Plant annual phloxes. Recommendations for the care of annual phlox. Required location, soil: sunny place, requires fertilized soil., grows especially well with regular watering. Caring for phlox

There are not many flowers in a summer cottage, especially if they are such unpretentious plants as phloxes. Phloxes (translated from Latin - “Flame”) amaze not only with an exquisite and delicate smell, but also with the uniqueness of colors. It is unconditionally recognized that there are practically no problems with them. Nevertheless, one cannot pass by some features in planting perennial phlox seeds in autumn in open ground and in spring for seedlings.

Varieties and varieties of perennial phlox:

Interesting! Perennial phloxes are not only paniculate, but it is virtually impossible to find seeds of other species on sale 🙂

And the only variety annual plants is phlox Drummond.

By the way! The site has a separate material about.

Growing perennial phloxes from seeds: terms and rules for planting

Perennial phloxes are planted with seeds, as a rule, in order to obtain a large number of plants, for example, to create borders, dividing strips in the garden.

You can purchase seeds at the store or collect seed boxes in the garden yourself in the fall.

Note! Phloxes from seeds, with proper care, bloom in the second year. Just be sure!

Phlox seeds can be sown before winter in open ground or at the end of winter and beginning of spring for seedlings.

Sowing in autumn in open ground

If you are going to sow phlox seeds immediately on the beds in late autumn (October-November), then it is very convenient to do this in plastic rings that can be cut from plastic 5 liter bottles. According to the rules of sowing before winter, it is necessary to sow only on frozen soil and cover it with dry earth without watering.

Advice! It is desirable to increase the sowing rate in winter compared to sowing seeds for seedlings in spring.

Sowing in the spring for seedlings

It is convenient to sow phloxes at home in food-grade plastic containers with a lid (or any other shallow containers), in which you must not forget to make drainage holes (to drain excess moisture).

You can take the most common universal land for growing seedlings of flowers. The soil should be light and loose.

Step-by-step instructions for sowing perennial phlox with seeds:

Pour the earth into the planting containers 3/4. Smooth it out nicely.
Spill the soil before planting with a solution for it.
Carefully and evenly spread the seeds over the surface or along the grooves.

The seeds of the perennial phlox are not small, it is convenient to sow them.

Sprinkle 0.5-1 cm of soil on top.
Cover the container with a lid or cling film.
Remove the container with crops under the snow, as close to the ground as possible (it is best to put it on a board or plywood so that there is a flat surface).
After germination (which will occur in about a month) until planting in the ground, keep the seedlings at home on a bright windowsill.

If you don’t have the opportunity to bring containers with crops to the garden (let’s say you live in an apartment, but you can’t get to the dacha in winter), then you can use another waysowing seeds, namely:

Seeds need to be mixed with wet sand and removed for stratification in the refrigerator until they hatch.

It is in such conditions that you will create the most suitable conditions (acceptable temperature) for the germination of phlox seeds. So they'll get through natural stratification.

After germination (as a rule, it takes up to a month) - plant in containers to a depth of 1 cm and already grow at home at a temperature of 18-25 degrees.

Planting phlox seedlings in open ground

When phlox seedlings have 5-6 true leaves, they should be planted in open ground. Usually such a period is suitable around May, the frosts will just pass, and nothing will threaten the seedlings anymore.

Place in the garden For further cultivation, it is desirable to choose a sunny or light penumbra.

The soil for the normal development of the flower requires loose and fertile, rich in organic matter. If your soil is too heavy, then add sand, peat or any other soil baking powder to it.

How to care for perennial phlox in the garden

Further care for phlox consists in regular watering as the soil dries up, loosening and weeding from weeds, as well as timely top dressing.

It is especially important to carry out frequent watering on hot and dry summer days, otherwise the flowering will not be so plentiful and saturated.

It is important not to pour the flower, as the plant does not tolerate stagnant water well, it can simply rot.

Worth knowing! And it is also advisable to transplant phloxes every 4-6 years to a new place.

As a rule, phloxes begin feed in the spring to build green mass. As such a fertilizer, you can use,. Plants will also be grateful for organic top dressing. So, you can fertilize with infusion of mullein or chicken manure. The next top dressing during the period of budding and active flowering, of course, should already be without nitrogen (or with its minimum amount), but exclusively with the use of potassium and.

Video: the secrets of caring for perennial phlox

Thus, to the delight of both advanced flower growers and beginner gardeners, caring for these amazingly beautiful and fragrant flowers called phlox is not particularly difficult. Just for the sake of the good of flowers, grow them not anyhow, but correctly, adhering to our recommendations for choosing containers for seedlings, places, soil, sowing and further care before planting in a flower bed.

Video: how to grow perennial phlox from seeds

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Herbaceous annuals and perennials with bright, glowing flowers of various shades are phloxes. These plants have been known for over 300 years. From their homeland, North America, phlox spread throughout the world and became popular due to the variety of varieties. In this article, you will learn how to grow phlox from seeds and when to plant. Annual flowers will become a real decoration of your flower bed and the whole landscape design.

Varieties and types of phlox

Today, botanists and flower growers talk about more than 300 varieties of phlox. Mostly phloxes are perennials. Annuals are represented by the phlox of the drummond. Among the most characteristic varieties of annual phlox are:

Phlox variety "Star rain" sun-loving, unpretentious to moisture and resistant to temperature extremes. They grow in the form of shrubs up to half a meter high, the flowers have a shape similar to stars, for which they received such a name.
"Flickering Star"- undersized bushes, flowering in the period June-September. Flowers have pointed edges. Due to their miniature size, the Shimmering Star phlox can be planted on balconies.
Phloxes are terry. Small bushes, up to 30 centimeters high, when flowering give flowers of various shades with many petals.
Phlox Promise Pink has small sizes and flowers with terry petals of various shades of pink. Used for growing in flowerbeds and alpine slides.
Phloxes are undersized. Strongly branching shrubs, reaching a maximum height of no more than 20 cm. Suitable for growing on balconies.

How to grow phlox in the country

Phloxes are bred in two ways:

cuttings. For propagation of perennial phlox shrubs, the cutting method is used. In May - June, a young lateral shoot with 2-3 leaves formed is planted in well-moistened soil. The plant is shaded and provides daily plentiful watering. With such care, in a month the young plant will take root and in the future, after 2-2.5 months, will shoot.
seeds. This method is used for breeding annual phloxes. You can sow phlox in open ground before frost. In the spring, after the soil thaws, the seeds moistened with melt water will begin to germinate.

When to plant phlox? Some gardeners sow phlox in the spring, after the threat of spring frost has passed. Phloxes have time to take root, but they will delight with flowers only by autumn. If we decide to start growing phlox in the spring, we need to grow seedlings from seeds, which are subsequently transplanted into the ground.

Growing phlox from seed

To grow phlox from seeds, you need to follow a few simple steps:

Step 1. Work begins in mid-March. Small boxes are filled with loose peat soil, watered well and seeds are sown.
Step 2. The box is placed on the windowsill and periodically turned in different directions to the sunlight.
Step 3. It is necessary to maintain the temperature in the room up to 20 degrees, and after the first shoots appear, lower it to 15 degrees to harden the plant.
Step 4. You need to water the sprouts as the soil dries. The plant does not like stagnant water, the roots may die. You can use a spray bottle.
Step 5. After three weeks, the seedlings are dived and transplanted into separate pots, where they continue to grow and grow stronger before planting on the site.

Planting annual phloxes in the ground and care

Toward the end of May, the grown seedlings are transferred to open ground. The soil for phlox requires light, loose and moist. Plants are placed 15-20 centimeters apart. Phlox care is simple, it includes several basic jobs. Watering as needed, do not allow excessive moisture to the roots.

Phloxes should be well lit, but not under direct sunlight. In order for the soil to be saturated with oxygen, it is loosened every 3-4 days. Phloxes require top dressing four times a season with nitrogen-based liquid organic fertilizers. The fourth top dressing, which is carried out at the end of July, should include phosphate fertilizers. To make the bush lush and bloom faster, pinch the side shoots. The bush is periodically inspected, flowers that have faded and diseased shoots and leaves are removed.

When flowers or leaves infected with fungal diseases appear, which appear as plaque or black dots, such bushes are immediately dug up and destroyed, the ground and the remaining bushes of the plant are treated with sulfur. If phloxes are damaged by nematode worms, the plant is treated with insecticides. Seed collection is carried out in late autumn. The stem is cut off along with the seed box, the boxes are left on paper until ripening. Then the boxes are opened, and the seeds are stored in a dry, dark place.

Phlox annual growing from seeds any summer resident will be able to carry out, the main thing is to know when to plant and how to care for these flowers. or in a summer cottage with phlox, then you can bring bright notes to landscape design.

Also read:

What annual flowers bloom all summer. Catalog…

It is fragrant phloxes that can fill your garden with a charming aroma and dazzling colors. Amazing versatility and unpretentiousness of these ornamental plants was given by their homeland - North America. The harsh climate hardened them well, and the efforts of breeders only strengthened the qualities of this flower. Europeans got acquainted with phloxes in the middle of the 18th century. At the moment, more than 1,500 hybrid varieties have been bred that are resistant to a variety of adverse environmental conditions. The word "phlox" in Greek means "flame". It was thanks to the stunningly bright colors that the flowers were noticed by Carl Linnaeus, who gave them such a name. In this article, you will learn about annual phlox, planting and caring for these plants.

Phlox annual flower - description

Phlox won the hearts of many gardeners with their unpretentiousness and spectacular appearance. Among the features of the structure and appearance of this flower, the following can be distinguished:

annual phloxes are represented by only one variety - Drummond's phloxes. In 1835, this species was discovered by Henry Drummond, in whose honor the name was given to this group of phloxes;
what do annual phloxes look like? They grow in the form of a compact bush with branching shoots;
an annual phlox flower grows up to 30 cm, and dwarf varieties grow up to 12 cm;
annual phlox leaves have an elongated oval shape;
annual phlox flowers can be of completely different colors - blue, orange, pink, white, etc .;
the most common varieties of Drummond's phlox are large-flowered and star-shaped phlox;
the period of active flowering of annual phloxes is quite long. You can inhale the heady aroma from the beginning of summer until the very frost;
phlox Drumonda stellata has flowers that resemble an asterisk in shape.

Phlox annual. A photo

Varieties of annual phlox

Phlox annual "Promis Pink"

This variety is incredibly beautiful. The bush has a very compact shape. The plant is considered an undersized annual phlox, because. reaches a maximum height of 20 cm. Fragrant flowers are painted in a juicy pink color that does not fade in the sun. This variety is successfully used to decorate balcony boxes, to create flower arrangements in flower beds, and to decorate space along paths.

Phlox annual "Flickering Star"

By planting this variety of phlox on your site, you will admire charming star-shaped flowers all summer long. Each petal on the flower has a pointed shape, due to which it resembles a star. The plant grows in the form of a bush and does not exceed a height of 25 cm. Some phlox lovers prefer to grow the "Twinkling Star" on the balcony, loggia.

Phlox annual "Constellation"

The flowers of this variety of phlox are collected in spectacular inflorescences in the form of corymbs. Each flower has a rather large size - up to 3 cm in diameter. Such lush inflorescences create a voluminous appearance of the bush. Phlox colors will surprise even the most demanding and sophisticated gardeners. You can find white phlox, red phlox, yellow, orange, blue, pink. The plant is great for creating flower arrangements, decorating the space around the gazebo, terrace.

Phlox annual "Star rain"

The flowers of this variety of phlox also resemble miniature stars. The plant has erect stems with numerous lateral shoots. The bush reaches a height of 0.5 meters. The undoubted advantage of growing "Star Rain" is the amazing resistance of this variety to the most adverse environmental conditions. Phlox perfectly tolerate drought, frost. The plant reaches its greatest decorativeness in sunny areas.

Methods for breeding annual phloxes

Propagation of annual phlox by seeds

Perennial varieties of phlox can successfully reproduce vegetatively. But for annual specimens, they prefer cultivation by the seed method. Follow these tips when sowing phlox seeds:

some gardeners advise sowing phlox seeds for the winter. Plants planted at this time will give very early and strong shoots in the spring, which will bloom quickly. Sowing is done at the end of October or in November. If there is already snow, then simply clear the area for planting from it with a shovel. Choose a site that will become a permanent place for the growth of phlox. Seeds are sown at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other and lightly sprinkled with earth. You can buy ready-made nutrient soil. Cover your crops with a snow cap;
you can sow annual phloxes in the spring. Also sow the seeds at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other on the prepared soil. Sprinkle the crops with a thin layer of soil. Phloxes in the spring should be covered with polyethylene. Be sure to check your crops, remove condensate from the inside of the shelter in a timely manner, and ventilate the crops. But get ready for the fact that annual phloxes planted in spring will bloom much later than those planted before winter.

Growing seedlings of annual phlox

Early flowering of annual phloxes can also be achieved by growing seedlings of this plant at home. When can I start sowing phlox seeds at home? It depends on what month the frost threat is over in your area. You can focus on the beginning or end of March.

Stock up on phlox seeds in advance. Buy them only in trusted stores, be sure to pay attention to the expiration date. You can also use seeds that were harvested by hand if you have already grown phlox in the past year. Pick up several varieties at the same time to enjoy the real fireworks of colors in summer.
Prepare containers for sowing seeds. These can be containers, boxes, pots, bowls, etc.

Phloxes are unpretentious to the quality and composition of the soil. But you can always purchase a nutrient-rich potting soil for ornamental plants that never hurts.
Seeds should not be buried in the soil. Just spread them on the surface at some distance from each other and lightly press down.
Cover containers with crops with polyethylene or glass. Put the phlox in a warm and bright place.
Ventilate the phlox regularly and remove water droplets on the inside of the glass or film - condensation.
Keep an eye on soil moisture, which should not dry out. Gently spray the phlox with warm water from a spray bottle.
After the sprouts have 2-3 leaves, they need to dive into individual containers. Do not expose young phloxes to bright sunlight. Take care of creating diffused and soft light. Keep the plants moist.

Do annual phlox pinch? As soon as the phloxes start up the fifth or sixth leaf, you need to pinch them. This is necessary in order to begin to form a neat phlox bush.
Phlox seedlings can not be fed. But the application of mineral fertilizer, which can be carried out twice, will not interfere with the growth of the flower, but will only enhance its decorative qualities.
About 1 month before the intended landing in open ground, young phloxes need to start hardening. Take the plants outside for a couple of hours at first, and then gradually increase the time spent in the air. Thus, you will prepare the plants as much as possible for the conditions of the street, and they will take root in a new place much better.

Phlox annuals. Landing

Step 1. Choose a place for planting annual phlox

In order to see the most beautiful flowering of phloxes, take the choice of landing site quite seriously. It is on this that the duration and brightness of flowering of annual phloxes will depend. Study the following recommendations for choosing a landing site for annual phlox:

annual phloxes are drought-resistant and photophilous plants. But from direct exposure to sunlight, the phlox root system will overheat. The brightness of the flowers will quickly fade, and the flowering itself will not be long. The ideal place for landing would be partial shade;
it is the phloxes grown in partial shade, under the spreading crown of trees that let in the sun's rays, that will show you the maximum brightness of colors;
choose a place for planting phlox away from plants with a highly developed root system;
if you plant phloxes in a shady place, then get ready for the fact that the flowering will not be bright, but it will be very long;
choose a fairly high spot for planting annual phlox, in the shade of fruit trees, for example.

Step 2. We prepare the soil for planting annual phlox

Annual phloxes are one of the most unpretentious plants to the composition of the soil. If you make absolutely no effort to improve the soil, the phlox will simply not bloom as brightly. If you want to achieve maximum decorativeness, then follow the following rules for preparing the soil for planting phloxes:

annual phloxes are negatively related to heavy and clay soils. If the soil on your site is just like that, then add some sand for digging to make the soil looser and lighter;
too light soil is also not suitable for phlox. In hot weather, it overheats very quickly, which will harm the root system of plants;
annual phloxes are negatively related to soils with a high level of acidity. Gardeners usually carry out liming of the soil;
the optimal soil for annual phloxes will be soil with an admixture of humus, soil with good drainage;
if the soil on your site is characterized by poverty and a low level of fertility, then you can apply organic fertilizers and peat for digging.

Step 3. Planting seedlings of annual phlox in open ground

The place for planting annual phloxes has been selected, the soil has been prepared, which means that you can start planting phlox seedlings in open ground. Of course, if the weather conditions already allow it. So, we plant annual phloxes:

for planting phlox seedlings in open ground, it is better to choose evening time;
the soil must be well dug up and prepared;
dig small holes to fit the root system of the seedling;
the minimum distance between young plants is 20 cm;
if the varieties are tall, then the distance between young seedlings during planting should be increased;
put the plant in a hole with an approximate depth of 20 cm, fill it with earth, slightly compact. The root neck must be deepened so that the plant does not get burned from the sun's rays;
do not forget to water the phlox with water at room temperature;
It is better to mulch the surface of the soil around the plants after watering.

Phlox annuals. Care

A huge advantage of annual phloxes in cultivation is their absolute unpretentiousness in care. If you just water the plants from time to time, they will still delight you with their aroma and bright colors. The minimum recommendations for caring for phlox are:

watering. Phlox annuals require regular watering. Immediately after planting, the plants should be watered every 2 days for 14 days. If the weather is hot and dry, then you can water daily. Phloxes are critical of the water temperature during irrigation. Do not water plants with a hose with cold water. The root system can be significantly affected by this. Water in the morning or evening with lukewarm water. It is necessary to pour under the root. Approximately 2 buckets of water should go per 1 sq.m;
loosening. For the whole season, you need to loosen the soil around the annual phlox about 7 times. This will ensure a good flow of oxygen to the roots;
weed removal. Weed removal is a must for all ornamental plants. The flower bed will always look neat and tidy;
top dressing. Phloxes may well not be fed. If you want the brightest colors during flowering, large sizes of flowers, then you can indulge phlox with top dressing. You can apply fertilizer in 4 stages. The first feeding with liquid manure should be carried out at the end of May. The second top dressing is carried out with liquid manure with the addition of superphosphate in early summer. The third feeding with manure is carried out in the second summer month, and the fourth - in early August. The last top dressing should be limited to the introduction of potassium salt and phosphorus;
mulching. Mulching the soil surface in the root zone is necessary in order to reduce the risk of drying out of the soil;
visual inspection of plants. If you want to enjoy the healthy appearance of flowers all summer, to achieve several waves of flowering, then remove wilted flowers, damaged leaves in a timely manner.

Phlox annuals after flowering

What plants can you collect seeds from?

If you have successfully coped with the cultivation of phlox from the seeds that you purchased in the store, then try to prepare the seed material yourself. Next year you will grow phloxes from your seeds. It turns out that not all annual phloxes are suitable for collecting seeds. If you planted a store variety of phlox marked "F1", then you will not be able to collect seeds from it. The fact is that such a mark means that the variety is hybrid. This means that the plant will not grow exactly the same, it will lose its qualities for the next season. You can take a chance and plant such seeds. Perhaps the resulting plant will look quite decorative, have an unusual color and shape of the petals.

Mark flowering phloxes with colored threads, ribbons, signs, which will mean belonging to a particular variety.
Save information about the timing of sowing and flowering store varieties of phlox. This information will be very useful to you when planting seeds that you collect by hand.

Rules for the preparation and storage of annual phlox seeds

It is better to cut wilted phloxes for further drying and collecting seeds in the afternoon. The weather should be dry and there should be no dew on the plants.
Spread the plants on the surface in a dry, warm and dark place for further drying.
If the stem began to break easily in the hands, then the plant has dried up completely.
Each inflorescence must be rubbed in your hands so that the seeds fall on the newspaper.
Next, you need to separate the seeds from the debris. You can use various sieves, or you can separate the debris by blowing. Lift up the container with the seeds and slowly pour them onto the newspaper. Light dry leaves, twigs will separate.
Seeds need to be put in paper or fabric bags, cardboard boxes, sign each container. Store seed material in a well-ventilated area.

Dangerous diseases and pests of annual phlox

Diseases of phlox annuals

Diseases can affect plants due to non-compliance with the irrigation regime, the rules of agricultural technology, and improper preparation of seeds for planting. Among the most frequent and dangerous phlox diseases that can lead to the complete death of a plant, one can list:

variegation. Symptoms: an ugly pattern has appeared on the leaves, which makes the appearance of the plant ugly;
powdery mildew. Symptoms: whitish coating on stems and undersides of leaves;
septoria. Symptoms: dark spots on the leaves, which increase over time;
phomosis. Symptoms: sudden dryness of the leaves and excessive fragility of the aerial parts of the plant;
verticillium wilt. Symptoms: gradual destruction of phlox roots due to high acidity of the soil.

Annual phlox pests

Annual phloxes can be a delicious "dessert" for a variety of pests:

nematode;
naked slugs;
butterfly caterpillars.

One of the most effective means of preventing infection of phlox with annual pests is regular weeding. Weed grass is an excellent carrier of insect pests.

Tricks of growing annual phlox

If the air temperature has become abnormally high, then mulch the root surface of the phlox. So you save the root system from sunburn and overdrying of the soil.
Moldy bread makes an excellent natural fertilizer for annual phlox. Soak slices of moldy bread in water for a couple of hours, and then dig around the plant.
Loosen the soil around the phlox very carefully! The roots of the plant are located so close to the soil surface that they can be damaged very easily.

Fragrant annual phloxes in a flower bed can become the "calling card" of your site. Try to grow these unpretentious plants that will enchant you forever with their variety of shades, unforgettable aroma.

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.

Annual phloxes, which are easy to plant, are favorites of gardeners. They conquer everyone with their beauty, variety of shapes and colors, indescribably wonderful aroma.

Phloxes are native to North America. These magnificent flowers can be seen in almost every suburban area, they are so popular. There are several reasons for this - beauty and unpretentiousness, a variety of colors and a simple way of growing. The variety of phlox species is amazing, there are about 85 varieties, but only one annual species is Drummond's phlox.

Every grower knows about this flower of extraordinary beauty. It is graceful, beautiful, diverse. What could be better than a flower that creates a stunning look and does not require much attention. That is why he has gained universal love and recognition of gardening enthusiasts. A riot of colors, colors and shapes - all these are annual phloxes.

It is named after the American naturalist Henry Drummond. Phlox Henry Drummond comes in different varieties and has many hybrids, and by species, flowers are divided into:

dwarf - reach a height of only 15-20 cm;
stellate - have flowers that look like stars;
tetraploid - have large flowers, reaching about 4 cm in diameter.

Phlox seeds can be bought both as individual varieties and in the form of specially selected mixes. This allows you to plant a plant in the desired variation with other flowers or in separate compositions, guided by a certain color scheme.

Of the varieties can be distinguished:

1 Phlox Terry - undersized (about 20 cm), with pale pink double flowers.
2 Button - a bushy variety, has flowers with an eye located in the center.
3 Phlox Star rain - up to half a meter in length, a star-shaped flower with pointed tips.
4 Grandiflora - the species belongs to the tetraploid, it is distinguished by especially large inflorescences.
5 Grammy - flowers in the form of an asterisk, a white eye in the core, reaches a height of 15-20 cm.

Drummond can truly be called modest, as it grows within 15-50 cm, and the inflorescences reach a diameter of only 2 cm. However, it is difficult to call this a disadvantage, because thanks to this it goes well in composition with other, most diverse representatives of the flora, striking in variety color palette.

The color scheme of flowers is so diverse that it is impossible to even imagine - carmine, peach, coffee, purple, white, etc. Often there are varieties with patterns on the flowers. Drummond is often used by designers in landscaping country houses.

Unfortunately, this variety does not tolerate dark, damp and infertile land, where it blooms very sluggishly and dully, and is often subject to various kinds of diseases. If there is no experience in growing annuals, buying seeds in a store is a great opportunity. Of all the varieties presented there, some variety will definitely appeal to you. Another undoubted plus is a very reasonable cost. You can afford several types, not sparing the money spent.

If there are already flowering plants on the site, you can collect the seeds of your favorite variety for the next year, since growing phloxes from seeds is exactly the method that is most favorable for the variety. It is worth noting one feature - hybrids of phlox varieties do not retain their appearance when bred with seeds, so you should pay attention to the F1 mark on the package, such seeds are not suitable for collection.

the variety of seeds marked F1 is not suitable for collection;
it is advisable to mark good specimens during flowering;
F1 hybrids are planted separately from other species;
pre-mark the species whose seeds need to be collected.

Fruits for sowing in all species ripen at almost the same time.

Instructions for collecting seeds:

1 It is necessary to determine if the seeds are ripe. They should be large and dense. To do this, just open the box.
2 It is better to collect seeds in sunny, calm weather.
3 A suitable time for collection is after lunch, as the dew will have already disappeared by this time.
4 It is necessary to separate the seeds from the boxes, remove debris.
5 Store seeds in pods until sowing next spring.

Growing from seeds

Phloxes, although easy to maintain, still feel better in fertilized soil. Annual representatives bloom in the summer season from June until frost. In order for the flowers to grow better, you should constantly loosen the soil around, maintain moderate moisture and remove the faded parts of the flower.

You can sow annual phloxes in 2 ways - sowing seeds or growing seedlings. If you want to admire the flowering early, seedlings are grown. If annual phloxes are grown for planting from seeds, be sure to soak them for a day in soft water in advance, then take them out, dry them slightly, put them in gauze and leave them to warm up on the windowsill. Seedlings should be protected from direct sunlight. Sowing should be indented approximately 3-4 cm, not deep into the soil, but lightly sprinkling it on top. Then it is necessary to spray from the sprayer with water and cover with a film or glass on top.

How well the grown seeds will germinate depends on the temperature (it should be in the range from 17 to 20ºС) and soil moisture. Do not forget about timely watering and airing. When the seeds sprout, you can immediately remove the covering material. After about a couple of weeks, the first leaves appear, and it is allowed to plant sprouted shoots in the ground.

Since the seeds of annual phloxes have a very dense membrane, soaking them and growing them as seedlings is the surest way. When sowing seeds directly into the ground, it will be difficult for them to germinate, and flowering will be delayed for about a month.

Landing in the ground

Before planting seedlings of annual phlox in the ground, it is very important to prepare the ground well. The soil must contain the necessary fertilizers and a certain level of moisture. Compost, peat, ash are recommended as fertilizer. All this must be thoroughly mixed. The resulting mass requires the addition of a small amount of sand, potassium sulfate and nitrophoska.

For planting annual phlox, one should adhere to shady places, since the petals of some varieties may fade in the open sun. It is contraindicated to plant phloxes in clayey, acidic soil, this is fraught with diseases such as rot.

Phlox seedlings can be transplanted into open ground as early as late May or early June, at a distance of about 15 cm from each other, since they need a lot of space and nutrients.

Care rules

Phloxes, which have already been planted, need systematic watering - they cannot stand drought and overheating of the root system, therefore, after watering, it is necessary to carefully loosen the soil around the flower. In the first 2 weeks of growing phloxes from seeds, it is necessary to moderately water the seedlings with a frequency of 2 days. In particularly dry and hot times, it is necessary to water the plant with water in the morning and evening, but not cold, in order to avoid damage to the root system.

For luxurious flowering of annual phloxes grown from seeds, it will be necessary to fertilize them with ammonium nitrate several times during the summer. If next year you want to grow the same annual phlox, the seeds must be collected at the end of the season, dried and stored in a cloth or paper bag until next spring.

Diseases and pests

Despite all the beauty and simplicity, growing phlox from seeds, unfortunately, is not without its negative aspects.

Phloxes are prone to a number of diseases:

viral diseases - variegation (the most common), rattle, leaf curl, ring and necrotic spotting;
mycoplasmal diseases;
fungi;
verticillium wilt of stems;
rust;
phomosis;
nematode.

The main thing in the fight against these diseases is to prevent their development at the initial stage.

Thrips have recently been a particular danger to phlox. In order to prevent the harm caused by them, it is necessary to treat the inflorescences with systemic insecticides at the stage of plant budding, such as Aktar, Konfidor, Komandor.

Growing annual phlox will not leave anyone indifferent. Having fallen in love with these flowers once, it will be simply impossible to forget about them. Phloxes are ideal if there is no experience in gardening yet, but you really want to try. They will please with their lush color and indescribably pleasant aroma, variety of shades and colors. Annual phloxes, grown with care and attention, will delight with their bright blooms throughout the summer season.