What does a phlox flower look like. Growing varietal phloxes: features of planting and caring for the "fire flower"

Elegant, bright phloxes (belong to the bluish family), in addition to wonderful decorative qualities, they also have such advantages as unpretentiousness and ability to grow in various lighting conditions and on various soils. In addition, they stand in a bouquet for a long time and therefore are well suited for decorating a room.

Phloxes are perennial flowers wintering in the garden. They are extremely diverse in color and height of the bush, can be used in various flower and plant compositions.

Among other garden flowers, phloxes - champions in winter hardiness and flowering duration.

Planting phlox in the garden is possible by cuttings or seeds. They grow quickly and, receiving the necessary care, bloom profusely and luxuriantly.

Phlox types

A few words about what types of phlox are most popular with flower growers.

First of all, this phlox paniculata or paniculata blooming in late summer - early autumn. This species has large inflorescences and fragrant flowers of various colors: white, various shades of pink from pale to bright, lilac, dark purple. There are no yellow tones in the coloring. There are hybrids with flowers painted with multi-colored stripes.

The bushes are tall, from 40 cm to more than 1 m, with a large number of leaves on the stems, lush. The number of shoots on plants eventually reaches twenty or more.



Panicled phlox blooms almost the entire season. Among the many varieties and hybrids, choose both summer and autumn ones, which bloom in September.

Phlox subulate or subulate. Plants of this species form a small inflorescence of 2-4 flowers of pale lilac or pink-lilac color on a low stem 10-15 cm high. Each stem branches profusely and each shoot gives flowers, so planting phlox subulata forms a continuous blooming mat of pastel shade from dense soddy bushes. From here comes the second name of the species - turf phlox. Blooms early, in May-June.



This species has peculiar leaves - small, leathery, pointed, similar to needles.

Phlox subulate is ideal for borders, borders, perennial curtains or for growing in flowerpots and flower baskets. Takes a good haircut, therefore, it is easy to form plantings of a geometric shape from these phloxes.



Phlox Douglas- undersized, about 5 cm tall, carpet form. Blooms twice a season. The first time in May - June, then again in the fall. This type of phlox has narrow gray-green leaves, the flowers are white, blue, pale purple, pink.



creeping phlox- Another low early flowering species. The height above the soil surface is 15-20 cm. It is distinguished by abundant branching of the stems and umbrella inflorescences, in some species they can form up to 10 pieces. Blooms in May - early June. The flowers are brightly colored: pink, red and purple.

Phlox Canadian or splayed. This is a medium-sized phlox, with a stem height of 15-40 cm, the flowers are larger than those of the species described above. They have a white or bluish-purple pastel color, collected in large umbrellas with a diameter of about 10 cm. Does not form seeds. It also blooms in May - early June.

This type of phlox more demanding on the ground, compared to the rest. It does not grow well on peat and forest soils. For long-term cultivation, light soils with the addition of humus are suitable for him. Fresh manure, peat and leaves should not be added to the soil.

1. Any soil is suitable for growing phlox, but they grow best on light loamy. The addition of lime to the soil has a good effect on the development of plants.
2. Areas intended for planting phlox, with autumn requires deep digging. For spring, low-growing varieties, in addition, it is necessary to clear the soil of weed rhizomes; it is more difficult for such varieties to deal with extraneous vegetation in the first year.
3. Planting is carried out in sunny areas, with the exception of hybrids with easily fading flower color, such plants are placed in partial shade.
4. It is better to plant phloxes with dark flowers, diluting them with lighter ones, so that in the evening they are not “lost”, but, on the contrary, shade favorably.
5. Phlox care is very simple. Periodically, you need to loosen the soil under them and weed from weeds. For abundant flowering plants need to be fertilized regularly.
6. Phlox paniculata grows well in the sun and in partial shade. Low-growing species of phlox prefer well-lit areas, but also tolerate partial shade. without loss of decoration. For active growth, they need timely fertilization.
7. Phloxes are watered abundantly, but infrequently, if the weather is not too dry and hot. In this case, if the soil dries out quickly, watering, of course, needs to be done more often. The best time for watering is the second half of the day.
8. Phloxes form seeds, True, not all varieties, and not even every plant belonging to a variety that gives seeds. The reason for this, among others, may be the low ambient temperature at which sterile pollen is formed. If you dig up a plant and bring it indoors, it can form normal pollen and, after artificial insemination, set seeds.

Phlox care in autumn

Before winter, both young and old phlox bushes are spudded with earth or covered with a layer of manure or humus 8-12 cm thick, to protect underground buds from freezing. Such protection is especially important for cuttings rooted and planted this year.

If phloxes are prone to fungal diseases in your area, in October, after flowering, you need to carry out preventive treatment of plants with fungicides.

If seeds are formed on plants, but they did not have time to ripen before the onset of frost, bushes can be dug up, planted in pots and transferred to a room for full ripening.

In autumn, you can transplant and rejuvenate phloxes, as described in the following sections.

When to transplant phlox

Phlox paniculata can grow in one place for more than 15 years. New shoots appear on the periphery of the bush, the center ages over time. Therefore, every 5-7 years, plantings are rejuvenated or divided and seated.

Division of phlox bushes

The division of the bush is a necessary procedure for the normal development of plants. It is mandatory to conduct it after 5-7 years, it is possible even earlier, after 3-4 years.

You can divide at any time: in spring, summer or autumn.

The bush is dug in around the circumference, removed, the shoots are cut to a length of 10-15 cm. After that, they are cut with an ax, a sharp knife or a shovel into separate parts, each of which contains from 2 to 5 renewal buds. The roots of phloxes are quite developed and long, up to 15 cm.

Pits for transplantation are prepared in advance to allow the soil to settle. For spring planting - in the fall, for summer and autumn - at least 2 weeks before the event. The distance between the pits for tall phloxes is 60 cm, for others it may be less.

Half a bucket of compost is poured into the pits, mineral fertilizer is added, if planting is carried out in the fall, nitrogen fertilizers are not applied. As an additional potash fertilizer, ash is well suited. On acidic soils (soil acidity for phlox should be 5-7 pH) add 1 cup of lime. All additives are well mixed, to avoid burning the roots.

The pits are filled with water and delenki are planted in them. They fall asleep in such a way that the renewal buds are covered by 3-5 cm.

A layer of mulch (peat, leaf humus, leaf litter) is poured on top, 10 cm thick. Mulching, among other things, contributes to better rooting of the delenok. During the autumn division, phloxes should have time to take root before the cold weather.

Reproduction of phlox green cuttings

Harvesting of green phlox cuttings begins when the plant reaches a height of 12-15 cm, i.e. at the end of May. It is possible to carry out cuttings later, until mid-July, but later cuttings take root worse.

Shoots are cut, leaving at least two well-developed buds on the mother plant. After cutting, the cuttings are dipped entirely in water for 1 hour. This procedure allows them to bind less in the first days after planting and take root better. However, keeping cuttings in water for longer than 1 hour is not recommended.

Before planting, the lower leaves are removed from the cuttings, the rest are shortened to half and a cut is made under the kidney. The cutting ready for planting should be 6 to 10 cm long. Work with the cuttings in the shade or indoors so that they do not bind.

Cuttings are planted in open ground in the shade or in a greenhouse. They get along well if after planting cover them with a layer of wet paper. The cuttings are not deeply buried, by 1-1.5 cm, the ground around each is slightly compacted. Rooting occurs 6-14 days after planting.

Reproduction of phlox by autumn cuttings

Phloxes reproduce better than other garden flowers by autumn cuttings. They are harvested in August - September, cutting off parts of the shoots of the current year, processed in the same way as described in the previous section and rooted in greenhouses or heated greenhouses. Overwintered plants give abundant flowering in spring. When planting in a permanent place, the cuttings are deepened quite strongly, thus, so that the greatest number of kidneys is underground. This ensures better wintering and active resumption of spring growth of phloxes.

Growing phlox from seeds

Phlox seeds, as a rule, have good germination. They are usually sown under winter in the open ground. You can sow seeds later, in winter, but then the boxes with crops must be taken out to frost for stratification within a month. After that, they are allowed to gradually thaw, and the seeds germinate together.

Powdery mildew on phlox

A little about the most common and most severely spoiling the appearance of phlox disease. This, of course, is powdery mildew, covering the plants with a dense, unpleasant white coating. Phloxes begin to get sick in mid-July - August. Gradually, the affected leaves curl, dry and fall off. How to deal with this trouble?

It's better to start with prevention. In October, before winter, treat phloxes with a solution of copper sulfate (1%) or Bordeaux liquid (1%), and from the beginning of summer, carry out periodic (at least 2 times) spraying with fungicidal preparations (scoring, topaz, foundationazole, green soap, etc. ).

When the first signs of the disease occur, it is necessary several times (after 7-10 days) to treat the plants with a solution of soda ash with soap (2 tablespoons of soda, 50 g of soap per bucket of water), Bordeaux liquid (1%) or a copper-soap solution (200 -300 g of soap, 20-30 g of copper sulfate per bucket of water). In autumn, after flowering, diseased plants should be cut short and treated with preparations again.

, veta355 , kentiya1 , GALINA , eteri.mik .

Phlox with decorative qualities has won the hearts of gardeners. You can admire them not only in the country, but also cut a bouquet for the house.

Description and features of phlox colors

Phloxes are perennial plants, with the exception of Drummond and its varieties - annuals. Phlox flowers have a variation in size from 2.5 cm to 4. An interesting feature of plants is that one species may look different.

This is a different color of the buds, the size of the inflorescences, the length of the stem. It all depends on the soil and climate. Panicled species became the ancestor of many varieties. With all their diversity, the question arises, after all phlox is a shrub or flower? The height of the stem for different varieties may be different. Therefore, they can be classified as follows:

high bush - height 1 m and more;

bush - stretched from 80 to 100 cm;

undersized - 15 cm;

loose sod - 30 cm;

creeping - 15-20 cm.

Inflorescences of plants are large and small. They have a chic range of colors - from bed tones to bright colors. There are specimens with spots in the center or variegated petals.

Planting and breeding phlox

Plants thrive in full sun. If a region with a hot summer planting phlox flowers carry out near shrubs or young trees that will shade the plants from the scorching sun.

This is especially true for varieties of dark shades. Because they tend to burn out. The plant does not tolerate cold winds. The windless space makes it possible to accumulate snow in winter, which favorably affects the hibernation of the bush.

Favorable soil for plants is neutral, light, loamy with the addition of organic matter. Dilute heavy clay soil with river sand and vice versa in the case of sandy soil - add powdered dry clay.

Methods for propagating phlox flowers

The division of the bush:

the optimal time for breeding is early autumn or spring;

bushes 5 years of age should be with buds;

the entire bush is carefully dug up;

divide into parts so that each plot has eyes, roots and several stems;

it is better to separate the root system with your hands, if it does not give in, use a sharp knife;

shorten roots, shoots to 15 cm before planting;

you can not uproot the entire plant, but dig up the shoots from the side and plant them in a permanent place;

At the same time, fill the free space with fertile soil.

Green cuttings:

cut off young shoots in July and divide into several parts;

each branch should contain several leaves, 2 internodes;

cuttings are planted on the prepared bed immediately, preventing wilting;

the bottom layer of the row should consist of peat or leaf humus (10 cm);

step between cuttings 15 cm, rows - 20;

planting depth 3 cm;

pour a small layer of sand (3 cm) on the ground, pour;

prepare arcs, cover the structure with non-woven material for shading;

water the cuttings 3 times a day;

they are transplanted to a permanent place after rooting after about 20 days.

Root cuttings:

Leaf cuttings:

- the leaf is cut off in June with a piece of the stem and an axillary bud;

- descends into the nutrient soil;

- deepen the bud and stem, and the leaf at an angle remains on the surface;

- cover the flowerpot with a jar or plastic bag;

- place in a semi-dark place, where the temperature of the environment is 18 degrees C;

- periodically spray the leaf and ventilate;

- Rooting will occur within a month;

- plant the cutting in open ground for growing according to the scheme 15x20 cm;

- plant in a permanent place next spring.

Air layers:

the stem of the plant descends to the ground and pins;

the top of the branch remains on the surface;

top covered with nutrient soil;

constantly make sure that the ground is moist where the stem is buried;

the breeding procedure begins before flowering;

in autumn, the stem will take root and it can be separated from the mother bush and planted in another place.

Propagation by seeds:

planting material is freed from boxes;

phlox flower seeds best planted in autumn (November). So they will undergo stratification in the ground;

shoots will appear in May;

the appearance of 2 leaves will serve as a signal for picking seedlings on a breeding bed.

Types and varieties of phlox

Phlox (Phlox lat.) belongs to the cyanotic family, which has 70 species. According to the shape of the petals, the plants can be conditionally divided into 4 groups.

Flowers phlox paniculate differ not only in large and fragrant buds, but also in height of 1 meter or more. High varieties bloom later. The range of colors is very different: pink, dark purple, lilac, white, but not yellow. Some hybrids with multi-colored stripes. Spreading bush, with 20 or more shoots.

Variety Maria Fedorovna - pink inflorescences

"Olympic" with soft lilac colors

"Satin" raspberry shade

splayed. (Phlox divaricata). In this group, undersized creeping varieties. Leaves lanceolate oblong. Flowering time end of May. Flowering time - 30 days. Buds of blue, lilac and lavender.

When compared with photo of phlox flowers paniculate, you can see that there are much fewer flowers in one inflorescence of this group.

Forked. Representatives of this group have forked petals. Flowers of light purple, white, blue-lilac hue are randomly located on lateral shoots. Flowering time is May.

Phlox annual flowers gardeners are divided into large-flowered and dwarf varieties. Large-flowered varieties include flower phlox drummonda. Inflorescences can be salmon, dark red. The bush pleases with its flowering from the first decade of June until frost.

Dwarf varieties: Isabella, Shamoa, Snowball

Buy phlox flowers you can through the online store or in a flower shop. Price perennial phlox flowers varies from 130 rubles and above.

Diseases, pests and viruses that affect phlox flowers

Phlox flowers in the garden susceptible to viral, fungal diseases, pests.Ring, necrotic spotting, leaf curl, rattle, variegation are viral diseases.

Carriers can be nematodes, ferrets, untreated pruners, neighbors. It is important to do a soil test before planting. Treat the infected area with nematocides 3 times. The interval between procedures is 20 days.

A diseased bush looks ugly: leaves, stems are deformed, buds are small. The plant stops growing. At the first sign, it is necessary to uproot diseased specimens and pickle the soil.

Fungal diseases of phlox

Leaf spotting. Symptoms: the appearance of gray spots on the leaves, followed by yellowing and drying. Fight: remove the affected areas, treat the bush and neighbors with Bordeaux liquid.

Rust. Signs: the appearance of rusty spots on the leaves. Struggle - remove and burn the diseased leaves, treat the plant with iron sulfate and Bordeaux liquid or sulfur dust.

Powdery mildew. The lower leaves are affected, then the upper ones. A spider web appears on the surface. An excess of nitrogen, thickened plantings, and unwanted neighbors can provoke the disease. Control methods - use the correct agricultural technology, treat infected bushes with fungicides.

Phlox pests

Nematodes. Plants are susceptible to stem and leaf pests. Symptoms: the stem becomes thinner, swellings appear where the nematodes sit, the leaves are thin and wrinkled. Struggle: uproot the bush and burn it. Treat landing sites with nematicides. It is possible to save a bush during stem infection if propagated by root cuttings.

Drooling penny. Symptoms: the underside of the leaf is covered with foamy areas, from which it curls, wrinkles. Control: remove infected leaves into a bag carefully to prevent the larvae from jumping out. Treat the plant with Actara.

Naked slugs. They attack the flower at night or during the day, if the weather is rainy. They gnaw all areas: stems, leaves, buds. Control methods: remove weeds, loosen the soil, sprinkle ash with tobacco dust between plantings, use baits.

Do not forget about the rules of agricultural technology. Their elementary violation leads to plant disease.

Phloxes got their name for an interesting feature - the inflorescences of this plant seem to shine in the sun. This plant is very popular among gardeners. If you are not yet growing phlox, it's time to plant a few bushes on the site.

Phlox planting

These plants are perennial, so they should be in spring or autumn. If you decide to plant phlox in the fall, then do it at the end of summer. Then, before the onset of cold weather, the plants will be able to adapt to new conditions and survive the winter period better. If you plant a plant too late, then before the onset of cold weather, mulch the soil above the rhizome and cover the planting with a film. So you can keep the positive temperature in this place for some time.

Late varieties of phlox are best planted in the spring. In the spring, you need to have time to plant seedlings within 10 days. This time should be at the end of April, when the soil is still cool and saturated with moisture.

Phloxes are planted in small holes so that only the rhizome of the plant fits in them. It is enough to dig a plot for phloxes to the depth of a shovel bayonet, since the main roots are in the surface layer of the soil. Apply organic fertilizer before digging. Too dense soil can be diluted with sand.

Phlox varieties

Many different phloxes have been bred. They differ in shape and color. The most popular and beautiful varieties are:

• Phloxes of the Aida variety, under good conditions, grow up to 90 cm in height. They begin to bloom in the second half of summer. Their flowers grow up to 3.5 cm in diameter and are bright pink, turning purple as they finish flowering.
• Phloxes Alyonushka are distinguished by an abundance of green mass on strong, but rare stems. Flowers 4 cm in size have white petals with a crimson center.
• Phlox varieties Snow White bloom luxuriantly and for a long time. They form wide inflorescences in the form of a pyramid. The flowers are white with a slight pinkish tint.
• Boni Maid phloxes reach a height of 70 cm. They are distinguished by dense round-shaped inflorescences of a delicate purple hue.
• Phloxes of the Viking variety are distinguished by spherical inflorescences, which resemble hydrangeas. The flowers of this variety are pink in color with a small raspberry ring in the central part, spreading out in rays to the edges.

Phlox transplant

Phloxes constantly growing in one area can degenerate over time. Therefore, they need to be transplanted from time to time to another place. It is best to do this in the autumn. So the roots of the plant will begin to grow immediately after the snow cover has melted. At the same time, during the fall, the plant will be able to take root enough to survive the winter.

Prepare in advance. Dig it up and remove all weeds. First fertilize the soil with organic additives, and then apply mineral ones. To do this, mix compost or rotted manure, wood ash, ammonium nitrate and potassium salts with the ground, and add superphosphate.

When transplanting in autumn, shorten the stems of the plant by a third. In the spring, these stems will have to be completely cut off. If you transplant the plant in the spring, then cutting the stems is not necessary.

home phlox

The plant feels great at home. On sale there are both already flowering specimens and specially prepared rhizomes. In the latter case, the rhizome must be carefully planted in a pot, trying not to damage the roots. For planting, a pot with a diameter of up to 30 cm and the same depth is suitable. Be sure to lay a layer of drainage on the bottom, and then fill in medium-density nutrient soil. Blooming phlox also needs to be transplanted into another container.

Phlox care at home is not difficult. It must be watered regularly so that the soil does not dry out. Be sure to loosen the top layer for a better supply of oxygen to the root system. If the plant has drooped a little after transplanting, then cover it with a bag with small holes. So the plant will better adapt to new conditions.

Phlox in the open field

Plant phlox in a place where water does not stagnate. Excess moisture can cause the death of the plant. Therefore, it is better to plant phloxes on a hill or create a small mound for them artificially. In the spring, the soil around the phlox should be mulched to get rid of weeds. Tall plants must be tied to a support.

Phlox care

These flowers love moisture, but still you should not be zealous and flood the plant. Just make sure the soil is always moist. Be sure to regularly to ensure aeration of the roots. After mid-summer, combine loosening and hilling. This will speed up root formation.

Phloxes are very useful top dressing with different types of fertilizers. Make it organic for the first time at the end of May. Then, in early June, feed the plant again with organic fertilizer with the addition of superphosphate or potassium salts. In early July, feed the phlox again with organic supplements. And at the end of the same month, add potassium salt and phosphorus.

Phlox breeding

Often phlox by the usual division of the bush. You can divide the bush during plant transplantation. Dig up the bush and carefully shake off the earth from it. Then disassemble the root system and separate the root collars from each other. Make sure that the rudiments of shoots are present on each share. Immediately after this, plant the delenki to a new site.

It is very easy to propagate phlox by cuttings. This is best done in May or June. Cut cuttings from healthy and properly developed stems. Make 2 knots on each cutting. From below, cut the cutting just below the knot, and from above, a couple of centimeters above the knot. Cut the leaves from the bottom completely, and shorten the top ones. Cuttings can be planted directly into the ground in a greenhouse. Deepen it to the level of the upper node, compressing it well with earth. Shade the cuttings from direct sunlight after planting. Water them often for three weeks, but little by little. After 3 weeks, the first leaves will appear and new shoots will form.

Phlox: photo

Phlox: video

Phloxes are beautiful bright flowers from the cyanotic family, which are very decorative, used in the formation of flower beds. Beautiful plants have advantages, for which gardeners fell in love - unpretentiousness in care, the ability to grow in conditions of different lighting, survival on any soil. In the cut, phloxes stand for a long time - they can often be found in the design of the interiors of living rooms.

Phloxes grow in flowerbeds for many years, surviving the winter, severe frosts. Breeders have bred many varieties that differ in shades, plant height, endurance, and other indicators. This genus of plants is one of the best in the flower bed for the duration of flowering, the ability to survive frosts.

You can get your own plant by getting seeds or cuttings. In both ways, it quickly turns out to grow an adult plant, which begins to bloom in the shortest possible time.

Planting phlox in open ground and caring for them

Phloxes can be grown on almost any soil - they are unpretentious. But the most ideal are loamy. It is recommended to add some lime to the soil to improve the growing conditions of the plant.

The site begins to be prepared in the fall: they arrange a thorough digging of the earth on it, during which weed rhizomes and pebbles are removed, since in the early years the bushes weakly resist wild vegetation.

Choose the most illuminated areas of the flower beds, because phloxes love the sun. The exception is hybrids, the petals of which can quickly burn out in the sun.

If phloxes have dark colors of petals, it is better to plant them mixed with light ones, so that both in the evening and in the afternoon the flower bed looks as profitable as possible.

How to plant phlox in the ground, look at the video:

Caring for phlox is easy. It is necessary to regularly maintain the soil loose, remove weeds in time. In order for the flower bed to please with violent flowering, fertilizers must be applied periodically.

For phlox, it does not matter where to grow - in the shade or in the sun. But undersized varieties need more sun. Those and other forms of plants need to be fertilized in time so that they quickly and in a timely manner grow to the desired forms.

Watering should be sufficient, but rare. The exceptions are the weeks when it is very hot outside and the air humidity is minimal. Then the soil loses water very quickly, so the plant needs to be watered more often. This procedure is performed in the afternoon, in the late afternoon.

Some phlox varieties naturally form seeds. But this is not a 100% guarantee. In order for the plant to give seed, the desired optimal air temperature, proper growing conditions, proper care. Therefore, do not worry if there are no seeds - this is quite a common occurrence.

Phlox care in autumn

Before winter, all phloxes need to be protected from frost, spudding with earth or humus, manure. The recommended layer thickness is 8-12 cm, which is sufficient to protect underground buds from frost. A mandatory procedure is for young plants aged 1 year.

Phloxes that suffered from fungal diseases need fungicide treatment, which is carried out in October, when most of the shoots have faded.

Often, plants build up seed, but do not have time to do this before frost. To achieve seed production, the bushes are removed from the flower bed along with the soil and planted in pots, which are kept in the building until the seeds are fully ripe.

Autumn is a great time for phlox rejuvenation and transplanting, which will be discussed later.

When to transplant phlox

Panicled phlox - which does not require frequent transplantation. It feels comfortable up to 15 years in one place. But due to the growth of lateral shoots and the aging of the center of the plant, it is recommended to rejuvenate and transplant at least every 5-7 years.

How, when and how to feed phlox

Phloxes are fed several times per season:

• In the spring, in May, before flowering - nitrogen and potassium. Potassium nitrate is perfect.
• In early June, feeding is repeated by adding superphosphate to potassium nitrate, which will stimulate budding and flowering.
• In early July, they feed for the third time, reducing the dose of nitrogen.
• At the end of July, they are fed only with phosphorus and potassium salt.
• Phloxes are fed for the last time in August, and then if they are still blooming. Phosphate and potassium fertilizers are used.

The consumption of each fertilizer is calculated as follows: a matchbox of loose or granular fertilizer (or a mixture thereof) per 10 liters of water. Spend this solution per square meter.

An excellent fertilizer for phlox is fermented bird droppings, which is applied before the phlox begins to bloom. Bring in 0.5 liters. thick chatter on a bucket of water and pour 1-2 liters of solution under a bush.

Reproduction of phloxes by dividing the bush

Any phloxes need to be divided into separate bushes so that they develop normally and have a neat appearance. The procedure is carried out at least once every 5-7 years, but it is possible more often - once every 3-4 years. A special season is not chosen for this, division is carried out at any warm time.

The bush is dug in a circle, it is taken out of the soil and the shoots are shortened to 10-15 cm long. Then, with an ax, a shovel, a knife, the bush is divided into parts with 2-5 renewal buds in each. There is no need to worry about the roots: they are long and developed.

The pits where the plant will sit should be prepared in advance, that is, in the fall they are prepared for spring, and in spring for summer. The distance between the pits is 60 cm for tall phloxes and less for the rest.

The pit is filled with compost (0.5 buckets), mineral fertilizer, ash as a source of potassium. If the pH of the soil is acidic (that is, less than 5-7), you need to pour a glass of lime into each hole. Before planting phloxes, all the ingredients in the pit are thoroughly mixed in order to prevent root burns.

Water is poured abundantly into the pit and placed. They fall asleep with a substrate, making sure that the renewal buds are covered with earth only by 5 cm. Then they tamp the earth, adding compost if necessary.

The final planting layer is a mulch of peat, leaf litter or humus, the thickness of which is 10 cm. This layer is needed to create optimal conditions in the ground and accelerate the rooting of new plants, because they must have time to do this before frost.

Phlox rejuvenation method

There are other ways to rejuvenate plants. They take a narrow pointed shovel, with which they cut out the center of the bush, treat the cut point with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and pour humus on top. The resulting segment of the plant can be planted in another place or divided.

Reproduction of phlox cuttings photo

Green cuttings are used for propagation, which are harvested when the plant reaches a height of 15 cm. This is the ideal time when the cuttings take root best, and then their vitality decreases throughout the year.

When cutting off young shoots, make sure that the mother plant remains with at least two developed buds. Young cuttings stand in water for an hour to protect them from withering during planting and speed up the rooting process. It is not worth keeping the greens in the water longer, so as not to cause the reverse process.

• Before planting the cutting in the ground, cut off the peduncle, pinch off the lower leaves, and partially cut off the rest to reduce evaporation.
• The length of an ideal planting cutting is 6-10 cm.

A mature cutting can be planted in the shade in a flower bed or held on a windowsill. The survival rate of phloxes increases when they are covered with wet paper. The stalk is inserted deep into the ground only 2-3 cm, lightly tamping the soil around. Be sure to monitor soil moisture, you can cover the stalk with a cut plastic bottle and remove the cap from the neck for ventilation. Rooting occurs 6-14 days after this operation.

Using autumn cuttings to propagate phlox

Autumn - an ideal planting material for the reproduction of phlox. August-September is suitable for harvesting, although before that you can also harvest shoots by rooting them in shady places in the garden. When the plant winters on its own, it will bloom profusely in spring.

It is important to plant the cuttings deep, placing a large number of buds underground, which will provoke an excellent wintering and violent growth in the spring.

Growing phlox from seeds

Phlox seeds have excellent germination, so they are sown directly into the ground in spring. Many people prefer to sow phlox seeds before winter using seedling boxes. They are left for wintering in the garden and at the first warmth they are brought into the room to get early seedlings.

They sprout together, so they need to be sown as little as possible to avoid picks. However, with dense crops, it is better to plant the plants in separate cups in order to get powerful seedlings. They are planted in the ground in May, after hardening the plants.

The video will tell you about growing phlox from seeds:

Phloxes and powdery mildew What to do if phloxes turn yellow

Phloxes are not very susceptible to disease, but powdery mildew is a frequent guest of this plant. It is unpleasant in that the green foliage and flowers are covered with an unpleasant white coating, which is difficult to get rid of. The peak of the development of the disease occurs in July-August. When the leaves are damaged, they curl - the plant loses them. It is necessary to immediately begin the fight against the disease.

Preventive measures consist in treating flowers in late autumn with copper sulphate or Bordeaux liquid at a concentration of 1%, and in summer fungicides are also added to the complex, with which the entire flower bed is treated twice a year (foundation, topaz, green soap, soon).

If the disease actively manifests itself again, you need to change the therapy and treat the foliage with soda ash in a concentration of: 2 tbsp. l. soda is mixed with 50 g of soap and a bucket of water. Bordeaux liquid (1%), a solution of copper with soap (20-30 g of vitriol and 200-300 g of soap) also work well. But when the plant stops blooming, diseased and dried residues are removed, after which the phloxes are again treated with fungicides.

Phloxes have a pleasant external, noble flowering, so they will be a pleasant addition to any garden, without requiring special care and growing conditions.

Phlox types with photos and names

Consider the most popular varieties and types of phlox, which are especially in demand in ornamental gardening.

Phlox paniculata or Phlox paniculata

The most popular type of plant. Blooms in the last month of summer - early autumn. Differs in large inflorescences collected from multi-colored fragrant flowers - white, pink of various shades, lilac, purple. No yellow petals. Breeders have bred varieties that have multi-colored stripes on the petals.

The height of the bushes is 0.4-1 m. They are filled with leaves, lush greenery. The bushes themselves can consist of more than 20 shoots, growing as widely as possible.

The flowering time of panicled phlox is the whole season. The number of varieties, their diversity is so great that you can choose summer and autumn varieties, increasing the total flowering time of the flower bed by several months.

Phlox awl-shaped or subulata Phlox subulata

The herbaceous plant is characterized by very low growth (no more than 15 centimeters), with pale lilac or lilac-pink flowers in the amount of 2-4 pieces per inflorescence. Each stem contains a lot of branches that end in inflorescences. Thus, phlox subulata forms a whole carpet covered with delicate flowers, under which there is a dense soddy bush. Therefore, it is also called turf phlox. Flowering time is May-June.

The species is distinguished by interesting leathery leaves, which, due to their small width and pointed end, resemble needles.

The styloid phlox is grown as a curb flowering plant, used for discounts, perennial curtains, planted in flower baskets, flowerpots. It can be cut, trying to form a flower arrangement of an interesting shape.

Douglas Phlox Phlox douglasii

The plant is even smaller (5 cm), which spreads like a carpet over the surface of the flower bed. It has two blooms a year, which makes it especially popular. The first falls in May-June, and the second in autumn. The leaves are gray-green in color, small width. It blooms in white, pink, pale lilac and blue.

Phlox creeping groundcover

Also a small plant that blooms very early. The height is only 15-20 cm. It is characterized by no less strong branching than other similar plants. Flowers are combined into umbrellas, which individual individuals can have up to 10. Flowering time is May-June. Possible colors of the petals are pink, purple, red.

Phlox Canadian or splayed Phlox divaricata

The plant is already taller, the height of the stem of which is in the range of 15-40 cm. With an increase in size, the plants have become larger and the size of the flowers - they are larger than the rest, have a white, purple color, shades of gray. The diameter of the main inflorescence - an umbrella - is 10 cm. Seeds after flowering, which is May-June, are not formed.

This species is more sensitive to soil composition than others. On peat, acidic forest soils, it will wither, but soils based on humus and various light components will be ideal. They should not add peat, leaves, fresh manure.

As already mentioned, panicled phlox is the most popular type, but this does not mean that other options should not be considered. If you plant undersized phloxes that bloom early in May-June, this will be an excellent flower bed decoration in spring. And taller species will continue to bloom in late summer and autumn. Thus, there will always be a flowering carpet on the site, which can be used to decorate an alpine slide and rockeries.

Phlox (lat. Phlox)- a genus of herbaceous plants from the family Polemoniaceae, which includes about seventy species, of which about forty are cultivated. Phloxes appeared in Europe in the middle of the 18th century, since then breeders have bred about 1,500 varieties of beautiful and fragrant flowers. In Greek, "phlox" means "flame". This name was given to the plant by Carl Linnaeus in 1737 for the very bright flowers of some species. The homeland of phloxes is North America, the harsh climate of which made the plants unpretentious and tenacious. In addition, phloxes are very fragrant and bloom for a long time.

Listen to article

Planting and caring for phlox

• Landing: sowing seeds in spring or in November-December in open ground or sowing seeds in March for seedlings.
• Bloom: from June to autumn.
• Lighting: penumbra.
• The soil: medium loamy, rich in humus, moist, light and loose, neutral reaction.
• Watering: moderate (1.5-2 buckets of water per m²), regular.
• Hilling: in the second half of the growing season.
• Top dressing: organic and mineral solutions: 1st - at the end of May, 2nd - at the beginning of June, 3rd - at the beginning of July, 4th - at the end of July. Perennial varieties are fed for the fifth time during the formation of ovaries.
• Reproduction: annuals only by seeds, perennials mainly vegetatively - by dividing the bush, rhizome and leaf cuttings, but it is also possible by seed.
• Pests: nematodes, slugs, caterpillars.
• Diseases: variegation, powdery mildew, phomosis, septoria, verticillium wilt.

Read more about growing phlox below.

Phlox flowers - description

Phloxes are diverse even within the same species: their “appearance” changes depending on the climate in which they grow. Here, for example, at an altitude of 4000 meters they are moss-like and undersized, their stems branch and are covered with evergreen leaves, and the height of plants is from 5 cm to 25 cm. In more favorable conditions, phloxes are upright bushes from 30 cm to 180 cm high. and semi-shrubs. According to the flowering time, they are spring (early), summer (middle) and summer-autumn (late). The culture is dominated by species and varieties of erect phlox. Their leaves are sessile, opposite, entire, oval-lanceolate or oblong-ovate.

Phlox flowers are from 2.5 cm to 4 cm in diameter, have a tubular-funnel shape and are collected in complex inflorescences up to 90 pieces each. The flowers have five recurved petals, five stamens and one pistil. Phlox fruit is an oval box. All phloxes grown in culture are perennial plants, and only Drummond's phlox (Phlox drummondii) and its many varieties are annuals.

Growing phlox from seeds

Having flowering phlox in the garden from spring to the end of September is real, you just need to know how to grow phlox. Phloxes reproduce most often by vegetative means - cuttings, layering or dividing the bush, but some flower growers prefer growing phlox seeds. Seeds of perennial phloxes collected on the eve of autumn should be sown in the ground before winter - in November-December. Choose a site where your phlox will grow for several years. If there is already snow, remove it from the garden and scatter the seeds on the frozen ground with a distance of 4-5 cm. Sprinkle them with a layer of sifted earth 1-1.5 cm, and cover with snow on top. The land can be prepared in advance so that it is not cold and frozen, or you can buy soil in a store.

The germination of seeds that have fallen into the ground in winter is 70%, by spring their germination decreases sharply.

Seedlings will hatch in early spring, which will need to dive after the appearance of two pairs of true leaves at a distance of 20 cm from each other. You will plant these seedlings at the right time.

Most often, it is the annual phloxes that propagate by seeds. In the spring, prepare a bed, scatter the seeds over it at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other, water them from a sprayer, cover with polyethylene. Do not sprinkle with earth, but daily lift the film for a short while, shaking off condensation from it so that the seeds breathe. As soon as the seeds sprout, the polyethylene can be removed.

In the photo: Growing phlox in open ground

Annual phloxes - planting and care

Planting annual phlox

We have already talked about how to plant phloxes from seeds. But some flower growers do not want to put the seeds at risk, fearing strong spring frosts, so they plant phlox seedlings in the spring. For seedlings, annual phlox seeds are sown in March, shoots appear in a week. The emerging sprouts need light, watering and a moderate temperature. After two or three weeks, the shoots dive.

In the first days after picking, try to protect the seedlings from direct sunlight to avoid burns. Cover them with newspaper or opaque film.

Before planting phloxes in open ground, you can feed the seedlings with mineral fertilizers two or three times. The concentration of top dressing should be two times less than for an adult plant. To achieve the splendor of the bush, pinch the shoots in the phase of 4-5 leaves.

In the photo: Phlox seedlings grown in cassettes

In May, the grown phlox seedlings are planted in a flower bed at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. It is very important to choose the right landing site. Annual phloxes are cold-resistant, drought-resistant, love light, but do not tolerate overheating of the root system. The most beautiful phloxes grow in partial shade, and the thicker the shade, the less plentiful, but the longer the phlox will bloom. In the sun, phlox flowers quickly fade, but in partial shade they retain their color saturation for a long time, and if you planted the so-called “blue” varieties, the flowers of which become almost blue in twilight lighting, you will have an incomparable aesthetic pleasure from the flowering of phlox grown in partial shade. guaranteed. It is best to plant phloxes in high beds, away from trees and shrubs with a highly branched root system.

In the photo: Growing phloxes in a flower bed

Phlox garden soil should contain a large amount of humus. Heavy soils with poor drainage are detrimental to phlox. They also do not like acidic areas, in which case lime will need to be added to the soil. The best soil composition for phloxes - fertile sand without clay impurities - with good watering, will allow you to grow powerful flowering bushes. Sand, organic fertilizers and peat will have to be added to heavy loams. Seedlings are planted in a shallow hole, into which biohumus or compost (or two handfuls of ash) is added before planting, the roots are straightened horizontally.

Caring for annual phlox

Growing annual phlox is a pleasant and easy task. The main thing is not to interfere with their growth. The rest of the care is traditional for flowers, careful loosening of the soil (6-8 times), hilling when loosening in the second half of the growing season, so that the phloxes form a root system faster, fertilizing with organic matter and mineral fertilizers.

• The first feeding with liquid manure (25 g per bucket of water) is carried out at the end of May.
• The second - in early June, but potassium salt or superphosphate is added to the manure solution.
• The third (liquid manure without additives) - in early July.
• The fourth dressing, at the end of July, should contain phosphorus and potassium salt.

In the photo: How phlox blooms in the garden

Watering phlox you need a regular, but moderate, morning or evening. You need to pour water under the root at the rate of 1.5-2 buckets per 1 m² of planting. It is fatal to water phlox with cold water in the heat of the day, because the stems can crack. It is advisable to remove wilted flowers that prevent the growth of new ones that have not yet blossomed. As for diseases and pests, phloxes have plenty of them.

Such, for example, a disease like variegation, covers the phlox petals with an unusual pattern, disfiguring the appearance of the plant. There is no cure for this disease, so the bush is dug up and destroyed to avoid infecting other plants. The same sentence will have to be carried out if it is found that the plant is affected by a fungal disease powdery mildew, manifested by a whitish matte coating on leaves and stems.

Phloxes are sick with another fungal disease - phomosis making the shoots brittle and the leaves dry. As a preventive measure, it is suggested to spray colloidal sulfur on the leaves and stems of phloxes (but not on the inflorescences), but the air temperature should not be lower than 18 ºC.

After this article, they usually read

Facebook

Twitter

In contact with

Classmates

Google+