Drummond Phlox: Flowering Before the First Snow!

Both biennial and annual plants are used to create flower beds, flower beds with the effect of continuous flowering. Of the latter, the lush and bright phlox of Drummond is distinguished. With proper planting and care, its flowering continues until late autumn - almost until the first snow. And if you start growing with the distillation of seedlings from seeds, then the first flowers will bloom in late spring.

Drummond Phlox: Description

This is a herbaceous plant, which along with 69 species is part of the family Sinyukhovye. Phlox Drummond entered the territory of Europe in the 19th century from the USA and quickly gained popularity for its aroma, miniature and splendor. Unlike other perennial species, it is most attractive to gardeners for its versatility in use (flower beds, flower beds, borders, alpine hills, flowerpots), a variety of colors, and forms of inflorescences. Lush bushes do not grow more than 40 cm in height. The diameter of flowers, which in one complex inflorescence can be up to 90 pieces, is 2-3 cm.

Varieties

Phloom Drummond - the only one annual view. In turn, it has two subspecies:

1. Large-flowered - the height of plants reaches 40 cm, which is the maximum indicator for this phlox. The color of inflorescences is diverse.
2. Star - owes its name to the shape of flowers resembling an asterisk with an eye in the center. Height depends on the variety and can range from 15 to 35-40 cm.

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Common varieties

Breeding institutes have made a lot of efforts to increase the popularity of Phlox Drummond. They developed many varieties (in shape, color, height) of varieties. Their work continues now. Among the common varieties, flower growers distinguish the following:

• Button - drought-resistant, two-color sortoseriya with a height of up to 20 cm;
• “Milky Way” and “Star Lace” - the value of varieties in the star-shaped form of buds;
• “Chanel” and “Strawberry and Cream” - phlox with terry blossoms and very lush flowering;
• Tetra Riesen - a variety with large flowers, the diameter of which reaches 4 cm.

Seed cultivation

To get strong bushes that will bloom for a long time and magnificent, agricultural technology should be followed from the initial stage. Seeds are bought in garden stores, after making sure that the expiration date is in order - the seed is viable. If the grower plans to distill seedlings on the windowsill, prepare containers and loose, not heavy soil.

Seedling method

To decorate the flowerbed with flowering bushes in early May, use this technique. The best time for sowing seeds for seedlings is the beginning of spring. Step-by-step instruction:

1. Take a seedling container and disinfect with manganese.
2. Fill with calcined in the oven soil mixture of peat and sand in equal proportions.
3. Seeds are distributed over the substrate and covered with a thin layer of earth.
4. The box is covered with film, moved to a windowsill with bright lighting, where the temperature is 21 ° C.
5. After emergence, the film is removed, if necessary, the crops are moistened and fed with complex fertilizers every 10 days.
6. Three weeks later, seedlings dive into separate containers of 3 pieces.
7. There they are pinched to stimulate branching after the formation of the fifth true leaflet.

Reckless

If there is no opportunity or time to engage in distillation of seedlings, sowing is carried out directly in open ground. In early May, shallow grooves are made that moisturize well. Three seeds are lowered into the pits with an interval of 15 cm, covered with the extracted soil. If all sprout, then leave only strong seedlings. Feeble specimens are removed in a timely manner so that they do not take away food.

Landing Nuances

For phlox, sunny areas are chosen without shading. In addition, the culture is demanding on the chemical soil composition, as well as its structure. She needs fertile soil, which should not be heavy. However, a very light phlox is also not suitable. It is better to prepare the site in advance, if necessary, improve the performance with natural baking powder (peat, humus), sand, as well as complex mineral fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium.

They begin to plant seedlings on a designated place in the garden or on a flowerbed in the first half of May. Pre seedlings are tempered. The main stages of work in the garden:

1. The site is cleared of weeds if the latter have appeared.
2. They dig holes according to the scheme 12 x 12 cm or 25 x 25, depending on the art object to be drawn up and the variety's height.
3. The recesses moisturize and seedlings are placed with an earthen lump.
4. Landings are covered with soil, which is slightly compacted.
5. To protect the roots from overheating, trunks circles are mulched with peat.

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Phlox Care

In order for the culture to please the inflorescences before the first snow, it should be looked after. Measures are not laborious, but mandatory for lush and long flowering before frosts. Drummond's phlox is drought tolerant, but does not like waterlogging. Planting is watered only during drought. The procedure is carried out in the evening under the root, so that the drops do not fall on the flowers. The latter can lead to the development of fungal diseases.

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The culture has a superficial root system that is easy to damage. Loosen the landing very carefully. To increase the interval between events and slow down the evaporation of moisture, it is better to mulch the ground under the bushes. As mulch, not only peat is used, but also compost, humus, which also enrich the soil with various macro- and microelements.

During the period of intensive vegetation, plantings are fed twice a month. Preference is given to complex mineral fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus and potassium, since nitrogen stimulates the growth of green mass to the detriment of the formation of inflorescences. To create the effect of continuous flowering, as well as its extension until late autumn, wilted buds are timely cut.

Drummond phlox cultivation is not a very troublesome process. Moreover, all the expended efforts are compensated by abundant flowering, which, with proper care, will continue until the frosts.