Phloxes do not rise what to do. Annual phlox - growing from seeds. Do I need to prune phlox for the winter

These beautiful, fragrant flowers came to Europe from North America over three centuries ago. And then the outstanding Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus gave them the botanical name Phlox . And in the old days in Russia, lush multi-colored phloxes were called "sitchik".

Translated from Greek Phlox means "flame", "fire". It is also translated into the language of flowers as "the flame of your lips." The Greek origin of the name of phlox flowers is explained by a beautiful legend. Allegedly, when Odysseus and the Argonauts left the dungeon of the god Hades, they threw their burning torches to the ground. Their flame did not die out, but turned into bright flowers and sprouted, as if reminiscent of courageous travelers.

Today there are more than 50 species of phlox, and except for the annual Drummond, they are all perennial. For most of them, only the underground parts (roots, rhizomes) are such, and the above-ground stems and leaves die off at the end of the growing season. However, there are also evergreens with long-lived both parts.

Today, only up to 20 species of these flowers are used in ornamental gardening, floriculture, and landscape construction. You can admire the bright lush flowering of different varieties for almost half a year: from early spring, all summer to late autumn. Therefore, it is difficult to disagree with the German gardener, philosopher Karl Forster, that "a garden without phloxes is nonsense."

Depending on the habitat of wild phlox species, their appearance, ecological, morphological features may differ. All these plants with straight rigid stems, fragrant flowers of various colors, petal shapes are divided into 3 groups:

Among the tall ones, reaching a height of up to 180 cm, there are panicled, spotted, smooth and a number of others. They give flowers from early autumn and early summer. They are usually placed in the background of flower arrangements.

Undersized grow up to only 60 cm, bloom from late spring to early summer. Thick-haired (Caroline), hairy, lovely, oval Delilah, Candy Twist, etc. are popular in this subgroup. They add a special charm to any composition when placed in the foreground.

Along with this general classification breeders continue to create interspecific hybrids, varieties. Some of them have already started organizing separate groups.

Varieties of perennial phlox with a photo

When choosing a plant, we advise you to focus both on its height and on the color of numerous varieties. There are more than 1,500 of them. It is not surprising that they are given very sonorous names that are associated with certain images and themes. Let's take a look at some of them:

Selection of planting material

When buying planting material, you need to pay attention to the presence of up to 5 correctly colored shoots, the length of which reaches about 6 cm. They should have shiny surface and shortened to 15 cm healthy roots.

For planting perennial phloxes, healthy plants with greenish, roughened skin and leaves intact by pests are selected. Future seedlings should have 2-3 thickened stems, large buds formed at their bases.

Even before digging, the length of the stems of adult plants is cut in half. After carefully extracting the bush, cleaning it from the ground, the root system is divided into several parts.

Cutting off rhizomes for future seedlings can be done with your hands, a sharp shovel or knife. It is important not to damage the vegetative buds located at the base of the stem. Each young bush should have at least 8 buds, from which new shoots will grow. And the root without them can die.

Attention should be paid to the good development of the root system, the length of the root is not more than 15 cm. If necessary, the rhizomes can only be shortened by one third with a pruner.

Procurement of planting material can be carried out even from the moment of germination. To do this, a young shoot is carefully broken out on a healthy bush, along with part of its rhizome. On a handle with two internodes, the cut is made under the lower one and 5-7 cm above the upper one.

You can grow perennial phlox using vegetative methods and, like annuals from seeds. Most often, planting materials are chosen for the reproduction of perennial phlox due to the first, namely:

• The division of the bush considered to be the most labor-intensive method. It allows the plant to be used for new landing, while helping to rejuvenate the old bush of your favorite variety. "Delenka" is used when the bush reaches the age of 3-4 years at any time of the year. This method consists in digging it, dividing it into parts, sprinkling the resulting hole with fertile soil. Plants divided in this way with straightened roots are planted in another place with a depth of 3 cm into the soil.

• layering are made by bending the stem to the ground until flowering. Then it is fixed along the entire length and covered with peat with humus. By autumn, this sprouted shoot is separated from the "native" bush, transplanted to the chosen place.

Many practice the use of spring growth shoots. They are carefully broken out with a “heel” from heavily thickened bushes at the very base of the stem. For better rooting, the shoots are first planted in a greenhouse or insulated greenhouse, because in the open field this process is very slow. From the end of May - the beginning of June, after regular watering with warm, settled water, the shoots with the formed roots are planted at the selected site of the site.

cuttings carried out during the entire growing season of the plant. It begins when the shoot reaches 5 cm and ends before the end of September. Spring and summer cuttings take root most successfully.

So in May-June, you can cut off small pieces of young shoots with two pairs of leaves. These cuttings are placed in moist soil and covered with a jar until they are fully rooted.

The method of grafting is expedient if it is necessary to propagate a large number of phloxes.

Phlox breeding: video

When is the best time to plant phlox - in spring or autumn

According to experienced flower growers most auspicious time for transplantation - early spring (late April - early May).

It is quite acceptable autumn planting during the period of budding on the basal necks from the end of August, but not later than the first days of September.

If, after hours, “it’s impossible, but you really want to,” then it’s better not to plant, but to dig the chosen plant to a depth of loose soil up to 25 cm. On the eve of cold weather, this place is mulched or covered with dense material.

When planting in autumn, for better rooting, it is necessary to pre-prun the upper part of the bushes. During flowering, phloxes can also be transplanted, provided they are carefully dug up with a clod of earth and further regularly watered.

It is important to remember that a plant can take root, fully develop and grow without disease only if the root system is not overdried. But summer transplants of these plants should be avoided. At this time, they grow very slowly, can be subjected to drying, pest attacks.

Perennial phlox can be planted in both autumn and spring. The key to the duration, lush flowering of phloxes is the correct choice of the time and place of their planting, soil cover, agricultural techniques.

The main requirement for proper planting is soil fertility per 1 shovel bayonet. This is due to the shallow occurrence (up to 30 cm) of a powerful, branched root system and the location of the bulk of the substances that feed it up to 20 cm from the soil surface.

Where to plant

The landing site should be free of moisture stagnation. Therefore, it is better not to choose damp, low-lying areas of the plots. The best option is flower beds slightly raised in relation to the surface of the plot. Despite their light-loving nature, they are more like a slight penumbra than bright sunlight or a thick shadow.

The place should not be "open to all winds", especially during wintering. Therefore, planting phloxes on the north side is not recommended. Planting flowers should also be avoided in the shade of large trees due to unequal forces in the struggle for light, moisture, and nutrients.

When determining the “place of residence” of plants during planting, it is important to take into account their growth, color scheme, and harmony in combination with other plants.

Soil preparation

The choice of location also implies attention to the composition of the soil. Light earth with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction is suitable for planting phloxes. If the earth is too acidic in places suitable for it, then it will be neutralized quicklime(per 1 m² 200 g).

Clay soil is mixed with sand, and sandy with peat. Loamy soil can be “ennobled” by mixing it with mature humus, ash, bone meal in proportions of 100 g per 1 m². Such "intervention in nature" + regular moderate feeding will make the cultivation of phlox effective.

Planting perennial and annual phlox differs little, with the exception of some nuances. Yes, at spring landing the distance between perennials should be somewhat larger than that of annuals, since the former will grow over the years.

So, for example, between undersized, ground cover phloxes, a distance between bushes of up to 40 cm is observed. For varieties with an average height, it should be up to 50 cm, and tall ones - at least 70 cm. Along with this, after planting, the soil around them will certainly be mulched (dry humus , peat, small shavings, chopped straw, etc.).

On the eve of the onset of winter, phloxes should not be planted, but only dug to a depth of up to 25 cm. At the same time, the place should be protected from the winter wind, and snow should cover them. And after the soil freezes, buried flowers must be covered with dry foliage or peat.

Phloxes that managed to grow up after spring cuttings are planted in autumn in open ground on the permanent place. In the absence of sufficient moisture, rains, seedlings are abundantly watered 2-3 times weekly for 14 days. The soil around them is loosened, mulched.

Cloudy daytime or evening weather is suitable for planting perennials.

This method of cultivation can be the result of "self-seeding" of seeds that have fallen off plants or planting pre-harvested. In the second case, the seeds are harvested in autumn before the opening of brown seed pods, withering of all foliage.

A sign of mature seeds is their dense structure of dark green color, characteristic crackling when pressed. Consideration should be given to the need for frequent collection due to uneven maturation. After collecting, cleaning from the husk, the remains of the leaves, the finished seed material is immediately laid in the prepared soil (September-early November).

As a result of winter natural selection, the strongest survive and begin to germinate already with the snow melting. In mid-May, seedlings can be planted in their designated places, taking into account the preferences of the soil composition.

Some gardeners consider the optimal time for sowing seeds from November to January (sowing before winter). To do this, a pre-prepared flower bed or garden bed is cleared of the first snow. Then seeds are laid out on their surface with a distance of up to 5 cm from each other, sprinkled on top with a layer of up to 1 cm of garden soil, snow. The experience of this simple method of planting in open ground shows up to 70% germination, previously lush flowering.

Growing phlox seedlings in these ways makes it possible to obtain fairly resistant plants by diving densely sprouted seeds in open ground. Such seedlings can be planted at the desired interval and admire the flowers in the first year of their life.

Sowing at home

When growing seedlings in room conditions, perennial phloxes need to prepare seeds for germination (stratification). To do this, after planting in a container with a substrate, they are kept for 15-20 days at room temperature and in the cold no higher than +4 °C.

After staying at a low temperature, the container is placed in a bright place, separated from heating appliances screen. Here, the air should warm up to the optimum for seed germination no higher than +12 °C.

After they have germinated, the period of traditional care for phlox seedlings begins. This is the uniformity of lighting, regular watering-spraying, shelter, removal of condensate, ventilation, picking.

Landing in the ground

It begins when seedlings have 4-6 true leaves. They are seated at a distance of 20 cm in a pre-selected place. At the same time, the soil between still small phloxes must be mulched with at least mowed grass without seeds.

This will keep the soil moist, soft, and free of weeds. Indispensable types of care for growing phlox are careful loosening of the earth, weeding, watering, top dressing.

How to grow perennial phlox from seeds: video

Caring for perennial phlox in summer

It consists in regular watering (morning, evening) under the root. After the flowers get stronger, to increase the bushiness, they are pinched over 4-5 pairs of leaves. During the active flowering of phloxes from July to September, all fading inflorescences should be removed. This favors the emergence of new flower stalks in the axils of the leaves.

During the growth period, perennials need 5 times fertilizer, while annuals need 4 times. Thanks to the latter, top dressing helps the formation of full-fledged seeds in boxes.

With proper care, top dressing, the flowers will thank the growth of at least 7 years without loss of decorative effect.

Diseases and pests

They do not strongly overcome phloxes. However, when bad care, planting in the shade, thickened plantings, disease is possible powdery mildew. It attacks stems and leaves.

Still very unpleasant is such a pest as a nematode ( roundworms). Neighbors can help here: marigolds, nasturtium, calendula.

How to transplant phlox: video

How to master a neglected site Planting phloxes: video

Attentive attitude to flowers, compliance with the rules of agricultural technology will allow you to enjoy the colorful and fragrant phlox every year.

If you want to have a colorful bright flower bed, you can breed perennial phloxes, planting and caring for them is not a hassle. Fire flowers, as they are also called, are unpretentious, winter hardy, able to grow in any light and on different soils. They stand cut for a long time and decorate the room.

Varieties of perennial phlox

Bright and elegant phloxes bloom profusely with lush panicles, consisting of a mass of five-petal corollas, and have a wonderful aroma. More than 50 types of culture have been bred - short and tall with a variety of colors from white to purple and crimson. The most famous among phloxes perennial varieties for self care:

1. Phloxes are undersized perennials. Evergreens with flowers of white, pinkish, lilac, bluish color. Height - 5-40 cm depending on the species. In the autumn-winter period, the culture resembles a moss cover. Since May, budding begins and the bushes turn into a solid bright spot of color. Famous varieties - Douglas, Northern.



2. Phlox ground cover perennial. The plant is creeping, reaches a size of 15-20 cm. Its shoots are strongly branched, outwardly similar to a living carpet. Inflorescences appear in May, they are umbrella pink, red or purple.


3. Phlox subulate perennial. The species has a low stem 10-15 cm, on which small inflorescences are formed in May from pale lilac or lilac-pink corollas. The stems branch, cover the ground with a carpet.


4. Phlox paniculata perennial. The species has a height of 40 cm to 1 m. The variety is distinguished by needle-shaped leaves, fragrant large inflorescences of different colors - white, pale or juicy pink, purple, lilac. There are hybrids with petals with multi-colored dashes, paniculate view pleases with buds in August.


5. Phlox terry perennial. The variety is rare, the bush grows up to 60 cm. It got its name for fluffy flowers, consisting of petals arranged in several tiers. Coloring - milky, pink, all shades of red.


6. Mini phlox perennial. The bush is compact, with low stems up to 30 cm tall. The variety is characterized by small lush inflorescences with buds from white to purple.

How to plant perennial phlox?

When breeding perennial phloxes, planting can be carried out in any soil, but they grow better on light loamy lands with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. A place for a flower bed needs to be lit, elevated, without moisture stagnation. For perennial phloxes, planting and caring for which are scheduled for spring, the soil is being prepared in the fall. The site is dug up, cleaned of old rhizomes, lime is added to the acidic soil (200 g per m 2). It is better to plant dark flowers mixed with light ones in order to shade them favorably. Phlox can be grown by seed and vegetative methods.

How to plant perennial phlox with seeds?

Planting material is collected in the fall until the foliage wilts. A sign of the maturation of the boxes is their dense structure of brown-green color, crackling when pressed. How to grow perennial phlox from seeds:

1. The grains are laid directly after collection in open ground. Seeds are laid out on the surface of the earth with a distance of 5 cm, they are deepened by 1 cm and sprinkled with earth.
2. You can sow the seeds in a container, keep indoors and grow seedlings. To do this, the seeds are first subjected to stratification - a container with sowing is kept for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Then put in a warm place not lower than + 12 ° C. To get strong perennial phloxes, planting and caring for seedlings consists in uniform lighting, regular watering, shelter, removal of condensate,. Landing in the ground is carried out when 4-6 leaves appear.
3. The seed method of planting allows you to get strong specimens, but their flowers may lose varietal traits.

How to plant phlox perennial tubers?

Decorative phloxes in one place grow up to 15 years, you can plant them vegetatively along with the roots. For this, the bush is divided into parts every 4-7 years. Perennial phlox flowers - competent planting of plant shares:

• the bush is dug in, removed, the shoots are shortened to 15 cm;
• the roots are divided with a knife into parts with 2-5 buds for growth;
• half a bucket of compost, a handful of wood ash are added to the prepared pits, everything is mixed with the ground;
• the hole is filled with water, a part of the bush is placed, sprinkled to cover the growth buds by 3-5 cm.
• cover from above - with peat, foliage to a thickness of 10 cm.

When to plant perennial phlox?

The most favorable time for vegetative rooting of flowers is early spring (late April or early May), since perennial phloxes can be planted in open ground when the soil thaws. Then the plant develops faster, gets sick less, will bloom this year. Autumn planting is also allowed in late August or early September. Then the stems should be shortened by a third of the length for better rooting of the culture, sprinkle the bush for the winter with mulch. Planting seeds in the ground is carried out from September to November. They will start to sprout after the snow melts.

Growing perennial phlox

To get lush perennial phloxes on the site, planting and care consist in loosening the earth, watering, fertilizing, cutting the crop. After each moistening, the soil is loosened to a shallow depth so as not to damage the roots, which lie 3-4 cm from the surface. Phlox - winter-hardy perennial, but for the period of frost it is more reliable to cover them with peat, sawdust, especially if they are recently planted. In the absence of snow and temperatures below -25 ° C without shelter, their roots may die.

Feeding perennial phlox

From the moment the first bud appears and throughout the growing season, phloxes require care in the form of top dressing. Fertilize them every week to achieve lush flowering and powerful leafy shoots:

1. In the second decade of May, they give a liquid limited-mineral supplement: in 10 liters of water put 1 liter of liquid or chicken manure, 20-25 g ammonium nitrate, 15-20 g of phosphorus and potash fertilizers. This volume of the composition is enough for 1.5-2 m 2 landings.
2. At the end of May - beginning of June, the concentration of fertilizers increases - potassium-phosphorus elements are applied at 30 g.
3. When deciding how to feed perennial phloxes in June, you need to know that at this time the amount of phosphorus in the solution is increased to 70-80 g per 10 liters of water, 50 g of potassium is added, saltpeter and organic matter are no longer needed.
4. From the second half of August, the flowers cease to fertilize.

How to water phlox?

When asked how often to water phloxes, experienced flower growers advise to carry out the procedure on hot days in the absence of rain twice a day moderately. The soil in the flower bed should be constantly wet. Flowers equally unimportantly tolerate both excess soil moisture and drought. Watering is carried out in the evening, under the root, without falling on the leaves. The soil is mulched to retain moisture with a layer of 5 cm of peat or humus.

How to pinch perennial phlox?

When cultivating, beginners have a dilemma - is it necessary to pinch perennial phloxes. Experienced gardeners are advised to carry out such a procedure in order to grow a lush bush. Pinching of the stems is done in May. Such care postpones the flowering stage for up to a month, but prolongs it by 4-5 weeks. On a pinched stem, 2-3 more shoots sprout, each of them is decorated with smaller inflorescences, but together they have a beautiful view.

Diseases of perennial phlox

Fire flowers are sometimes attacked harmful insects and diseases. Diseases of perennial phloxes:

You can not wait for the appearance of signs of dangerous diseases, it is better to irrigate the stems for prevention. In October, before winter, the culture must be treated with a solution of copper sulfate (1%) or Bordeaux mixture. In spring and summer, the following care is useful: at least two times they do therapeutic and protective spraying with insecticides - Kinmiks, Fury, Karate, Sumi-Alpha, Fundazol.

Phloxes - how beautiful and changeable these flowers are. They can be luxurious aristocrats with lush hats of flowers and ordinary simpletons who grow under the fence. Why were they sent abroad? Usually the story begins like this: once the phloxes were large and beautiful, but then they began to grow smaller, deteriorate from the rain and lean down under the weight of flowers. What happened? “The variety has degenerated,” they say in such cases. Is it so? And what to do so that phloxes do not degenerate?

Let's start with the fact that not only varietal plants, but also seedlings are often sold in the markets. Therefore, the quality of their inflorescences can be very doubtful. In whatever conditions you plant such a flower, you won’t make it better.

But sometimes we see this picture: you have a beautiful phlox growing, and you shared it with a neighbor. The bush is the same, but after a couple of years it turned into a “fly”. Why did this happen? In her heart, the neighbor was offended - she was given some kind of flower that was not like that. But maybe she herself is doing something wrong?

There are several reasons for the change or "degeneration" of the phlox.

1. Shallow landing. Phlox buds are laid close to the surface of the earth. Every year the roots grow upwards, and the buds are exposed. AT harsh winters and with snowless frosts, the kidneys freeze slightly. The bush grows weakened: the stems are thin, the inflorescences are small. If this situation continues for more than one year, then the phlox irrevocably loses its shape, degenerates. To prevent this from happening, before winter, the roots of phloxes need to be mulched and the bush should be replanted deeper every three years.

2. Oppression by weeds. Wheatgrass and other cereal grasses especially annoy phloxes. They are able to quickly turn up the soil. As a result, weeds deprive the phlox roots of air and nutrients. Phlox grows well in fertile, moderately moist soils. trunk circle preferably kept free of weeds. This is achieved by regular weeding and mulching.

3. Soil crust. On clay soils, after watering and rain, a dense crust forms. It makes it difficult for air to reach the roots. In addition, if you do not loosen the soil, then after drying, deep cracks form on it. They lead to rupture of small superficial roots. Mulching phloxes with compost will eliminate the need to often loosen the soil under them.

4. Lack of watering. Phloxes become smaller with a constant lack of moisture. From this, their leaves hang, and the stems become thin and brittle. Such plants can be seen in urban front gardens, where flowers have been planted, but they are hardly cared for (photo 4).

5. Lack of nutrition. Phloxes are rather unpretentious flowers. They can grow even on sandy soils with little or no top dressing (there would be moisture). Lack of nutrition is felt only on very poor soils and more often with a lack of watering (plants absorb substances from the soil only in dissolved form). However, in the presence of top dressing, the inflorescences become larger and the stems more durable.

6. Growth of a bush. Every year, phloxes form several new buds. Shoots grow both on the periphery of the bush and inside it. Over the years, the stems become crowded, and they shade each other. The feeding area no longer corresponds to the size of the plant, and it is starving. Such phlox produces thin stems and small inflorescences. In fact, this is what is called "degeneration". It is easy to avoid degeneration. It is enough to divide the bush every 3-4 years, water and weed it.

What can be done now?

Look at your phloxes. Check if the buds are on the surface of the soil. Mulch the roots with a thick layer of compost, peat, or simply add earth to them. You can also use the tops of annual flowers, such as velvet. If the weather is warm, then the bushes can be transplanted deeper. Dig them with a large clod of earth, then they will hardly feel the transplant. Water generously and cover with dry soil. If the weather is cold, then you need to leave the transplant until spring, as well as dividing the bushes.

Cut off the tops where the seeds have set. It is better to leave the stems, they will hold the snow.

In the spring, as soon as the shoots begin to grow, phloxes can be divided and transplanted if you did not do this in the fall. In the future, avoid the mistakes indicated in paragraphs 1-5.

Grow luxurious phlox, it's not difficult at all.

Agrotechnics for growing phloxes

27.03.2012

It amused me how one florist said that he did not understand what you can talk about at a lecture on phlox agricultural technology. "Everything is so simple and clear!" Once upon a time, I thought the same. But, having gained many years of growing experience, I can talk about the features of phlox agricultural technology endlessly. And I well understand that over time I will learn even more about this wonderful plant.

It is very common to hear that panicled phlox easy to care for and do not require any special growing conditions and this is one of the most unpretentious horticultural crops. Phlox is one of the first included in the list of plants of the so-called "weekend flower garden" - i.e. low-maintenance. For the most part, this view is correct. Phloxes are distinguished by increased endurance, excellent adaptability to changing growing conditions, winter hardiness and frost resistance, longevity and a high degree growth and reproduction, both vegetatively and seed way. However, more experienced phlox growers believe that some phloxes are much more capricious ("Dragon", "Flame" (Popova), "My Love is My Joy", "Dusk", "Ural Tales", "Sirius", "Gaganov's Favorite", "Slavyanka ", etc.) than, for example, old time-tested varieties or the so-called park-landscape phloxes. Having sufficient personal experience(more than 17 years of phlox collecting) I can say that this opinion is partly true. In almost any garden culture, it is customary to approach the requirements individually. different varieties, which is why the experience and advice of collectors, through whose hands many cultivars have been tested, are so valued. Phloxes are also no exception to this rule.

Most of the domestic varieties and seedlings appeared in gardens of amateurs, for whom the most important criterion for evaluating phlox is the uniqueness of the color of the flower and its size, and not resistance to diseases, weather conditions and unpretentiousness in cultivation and maintenance. One of the main tasks of modern breeding is to ensure that Russian phloxes are not only exceptionally beautiful, but are distinguished by increased endurance, which would minimize complex agrotechnical practices, such as mandatory tying to supports, treatment for diseases and pests, the frequency of additional irrigation and even a decrease in organic and mineral supplements.

But this approach will require much more complex selection than just culling similar and nondescript seedlings. Capricious, but unique in color and shape, seedlings of amateur selection will appear and spread, and it is unlikely that this will be avoided. It is about this practice that the entire world selection speaks. It often happens that unusual and unique in color, shape and size, but whimsical in care and maintenance, new garden plants appear, and only over time, breeders “finish” varieties and produce more reliable and unpretentious cultivars based on “pioneer” varieties. ". Therefore, those phlox growers who set themselves the goal of collecting a collection of beautiful, rare, exceptional, but capricious phloxes need to carefully study all the subtleties of agricultural technology, so that the collection brings not only the joy of owning outstanding varieties, but also delivers true pleasure from contemplating beauty. In addition, competent care will allow you to fully explore the potential of your new seedlings, competently prepare them for exhibitions so that they show their varietal merits in all their glory. After all, an endurance test under conditions with maximum comfort(rich garden soils, regular watering, etc.) is no less important than testing under conditions with minimal care. Some phlox begin to act up in a well-groomed flower garden, although in "Spartan" conditions they feel much better and thrive there. long years without demanding any attention.

Florists purchase varietal phloxes in various places - in nurseries, garden centers, from private traders. Most the best way to get a strong and healthy plant is a purchase young seedling with a closed root system (in a pot) in a growing and even flowering state during the active growing season of outdoor garden plants.

The so-called "winter and early-spring acquisitions" of planting material (phlox rhizomes or grown cuttings in the ZKS) often become a problem for beginners, as they require overexposure either in a refrigerator at temperatures from 0 to -1 degrees, or in greenhouses with conditions " cold start”, i.e. when night and day temperatures are different. In room conditions with the same warm temperature day and night, with a short daylight hours, it is rarely possible to maintain planting material alive and well before landing in open ground. Moreover, such plants in the future are hard and long to adapt in the garden. Therefore, if you do not have the experience, time and desire to engage in troublesome winter-spring overexposure, then purchase new phloxes in the season - spring, summer, autumn, when open ground plants are in the growing season and phloxes can be planted in open ground immediately after purchase .

If you order phlox by mail, then arrange with the supplier the time of receipt of the plants at the moment when the phloxes are in adequate condition for a favorable planting in your garden and mailing in the mailbox. best time sending phloxes by mail is the moment when the buds of the renewal of the next season ripen well in the seedlings, i.e. - late summer - autumn (from August 15 to early November)

Phlox division with well-ripened renewal buds:

It should be noted that phloxes of late flowering periods are best obtained later, because. in them, renewal buds can ripen no earlier than mid-autumn. ("Evening Song", "Vladimir", "Hochgesang", "Miss Holland", etc.). For rhizomes without a ground part, which are in a dormant state, it does not matter late dates landings in open ground, so flower growers in the northern regions should not rush merchants to send rhizomes with unripe renewal buds for fear that phloxes will not have time to take root and will not winter well in their area. Sending phlox by mail in the spring is not the best option, as phlox are already in a state of active growth and can simply rot within a few days while in the mailbox. An exception to this rule is the sending of rhizomes in the spring, which are still in a dormant state, but unfortunately, phloxes start growing very early and the terms of such postal shipments are very short - no more than 10-14 days. A delay in sending a package of only 3-4 days may end in failure. In autumn, the terms of such transfers increase to 3 months.

As a rule, newly acquired varietal phloxes of our domestic selection come in two ways vegetative propagation: cuttings from adult bushes or young seedlings obtained by cuttings. The microclonal method of reproduction, which is widespread abroad, has not yet been mastered in our country and is rarely used and in exceptional cases. However, although this method is progressive, it has a number of significant drawbacks. For example, not all varieties can transfer their unique traits with 100% guarantee during micropropagation, and this issue still needs to be improved. And if you want to get a guaranteed pure-grade planting material, then the best option is to purchase young phloxes obtained by cuttings, which has been practiced for a very long time, and even P.G. Gaganov’s book says that barked 1- 2 summer stem cuttings. Ideally, this should be a plant of the second year of development of the cutting that has undergone wintering..

Young phlox of the second year of development, propagated by summer cuttings:

Delenki from adult bushes are also standard planting material, but provided that the bush is not weakened various diseases which he acquires during his life.

Photo of adult bushes of summer division and division of phloxes:

Photo of a division in one branch with a dry last year's shoot, which it is desirable to remove, otherwise when it rots young plant problems associated with fungal diseases may appear. If the old stump cannot be removed, then the root system must be treated with a fungicide to treat planting material from rot. For example, "Maxim", "Vitaros", etc. drugs:

Unfortunately, completely healthy phlox bushes in large and old collections are not as common as we would like. Sometimes unscrupulous traders begin to divide phloxes only at the moment when the plants begin to age and bloom worse due to any diseases, including latent ones. Young seedlings propagated by cuttings practically do not have such problems, on the contrary, they have an updated strong immune system and are able to live longer in the same place, actively developing and resisting various diseases, including viral ones. That is why experienced phlox growers prefer to renew varietal phlox by cuttings rather than by dividing old bushes. Experienced collectors even have such an expression - “transfer phlox to new roots”, since most often it is in the rhizome that accumulate over the years various problems plants.

In this regard, I want to say a few words about the widespread opinion in narrow circles of "venerable" phlox growers that phlox propagated by cuttings do not always convey varietal characteristics if the time is unsuccessfully chosen or the wrong part of the shoot for propagation or the age of the phlox is taken less than 3 years. Such ignorant claims simply cannot be taken seriously by any person who has an education and is able to even superficially study biology and botany. For myself, I definitely made such a logical conclusion. Rumors are spread by those merchants who are simply too lazy to propagate phlox by cuttings, it is labor-intensive and takes time. It is easier for the ignorant to divide the old bushes for sale and spread ridiculous rumors, trying to remove more advanced competitors from the market.

If you have no choice and want to buy cuttings from adult phlox bushes, pay attention not only to the condition of the flowers, leaves and roots, but also to the quality of the stems in their lower part. If they have signs of phomosis, then it is better to refuse the purchase. This disease is difficult to treat and, as a rule, such plants are infected not only with a fungal infection, but also with a nematode, which is even more difficult to get rid of.

Photo of phlox shoots with signs of infection with phomosis:

Phomosis should not be confused with such a physiological phenomenon as stem cracking, which is unpleasant varietal feature some varieties. Fortunately, there are very few such varieties. A few photos of cracking stems for comparison:

So, in order to grow the most decorative and luxurious phlox bushes, it is necessary to make a lot of efforts to comply with correct and competent agricultural technology. However, the healthy appearance, lush flowering and longevity of any garden plant depends on a combination of factors that may vary from the specific conditions of a particular garden. Only by studying the features of the microclimate of your particular area, you can understand what needs to be done in order for the phloxes to feel as comfortable as possible in this particular place.

Let's start with planting. The basis of phlox's well-being over several years of cultivation depends on where, how and in what soil it is planted. Varietal panicled phloxes differ significantly in appearance from their wild relatives, but their preferences in conditions of successful and healthy growth remain the same. Wild plants from North America are moisture-loving and usually grow in damp places, in floodplains in wet meadows among shrubs and small forests, in wet glades rich in humus and humus on the forest floor. The same needs for varietal phlox. They love regular abundant watering under the root, sunny or lightly shaded planting site in rich organic soil. Be sure to take this into account when choosing a landing site for phlox or create such conditions artificially.

Phloxes belong to garden plants with rapid growth and development. As a rule, for 4-5 years of growth, the soil under an adult bush is greatly depleted. Therefore, the seat must be carefully prepared in order for the plant to feel comfortable for several years. And a lot more important point in choosing a landing site. Do not plant phlox where they have been growing for several years. Many experts in the field of soil science argue that the need for certain useful substances each garden crop is individual and the plant makes the most of them during its life, impoverishing the soil at the planting site. In addition, very often the land in such a place manages to accumulate a complex of fungal, bacterial and even viral diseases that are characteristic only for a particular culture. The practice of experienced flower growers confirms this theory. Often you can hear stories from them about how in the first few years phloxes were distinguished by increased decorativeness and health on fresh soils, even without additional organic and mineral fertilizers. But repeated plantings of phloxes in the same place were unsuccessful, phloxes grew and developed problematically, were more often affected by various diseases and wintered worse. For this reason, in the garden you need to constantly alternate and change different cultures on the principle of crop rotation.

Where and on what soils phloxes grow and develop best, much is written in the specialized literature. I will not go into detail about this, I will only say that any cultivated garden soil is suitable for the successful cultivation of panicled phlox. Moreover, with years and experience comes an understanding of where and in what place in your garden phlox will feel best. Surprisingly, the same variety in different planting sites in the garden alone can change a lot in appearance, and only the grower himself decides where exactly this or that variety looks as decorative as possible and not always like that. good place landings can only be calculated theoretically.

For beginners, I will say that when choosing a flower garden for phlox, be guided by the fact that it is convenient for regular watering - phlox moisture-loving culture. Moreover, increased air humidity is no less important than soil moisture. However, this does not mean that phlox should be planted in places with constantly damp and wet soil. As a rule, the best places with a certain humid microclimate, but without stagnant water, are in light openwork shading from tall trees and shrubs. This is especially important for varieties with flowers prone to fading ("J.S. Bach", "Fire Bird", "Moscow Fairy Tale", "Isabelle", etc.). In open areas, phloxes grow well and develop only under the condition of mandatory watering in hot and dry weather. Unlike many garden crops, phloxes grow well on soils with a close occurrence. ground water, but at the same time it is worth avoiding those places where melt and rainwater stagnate for a long time.

Phlox get along well with many plants in the garden., are inferior only in competition with trees and shrubs with a powerful surface root system, for example, birch, spruce, turf, lilac, clematis, etc. In any case, if you notice that the phlox is developing, not as actively as it should be, try to find a new landing site for it. Moreover, do not transplant the entire bush to a new place, but plant only a young delenka from it or a cuttings. Adult bushes are not able to adapt to changing growing conditions adequately and can significantly worsen their condition and even die. For example, transplanted 3-4-year-old bushes endure wintering worse than young ones. Therefore, try to rejuvenate phloxes more often, young plants are more plastic and adapt faster to new conditions. This rule applies not only to capricious varieties.

Care for young, adult and old phlox bushes is different and requires individual approach . Often this important point is not specified in the general conditions of care. And, nevertheless, for a young healthy plant of the first year, just the right competent landing and regular watering during the first season, any top dressing and mulching are excluded. It is especially important to know this for those beginners who “sin” with excessive care and can literally feed young plantings with fertilizers to death. It should be well understood that you need to use any fertilizer only when the plant shows active growth and development. It is under such conditions that phlox responds adequately to top dressing and its appearance only gets better. If the seedling did not have time to take root well and go into active growth on its own in a new place, you should not “spur” it artificially, the use of fertilizers at the time of adaptation to new conditions can lead to negative consequences and even death.

Typical mistakes and misconceptions that inexperienced phlox growers often make when faced with the study of newfangled garden chemicals. Modern market offers many means for artificial stimulation of growth and development of plants. Such drugs as Epin, Zircon, Ribav, HB-101, Agat-25, Energen, Athlete, etc. of course, they help plants, but only on condition that the plant is healthy and needs a stimulus for more active development. Moreover, it is necessary to create conditions for the further successful growth of the plant treated with stimulants, and not doom it to "starvation with increased appetite." And no matter how much you process your phloxes the latest drugs on poor and depleted soils, there will be no sense from them. Given my personal experience, I will say that you can easily do without any artificial stimulants, just by observing competent agricultural technology. Remember that healthy soil with great content organics, mineral fertilizers and microelements cannot be replaced by any super-energy or biostimulator. Unfortunately, beginners are often mistaken about this and do not understand some of the subtleties and nuances of the problem, stuffing plants with those “magic” means that so temptingly promise super-results from their use. For example, diseased plants do not always respond adequately to energy treatments. Often the reaction is negative, and therefore be sure to consider that the diseased plant must first be cured and only then it can be stimulated to active development.

Separately, I want to say about application of organic and mineral fertilizers. Often inexperienced flower growers try to achieve lush flowering, actively using only mineral fertilizers, and commit serious mistake. On poor, depleted soils, for the successful growth and development of phlox, it is impossible to do with mineral fertilizers alone, no matter what good quality they weren't. And if they are also used in high doses, then this only leads to negative results. For the successful prosperity of phlox, one “mineral water” is not enough, it must be used in combination with organic matter. Organic fertilizers have a multilateral agronomic effect on soil properties. With the systematic introduction of organic matter, the physical and chemical properties of the soil, its water and air regimes improve, the vital activity of beneficial microorganisms is activated, without which it is impossible to grow healthy plants. Moreover, the use of organics allows you to apply mineral fertilizers in large doses and get good results. Always use well-rotted manure, ripened compost, black lowland peat with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction, bird droppings, leaf and green manure (green) humus, etc. to enrich the soil in the garden. organic fertilizers.

Planting a young phlox with ZKS can be carried out at almost any time of the season. Phloxes with an open root system are best done in spring, late summer or autumn. In a flower garden with long and constantly cultivated soils, it is enough to dig a planting hole of a slightly larger root system of a young seedling and add mineral fertilizer, organic matter and ash there. On fresh and depleted soils, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work with complete removal of weeds, digging and the addition of organic and mineral fertilizers around the entire perimeter of the flower garden. The rates and doses of fertilizer application are calculated individually for each site and depend on the composition of the soil. Do not forget about the general rule in floriculture: heavy clay soils need to be further enriched with loosening materials, and clay is added to light sandy soils. The ideal acidity of the soil for phlox is neutral or slightly acidic (pH - 5.5-7). It is generally accepted that phloxes grow and develop worse on alkaline soils.

If phloxes are planted in rows, then the standard distance from one bush to another is 40-50 cm.

An example of planning an amateur flower garden for planting phlox with wooden pegs and designating the landing site:

The landing pit for phlox is prepared as follows: dig a hole 25-30 cm deep and with a diameter exceeding the volume of the root ball of a young seedling. Ash is added to the hole (2-3 tablespoons with a slide), complex mineral fertilizer, depending on the season (for example, in the spring - "Kemira-Universal. Spring", in the summer - "Kemira-Universal. Summer", in the fall - "Kemira-Universal . Autumn") in doses recommended on the package and organic fertilizer in solid form and well decomposed state:

The proportion of organic matter should be from a quarter to a half of the composition of the soil mixture, depending on the state of the soil and the quality of the organic matter itself. mineral fertilizer, ash, organic matter and part of the soil removed from the hole are thoroughly mixed. It is most convenient to do this in the planting hole itself. Then, the soil mixture is again taken out of the hole, a small mound is made inside it from the same soil mixture, and a seedling is placed on it, which is tied to a support after “trying on”. The root neck is deepened by 4-6 cm - so that the renewal buds located higher on the stem must be underground at a depth of at least 3 cm. The straightened root system is carefully covered with soil mixture, compacted tightly, so that there is a shallow hole around the seedling. Water abundantly immediately and if the weather is dry, then in the next 3-4 days daily, depending on the well-being of the seedling.

Stages of planting a young phlox seedling:

If the seedling is received with washed roots or a badly damaged root system, then it should be planted on a sandy "cushion" inside the hole, since its root system is in a certain stressful situation and the sand in this case will help to adapt more gently to new growing conditions. Phlox rhizomes without the ground part, obtained in late autumn, can be kept in a dig until spring.

Starting from the second year of life in a new place, young phlox begin to feed and mulch annually. Doses of applied fertilizers depend on the rate of growth and development of phlox. The more intense they are, the larger doses are required for good health, health and full flowering of the plant. Exist various ways phlox feed. After many years of experimentation for my phlox, I chose the following method. In late autumn, after pruning the stems, I abundantly mulch adult bushes with well-decomposed manure or compost, under which I scatter complex mineral fertilizer for garden flowers and ash. In the spring, as soon as the young shoots grow to a height of 10-15 cm, I carry out foliar top dressing with urea - 20 g per 10 liters of water. Before flowering, at the moment when the first buds begin to appear on the shoots, I again mulch the soil under the bush with organic matter, under which I scatter ash and complete mineral fertilizer for flowers, for example, Kemira-Universal. Flower". During the flowering period, I do not feed phloxes, but only water abundantly under the root. At the end of flowering, I water the phloxes with a solution of superphosphate and ash (20 g of double superphosphate and a glass of ash per 10 liters of water).

Autumn pruning of phlox bushes is an important agricultural technique, which will avoid some of the problems associated with illness and care. Often, lovers leave stumps of old stems 10-20 cm high, or even do not cut off the old shoots of phloxes at all in the fall, believing that the “tops” contribute to the retention of snow and phloxes for this reason will not freeze out in a snowless winter. I cut the phloxes very short - almost flush with the ground.

Let me explain why I cut the phlox shoots short:

First of all, accumulates on last year's shoots maximum amount spores of fungal diseases; pests overwinter between dry shoots. It is at a height of 10-20 cm that it is more convenient for all these "bads" to winter without freezing - this is the minimum level of snow in a normal winter.
Secondly, the remaining shoots interfere autumn processing fungicides for preventive purposes and organic mulching, which summer-autumn flowering phloxes are very fond of. AT natural conditions the leaves and tops of the phloxes themselves and neighboring plants serve as a natural organic autumn mulch. In the garden, varietal sissy phloxes need more careful care and a respectable appearance so that they show themselves in all their glory and delight us with their healthy appearance at any time of the season.

Autumn mulching is also necessary for phloxes for a more successful wintering and a "hearty" start in the spring. A normal physiological phenomenon for panicled phloxes is the growth of the rhizome upwards, in which not only the roots, but also the buds of renewal are exposed. And, in order to protect them from freezing, it is not enough to leave shoot stumps in order to retain snow. A vivid example. Into the snowless frosty winter In 2002-2003, not a single phlox died in my collection! Whereas many phlox growers who did not cut low phloxes and did not mulch them in the fall complained that they had lost part of the collection of varietal phloxes. That year, as usual, I cut the phloxes short and mulched them with a thick layer of well-rotted manure and peat.
Thirdly, aesthetic aspect. It is much more pleasant to watch the awakening of young shoots of phloxes, which are not interfered with last year's dry "crutches-kumps", which, when broken, can damage fragile spring shoots.
Photo of phloxes in early spring, which were cut off in late autumn and mulched:

And I'll add more. Sometimes flower growers do not cut phloxes short, referring to the fact that renewal buds form in the lower part of the shoots at a height of 2-4 cm, which can overwinter under favorable weather conditions. According to my observations, I will say that from these shoots, as a rule, weaker or "blind" escapes and their flowering is less abundant than those that were underground in the soil. In addition, they can interfere with the development of stronger shoots, which will also affect the abundance of flowering of the bush as a whole. It makes sense to leave such renewal buds in the event that a large amount of planting material is needed for cuttings.

"Blind" shoots in the phlox bush:

Varietal panicled phloxes are traditionally grown by tying them to supports.. The exceptions are gardens and flower beds in the style of "natur-garden", where in companions to phloxes they must select such plants that, in a dense planting, will serve as a support to each other, otherwise, with strong wind and heavy rains, phloxes will fall, breaking shoots and inflorescences. Mass uniform plantings of phloxes also contribute to the fact that phloxes serve as a support for each other.

In strong winds and heavy rains, phloxes will fall, breaking shoots and inflorescences, if they are not tied up:

Phloxes in front flower beds require more careful care and in order for the inflorescences to be more powerful, the bush itself is stronger and its overall decorative effect has increased, at the time of setting the first buds, the bush is thinned out from weak, blind and uneven shoots. The lower leaves are also removed, since by this time they have lost their decorative effect - the new foliage that has grown above blocks the light and they begin to dry out naturally. In addition, old leaves will interfere with better watering under the root and fungal diseases appear on them first of all.

Top dressing complete complex fertilizer, ash and organic mulching before flowering is the best incentive for abundant flowering. Mineral fertilizer and ash are scattered under the base of the bush and along its perimeter:

The bush is watered abundantly, but so that the mulch is not washed away by a strong stream of water.

I will add. The timing of the autumn pruning of phloxes in the Moscow region is after October 15th. It can be a little earlier, but this time is optimal. Autumn mulching of cut phlox bushes should be carried out ONLY after October 15, not earlier! You can even later - on frozen soil, but it's not very convenient, and it's unpleasant to mess with organic matter in the cold. Earlier mulching (before October 15) can provoke the growth of dormant buds. However, this is not fatal for phloxes, but the plant will definitely be a little weaker because the awakened shoots will grow and then their tops will freeze.

Photo and text provided for placement by N. Konstantinova