering

Phloxes are very fond of water. Water the plants during the growing season every 2-3 days. And if the summer is especially hot and dry, the frequency of watering is usually increased.

Loosening

This procedure is necessary for the normal well-being of the plant. Phloxes need light permeable soil, so loosen the soil after watering.

Weeding

This is also an important procedure, especially when the flowers are still young and have not gained full strength. It is also convenient to weed a bed from weeds after watering, since the most stubborn weeds are easily obtained from wet soil.

Top dressing

Perennial phloxes need regular additional nutrition. In the spring, nitrogenous compounds are usually introduced into the ground, which help phloxes quickly gain a lush, strong green mass.

Then comes the turn of potassium and phosphorus, which help the plants bloom luxuriantly.Before the autumn frosts, phosphorus is introduced into the soil so that the flowers survive the winter safely.

Wintering

If phlox grows in the south, they do not need shelter. But already, starting from the middle lane, it is desirable to provide plants with shelter for the winter. Before the onset of cold weather, phloxes are cut almost at the root, and the root circle is mulched with straw and other organic matter. Can be used for shelter and agrofibre, burlap.

If we are talking about the north, it is better to dig up the plants with the roots and send them to winter in wooden boxes in the basement / shed. The plant may not survive too severe frosts.

Transfer

Gardeners recommend replanting perennial phlox every 6-7 years. This procedure is rejuvenating in nature and leads to the revitalization of vitality, an increase in the splendor of flowering. But if the conditions are very favorable, and the care is competent and thorough, phloxes can "sit" in one place for 10 years.

Diseases

Perennial phloxes can be affected by almost all diseases inherent in other flowering plants. We list the most common types of pathologies.

Fomoz

Signs of this disease are yellowing and curling of foliage, browning and cracking of the stems. To get rid of the misfortune, the bushes are sprayed with Bordeaux liquid four times with an interval of 10 days.

Powdery mildew

A characteristic feature of this common fungal disease is white bloom on foliage. To cope with powdery mildew, you need to use either Bordeaux liquid or other suitable preparations.

And for the purpose of prophylaxis in the spring, it is recommended to spray the shoots with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Spotting

A sign of this disease is yellow and brown spots on the leaves of phlox. They treat the disease, like many others, by spraying with Bordeaux liquid (1%).

We learned how to grow perennial phlox outdoors. The plant needs careful care and the choice of the optimal planting site - in this case, phloxes will delight you with bright, abundant flowering for a long time.