Phlox annual planting and care. Annual phloxes: planting and necessary care - step-by-step instructions for beginner gardeners. Phlox annuals. Care

Phloxes are beautiful flowers, loved by many flower growers and gardeners. Today, more than seventy species of phlox are known, but only half of them are grown in culture. And almost all varieties of these flowers are perennials. Perennial phloxes have a lot of advantages, but there is also a significant drawback - a limited color range (pink-raspberry shades) and a monotonous structure of inflorescences. But the annual phlox is full of different colors, its petals are carved and resemble original snowflakes. Unfortunately, there is a minus here too - growing an annual is much more difficult. This article will be devoted to how to grow annual phloxes from seeds, when to plant these flowers for seedlings and in the ground. From here you can learn about the features of flowers, about what methods of growing them exist, and what kind of care annual phloxes need.

Annual Phlox Drummond

Phloxes (translated from Greek - “flame”) belong to the genus of herbaceous plants from the cyanotic family. They number about 70 species, and only a little more than half of them are grown.

Among the many varieties, varieties, annual Drummond phloxes are in favor with professional and amateur flower growers. Compared with their long-term "relatives", they have long owned the palm. This is largely due to the large variety of varieties, flower shapes, their shades compared to perennials. They look great on alpine slides, flower beds. They can decorate the space near the houses with the help of decorative containers.

Externally, Drummond's phlox is a branchy plant from 20 to 60 cm tall. Its flowers are clove-shaped and about 1.5 cm in diameter. The color of the petals is also varied, but always bright: white, pink, red, purple, and sometimes two-tone, with an eye in the center. This species is not afraid of rain and wind, they will not damage its inflorescences. And you can plant Drummond's phlox both in the garden in group plantings or on an alpine hill, and on the balcony, if your own suburban area is still only in the plans.

When to plant annual phlox

Seeds of the Drummond variety and other hybrids are planted for seedlings in spring, in March. Note. Phlox seeds are similar to small coffee beans with a dense skin. But you can’t deepen them into the ground, so they begin to germinate only if sunlight hits them.

Growing annual phloxes from seeds

It should be noted that the seeds lose their germination capacity during long and improper storage. Therefore, they must first be checked for germination by the method of stratification. In other words, grow.

To achieve longer flowering, Drummond phlox is recommended to grow seedlings. Seeds sown immediately into the ground germinate for a very long time, and plants grown from them bloom only at the end of summer.

In order for the seeds to germinate quickly, it is not necessary to press them into the ground. From above, they are sprinkled a little with an earthen mixture and sprayed with warm water. Seedling boxes are covered with glass or polyethylene, and cleaned in a warm place. The soil must be aired daily. When the first seedlings appear, the containers are placed in a well-lit place, and the glass or polyethylene is removed. At this stage, seedling care is only about keeping the soil moist. After the appearance of two or three true leaves, young plants are seated in separate pots.

Moderate watering through a spray gun is carried out with a dried top layer of soil. For hardening on the eve of planting sprouts in the open, you need to lower the temperature to +15 ° C, increase the frequency of irrigation with the addition of mineral fertilizers.

When 4-5 leaves appear, the plant is pinched to form the splendor of the bushes.

Planting phlox seedlings in open ground

Determine a place on your site where the plant can safely grow for several years. Remember that phlox love sunny areas and semi-shaded areas. Do not plant them in a swampy lowland and under a dense canopy of trees.

Prepare the soil well for planting. It should be loose and nutritious, since phloxes will grow well on such land, and their flowering will not only be long, but also very lush. These plants do not do well on soils with a high content of sand, they also do not like heavy soils with strong acidity. You are unlikely to succeed in achieving seedlings in such places. Flower beds or beds should be prepared even before the onset of the first frost.

Planting seedlings is carried out in shallow pits, on the bottom of which compost or biohumus and a little ash are poured. The roots are neatly straightened horizontally and sprinkled with earth. Plants are watered, the soil around them is mulched.

How to care for annual phlox

Caring for phlox is not much different from caring for other horticultural crops. It is necessary to carry out weeding, loosening, watering and trimming the bush. If you need to grow a short and lush bush, then it is worth pinching from time to time. It must be understood that this will delay the plant from flowering for several weeks.

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It is best to pinch in May. Phlox watering should be done in the morning or evening. At the same time, both drought and abundant moisture are unacceptable for them. Pour water exclusively under the roots, preventing it from falling onto the leaves. During extreme heat, it is worth watering the culture 2 times a day. In order for moisture to linger in the soil, it should be mulched using humus or peat. The layer thickness should be 5 cm.

Diseases of annual phloxes

They are divided into viral and fungal. Here is a photo of the diseases.

Viral:

rattle. Light spreading spots on the leaves;
necrotic spotting. Dark brown spots on the petals;
ring spot. White spots covering plants deform the shape of the leaf over time;
leaf curl. The leaves are covered with tubercles, the stems become brittle.

Fungal:

septiriosis. Leads to the death of the leaves, due to the appearance of gray spots. Then the foliage turns yellow and reddens;
powdery mildew. Cobweb spots lead to drying of the leaves;
rust. Appeared and spreading brown spots lead to the death of phlox foliage.

In addition, caterpillars, nematodes, slobbering pennits and other pests threaten.

What to plant next to phlox

In order for a flowerbed with phloxes planted on it to look more beautiful, you need to know which plants can and should be planted next to these bright beauties. Here are a few examples of those flowers and plants that will look harmonious next to phlox:

In summer time:

aster alpine;
undersized bell;
small-flowered;
geranium;
carnation-grass;
veronica;
Highlander.

In the summer-autumn period:

astilbe;
host;
lungwort;
basilisk;
Siberian iris.

During the spring period:

dwarf iris;
primrose;
saxifrage.

In the autumn period:

snowdrops;
crocuses;
blueberries;
dwarf barberry Tunberka;
spirea.

When choosing varieties, it is important to take into account the decorative features of phlox in garden design, not only during flowering, but throughout the growing season.

Phlox ( Phlox) is a herbaceous plant of the cyanide family. It owes its name to Carl Linnaeus, who was simply delighted with a flowering plant and gave it the name phlox, which is translated from Greek as a flame. Native to North America, this plant has become so firmly established in our flower beds and in our gardens that we are used to seeing it growing in the same place year after year.

Yes, phlox is a perennial. However, among its variety there is one species that is annual, and this is Drummond's phlox ( Phlox drummondii).

Reproduction of annual phlox

cuttings

This species can be propagated in two ways - cuttings and seeds. As for the first method, cuttings, it must be carried out in the period May-June. To do this, a stalk is carefully cut off from the still non-dulled part of the plant, which must contain at least two pairs of leaves and one internode.

The resulting material is planted directly in open moist soil and provided with regular watering. For better rooting of the cutting, it must be shaded from direct sunlight, and in especially hot weather it must also be sprayed.

After about a month, a developed root system is already forming in the phlox, and by autumn it is already able to give young shoots and have time to bloom.

How to sow seeds for seedlings?

As for the second method - propagation by seeds, it must be carried out in the period March-April and before the seeds themselves are sown to obtain seedlings. At the same time, the composition of the earth is not so important as its temperature, which should not fall below 23 degrees. Only then can we expect successful seed germination and friendly shoots that appear after about 10 days.

After the seedlings have formed a pair of true leaves, they need to be picked into separate containers, ensuring regular watering and sufficient lighting.

In late April - early May, finished seedlings are planted in open ground, at a distance of about 20 cm from each other. During this period, they must be shaded from direct sunlight, which will significantly improve rooting.

And if immediately in the garden?

You can also sow seeds directly into the open ground and the best time for this is mid-May, when the soil is already warm enough. In this case, the area with crops should be watered regularly and also shaded from direct sun.

You can also sow seeds for the winter, in October-November. As a rule, they tolerate frost well, but for this, the landing site must be additionally insulated with dry grass or leaves.

Regardless of the chosen method of reproduction of phlox, as the bush forms, young shoots must be pinched. In this case, flowering will be more abundant, and the bush itself will form more magnificently.

Phlox Drummond in the garden (varietal mix "Grandiflora

Phlox annual planting and care

Phlox Drummond grows up to 60 cm high and is characterized by lush flowering from June to autumn. Therefore, when choosing a place for planting, it is necessary to take into account the possible height of the plant, no matter what it interferes with or interferes with the growth and development of neighboring plants.

As for the soil, it should be noted that the plant can grow anywhere, but it is better to give preference to light, fertile areas where the flowering of phlox is only improving.

Phlox Drummond is thermophilic, but can easily tolerate light frosts and tolerate prolonged rains well. The only thing to avoid when growing it is shade and dampness. Therefore, if there is a desire for the plant to be beautiful and healthy, then it is better to plant it in open areas of the garden or flower beds, with enough light.

In general, the phlox plant is unpretentious and does not require any special care. However, there are a few recommendations that should be followed when growing it on your site.

- Regular watering, especially in dry weather.
- Regular loosening of the soil around the bush, for better air permeability of the soil.
- After every 5th pair of leaves, the shoots need to be pinched so that the bush is more magnificent, which in turn stimulates flowering.
- Faded inflorescences must be removed in a timely manner. But if it is planned to collect seeds, then they are left until fully ripened.
- Regular fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.
- Carry out prophylaxis against powdery mildew - the most likely disease of phlox.

All varieties of Drummond's annual phlox are suitable for growing in our latitudes and simply amaze with their variety of shapes and shades of flowers. The gardener can only make his choice and follow all the recommendations for growing it, so that this unpretentious plant will delight with its flowering all summer.

On the site of any country house you can see annual phloxes. This is a plant of the cyanide family and there are more than 60 species. Plants attract with a variety of colors, their beauty and wonderful aroma. It is not difficult to grow annual phloxes, the main thing is to regularly care for the plant.

Annual phloxes: varieties

Phlox Drummond is the only annual type of phlox that has several varieties. The most common are:

Phlox "Star Rain". The flowers are shaped like stars. They can be single color or two color.
Phlox "Flickering Star". The plant is undersized up to 25 cm high. Phlox flowers are large at the end of the petals are pointed.
Phlox Chanel. The bush is compact and covered with double flowers of yellow-red color.
Phlox Promis Pink. The flowers are large and double, pink in color with a pleasant aroma. Differs in plentiful and long blossoming.

This plant will make flowerbeds, lawns of any suburban area more attractive.

Methods and terms of cultivation

Phlox propagation can be done in one of two ways: seeds and cuttings. From mid-May to June, cuttings are carried out. To do this, cut off a cutting with two or three leaves and plant it in open ground. In a month, the plant will form a root system and by autumn it will bloom. Cultivation by sowing seeds is carried out in March or April.

Seeds during this period are sown for seedlings. After the emergence of seedlings, seated separately and put on the windowsill. It is important to avoid direct sunlight. To do this, cover the landing with any covering material. If you sow seeds in open ground, it is recommended to do this in May. During this period, the earth is already well warmed up.

It should be remembered that phloxes grown from seedlings bloom all summer, and seeds sown in the ground bloom only at the end of summer. You can sow the seeds for the winter, in October or November. Phloxes tolerate frost well, but it is recommended to insulate the planting site with dry leaves or grass.

Preparation and landing

If phloxes are grown from seeds for seedlings, then the seed must first be soaked. You can use a specially prepared solution of potassium permanganate or soft water. Lower the seeds for a day, then remove, dry, put on gauze and put on the windowsill to warm up. Seeds should be sown after 3-4 cm, not buried in the ground, but sprinkled on top. Then spray from a spray bottle and cover the container with glass. It is important not to forget to regularly water and ventilate the seedlings.

Seed germination depends on temperature and humidity. The temperature should be in the range of 17-20 degrees, it is also necessary to adhere to high humidity. It is important not to forget about timely watering. Before planting phlox in open ground, it is necessary to prepare the soil. The land must be fertile and moist.

It is undesirable to plant a plant on clay, acidic and damp soils. The soil needs to be fertilized. About 7 kg of peat, 5 kg of compost, 300-400 g of ash should be taken per square meter.

Mix everything well and add a little sand, potassium sulfate and nitrophoska 30 g each to the mixture. Apply the prepared fertilizer to the soil and dig up the ground. Plants can be planted after 2-3 weeks. It is important to know that it is forbidden to apply manure under phlox, as the plant can be affected by various rot. It is recommended to sow seeds or plant seedlings in shady places. Thus, you can admire the flowering of phlox for a long time.

Sowing seeds into the soil is carried out to a depth of about 1-1.5 cm. In the spring, the seedlings will sprout, and it will be necessary to pick. Seedlings are planted at a distance of 18-20 cm. After a week, young plants should be fed with saltpeter. It is better to plant a plant in the evening or in cloudy weather. Low-growing varieties are planted at a distance of 40 cm from each other, plants of medium length - 50-55 cm, and tall ones - 60-70 cm. The depth of the hole is about 15-20 cm.

Put a seedling in the prepared hole, cover it with earth. In this case, the stems should be deepened by 3-5 cm. This is necessary so that the root neck does not get sunburned, and in winter the plant does not freeze out. After that, pour water and mulch.

plant care

Once planted, annual phlox should be watered every 2-3 days for 2 weeks. Watering should be moderate. You will need 2 buckets of water per square meter. During the dry season, water regularly in the morning and evening. In hot weather, cold water should not be watered, as this can lead to cracking of the root system.

Phlox should be fed at least 3 times during the summer. Dry top dressing is applied if the summer is rainy. If there is little precipitation, then liquid fertilizer is applied. To prepare dry fertilizer, take a bucket of humus and 2 tablespoons of urea. Mix the components and sprinkle next to the plants.

If you need to make a liquid top dressing, then dilute 2 tablespoons of urea in 10 liters of water. These fertilizers are applied when the branches are stalks. With the advent of buds, you can perform a second top dressing. Dilute nitrophoska (60 g) in a 10-liter bucket. You can also add special fertilizers for flowering plants. The last top dressing is performed after the phloxes have faded.

In a bucket of water, superphosphate and potassium sulfate are diluted in equal amounts of 30 g each. For dry top dressing, take 8-10 kg of peat, 60-70 g of phosphorus-potassium fertilizer and the same amount of Autumn fertilizer. Proper preparation of fertilizer and optimal timing of application for the next year will ensure abundant and long flowering. When caring for phlox, do not forget to mulch the soil, loosen and remove weeds.

Mulching should be carried out continuously to prevent drying out and ensure the soil is breathable. As mulch, you can use humus, compost, dry peat or leaves. Phloxes are not demanding in care. Subject to all recommendations, you can enjoy lush and bright flowering all summer.

Such a herbaceous plant as phlox (Phlox) is directly related to the cyanotic family (Polemoniaceae). This genus unites about 70 species, while about 40 species are cultivated. For the first time, phlox began to be grown in European countries in the middle of the 18th century. To date, thanks to breeders, about 1.5 thousand various varieties of such flowers have appeared. From the Greek language "phlox" is translated as "flame". So this plant was named by K. Linnaeus in 1737, and that’s all, because in some of the phlox species, the flowers have a very rich color. Under natural conditions, such flowers can be found in North America. Due to the fact that the climate of those places is quite severe, the plant is characterized by undemanding care and vitality. And the flowers of phloxes are incredibly fragrant, and the flowering itself is long.

Phlox features

Phloxes of even the same species can be very different from each other, and this is influenced by the characteristics of the climate in which the flower grows. So, for example, those plants that grow at an altitude of 4 thousand meters are bryophytes and have a fairly low growth, only 5–25 centimeters. Their branching stems cover the evergreen leaf blades. If the plant grows in favorable climatic conditions, then it has an upright bush, which can reach a height of 30–180 centimeters. There are also semi-shrubs. These plants also differ in flowering time. So, there are early (spring), middle (summer), as well as late (summer-autumn). Most often there are upright varieties and species. Sessile, entire, oppositely arranged leaflets can be elongated-ovoid or lanceolate-oval. The diameter of the flowers varies from 2.5 to 4 centimeters. They have a tubular-funnel shape and are part of a complex inflorescence. So, in one inflorescence there can be up to 90 flowers. The flower consists of 5 stamens, 5 slightly recurved petals, and 1 pistil. Most phlox species are perennials. However, Drummond's phlox (Phlox drummondii) and its various forms and varieties are considered annuals.

Main types and varieties

Phlox annuals

Phlox Drummond

The best annual phlox grown in the garden is Drummond. The Englishman G. Drummond, who was a naturalist, traveler and theologian, brought it to England from Texas in 1835. In England, this flower has taken root. Flowering in such a plant begins in June and ends with the onset of the first frost. Oppositely arranged leaflets have a lanceolate-oval shape. The thin stem is quite branched, and it reaches a height of 20–30 centimeters. The color of fragrant flowers is dark red, yellow, purple, white and salmon.

Plants of this species are divided into 2 varieties, namely: large-flowered and star-shaped. tall phlox Drummond stellate(Phlox drummondii cuspidata), as a rule, reaches 30-40 centimeters, but more compact plants (up to 12 centimeters) are also found. Dissected petals give a bright flower a resemblance to a star, in the center of which there is an eye. Phlox Drummonda grandiflora(Phlox drummondii mixed) - its height, as a rule, does not exceed 30 centimeters. Its flowers are large enough and can be painted in various colors. But plants with flowers of red shades have more spectacularity.

Flower growers also divide these plants by size into dwarf ones, which reach a height of 15 to 20 centimeters, as well as large-flowered ones. Large-flowered cultivars: Tall Fiery Red, Tall White and Tall Bright Red. Varieties related to dwarf phlox: Chamoa (pink), Salmona (salmon), Snowball (white), Isabella (yellow) and Defiance (fiery red). All varieties of this type of phlox have both semi-double and terry varieties. The most popular are terry flowers of the Promis variety of various colors.

Phlox perennial

Phlox subulate

The earliest of the phlox species related to perennials is subulate, its flowering begins in May. The plant itself is highly branched and profusely flowering. During flowering, the bush is completely covered with flowers, which can be of various shades from dark red to pure white. The leaves are narrow, awl-shaped, which influenced the name of the variety. Such a plant is suitable for decorating alpine slides, as well as rockeries.

Phlox splayed

Phlox bloom splayed also begins in May, but 7–14 days later than Phlox subulate. Compact bushes are decorated with small bluish-lilac flowers. This species loves light less than the previous one, and it also has less dense, but larger foliage and woody shoots.

Panicled phlox blooms in the middle of the summer period. This species is very popular among gardeners. It has spectacular green leaves and fairly large inflorescences, consisting of many fragrant beautiful flowers.

Phlox paniculata

Phlox paniculata- thanks to this species, a large number of very interesting varieties were born. So, among them, the Pure Feelings terry phlox stands out, in which rather large inflorescences consist of white flowers, a strip of green color runs through the center, and lilac flowers are located in the lower part. The elongated petals are slightly twisted. Bush in height can reach from 70 to 80 centimeters. And the Natural Feelings terry phlox deserves special attention. Inflorescences similar to flowering branches of lilacs consist of small greenish-white-pink flowers. Also, thanks to breeders, frost-resistant varieties were born, for example, Orange Phlox (Orange Perfection, Orange Spat), the flowers of which are painted in various shades of red-orange, which do not fade under the influence of sunlight. They are undemanding, easy to breed and have a spectacular appearance. The most popular of the varieties is Phlox King. The bush can reach a height of 100 centimeters, the flowers of such a plant are quite large (about 4 centimeters in diameter) and can be painted in pink, white, crimson, lilac, as well as in other color shades.

Growing phlox from seeds

Properly grown, blooming phloxes can brighten up your garden from spring until the fall frost. The most popular method of propagation of such plants is vegetative (by layering, cuttings and dividing the bush). However, some gardeners prefer seed propagation of phlox. Perennial seeds freshly harvested in autumn must be sown in the soil in winter (in November or December). First you need to decide on the site on which 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 scatter the 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 throw snow all over again. You can purchase the soil in a special store or collect it in advance. Freshly sown seeds have a germination rate of approximately 70 percent. But with the onset of spring, it is significantly reduced. At the very beginning of spring, phlox shoots will appear in the garden. 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 at the appropriate time for this.

As a rule, phloxes, which are annuals, are propagated by seeds. To do this, in the spring, seeds should be sown, leaving a distance of about 3–4 centimeters between them. Then you should water from the sprayer and cover the bed with plastic wrap. Soil should not be poured over the seeds, but it is necessary to raise the shelter daily for some time and remove the resulting condensate. After the appearance of the first shoots, the shelter should be removed.

How to plant phlox annuals

The cultivation of such plants from seeds is discussed above. However, there are gardeners who are afraid of night frosts in the spring, which can destroy the plant, so they prefer to grow seedlings at home. Sowing of seeds is carried out at the beginning of the spring period (in March). The first shoots can be seen after only 7 days after sowing. Young plants need to be provided with a sufficient amount of light, watering, as well as a moderate temperature regime. After 14-21 days after the emergence of seedlings, the plants must dive. After the picking is done, it is recommended to shade the phloxes for several days from the direct rays of the sun. They can be covered with newspaper sheets or an opaque film. While the seedlings are growing in the house, mineral fertilizers can be applied 2 or 3 times to the soil, while using ½ of the dose recommended for adult phloxes. To make the bush more lush, after 4 or 5 true leaves appear on it, pinching is done.

Seedlings are planted in May, while a distance of 15 to 20 centimeters is left between the bushes. For successful cultivation of phlox, you need to find a suitable place. Phlox annuals are not afraid of cold and drought, they love light, but react negatively to overheating of the roots. The most spectacular plants grow in partial shade. It has been noticed that the stronger the area is shaded, the longer this plant will bloom, but at the same time it will grow fewer flowers. It should be noted that most varieties fade in the sun during the flowering period. But this does not threaten plants in partial shade. The color of their flowers remains saturated for a long time. Particularly beautiful are the "blue" varieties growing in a shaded place, the flowers of which become almost blue in poor light. For planting phloxes, it is recommended to use high beds, next to which there are no shrubs or trees with a fairly branched root system.

Such a plant needs soil, which includes a lot of humus. It should be noted that the plant may die in heavy soil with poor drainage. If you have chosen a site with acidified soil for planting, then lime must be added to it. The most suitable for growing such flowers is fertile sand, in which there is no clay. If you water the plants planted in it well, they will grow powerful and beautiful. Before planting phloxes in heavy loam, organic fertilizers, sand, and peat must be added to it. Prepare a not very deep hole for the plant and be sure to pour compost, biohumus or 2 handfuls of wood ash into it. Roots should be straightened horizontally.

Caring for annual phlox

Growing phlox annuals is not difficult. So, they need to gently loosen the top layer of soil 6–8 times per season, in the second half of the period of intensive growth, it is necessary to spud the plant during loosening, for better and faster formation of the root system. Organic and mineral fertilizers should also be applied to the soil. In the last days of May, it is necessary to feed the phloxes with liquid manure for the first time (25 g of the substance is taken per 10 liters of water). The second top dressing is carried out in the first days of June, but at the same time, superphosphate or potassium salt should be poured into the finished liquid manure. In the first days of July, liquid manure (without additives) should be applied to the soil for the third time. In the last days of July, the plant should be fed 4 times, while the fertilizer should contain potassium salt and phosphorus.

How to water properly

Plants should be systematically moderately watered in the morning or evening. When watering, water should be poured under the root, while 15–20 liters of water should go per 1 square meter. If you pour cold water on phloxes on a hot day, this can lead to cracking of their shoots. It is recommended to pick off faded flowers, because they are a hindrance to those that have not yet blossomed.

Diseases

Phloxes can get variegated. In this case, a pattern unusual for this plant appears on the surface of the leaves and flowers, which significantly impairs the decorative qualities of the flower. A diseased plant cannot be cured, so it must be dug up and destroyed. If phloxes become infected with powdery mildew, then they will also need to be destroyed. You can understand that the flower is sick by the matte white coating that appears on the foliage and shoots.

Such a plant can also get sick with formosa, in which case the leaves dry out, and the stems become brittle. For preventive purposes, it is necessary to treat foliage and shoots with colloidal sulfur. It should be noted that during processing the air temperature should be above 18 degrees, and the substance should not be allowed to get on the inflorescences. When infected with septoria, dots of a dark brown color are formed on the surface of the foliage. With the development of the disease, they increase in size. A diseased plant must be treated with Bordeaux liquid, as well as the surface of the soil near it. After half a month, re-treatment is carried out. Verticillium wilt adversely affects the root system of the plant, but only those phloxes that grow on acidic soil are susceptible to such a disease.

Pests

A nematode (a very small thread-like worm) can settle on a plant, which sucks the juice out of it. A sign that there is such a pest on phlox is mutilated inflorescences, crushed flowers and thinned shoots. The infected plant is dug up and destroyed (burned). The soil must be treated 3 times with nematocides, while maintaining an interval between treatments of 3 weeks.

Naked slugs at night can eat leaves, flowers, and even the lower part of the shoots. Systematic loosening of the soil and weeding is an excellent prevention against slugs. In case of severe infection, it is recommended to sprinkle the soil surface with wood ash, fluffy lime or tobacco dust mixed with ash. Butterfly caterpillars present on the foliage can be removed manually. With a strong infection, the plants are treated from leaf-eating pests.

Planting and caring for annual phlox

Planting perennial phlox

The planting of such phlox is very similar to that used for annuals. However, when planting plants in the spring, it will be necessary to pour a layer of mulch (humus or dry peat) on the soil surface. The distance between the bushes should be left quite large (about 50 centimeters), since in a few years they will grow quite strongly. When purchasing seedlings of such flowers in autumn, they should not be planted in open ground. It is recommended to dig seedlings to a depth of 20 to 25 centimeters, choosing for this a site protected from gusts of wind, and snow should also linger on it in winter. After freezing of the soil, it is necessary to cover the plants with dry foliage or peat.

Sometimes it is allowed to plant perennial phloxes in open ground in the fall. A bush that has grown and lost its beauty can be divided in autumn (from mid-August to mid-September). For disembarkation, side delenki are used, and the central part is thrown out. In autumn, phloxes are also transplanted to a permanent place, which were planted in spring with cuttings.

During the autumn planting, compost should be added to the soil, and peat is added to the sandy soil, and sand to the clay soil. The wells are placed at a distance of 50 centimeters from each other. The divisions are lowered into them and the roots are straightened horizontally, it is necessary to dig shallowly (about 4–5 centimeters). In dry weather, watering is done after 2-3 days (within 14 days). 2 liters of water are taken per bush. The dried surface of the soil must be loosened and sprinkled with a four-centimeter layer of mulch (humus or peat).

Care

The rules of care are similar to those used for annuals. But such plants need to be fed 5 times per season, with the last time fertilizers are applied to the soil during seed formation. For top dressing, a solution consisting of 5 liters of water, 10 g of superphosphate and 5 g of potassium sulfate is used. You need to feed in the evening after watering, while avoiding contact with the solution on the foliage. If you take care of the plants correctly, then they can be grown in one area for 7 years.

Cuttings of these plants can be carried out during the entire period of intensive growth. The beginning of cuttings falls on the time when the stem reaches a height of 5 centimeters, and the end - on the last September days. Cuttings taken from the plant in spring and summer are best rooted. The plant can also be propagated by layering. Before the plant fades, its shoot is bent to the surface of the soil, fixed along the entire length and spud with a mixture of peat and humus. In autumn, the young plant is separated from the mother bush and planted in a permanent place.

Features of care after flowering and in winter

Annuals can grow in the spring of next year, but their decorative qualities will be low. After collecting the ripened seeds in the autumn, remove the remains of the plants, and dig the soil, while removing the remaining rhizomes.

In a snowless winter period, the growth buds of phloxes are likely to freeze out during frosts of about minus 10–15 degrees. If it is colder than 20-25 degrees, then this will lead to the death of the root system. In this regard, in the autumn, the dried upper part of the plant must be removed, and the root collars must be covered with a layer of soil mixed with peat. From above, they should be covered with dried leaves, straw or spruce branches. With a snow cover of 50-60 centimeters, phloxes can easily withstand thirty-degree frosts.

I want to tell you about annual phloxes. I planted them once, and after that they settled in my garden and heart forever. In its family (bluish) there is a single annual species, which was given the name

Phlox Drummond (

Phlox Drummondii

Phlox Drummond Twinkle Star Annual phloxes come in peach, chocolate, beige, whipped cream and coffee shades, while perennials are dominated by pink or raspberry colors. These flowers attract attention with the unusual structure of a flower that looks like a snowflake. Perennial phloxes do not have such a structure.

Agrotechnics of cultivation

A few words about the nuances and subtleties of the agricultural technology of annual phloxes. For a long time it was believed that growing phloxes from seeds was a thankless task, since large, dense seeds did not want to sprout in any way. Previously, out of a hundred seeds sown, one or two sprouted. Let's consider in more detail.

Due to the fact that phlox seeds are quite large, with a dense outer shell, there was an opinion that they should be buried in the soil to a depth of 0.3 or even 0.5 cm. But annual phlox seeds germinate only on the soil surface and in the light.

Seedlings of annual phlox. Photo from the site dacha-foto.ru This means that they must be laid out on the surface of the earth, watered from a sprayer and covered with a transparent film. At the same time, every morning the boxes with crops must be ventilated, shake off the condensate accumulated during the night. This is the feature of growing phloxes from seeds. If you follow these rules, then the shoots and seedlings are friendly.

For seedlings, annual phloxes are sown in March. Picking should be done in two weeks, young plants tolerate it well. The first three days, the plant should be protected from direct sunlight so that there are no burns. Therefore, dived phlox seedlings should be covered with a newspaper or an opaque film.

Annual phloxes with other flowers in my flower garden Once a month, it is useful to feed the plants, that is, before planting in the ground, you need to carry out two or three fertilizing with mineral fertilizer. As the frosts pass, we plant them in open ground, as a rule, in the second half of May.

My experience

Having bought 3 bags of seeds of 10 pieces each and soil for seedlings of flowers, I sowed for the first time. And immediately made a mistake, sprinkling the seeds with earth.

Later I read that they first need to be soaked in a solution for seed germination, spread over the surface of moist soil and pressed a little. Then cover with glass or film, put in a well-lit place, ventilate daily and remove condensate. After 7-10 days, they germinate and after two true leaves appear, they swoop down.

Since I sprinkled the seeds with earth, they sprouted in two weeks and even later, the seedlings were unfriendly. I dived them about 3 weeks after the first shoots. Some plants already had 2-4 true leaves, but there were also those that had just come out.

In this photo, my phloxes were planted in early June at the end of May at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. Landed in two rows to look more magnificent. Phloxes grow very quickly, they need to be watered regularly and fed once a month with a complex mineral fertilizer. They bloom non-stop from June until the first frost. For better flowering, you need to remove wilted inflorescences.

Throughout the summer, I collected dried flowers and put them in a box for seed ripening. It must be borne in mind that the box must be with a lid, as the ripened seeds shoot out and scatter over a decent distance in the same way as a viola.

Look how beautiful phlox are in autumn! What they were at the beginning of summer, such almost remained.

My phloxes in autumn This photo was taken on September 15th. Few of my neighbors have preserved flower beds blooming in full force until this time. Plant, you won't regret it!

In this article we will talk about annual phloxes, consider their most popular varieties and the main ways to grow this plant in your garden.

Phloxes are annual and perennial.

Perennial plants are not in vain considered the masters of flower beds. But, despite such an honorary title, they will look poor without the presence of annuals.

Among gardeners, the only annual phlox, Drummond, is known.

Annual Phlox

Annual Phlox - Phlox Drummond

Phlox Drummond is a beautiful herbaceous flower that impresses with its rich palette of shades.

Unlike perennials, a flower can have a peach, chocolate, beige, coffee, cream color.

The plant has thin branched stems that can reach a height of 60 cm.

Drummond can be:

stellate. Star Drummond can reach 40 cm in height. But you can find a stunted flower that will reach 15 cm in height. The buds of the star-shaped annual have dissected petals that resemble an asterisk with a bright center.
Large-flowered. He is the owner of simple, double or slightly double inflorescences. The height of this species can be about 30 cm.

Benefits of Annual Phlox

Considering the features of an annual variety, you can find advantages over perennials:

For starters, annuals are rich in bright and varied colors, shapes.
In addition, Phlox Drummond is not whimsical and not capricious, it tolerates drought and slight frosts well. The plant is more resistant to diseases and pests.
And unlike perennials, the annual blooms longer.
This annual has small buds. But since they grow in inflorescences, the appearance of the flower is lush and decorative.

The benefits of phlox

In addition, the opposite, slightly oval leaves emphasize its individuality. It is these qualities that make the flower look like a colorful blanket, so it is an excellent option for decorating and decorating garden plots, loggias, balconies.

Star Phdoxes

Five popular varieties of Phlox Drummond

Fragrant Phlox Drummond is distinguished by a wide variety of colors, shapes and varieties.

The most popular annual varieties:

Constellation

This variety has a lush bush with bright buds of various shades.

The constellation is a great option to create a beautiful bouquet and an original flower bed.

After all, flowers, in addition to a variety of colors, have a fragrant, attractive aroma.

star Rain

This variety is characterized as a tall shrub with straight leaves. The height can reach 50 cm. The buds look like fragrant stars.

The plant has a high, long flowering.

Star Rain is resistant to frost and drought. In order for the annual to please with blossoming buds for a long time, it is necessary to plant it in sunny areas.

Terry

This medium-sized shrub reaches 30 cm in height.

The buds fit tightly together and have a varied color palette from creamy to dark red.

This variety is ideal for decorating a loggia or balcony. But even terry phlox is often grown at home in pots.

twinkling star

This variety is considered a low-growing plant that reaches 20 cm in height.

Buds form unusual pointed petals. This species blooms both at home and on the street.

The plant begins to delight with flowering in June, and ends in September.

Promise Pink

This variety is distinguished by a small shrub that reaches a height of 20 cm. Terry pink buds. This variety of phlox is an excellent solution for decorating a flower bed or an alpine slide.

Features of growing annual phlox

Growing annual phlox is not a troublesome business, but it must also be approached with responsibility.

In order for the plant to please with abundant flowering, you need to plant it in a sun-drenched area.

The soil must be equipped with fertilizers.

Such as peat or humus.

Culture can be grown in two ways:

With the help of seeds directly into the ground. A good time for planting is the beginning of May. Before sowing, the soil must be prepared. After that, small holes are made, and several seeds are placed in each. It is necessary to plant so that the holes are 15 cm apart from each other. Sprouts will appear 2 weeks after sowing. All these 2 weeks the soil should be wet. And after the emergence of seedlings, you need to do loosening the earth and liquid nitrogenous top dressing. It is necessary to feed the plant once a week. And in July, when the first buds begin to form, the soil should be equipped with fertilizer.
With seedlings. This method of sowing will make it possible to admire the flowers in May. To do this, in mid-March, seeds must be sown in boxes. Moreover, they are buried in the ground, but only slightly sprinkled. After sowing, the box must be covered with polyethylene, but we must not forget about daily ventilation. After a week, the first shoots will appear, and then you need to rearrange the box in a bright place. Then the seedlings must be fertilized with liquid nitrogen, and with the onset of heat (in April), the box must be put outside for several hours (so that the flower gets used and gets stronger). In May, when the weather has already settled and it is warm outside, seedlings can be planted in open ground.

Annual Phlox seedlings

Phlox Drummond is not capricious.

He has simplicity and unpretentiousness.

The plant does not need special care, but they are demanding for watering, especially during the period of growth and budding.

You need to know that it is impossible to water under the plants, especially with cold water in order to avoid fungal diseases such as powdery mildew. Therefore, it is better to water on the ground around the bush, and in warm weather, just leave the hose with water for a while near the bush. Such watering is very favorable for phloxes.

Where to plant annual phloxes?

The flower is ideal for decorating paths, lawns, alleys, hedges, balconies, loggias, flower beds and borders.

Phloxes are like beautiful colorful bedspreads that take your breath away.

They are a real find for landscape design.

The plant goes well with flowers such as:

bells;
decorative cereals;
nivyaniks;
veronica.

Phlox diseases

The most common phlox disease is powdery mildew.

This disease mainly affects the leaves and stems, at first a white-brown bloom appears, and then the leaves almost all become dark brown, which negatively affects the decorative effect and causes weak flowering.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the annual phlox is no worse than the long-term one. You can even say it's better. Indeed, unlike perennials, annuals amaze with their rich color.

Annual phloxes are not whimsical and non-capricious.

He does not need special care.

It is for these qualities that gardeners love him so much.

Have a nice garden!!!

These fragrant beautiful flowers came to Europe from North America in the middle of the 18th century and became inhabitants of lawns, gardens, borders, borders, and often even balconies. It is possible that the harsh climate of the homeland endowed them with strength, unpretentiousness, vitality.

Phloxes (translated from Greek - “flame”) belong to the genus of herbaceous plants from the cyanotic family. They number about 70 species, and only a little more than half of them are grown.

Description of colors

In one complex phlox inflorescence, about 90 flowers can be collected. Each of them has 5 stamens and recurved petals, 1 pistil.

Their tubular-funnel shape resembles simple, semi-double and double stars, snowflakes with a rich palette of tones and halftones. These are beige, cream, red, pink, yellow, blue, purple, brown, black and other colors.

Phloxes have an amazing ability to change their appearance, reacting to the vagaries of "mother nature", the climate. So, for example, in the bright sun, their colors become brighter, and in cloudy times, they fade.

And the bushes themselves with a green mass of developed shoots resemble a colorful ball. Under more favorable conditions, they will be upright even up to 1.5 m high. There are also phloxes-semi-shrubs.

And those growing at high altitude will be bryophyte and undersized up to 25 cm with evergreen leaves. The most commonly grown phloxes are erect with entire, sessile, oval, lanceolate, oblong ovate leaves.

Phlox breeding

If you know and know how to grow such plants, then you can admire their delicate beauty from spring to early autumn. After all, according to the time of flowering, they are early, middle and late.

There are possibilities for propagating phloxes vegetatively:

layering
cuttings
dividing the bush

However, many flower growers prefer the use of seeds for breeding seedlings. From them you can grow quite strong seedlings suitable for planting on time.

After all, even seeds that crumble into the ground in autumn give up to 70% germination in spring. And yet, we offer you to get acquainted with some of the nuances of hand-planting seeds for the effective cultivation of seedlings.

When to plant seedlings

An important argument in favor of seedling cultivation of phlox is the avoidance of cases of freezing of seedlings from seeds that have fallen into the ground. Along with this, plants from seedlings have longer periods of flowering plants.

Preparation for planting seeds of annual flowers begins from late February to mid-March. Such terms allow you to see the fertility after 2 months in May. And the seeds sown directly on the site at the same time germinate and bloom only from the end of September.

Growing seedlings of phlox

This process consists of preparing the soil, containers, the seeds themselves, as well as creating optimal lighting and temperature conditions. At the same time, in each of these stages there are nuances, ignoring which is undesirable.

Land and seed preparation

Loose soil is suitable for planting seedlings, consisting of peat, rotted humus, lime, sand, and mineral fertilizers. It is placed in various containers (boxes, containers, cells, peat pots, etc.). Then the earth is moderately moistened and the sowing of seeds begins.

Sowing seeds

Held in March. Despite the density of large seeds, they do not require strong penetration into the soil mixture, but good lighting. They simply crumble on the surface, lightly pressed with the palm of your hand and sprayed a little from the spray bottle.

After that, the container with the planted seeds is covered with transparent glass or film and is located in a warm and bright place, for example, on a windowsill. It should be at least +23 °C here.

Further, daily airing of future shoots, spraying, careful shaking of the resulting condensate from the film / glass is carried out. As soon as the small roots of the hatched seeds attach to the ground, the transparent "shelters" are removed. After 7-10 days, the first shoots already appear.

seedling care

It consists in picking 2-3 weeks after the appearance of the first true leaves at a distance of more than 15 cm, uniform illumination at a temperature of +20°C.

When 4-5 leaves appear, the plant is pinched to form the splendor of the bushes.

Landing in open ground

After the onset of steady heat in May, the seedlings are transplanted in areas with light, fertile soil saturated with biohumus and compost. "Heavy" land must be lightened with sand, organic matter, peat. The best option is sandy, non-clay soil with good drainage, medium acidity.

When planting seedlings on the site, a place is selected in partial shade, where direct sunlight does not penetrate. Taking into account the future height, spreading of adult phloxes, a distance of about 20 cm is observed between the “neighbors” (snapdragon, bells, etc.).

Landing is carried out in a small hole with the addition of ash (up to 150 g). A seedling with horizontally straightened roots is placed there and slightly covered with earth.

Summer flower care

After "relocation" to open ground, growing phlox is quite easy and enjoyable.

The main principle of caring for one-year-old phlox in the summer is not to interfere with growth!

To comply with it will require:

regular watering in hot weather, as the plant withers during drought due to overheating of the root system
periodic careful loosening of the soil to ensure its breathability. In the 2nd half of the growing season of the plant, hilling is carried out to form the root system
pinching shoots to create the splendor of the bush, accelerating the onset of flowering
4-fold top dressing with mineral fertilizers, organic matter:

the first is carried out at the end of May with manure,
the second - in early June with liquid manure with superphosphate / potassium salt,
the third - in the first decade of July only with liquid manure, the 4th - at the end of July with phosphorus with potassium salt. For violent flowering, the plant can be fertilized with ammonium nitrate several times a season.

To increase the effect of these simple methods of agricultural technology, mulching the soil around the plants will help. Re-growing phlox next year is already possible using your own seeds.

How to collect your seeds

It is necessary to select the chosen varieties of flowers for subsequent breeding on time. To do this, the branches, along with large boxes that have already begun to turn yellow, must be cut off after flowering is completed.

Further ripening of seeds will take place in a paper or linen, but not plastic, bag. After cracking the oval box, the seeds remain in the same bag.

It remains only to sort the most ripe, large planting material and store it in a dark, dry, cool place until the next sowing in the spring.

Types and varieties of annual phlox

Drummond has 2 varieties:

Large-flowered phlox which can grow to a height of about 30cm. Their rather large inflorescences are characterized by a variety of colors, but phloxes with red tones look especially attractive. These include varieties such as: Tall white, Tall bright red, Tall fiery red.
stellate differ in greater height (up to 40 cm) and less often - lower ones up to 15 cm. Bright flowers outwardly resemble stars with an eye in the middle.

Individual gardeners classify annual phloxes not only according to these characteristics, but also by a low height of up to 20 cm. These are the so-called dwarf flowers.

Today, the most common varieties of Drummonda are: