Bright colors of the garden: the subtleties of planting and caring for perennial phlox

Botanical description of a perennial

The fire flower came to Europe from North America several centuries ago. The name phlox means "flame" in translation. This is due to the fact that earlier the color of the flower was only scarlet. Today there are more than fifty varieties of plants and at least one and a half thousand varieties. Almost all of them are perennial.

Based on the place of growth, the appearance of the flower and its morphological features are different. The height of the plant can be from 10 to 150 cm. The stems are straight and tough, the leaves are rather large, oblong, deep green in color. Placed opposite.

The flowering time depends on the variety and variety. Flowers are collected in large panicles, have a persistent pleasant aroma and can be of a wide variety of colors. The flower is small - up to 5 cm in diameter. Consists of 5 petals and stamens, as well as a pistil.

All perennial varieties can be divided into three groups:

• bush - can be tall and short, flowers without grooves and cuts at the tips;
• creeping or ground cover;
• loose sod - an intermediate option between the first and second group.

Video "Secrets of caring for perennial phlox"

In this video, experts tell you how to achieve abundant and rich flowering of horticultural crops.

Interesting types and varieties of phlox

Species and varietal diversity allows you to choose a flower for every taste: size, color, purpose. The most common and popular not only among flower growers, but also among amateurs are the following perennials:

1. Paniculata. They bloom in late summer or early September; only a bright pleasant aroma of flowers can compete with the richness of varietal colors. But the yellow color is not found among them. There are pure and hybrid forms. The height of the bush is from 50 cm to 1 m. The shape of the inflorescences is spherical, can be compact and loose.
2. Spread out. The most unpretentious type of perennial. With small flowers of a characteristic shape, loose inflorescences and tough elongated leaves. Among the colors, shades of lilac, blue and white prevail.
3. Subulate. Low bushes with small, neatly collected inflorescences of blue, lilac, pink and lilac shades. The leaves are small, leathery, with sharp tips. It spreads along the ground and covers it with a kind of thick green carpet. Blooms in May or early June.
4. Canadian or splayed. Medium-sized bushes with relatively large flowers. The umbrellas of the inflorescences are about 10 cm in diameter. The colors are blue, purple and white. Does not form seeds, whimsical to the soil.
5. Phlox Douglas. Short, only up to 5 cm in height, great for replacing the lawn. The leaves and flowers are small, but it blooms twice a season. White, blue, pink and lilac colors predominate.

Growing conditions

Although phloxes are quite unpretentious to growing conditions, it is better to grow, develop and bloom only when optimal conditions are created.

Seat selection

The best option is a well-lit area, protected from strong wind gusts and drafts. This can be a garden bed, fenced off from the north side.

Shade-loving varieties can be planted behind shrubs or under spreading trees.

The wrong choice of place is fraught with the loss of decorativeness, rare and small flowers. Also, a lowland, swampy soil and a site with surface deposits of groundwater are not suitable for perennials.

Soil requirements

Loose and nutritious soil is ideal for phlox. Loams with a slightly acidic or neutral reaction are best suited. If the acidity level is high, then lime must be added before planting.

The soil is fed with organic substances: wood ash, compost and manure. You can make the soil structure lighter with sand or peat. However, peat must never be abused. You can make loose soil more dense with turf and compost.

Subtleties and secrets of planting

Compliance with all planting rules is the key to quick adaptation and development of the plant.

Determination of terms

For most regions of Russia, the optimal period for planting plants is April-May. When choosing the time, you need to focus on the climatic conditions in the region - the soil should be sufficiently warm and the possibility of recurrent frosts should be excluded.

You can plant a perennial in the fall, but in such a way that the plant has time to adapt before the first frost. Planting phlox in the summer does not guarantee a positive result and is rather troublesome.

The choice of planting material

The most convenient breeding method is cuttings. Therefore, you need to choose the right seedling itself. It should be healthy, with a strong root system, with a few full buds and branches. It is better to choose planting material in nurseries, shops and specialized farms in order to exclude the risk of infection of the plant or the acquisition of a flower with inappropriate species characteristics.

Landing features

The previously prepared bed is loosened and the cuttings are planted in small holes at a distance of at least 30 cm. Tall varieties should be planted at a distance of at least half a meter. After planting, the cuttings are watered abundantly for several weeks (only if heavy rainfall does not fall).

How to care for a flowering perennial

Phlox, like other plants, need certain agrotechnical measures.

Watering and loosening the soil

Phlox are moisture-loving flowers. Therefore, watering should be abundant and regular. During the flowering period, phlox are watered every 3 days, if the weather is especially hot and dry, then every day.

Light, loose soil provides adequate ventilation and air access to the roots. Therefore, it is necessary to loosen the soil at least once a week, and preferably after each watering.

Top dressing and fertilization

Additional nutrition is essential for a lush flowering and well-being of a perennial. The spring subcortex must necessarily include nitrogen-containing complexes; before flowering, preference should be given to potassium-phosphorus mixtures.

Transplant rules

Transplanting will help to rejuvenate and activate all the functional processes of the plant. Experienced growers advise replanting a flower every 5-6 years. If all the optimal conditions and proper care are created for the flower, the time can be increased to 8-9 years.

Wintering

The southern regions with mild warm winters are not terrible for phloxes. But in other regions, you need to take care of adequate shelter. Before winter, the perennial is cut to the roots and mulched with straw. You can also use burlap or spunbond for cover.

In areas with severe frosts, it is better to dig up the bushes and move them into boxes in the room. They may not endure the harsh winter.

Reproduction methods

Rana we have already talked about phlox cuttings. But perennials can be propagated in other ways: by seeds, layering, dividing the bush.

Seeds

The seeds are easier to purchase at the store. They are deepened into containers with fertile soil by 1–2 cm. The containers are placed outside for natural stratification, but covered with leaves and snow. In the spring, the containers are placed in a warm room for seedlings to germinate.

Layers

Layers allow the bush to propagate in both summer and autumn. For this, a strong lateral shoot of the main bush is sprinkled with soil. You can also pinch with wire. After rooting, the shoot is separated and transplanted.

By dividing the bush

To do this, dig up a strong healthy bush without damaging the root system. Divided into equal parts with full-fledged roots and rooted on the soil prepared for planting.

Diseases and pests of phlox

Perennials suffer from almost all common diseases. Most often, spotting, powdery mildew and phomosis are manifested. To prevent the appearance of diseases, they must be pre-treated with fungicides.

Nematodes - roundworms - are especially dangerous for phlox. However, if you plant calendula, nasturtium or marigolds next to a perennial, you can prevent a pest attack.

Phlox in landscape design

Today is a real renaissance for phlox, new varieties and hybrids have literally blown up the flower market. Remarkable is the fact that today whole phloxaria are planted from various varieties of perennials: undersized ones are planted at the edges as a kind of fence, and bush ones are planted in the middle.

Geraniums, irises, dwarf conifers will be wonderful neighbors for a composition with phlox.

If you have a personal plot or summer cottage, we advise you to be sure to decorate the area with these charming flowers. And then the whole green space will plunge into a multi-colored cloud with a light pleasant aroma. And ground cover varieties will bring bright colors to the green of the lawn.