The topic of today's gardening issue is phlox perennial: planting and care, photos of the most beautiful individuals. When a gardener-summer resident breaks flower beds on his plot - lawns, he tries to select flowers of different colors, flowering periods, height of bushes, etc., to create a beauty that will emphasize each other and create a flowering process from the beginning of summer and practically until late autumn. And in this case, phloxes are very useful for such purposes. Firstly, they are beautiful, they have many colors, many grow almost under 2 meters and can decorate any site.
With proper care, they bloom in different bright colors, and if suitable varieties are planted, they will bloom from June until frost. In addition, phloxes are perennial flowers, this is their second indisputable advantage - you do not need to run to shops every year, buy seeds and plant all over again. If there are several types of phloxes on the site - you can only admire them for 5-6 years, then rejuvenate the bushes, transplant to another place, create new compositions again - in general, phloxing can turn into a hobby that delights the gardener's eye and causes envy at his neighbors.
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What you need to know about phlox
In order to grow this beautiful and gentle miracle at home, you need to know some nuances of caring for it, which will help to plant really beautiful flowers decorating the site.
- Phlox loves light and moisture, but in moderation - areas that are too open to light and heat with strong moisture will lead to decay of the roots and a decline in flowering.
- If your weather is too wet, powdery mildew may attack phlox. To prevent this trouble, spray the flowers with copper sulfate.
- Before planting phloxes, it is necessary to properly fertilize the soil - they will not grow in poor land. Add peat, ash, compost, dig, moisten, and you can safely plant phloxes - they will like this base very much, and they will undertake to grow friendly together, delighting with their flowering.
- Phlox is propagated by seeds, cuttings and, in fact, by dividing the bush after a certain age.
- You can not fertilize using slurry.
- Do not water with ice water.
- It is necessary to carry out constant feeding, if you want a beautiful flowering.
See also: how to grow cosmea from seeds.
When to plant phlox
Now let's take a closer look at when you can still plant phlox and how to get this heavenly beauty on your site.
Phlox is best planted in April, then they will take root quite well over the summer, and they will not be afraid of winter frosts. If you want to carry out the transplant procedure in the fall, try to do it before the month of October, mulch the plants well, and cover with a blanket of fallen leaves for the winter. Then already from early spring you will see how the buds wake up, the stalks grow and the plant prepares for growth with all its strength.
Breeding methods
You can, of course, sow phlox seeds. But this path is longer, with unforeseen results, since the seeds are often bad, do not germinate, and you can lose a lot of time, waiting for the cultivation of handsome phlox. Faster ways are propagation by cuttings, and if there is a bush of suitable age (at least three years old) - division.You can still rejuvenate the bush and at the same time plant phlox in this way: cut off part of the bush with a sharp shovel, and fill up the vacant place with fertile soil. Thus, you will have the opportunity to plant another bush, and the young to grow younger, breathing new life into it. In general, after five, at most six years, the bushes need to be relocated to a new place, otherwise their flowers will be crushed and become faded.
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Reproduction by dividing the bush
This method is good for autumn time, from about August 15 to mid-September. Reproduction buds in the bushes are already planted, the plants will tolerate the transplant and take root perfectly before the frost. For these purposes, you need a bush that is no less than 3 years old - if you find one, then already at the beginning of next summer you will be pleased with beautiful flowering phloxes. Dig a bush, brush off excess soil, cut the stems halfway up, divide the rhizome into several parts, and plant immediately.
Propagation by cuttings
If a three-year bush is not available, a great way is to cuttings, which gives a good survival rate. Only you need to do this around June, because the shoots are rampant, and there is plenty to cut from for cutting. On a cloudy day, or in the evening, when the sun is no longer baking, go to the bush, select the parts of the shoots that are still tender, not stiff, cut, divide into parts, so that each cutting stalk has at least two nodes with leaves.
Plant either in peat pellets, or in a good fertile soil, as moist as possible. Deepen the cuttings all the way to the top node, cover them from the sun, and water well daily, 2-3 times the first 2-3 weeks, so that the roots grow. You can also apply "Kornevin", which will completely help the roots to grow and take root well. And in the spring they will grow, and with the onset of summer they will bloom, and your eye will be pleased with their beauty, and they will rejoice in the soul. Have a nice landing and a beautiful garden!
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