Proper planting and outdoor care for phlox
The first cultivated varieties of phlox graced European greenhouses and parks in the 18th century. Today phlox, planting and care in the open field, which novice summer residents can do, are one of the most popular garden perennials.
Most often, on flower beds, you can see paniculate phlox with erect leafy stems and caps of simple or semi-double flowers of various colors that open in the second half of summer. For several years, the perennial grows, forming a bright curtain. At the same time, the phlox is not afraid of frosts, the plant is not afraid of drought and is content with minimal care.
What are the ways to plant phlox in the ground, when to plant flowers, and how to take care of plants?
How and when to plant phlox in open ground
Thanks to the good germination of seeds, adaptability and unpretentiousness of seedlings, it is not difficult to "tame" beautiful perennial flowers. If you apply a little effort, phlox, after planting in open ground with seeds, green cuttings or parts of an adult plant, will soon delight with the first buds and long flowering.
For paniculate and undersized phlox species, areas are selected:
- in the sun with light protection from the scorching midday rays;
- with loose garden soil of neutral acidity, well permeable to air and water.
When choosing a place for flowers, it should be borne in mind that certain variegated varieties in the hot sun can quickly fade, losing a large share of decorativeness. It will be better if, in the hottest hours, a light shade covers the inflorescences from the heat.
Planting phlox in open ground
In one place phlox grows well up to 8–20 years. Such longevity relieves the gardener from worries. But the plants weaken over time, the curtain growing on the periphery becomes bare in the middle.
Every 4-6 years, phlox are planted, dividing an adult bush into parts.
This can be done in spring, summer or closer to autumn. True, if the plants get a new place of residence at a later date, they will not have time to root and will not overwinter. It is important to take this into account when planting phlox in open ground in the Urals, Siberia and other regions where sudden frosts and early arrival of cold weather are possible.
Division and transfer rules:
- The phlox intended for dividing is dug out, trying not to damage the numerous rhizomes up to 15-25 cm long.
- Shoots are cut at a height of 10-15 m from the soil level.
- Then with a sharp knife they divide the bush into parts so that each one has at least 2-5 healthy growth points.
- The sections are treated with coal powder, after which the cuttings are planted in the place intended for them.
To speed up the engraftment of plants and to simplify care in the open field, the soil is prepared in advance before planting phlox. The site is dug up on a full bayonet, weeds are selected, and mineral fertilizers.
Planting holes for perennial phloxes are made in the fall, if the plants fall into the ground in the spring. For summer and autumn plantings, the soil is ennobled at least 2-4 weeks before transplanting.Fresh organic matter can burn the roots, so only well-rotted compost and manure are used as fertilizers. When the pits are filled, the soil is moistened and fresh cuttings are planted. The growth points of phlox after planting in the ground should be at a depth of 2–3 cm. The soil is carefully compacted, watered again and densely mulch.
They act in a similar way when green cuttings are used for planting, cut off, when in May or early June, 15 cm long shoots appear on phloxes. The stems are cut so that a couple of buds remain on the mother plant. The lower leaves are removed from the cuttings, the upper one is cut in half. Then the planting material is immersed in water for 40-60 minutes.
After that, phloxes can be planted in a greenhouse or directly into open ground. The cuttings are buried a couple of centimeters. Within 1–2 weeks, roots appear on new plants, and phloxes, ready for planting and care in the open field, are transferred to a permanent place.
Outdoor phlox care after planting
Taking care of perennial phloxes will not burden the summer resident. Plants need watering, maintaining the cleanliness of the soil and feeding, which will help the phlox grow and bloom perfectly.
After planting phlox in the spring, weeding and loosening the soil must be included in caring for them in the open field. Otherwise, the weeds clog the seedlings, and the dense crust does not provide enough water and oxygen.
If it rains in summer, no additional watering is required. The dry months are a different matter. In this case, the bushes are watered regularly, abundantly, especially during flowering, trying not to get delicate petals. The best time to water perennial phlox is in the evening.
From the second half of summer, phloxes are often affected powdery mildew - one of the most common diseases spread by harmful fungi. To protect phlox in the open field from disease, post-planting care includes preventive and, if necessary, therapeutic treatment of the bushes with fungicides.
Double spraying is carried out at the beginning and middle of summer. If this does not help, the bushes will have to be cut short and copiously treated with a liquid preparation containing copper.
Before the beginning of winter, it is important to remove plant residues from under the bushes, and thoroughly spray the plants themselves with Bordeaux liquid or copper sulfate.
Perennial phloxes tolerate winter well, but if there is not enough snow, they can freeze slightly. Therefore, in the fall, the aboveground part is cut off, and the bushes are covered with a thick layer of mulch or spruce branches.