Phloxes for beginners - varieties and species, planting and reproduction
Contents ✓
Flowers phlox. Cultivation, varieties and species
Brightness of colors, delightful aroma and long flowering made flox one of the most favorite plants of flower growers.
There are more than 60 species of phlox. There are among them and creeping, forming in spring colorful carpets, and bush. But the most famous bush phlox, and our story is about them. Today, the Dutch are attracted by the selection of shrimp varieties of phlox.
And from the pre-war times to us have reached hybrids of the German breeder Arends. But most of all in our gardens are still domestic varieties of phlox.
Phloxes: description
The Sinyukhov family.
A perennial herbaceous plant (with the exception of Drummond phlox) with erect stems of 50-150 height, see Sedative leaves, opposite, lanceolate or oval-lanceolate.
The stems end in a magnificent paniculate, pyramidal, cylindrical inflorescence. Flowers with a diameter of 3-5 cm with five petals. Coloring - from white, lilac, blue and pink to dark purple and scarlet, pure tone or with eyes, strokes, dots, shadows. Flowering lasts about a month, early varieties bloom in mid-June, late-in August. Seeds retain their germination for two years.
Biological features of phlox
Phlox is a cold-resistant and hardy plant. He is photophilous, but he does not tolerate hot open areas, at midday he needs to be shaded.
He loves moisture, needs watering, but can not stand the stagnation of water. Soils prefer fertile, rich in humus, water-intensive, neutral or slightly acidic. This is a very viable plant that will survive on poor soil, but it will not be able to blossom in a magnificent color under such conditions.
With a lack of moisture and nutrients in the phlox, the leaves wilt at the bottom of the stem. The root system is deepened by 25-30 cm, so phloxes require deep tillage. In one place they can grow 4 5 years.
See also: Phloxes (photo) landing and leaving from A to Z
Reproduction of phlox, planting and care
Perennial phloxes are propagated mainly by dividing the bush. The optimal time for their division and transplantation is the end of April - the beginning of May or August-September. The filament should have an 2-4 stem with renewed buds and well branched roots. Roots need to be shortened to 15 cm.
Smaller varieties are planted at a distance of 35-40 cm from each other, medium-sized - 50-55 cm high (reaching 100-150 cm) - 60-70 cm. Cuttings are propagated by cuttings in the spring at the beginning of the growing season. For this, shoots of length 4-6 cm are broken, separating them with a heel near the base of the bush.
They quickly take root in a shady place and by autumn give a well-developed plant. You can also propagate phlox and in summer - stem stems, taken before budding.
Such a cutting should have at least two knots. The lower leaves are removed from him, and the upper ones are cut in half. Young plants root in a youngster. Phloxes grown from seeds blossom in two years. Parental signs, they usually do not save, but with this multiplication, you can get seedlings of interesting colors. Seeds are sown in a schoolchild for the winter, in October.
Under the planting of phloxes, humicum, compost, mineral fertilizers, ashes, and even better dolomite flour, if necessary, lime (250-300 g / mg) are pre-made. Phloxes like regular watering, fertilizing, mulching.
Water them only at the root (10 liters of water per adult bush), when water hits the leaves, the danger of plant damage with powdery mildew increases. For vegetation, three fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is carried out with the addition of preparations containing copper, as well as infusion of bird droppings or mullein.
In early spring and during budding plants it is useful to sprinkle moist soil around the plants with ash (1 glass on the middle bush). In autumn the bushes are mulching with humus.
Varieties and types of phlox
The most common polysyllabic hybrids based on phlox paniculata (Phlox paniculata).
The newest popular varieties: Sherbet Coctail - flowers are whitish-cream, often with pink on, yellow on the edge; Laura - flowers lilac with a white center, very large; Starfire - flowers are dark red; Olympiad - very large flowers, 5,5 cm in diameter, silvery-pink; Eva Cullum - flowers with a diameter of 2,5 cm, pink with a bright dark pink eye; Peppermint Twist and Mishenka - white with a pink smear on the petals (a similar color is called calico); Butonik - flowers never blossom, all the charm of the variety lies in lilac large buds. More and more popular are the non-flowering Dutch phloxes of the group Feelings. Their inflorescences consist of needle buds, it looks very unusual. Decorative they retain about three months.
In the variety Natural Feelings inflorescence lilac-pink; Midnight Feelings - brownish-purple; Pleasant Feelings - green; Red Feelings purple and purple.
У spotted phlox [R. maculata] stems are dotted with small purple spots and strokes, leaves are shiny, inflorescences are high in the form of cotonous, flowers up to 2,5 in diameter. In variety Schneelavine flowers are snow-white; Omega - white with a pink eye; Alpha - Pink.
Phlox Caroline (R. Carolina) is rare, has thick, shiny leaves, inflorescences pyramidal, flowers up to 2 cm in diameter, pink, white, in a variety Magnificence - Purplish pink.
Sorts phlox Arends (R. X arendsii) differ low growth - about 60 cm, they blossom in June. In the Hilda variety, the flowers are bluish, almost white with a pink eye, Lisbeth - lavender; Anja - rich pink; Susanne - white with raspberry smears.
GROWING PHLOXES FOR BEGINNERS - ADVICE AND FEEDBACK
"BROTHERS" - PHLOKS
In my garden, the bottom of a species of undersized phlox grows: Phlox Drummond and Phlox splayed. Although these plants are from the same genus, they are still different from each other. The first is an annual, which I annually renew from seeds, and the second is a perennial that has grown from a small delenka.
BEAUTIFUL ANNIVERSARY
I tried to sow the seeds of Drummond's phlox in different ways: through seedlings in April and direct sowing into the ground under shmoo, in October-November, or in spring, in May. It is easier, of course, to sow directly into the soil.
I choose a place for phlox in a light shade. In the open sun, its petals burn out. After the appearance of several true leaves, I thin out the seedlings, leaving a distance between plants of 10-15 cm. Soon I begin to feed the bushes every 2 weeks. In May-June I use manure infusion, and in July-August - superphosphate and potassium sulfate (according to instructions). During the summer, I pinch the tops of the shoots, remove wilted flowers and yellow leaves. After the rain, I loosen the soil around the plants. If necessary, I weed and spud the bushes. I water in dry weather. For minimal care, Phlox Drummond thanks for its lush flowering almost all summer.
LONG-TERM LOVELY
The splayed phlox got me a small division. Now I propagate it in the same way in the spring, in April-May, when its shoots are just starting to grow. I choose a semi-shady place for planting. I add a handful of humus to the hole and plant a delenka. In June, I feed phlox with any complex fertilizer, and after flowering - with phosphorus-potassium. Further care of the plant comes down to moderate watering in the heat and drought, weeding and loosening the soil around the bushes.
Phlox splayed tolerates both drought and excess moisture. But the plant can get sick from waterlogging, so during long, prolonged rains, I try to loosen the soil around the bushes more often so that the water evaporates faster. For my care, the phlox splayed in June pleases with its delicate blue flowers, similar to stars.
© Author: Svetlana KONONOVICH Photo by Valentina BONDAR
See also: Shilovid phlox (photo) cultivation planting and care
Collection of phlox - varieties and species: video
© Author: Valentina SIMKOVICH
Below other entries on the topic "Dacha and garden - with their own hands"
- Seed dahlias seedlings
- How to grow pansies with seedlings?
- Propagation of hyacinths - successful methods (from 1 bulb - 25 children per season)
- Peony spring planting - MASTER class
- Growing tuberose (photos) planting and care: frequently asked questions
- Division of perennials in spring - professional advice
- Dicentra (photo) flower types and their description
- Bartonia (MENTZELIA) - cultivation and care, my reviews
- Daylilies - planting, care, cultivation and varieties of daylilies - Part 1
- Decorative sunflowers (photo) varieties – name + description
Subscribe to updates in our groups and share.
Let's be friends!
#
An easy way to propagate phlox
Until mid-July, I propagate panicled phlox by cuttings.
From the middle non-lignified part of the shoot, I cut cuttings 7-8 cm long with two internodes. I remove the leaves from the lower node, keeping the buds in the axil of the leaf, and cut them in half on the upper node. I plant cuttings in a greenhouse up to the top node at a distance of 5-6 cm from each other. I water daily. About a month later, when the cuttings take root, I transplant the plants to a permanent place.
#
I heard that in May you can breed. phlox paniculate cuttings. Tell me how to do it right.
Raisa Leonidovna, Khimki
#
I often use this method in my practice. I break off young shoots from the base of the bush with a "heel" (sometimes they already have a root). I plant, water and cover with plastic fruit boxes, and on top with white non-woven material, tucking its edges from below. I press with bricks to protect from the wind. I water the cuttings not from above, but around the containers. With this method of planting, the plants do not need to be additionally ventilated, but I still check them periodically.
By the end of the third week, almost all branches give green growth, which means they are rooted. Over the next week, I gradually release the rooted cuttings from the shelter, lifting the non-woven material. I leave the phloxes on the breeding bed until mid-late August, then I transplant them to a permanent place.
Some young plants even try to bloom. I immediately cut off the flower stalks so that the phlox spends all its strength on the formation of roots.
At the end of October, I cut the stems close to the soil. I do not cover for the winter.
#
Phlox blossomed well, was not sick. A year later, strange terry flowers appeared on the bushes. What it is? Maybe I brought out a new grade?