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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

There are possibilities for propagating phloxes vegetatively:

  • layering
  • cuttings
  • dividing the bush

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

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

When to plant seedlings

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

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


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

Land and seed preparation

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

Sowing seeds

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

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

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

seedling care

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

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

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


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

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

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


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

Main principle caring for one-year-old phlox in the summer - do not interfere with growth!

To comply with it will require:

  1. regular watering in hot weather, as the plant withers during drought due to overheating of the root system
  2. periodic careful loosening of the soil to ensure its breathability. In the 2nd half of the growing season of the plant, hilling is carried out to form the root system
  3. pinching shoots to create the splendor of the bush, accelerating the onset of flowering
  4. 4-fold top dressing with mineral fertilizers, organic matter:
  • the first is carried out at the end of May with manure,
  • the second - in early June with liquid manure with superphosphate / potassium salt,
  • the third - in the first decade of July only with liquid manure, the 4th - at the end of July with phosphorus with potassium salt. For violent flowering, the plant can be fertilized with ammonium nitrate several times a season.

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


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

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

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


Drummond has 2 varieties:

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

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

Today, the most common varieties of Drummonda are:

Annuals phlox, we sow seeds Drummond Phlox video

We hope that with the help of these basic information, you will be able to realize your design ideas for ennobling the garden and home.

Here we will just talk about the annual phlox, Drummond's phlox (Phlox drummondii), which differs from its perennial counterparts that bloom already in autumn. Joyful and elegant annual phloxes have recently been somewhat supplanted by other flowers for summer cottages and garden plots. However, in my opinion, they are so joyful, elegant, they deserve much more popularity.

Everyone who has ever tried to grow it on their plot or balcony falls in love with this bright relative of the perennial phlox. In addition to a lush and long flowering period, the unpretentious annual phlox is very decorative and has an amazing aroma, a rich set of flowers and colors. Most often it is used to create borders around flower beds, along paths, for group plantings in prefabricated flower beds.

Phlox is an annual, branching strongly from the very base of the stem. Plant height is from 20 to 40 cm. The flowers are medium-sized, each small phlox flower is about 1 cm in diameter, collected in a corymbose inflorescence. The shape of the flower itself is different different varieties phloxes: they are simple, terry, spike-shaped, star-shaped or dissected. The color of the flower is purple, lilac, blue, red, pink, white, maybe with an eye in the middle.

Annual phloxes come in peach, chocolate, beige, whipped cream and coffee shades, while perennials are dominated by pink or raspberry colors. Annual phloxes attract attention with the unusual structure of a flower - similar to a snowflake.

Annual phloxes come in peach, chocolate, beige, whipped cream and coffee shades, while perennials are dominated by pink or raspberry colors.
The name of the plant comes from the Latin - Phlox drummondii.

Growing method: seedlings / in the ground.

Family: cyanotic.


Origin: North America, Texas.

Height: 35-40 cm.

Flowering: long and abundant from late June until frost.

Flower color: varied (white, pink, red, cream, lilac, purple with or without an eye in the center of the flower).


Required location, soil: sunny place, requires fertilized soil., grows especially well with regular watering. Caring for phlox



Phloxes are light-loving, cold-resistant and relatively drought-resistant plants. They do not like when the soil overheats.



Phloxes bloom from June until frost. They plant him in different types flower beds. Tall varieties phloxes are cut for bouquets.



Phlox is propagated by seeds. Seeds for seedlings are sown in March. Shoots appear after 5-7 days. Flowers are planted in the ground in May, depending on the height of the variety, 12-15 cm are left between plants. When the weather is hot and dry, young phloxes need to be watered. In order for them to bloom well, they need to be fed. Phlox seedlings are fed 2-3 times after picking with nitrogen fertilizers with an interval of 7-10 days.



Then, when the plants are planted in the ground, they are fed at intervals of one and a half to two weeks with complete mineral fertilizers. Plant feeding is carried out until August. In undersized varieties of phlox, faded inflorescences need to be cut off. On sale, phlox seeds are most often offered in mixed colors.



Phloxes develop more successfully not only on fertile soils with good aeration, but also necessarily require sufficiently moist areas. Therefore, for abundant flowering phloxes need both regular top dressing and abundant watering in the first half of the growing season.


Phloxes wake up very early in the spring, as soon as the ground thaws. The root system of these plants consists of a mass of rather thin highly branched roots located in the upper soil layer (3-15 cm deep) and not penetrating deeper than 25 cm inside. Therefore, it is useful not to loosen the soil around the phlox bushes, but to mulch (with peat, humus, wood chips, leaf litter, etc.).



Such a mulch helps to retain moisture, which phlox needs no less than fertilizers. Mineral fertilizers are scattered under the mulch at the rate of 1 sq.m: 15-20 g of potassium chloride, 20-25 g of ammonium nitrate and 15-20 g of superphosphate, or a spring version of a complete mineral fertilizer for flowering plants.
Phosphorus and potassium are also necessary for phloxes in spring, as they contribute to the development of the root system, an increase in the number of new roots growing at the base of each young phlox stem.



In the second decade of May, liquid feeding of phloxes is carried out, diluting 1 liter of mullein infusion into ten liters of water or 0.5 liters of chicken manure or 20-25 g of ammonium nitrate, and also adding 15-20 g of potash and phosphorus fertilizers. The approximate consumption of the solution is half a bucket of fertilizer per square meter landings. The same feeding of phloxes should be carried out in late May - early June, the proportion of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers is increased (up to 30 g of each of them are applied).


From mid-June, nitrogen is limited in top dressing for phlox, and when a large amount is applied organic fertilizers when preparing the site or regular mulching, they do not give at all. Phosphorus is added more, dissolving 70-80 g of phosphate and potash fertilizers per ten liters of water. When the weather is dry, the site should be well watered before top dressing and also after it.









Phlox appeared in Europe almost four centuries ago. These flowers are native to North America, where they grow in large numbers.

In Russia (more precisely, in Russia), annual phloxes have been known for a long time, but earlier the flower was called “sitchik” among our ancestors for its varied color and simplicity.

Translated from Greek, "phlox" means "flame".

Such a beautiful name is explained as appearance bright phlox, and the existing old legend. There is a legend that Odysseus, leaving the kingdom of the dead of the god Hades, threw his flaming torch near the entrance. And the fire of this torch did not die out, but flared up, and turned into the same fiery flowers, in memory of the great ancient Greek hero.

Phloxes are very popular among both beginner gardeners and those who have been growing flowers for many years. This is explained by the fact that phloxes are not just beautiful, but are a real decoration of any flower garden. The beauty of phloxes is also that they are easy to care for, easy to breed, and with honor endure our harsh climatic conditions. They are not afraid of frost, they are unpretentious, do not require summer time a lot of attention, and at the same time they have an incomparable aroma.

All this makes phlox truly indispensable for flower lovers.

To date, the number of varieties of phlox is approaching sixty, while almost all of them are perennial. However, only 15-20 species are used to decorate garden beds and flower beds, but you can admire the flowering of these varieties for 4-6 months. Therefore, phloxes are appropriate in absolutely any design.

Choosing the right place

Growing phlox is not at all difficult, although some effort will certainly have to be made. However, there is no comparison with the difficulty of growing other flowers when choosing phlox.

First of all, for phloxes you need to choose a suitable place in the garden. This is the most important thing if you are going to enjoy the flowering of your "calico" for many years.

Phloxes really do not like excessive moisture, although they need good watering. However, there should be no stagnant water when growing phlox. Thin roots of phlox cannot stand this, and simply rot.

Therefore, in the lowlands, where water accumulates after rains, it is not necessary to plant phloxes, you will simply destroy your plants. Plant your flowers on fairly high ground, even on beds no more than 15 cm high. Under these conditions, the flower will feel good.

It is also highly advisable not to plant phlox next to trees, shrubs or other plants with large roots that are located shallow underground. Phloxes in such a neighborhood will lack moisture and light, and it may wither from a lack of nutrition.

Suitable soil

As for the composition of the soil, phloxes are unpretentious enough so that this issue can not be given special attention. They will thrive in a wide variety of soils, but these flowers thrive best if you offer them moist, light, loose soil.

Watering

One of the main requirements for caring for phlox is proper watering.

Phlox love moisture so much that they suffer from drought even where ground water located fairly close to the soil surface. Even in such places, flowers require mandatory watering, otherwise their superficial roots will simply dry out.

Watering phlox is carried out as follows. On 1 square meter of the soil surface where phloxes grow, you need to pour at least two buckets of warm water. Moreover, at the beginning of summer, it is recommended to add a little boric acid(about the tip of a teaspoon) or a little potassium permanganate, so that the water for irrigation acquires a slightly brownish tint.

top dressing

Phloxes, like any flower crops, need high-quality feeding. And you need to feed them during the season at least five times, and this should be done either immediately after watering, or after heavy rain, when the earth is sufficiently moist.

Phloxes are fed for the first time in early spring before the snow finally melts. Fertilizer is applied per 1 square meter, which includes:

  • 30 g of ammonium nitrate;
  • 40 g of ash;
  • 50 superphosphate.

The second time phloxes need to be fed closer to the beginning of summer, in the twentieth of May. At this time, before the start of active growth, plants need organic fertilizer. Therefore, they should be fed with a solution of fermented manure in a ratio of 1:12, or a solution of chicken manure in a ratio of 1:20. Or, if you do not have such a fertilizer, you can fertilize with ammonium nitrate in a proportion of 30 g per bucket of water.

The third time phloxes are fed at the beginning of summer, with exactly the same fertilizer as the second time. In this case, you can add a little wood ash to the water.

The fourth time phloxes are fed in mid-July, during active flowering. This time, the flowers need mineral dressing, and to make it, you need to add 20 g of superphosphate and 50 g of wood ash to a bucket of warm water.

Exactly the same top dressing should be made in August, and the phlox should be fed with it for the fifth time.

It should be noted that from about July, nitrogen fertilizers should not be used to feed phloxes, and after the last, fifth feeding, it is no longer necessary to fertilize flowers at all so that they leave for the winter without new buds and shoots.

Phlox breeding

Growing phlox from seeds

Phlox can be grown in a variety of ways, including from seeds, although it is not that easy. However, subject to certain rules and the appropriate technique, there is nothing too complicated in this method of reproduction. The main problem is that large phlox seeds, which have a dense and thick shell, are reluctant to sprout. This is true, but only if these seeds are planted at a depth and sprinkled with earth on top.

Even if you dig seeds at a distance of 0.5 cm from the surface, they are unlikely to germinate simply because phlox seeds necessarily need sunlight to grow. Therefore, seeds germinate without problems only if they are placed on the soil surface and have good lighting.

Accordingly, in order to obtain seedlings when growing phloxes from seeds, they should be spread out on the surface of the earth, while the earth must be sufficiently moist. Moreover, the seeds must be sprayed every day from a spray bottle of warm water, and covered with a film on top so that the earth does not dry out and condensation forms inside. Every day, boxes with germinating seeds should be ventilated by removing the film, shaking off condensation so that there is no excess moisture, and lightly spraying with fresh water. You need to place boxes with future seedlings in a place where she will have enough sunlight. At the same time, direct sunlight should be avoided during the daytime. For example, you can put a box of seeds on the east window.

If you follow these simple rules, phlox seeds will sprout quickly.

Seedling care rules

The first seeds may germinate as early as the fourth day, and small green shoots will sprout from them.

In order for small phloxes to develop correctly and quickly, the following rules must be observed:

  • in the room where you put the box with plants, the temperature should not fall below 20 degrees;
  • a box with seedlings must be covered with foil for at least the first two or three days after germination;
  • small phloxes need to be sprayed daily with water, avoiding either drying out or, conversely, excessive wetting of the soil surface;
  • on the fourth day, you need to remove the film that covers the box, and do not cover the seedlings anymore. In this case, the box must be deployed on the window so that the sun's rays hit all the sprouts evenly. Otherwise, phloxes constantly illuminated by the sun will stretch too quickly, and those who get little light may die;
  • as the seedlings grow, the temperature should be gradually reduced to 15-17 degrees. This will not only harden the sprouts, but also prevent them from stretching too much. In addition, in the coolness, the root system of the flower becomes stronger;
  • gradually reduce the temperature in the room to 15 degrees. This simultaneously hardens the sprouts, and also helps to prevent their stretching. If you decide to do this, then take into account that watering in this case becomes a little more frequent.

Planting phlox in open ground

When planting phlox seedlings in open ground, you need to decide for yourself in each case, taking into account the climatic conditions of your region and seasonal temperatures.

If the soil has warmed up, and dry warm weather has set in April, seedlings can be planted under the open sky. If prolonged rains usually fall in your region in April, then it is better to postpone planting, otherwise the seedlings that are not strong enough will simply rot in the wet ground.

Before you decide whether it's time to send the seedlings to the garden, or you should wait a little longer, watch the weather forecast for a few days. It is very important, in addition to fears of excessive moisture, to take into account that even in the case of not very strong night frosts, tender sprouts may die.

After the phlox sprouts are in your garden, they should then be watered, loosened, fed and cared for in accordance with the rules that were described above.

And then your phloxes, grown from seeds, will feel great, and delight you with lush flowering for more than one summer.

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

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

Main types and varieties

Phlox annuals


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

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

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

Phlox perennial


Phlox subulate

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


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

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


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

At proper cultivation blooming phloxes will be able to decorate your garden from spring until the onset of autumn frosts. The most popular method of propagation of such plants is vegetative (by layering, cuttings and dividing the bush). However, some gardeners prefer seed propagation of phlox. Perennial seeds freshly harvested in autumn must be sown in the soil in winter (in November or December). First you need to decide on the site on which these plants will be grown for several years. In the event that snow has already fallen, it should be removed from the garden and simply scatter the seeds over the surface of the soil, trying to leave a distance of 4-5 centimeters between the seeds. After that, a small (about 1–1.5 centimeters) layer of pre-sifted soil must be poured over them. And then throw snow all over again. You can purchase the soil in a special store or collect it in advance. Freshly sown seeds have a germination rate of approximately 70 percent. But with the onset of spring, it is significantly reduced. At the very beginning of spring, phlox shoots will appear in the garden. They should be picked only after 2 pairs of true leaves are formed on them. The distance between the plants should be about 20 centimeters. The planting of such seedlings should be carried out at the appropriate time for this.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Planting and caring for annual phlox

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

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

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

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

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

Features of care after flowering and in winter

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

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

The homeland of plants is the south of the USA (Texas). Thanks to the English traveler and naturalist G. Drummond (hence the name of the culture), in 1835 flower seeds came from America to England. They liked the new plant very much, and after a few years it could be seen in almost all local gardens.

1. Characteristics of the plant
2. Choosing a site for planting phlox
3. Phlox propagation methods and seed preparation for planting
4. Soil for sowing
5. Growing seedlings and transplanting phloxes in open ground
6. Planting phlox seeds in open ground
7. Basic rules for caring for Drummond phlox
8. The combination of Drummond phlox with other plants
9. The main diseases of Phlox Drummond
10. Pests of annual phlox
11. Measures for the prevention of diseases and pests of phlox

Phlox Drummond photo

An interesting fact: in the USA, phloxes were not cultivated as garden flowers. They were introduced into culture following the example of England. Currently, Drummond's phloxes are very popular with both landscape designers and amateur flower growers.

Annual phlox Drummond description

Annual plants with bright coloring of inflorescences and various forms of petals, blooming until late autumn. The height of a horticultural crop usually does not exceed 45-50 cm. Breeders also bred medium-sized (22-25 cm) and undersized varieties (10-15 cm). Drummond phloxes are valued for their long flowering period and wide color scheme. They are quite resistant to low temperatures, withstanding short frosts down to -3 degrees, which can harm the inflorescences, but not the leaves and stems. Therefore, after the adverse effects of frost, plants quickly recover.

Choosing a site for planting phlox

The soil where phlox is planned to be planted should be nutritious and loose. Heavy loams and sandy soils are not suitable for flowers. Stagnation of water and damp air adversely affect plants. They should not be planted close to trees and tall shrubs to avoid shade, as phlox prefer sunlight. Surprisingly beautiful garden flowers do not like the wind, especially the northern one, and this should be taken into account when choosing a flower garden, providing for the protection of plants from cold air currents.

Methods for propagating phlox and preparing seeds for planting

Phlox Drummond is grown in two ways:

- seedlings in this case, flowering will begin in May - June,

- sowing seeds directly into open ground, the first flowers will appear no earlier than July.

Sowing phlox seeds for seedlings

In addition to varietal phloxes, breeders have bred a fairly large number of hybrids. The first can be propagated independently by collecting seeds in the fall and drying them well. With hybrids, everything is much more complicated, because in "home" conditions they will not give offspring similar to their parents. It is not necessary to moisten the planting material before sowing. But to increase germination, it can be soaked in water. room temperature, putting the container with seeds in a warm place for 2-3 days.

Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in March or early April in pre-prepared containers, for example, boxes or pots of peat.

Soil for sowing seeds

Ready-made soil for phloxes from the store is perfect, or compiled independently from turf and leaf ground, peat and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 0.5. All ingredients are mixed together and placed for 24 hours in a freezer for disinfection, or calcined in an oven at a temperature of 200-250 degrees.

Seedling care and transplanting in open ground

Most often, the seeds are planted in a common container, followed by picking. To do this, small depressions are made in the soil, seeds are placed in them, which are lightly sprinkled with earth, and preferably with sand! and well moisturized from the sprayer! Shoots usually appear in two weeks, sometimes earlier. Plants in the future should be moderately watered and kept at a low, preferably the same temperature. About three weeks after germination, seedlings dive into separate pots. General rule picks - when 2 - 3 true leaves appear.

Young plants are fed primarily with nitrogen fertilizers (for good growth of green mass), and 10-12 days after that - with complex fertilizers. Do not get carried away with excessive watering, as an excess of moisture can cause rot.

Planting phlox seedlings in a flower bed

When the threat of frost has passed, the seedlings are planted in open ground. In different regions of the country, the timing of this agricultural event may differ. For example, in central Russia, it is possible to transplant phloxes to a permanent place in May (taking into account weather conditions), in Siberia - in the first decade of June. The distance between seedlings (taking into account the characteristics of the variety) should not be less than 12-15 cm. In undersized phloxes, budding occurs earlier than in taller "brothers". After planting in the flower garden, young plants must be fed with complex fertilizer.

Planting phlox seeds in open ground

When sufficiently stable warm weather sets in in the spring (usually in May), Drummond phlox seeds can be sown in open ground. With this method of planting, plants begin to bloom in July. In the selected area where it is supposed to break a flower garden, grooves of small depth are made in the ground, watered well, then the seeds are placed in the recesses and sprinkled with soil. To better preserve moisture, the future flower garden can be covered with a special fiber. After the emergence of seedlings, they are looked after like seedlings: fertilized, watered, thinned out if necessary.

Basic rules for caring for Drummond phlox

Beautiful and long flowering is ensured by the right agricultural activities. In addition to complex and nitrogen fertilizers experienced growers it is recommended to add yeast fertilizer to the soil (about 1 time in two weeks), which can be prepared from ordinary bread by soaking it in warm water for 24 hours (100 grams per 1 liter). If you use ordinary dry yeast, you will need quite a bit - at the tip of a knife (per 1 liter of water). It is better to refrain from organic fertilizers, since in this case the plants begin to grow green mass at the expense of flowering.

Mulching - covering the soil with peat, small wood chips, leaves, humus, reduces the frequency of irrigation and protects the phlox roots from heat. Since the root system of plants is located close to the surface of the earth, the loosening of the soil is carried out shallowly. Reasonable watering is the key to a beautiful flower garden. It should be borne in mind that low-growing varieties and hybrids are more sensitive to a lack of water in the soil than tall plants (40-50 cm). With an excess of moisture, their roots rot, as a result of which phloxes often die, and with a lack of water, they practically stop flowering. To make the plants lush, pinch their tops when the flowers have 6 or 8 true leaves.

The combination of Drummond phlox with other plants

Drummond's phloxes look great on ordinary flower beds, flower beds - flower beds in the form of a long strip (1.5-3 m wide), borders (narrow strips 0.4-0.5 m), rockeries - compositions using stones of different sizes. Since the roots of plants are located close to the surface of the earth, this property can be used by placing phloxes in pots. These flowers are very interesting in combination with other plants, together forming a luxurious carpet of different shades. For example, Drummond phloxes look great next to verbena, ornamental tobacco, mealy sage, irises, tulips, snapdragons, bluebells, etc., as well as ornamental herbs.

The main diseases of Phlox Drummond

Annual phloxes are less likely to be affected by diseases than perennial varieties. But still they are subject to this unpleasant phenomenon.

Viral diseases

Diseases caused by fungi

With powdery mildew, most dangerous disease caused by fungi, manifested by a white coating on leaves and stems, can be fought with fungicides (Fundazol, Topsin, Skor, Topaz, Fitosporin, etc.). Fungi attack plants mainly in wet weather with high rainfall, as well as an excess of phosphorus or nitrogen in the soil. For prevention powdery mildew in mid-June, it is recommended to treat the plants with a weakly concentrated solution of some fungicide.

Phlox Drummond can get sick with verticillium wilt. Most often it develops in areas with acidic soil. To reduce the risk of wilt, the soil is treated with ash diluted in water, or lime is added to it. If phloxes are still infected, you need to treat them with appropriate drugs as soon as possible, for example, Fitosporin or Topaz.

On the leaf plates of plants affected by septoria, spots appear that increase in size over time, which leads to leaf fall. The disease is treated by spraying (2-3 times every 7-10 days) Bordeaux mixture (1%), copper oxychloride (0.5%), suspension of foundationol (0.2%).

Annual phlox pests

Bright and fragrant phloxes are very attractive to many pests. It is no secret that it is much easier to provide prevention than treatment, but it is often necessary to treat. The main pests of phlox:

caterpillars

Caterpillars of various butterflies (for example, cabbage whites or garden scoops) are gluttonous, destroying leaves and flower petals. These pests are controlled different ways: manual collection of caterpillars, timely destruction of weeds, spraying with insecticides (for example, Inta-Vir or Karbofos). During flowering, it is not recommended to treat phlox with chemicals.

Black fleas

These bugs pose the greatest danger in the spring. They eat young leaves and shoots of phlox, moving to them from weeds. Therefore, one of the ways to protect against black flea is to fight weeds. You can catch bugs with the help of fabric flags (strips), which are impregnated with a special sticky substance. Amateur gardeners often use dusting ( better in the morning) phlox with wood ash, slaked lime (fluff), ground black pepper, a mixture of tobacco dust and wood ash, or spray flowers with a solution of 70% vinegar (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water). Treatments are usually carried out 3 times, maintaining an interval between them of 4-5 days. With a large accumulation of beetles, you can apply insecticides in accordance with the instructions. In autumn, the ground on the site should be carefully dug up. Some gardeners use a solution of flea shampoo (2 caps per bucket of water) made for dogs to control insects.

Nematodes

Phloxes of Drummond are sometimes affected by leaf and stem nematodes - small thread worms that feed on plant sap. At the same time, the stems become crooked, the flowers are small, the upper leaves become filiform. Often, plants can not cope with the attack of pests and die. If the infection of the site with nematodes is too strong, phloxes can no longer be saved. Therefore, diseased plants must be dug up and burned, and the soil treated with formalin or bleach. The fight against thread worms can be carried out with the help of nematicides - preparations from the group of pesticides, but they are very toxic. Therefore, apply them to garden plot highly undesirable.

Slugs

Slugs that eat shoots, leaf blades and inflorescences are a great danger to phloxes. The fight against them is often carried out mechanically: they are caught manually or with the help of traps. As baits, improvised materials are used: boards, slate, dense fabric, cardboard, linoleum, which are laid out on the site and moisten the ground under them (preferably with the addition of beer). Slugs accumulated under traps are collected and destroyed. Along the perimeter of the flower garden, you can pour ash, lime, small fragments of brick, etc. materials that prevent pests from entering the area with phlox. Obstacles can be washed away by rain, therefore, after precipitation, the dressing of the territory adjacent to the flower garden should be repeated. To scare away slugs next to phlox, it is useful to arrange green protection by planting plants with a rather sharp or spicy smell: garlic, parsley, sage, rosemary, coriander, marigolds, etc.

slobber penny

In May-June, phlox can be harmed by slobbering pennitsa. Its larvae settle on the underside of the leaves and suck out the juice from them, as a result of which the plant weakens, develops poorly, and does not bloom. If there are few pests, they can be controlled by tearing off parts of the infected plant and destroying them. When mass destruction along with the mechanical method, phloxes are treated with special preparations, for example, Inta-Vir. In this case, special attention should be paid to the inside of the sheet plates.

Measures for the prevention of diseases and pests of phlox

Preventive measures help to save phloxes from diseases and pests: spring and autumn digging of the soil (about one bayonet of a shovel), timely destruction of weeds, cleaning of fallen leaves, changing planting sites, applying complex fertilizers to the soil. In the spring, it is useful to cultivate the land with preparations containing copper.

Flowers with scents that repel pests also work well, such as marigolds, marigolds, pelargonium, tansy, and many others. And they also scare away pests and look great on the flower bed onions, garlic, sage, basil, celery.