Planting and care features
In open ground, phloxes are planted with seeds, seedlings and cuttings. All varieties of this plant, although frost-resistant, require the following conditions of maintenance and care without fail:
- when choosing a place for planting phlox, it is necessary to take into account that this plant is photophilous and can die in constant shade;
- the soil for them should be moderately moist, fertile and loose;
- regular balanced watering is necessary: with a lack of moisture, it stops blooming, and with an excess, it quickly rots.
Phloxes achieve the best decorative appeal in well-lit areas, in moderately moist, loose soil. The colors of the petals of plants in this case will be brighter than in the shade. For the density of flowering, wilted flowers should be removed.
If this condition is met, the seeds will germinate in a week.
To grow seedlings from seeds indoors, they must be stratified, that is, cooled in the refrigerator for two weeks.
It is advisable to make a pick in two weeks, when the first two leaves appear, after which (3-4 days) the sprouts must be protected from direct sunlight, covering with paper or matte film. Monthly phlox sprouts need to be fed with mineral fertilizers.
Seedlings and seeds are planted in open soil in the second decade of May, when frosts finally stop, while the distance between the seedlings should be about 25 cm. In this case, the seeds are soaked in an aqueous nutrient solution a day before planting.
Both the planted seedlings and the seeds must be watered for the first two weeks from a sprayer and covered with glass or transparent film, and ventilated at the beginning of the day. Then it is necessary to carry out regular watering at the rate of 10-12 liters of water per square meter. m. In the fall, the stems of perennial plants should be cut almost flush with the ground cover, leaving small shoots for successful wintering. It is advisable to burn the cut stems to prevent the risk of infection in the next season.
Phloxes are quite unpretentious. Caring for them mainly consists in timely moistening, pest control, loosening and feeding the soil, and removing weeds.
For the colors of undersized phlox, see below.
Growing phlox from seeds
When properly grown, flowering phloxes can beautify your garden from spring to fall. The most popular way of propagation of such plants is vegetative (by layering, cuttings and dividing the bush). However, some gardeners prefer seed reproduction of phlox. Perennial seeds freshly harvested in the autumn must be sown in the soil in winter (in November or December). First you need to decide on the area where these plants will be grown for several years. In the event that snow has already fallen, it should be removed from the garden and simply scattered seeds over the surface of the soil, trying to leave a distance of 4–5 centimeters between the seeds. After that, a small (about 1–1.5 centimeters) layer of pre-sifted soil must be poured over them. And then cover everything again with snow. You can purchase the soil in a special store or collect it in advance. Freshly sown seeds have a germination rate of about 70 percent. But with the onset of spring, it decreases significantly. At the very beginning of spring, phlox shoots will appear on the garden bed. They should be picked only after 2 pairs of true leaves are formed on them. The distance between the plants should be about 20 centimeters. The planting of such seedlings should be carried out in due time.
As a rule, phloxes, which are annuals, are propagated by seeds.To do this, in the spring, sowing seeds should be made, leaving a distance of about 3-4 centimeters between them. Then you should water from a sprayer and cover the bed with plastic wrap. You should not pour soil over the seeds, but you need to raise the shelter for a while every day and remove the formed condensate. After the first shoots appear, the shelter should be removed.
How to grow perennial phlox from seeds. Garden World website
Phlox in garden design
The plant is loved for its excellent combination with other perennials and shrubs, with tulips and other bulbous plants. Favorite neighbors of these low bushes are peonies and clematis, daylilies.
They create the background, cover the space, bloom for a long time. They are good for planting in the central plan, they can form the basis of the composition, in such plantings:
- Rocky gardens;
- Alpine slides;
- As a border;
- Islets on the lawn;
- Vertical gardening and hanging planters;
- Near decorative conifers;
- Near the garden pond.
Long-lived phlox of low varieties immediately become favorites of the sites, delighting the owners with their gentle flowering from early spring days until autumn.
