Phlox is a perennial plant that reproduces in the fall. Reproduction by root suckers
Seed propagation of phloxes is used only for selection, and to preserve the characteristics of the variety it is better to use by vegetative means: by dividing the bush, growth shoots, stem, leaf and root cuttings.
Dividing the bush. It is best to start dividing the bush in spring or early autumn at the beginning or end of the growing season. If you still need to divide the bush in the summer, try to do it in cloudy weather. Having chosen a bush, dig it up, carefully shake off the soil, clean it root collars. Place the plant on an earthen mound and very carefully separate the root collars from each other with your hands, then disassemble the roots going to each stem. If the bush you come across is very old, with a lignified underground part, use a knife or a sharpened shovel. Each separated part must have eyes or shoot buds and not a large number of roots. To prevent the roots from drying out, dip them in liquid clay mash or sprinkle with damp soil before planting.
Reproduction stem cuttings. This is a fairly simple method, accessible even to novice gardeners. You can cut the phlox stem into pieces so that each of them has two leaf nodes and well-developed leaves. These pieces of stem will become cuttings. Sometimes, to obtain cuttings, spring growth shoots that have not yet had time to develop leaves are used. Leaf cuttings of phlox can also be used for propagation. From the end of May to the second half of July or in August-September, it is best to use cuttings with developed leaves. If you decide to start propagation in May-June, you can use the entire stem of your choice, which should be well developed. In July, when the stems below are already woody, use only top part stem (about two-thirds of its length). Cut the selected stem with a sharp knife so that each part has two leaf nodes. The lower cut should be located immediately below the lower node and the upper one should be 5-10 mm above the upper node. Two top sheets Shorten the stem by half, and cut off the two lower ones completely.
Before planting the prepared cuttings, equip the beds by laying on them a mixture consisting of leaf humus, garden soil and sand (1: 1: 1). The thickness of the layer of this soil should be at least 10 cm. Water the beds well and, after the soil will settle, cover it with a 1.5-2 cm layer of sand on top. Now you can plant the cuttings, making sure that they Bottom part(cut) did not come into contact with fertile soil. After inserting the cutting into the sand layer, lightly compact the sand with your fingers around the stem. Plant cuttings in rows so that the distance between them is 8-10 cm, and between cuttings - 5-6 cm.
Water the bed with the planted cuttings with a sprayer, shade it or cover it with film on the frame. When the first green shoots appear and the cuttings acquire roots, you can remove the shading.
In July-August, you will need to transplant the rooted cuttings to another area so that they feel more spacious, that is, at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. Make the soil composition in this bed the same as in the first one. Leave the grown phlox here to overwinter, and here they will grow for another summer. Only in the spring of the third year can plants be planted permanent place.
If you decide to propagate by cuttings in July-September, plant the cuttings in cold greenhouses for rooting. The technology of work will remain the same as the June cuttings. But, in order for a good root system, a growth stimulator (heteroauxin) should be used in a proportion of 50-100 mg per 1 liter of water. Tie the cuttings with their lower ends into a bundle and immerse them in the solution for 8-12 hours. If you add talc or crushed charcoal to the solution, you get a paste into which the lower ends of the cuttings are dipped. The paste sticks better to cuttings and lasts longer.
In cold greenhouses, cover the cuttings for the winter with dry leaves, shavings or clean straw in a 10 cm layer. Also cover the greenhouses with glazed frames or film. In the middle - end of April, remove the frames from the greenhouses, and when warm weather finally sets in, you can also remove the insulating layer of leaves.
If desired, you can even take cuttings from purchased flowering branches in a bouquet. In this case, the cuttings will be lateral shoots from axillary buds that form on the stem in July. Break off these side shoots along with the heel and root them in open ground in July, and in cold greenhouses in August-September using the described technology.
In June-July phlox propagated by leaf cuttings. From the middle part of the stem, cut a shield 8-10 mm long and plant it in a box filled with fertile soil, which is covered with a 2 cm thick layer of sand. The distance between the shields should be 10 cm. After planting, spray them warm water and cover the box with glass, thus creating a microgreenhouse, the temperature in which will be about 25-28 ° C. Do not forget to constantly moisten the plantings, and then in two to three weeks roots will appear on the shields, and by the beginning of autumn stems will begin to form. From now on, start opening greenhouses. For the winter, move the box to a cold greenhouse, and when the ground is completely frozen, cover it with glass frames or film. Add insulating material (leaves, shavings, straw) on top; you can plant plants in the open ground in the spring, when the ground has warmed up.
In April, phlox can be propagated by spring growing shoots. When the leaves have not yet had time to develop and are scales covering the sprouts, when thinning the center of the bushes or dividing them, shoots that have reached 5-6 cm, select and plant a greenhouse located in the open for rooting sunny place. The greenhouse should be filled with a mixture of the same composition as for green cuttings. Be sure to sprinkle sand on top. When planting, press the sand firmly against the shoots (this can be done with your fingers or a stake). After completing planting, cover the greenhouse with film, and in case of cold weather, insulate it at night with improvised means. Rooted shoots can be planted in open ground in the second half of May - early June. If you do everything right, your phlox will bloom the same year.
An even simpler way is as follows. For propagation, bushes are taken from the age of three. In September, a phlox bush is cut out of the soil at a distance of about 10 cm from its base and no more than 8 - 10 cm in depth. The removed bush is divided in the usual way and planted in a new place. The hole from under the removed bush is filled with ordinary fertile soil. In the spring of the following year, the place where the cut bush was located ,
covered with dense shoots. In August, the shoots are dug up, separated and planted in a school. Some of the shoots (40%) form inflorescences, which are removed. Planting material becomes full by the fall of next year.
Phlox propagation root cuttings rarely occurs. This is a rather labor-intensive method. However, it can be recommended for getting rid of pests - stem nematodes. In late autumn or early spring, plants should be dug up and the thickest roots should be selected, cut into pieces and placed in boxes filled with the same mixture that was used for stem cuttings. When you place the cuttings, make sure that the thick end of the root is located above the thin end. Having placed the cuttings in boxes, cover them with a layer of sand 4-5 cm thick.
For the winter, after autumn cuttings, the boxes should be placed in a dark basement and the soil moisture monitored. The air temperature in the room should be 2-3° C. In February-March, take the boxes with cuttings into a heated room, cover them from light with dark material and begin to gradually increase the air temperature day by day. When the sprouts hatch, they need to be gradually accustomed to light, and in May you can plant the cuttings in open ground. Next spring they can be planted in a permanent place.
It is easier to propagate phlox by root cuttings in the spring, because this eliminates the need for keeping them in the basement. The cuttings should be planted in boxes filled with soil mixture, protected from light and kept at a temperature of 10-15° C. After two weeks, the temperature should be increased to 18-25° C. As soon as the sprouts appear, the cover should be removed to accustom the plants to light , and then planted for growing.
As we already said, Phlox can also be propagated by seeds, but they do this only in cases where there is no desire to preserve the variety with the qualities fixed in it. Under good weather conditions, phlox produces seeds in abundance, which often, especially in early varieties, ripen on the bushes. The readiness of the seeds is indicated by the browning of the capsules and the beginning of withering of the leaves. In late-flowering varieties, the seeds reach waxy ripeness in October. To obtain mature seeds, cut the stems, tie them into bunches and hang them on a cold veranda. If the room is very dry, the boxes begin to crack, the seeds scatter, and they can be lost. Then the inflorescences are placed in gauze bags. As they ripen, the browned boxes can be collected from the bushes into paper bags and brought into the room. In a paper bag, the boxes dry out and burst with a characteristic crack. Phlox seeds quickly lose their viability, especially in a dry and warm room. It is best to clean the seeds immediately before sowing. P.G. Gaganov advised mixing the peeled seeds with sand and storing them in a cool room in this form before sowing. The highest germination rate (up to 80 - 90%) is achieved by seeds when sown immediately after harvesting - in late November - early December. You can sow in winter - in January-February, on a bed prepared in the fall. After this, snow is removed from the bed, seeds are rarely scattered on its frozen surface, at a distance of 3-4 cm. Then they are covered with a layer of sifted earth, prepared in advance, or sand 1 - 1.5 cm thick and snow. When sowing in winter, seed germination will be 70%.
For better germination, phlox seeds need freezing. The closer to spring sowing is done, the less germination of the seeds. Starting in March, their germination rate drops sharply, and when sown in April without freezing, the seeds practically no longer germinate.
In early spring, often already on melting snow, shoots appear. Seedlings at the stage of two pairs of true leaves dive onto a well-prepared bed with fertile soil at a distance of about 20 cm. After a week, they are fed with a solution of mullein (1:20) or saltpeter (15 g per bucket). Caring for seedlings consists of systematic watering, fertilizing, weeding, and loosening the soil surface. The composition of the fertilizer is the same as for adult plants, only the concentration is 2 times less. It is possible to carry out foliar feeding urea, “Kemiroy-lux”. Be sure to ensure that young plants are not attacked by slugs. In order to prevent seedlings from contracting fungal diseases, plantings are sprayed with a 0.5% solution of Bordeaux mixture. Seedlings grow very quickly, and by autumn 40% of them bloom, especially early and early middle varieties, the rest will bloom next year. The plants you like are selected. In any case, plants obtained by seed will be the most resistant and hardy in climatic zones with cold, harsh climates compared to foreign varieties or varieties bred in more southern regions. Of the seedlings of 70 varieties tested in Tomsk, Barnaul and Novosibirsk, “Biya”, obtained from sowing seeds in Biysk, had the greatest winter hardiness, and the remaining varieties were distributed according to winter hardiness in the following way. The first 25 places were occupied by varieties of local selection and breeders of the Non-Black Earth strip - P.G. Gaganova, M.I. Groshikova, ML. Nagibina, B.V. Kvasnikova, M.P. Bedinghouse, M.F. Sharonova and others, and then on this list appeared varieties of foreign selection from among those that were brought to Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. and managed to acclimatize well ("Rayonant", "Viking", "Frau Paulina Schollhammer", "Elizabeth Campbell", "King", "Wintermerchen", "Vidar", "Feuerspiegel", etc.).
Timoshin I. “Flowers in your garden” - St. Petersburg: “Paritet”, 1999
Konstantinova E. "Phloxes" - M.: "Fiton +" - 2002
In this article we will talk about the methods and techniques for propagating phlox, supported by tips and valuable recommendations.
Reproduction of phlox by dividing the bush
It is better to start dividing and planting phlox rhizomes in mid-August, and finish planting at the beginning of the second ten days of September. When planted at this time, the plants have time to take root sufficiently and overwinter well, and in early spring immediately begin to grow actively.
The mother bushes are carefully dug up from all sides and removed from the soil. Shake off excess soil. After digging up the plants, the stems are shortened by 1/3 - ½ of the height. When dividing mother bushes, it is taken into account that, as a rule, 1–3 vegetative buds are formed at the base of the stem, from which shoots develop the next year. Standard division rhizomes in the first year of growth and development should have 7 - 8 shoots.
Divide the bushes with your hands and try to damage the small roots as little as possible. They rarely resort to using a knife. After shaking off the soil, the rhizomes are broken into large pieces. The roots of each part are carefully straightened, trying not to break them off, then the parts are finally divided so that each part has a sufficient number of established vegetative buds. Parts of the rhizome without vegetative buds die. Typically, vegetative buds are not formed at the base of the stems developing in the central part of the rhizome, since the tissues of the stems become strongly lignified, which leads to their gradual death along with the root system. On young roots, vegetative buds are formed not only at the border of the root collar, but also on the root itself. These buds grow back in the spring of next year.
When dividing rhizomes, the old woody parts are removed along with dead and diseased roots. The peripheral part of the rhizome is more viable. With sufficient quantity planting material It is better to discard the central part of the rhizome. A rhizome divided into parts can dry out quickly, so the mother bushes are divided in a shaded place, and the divisions are buried in a separate ridge. If the cuttings dry out, they are placed in water for 6–8 hours and planted. If planting is delayed, then the cuttings are added in drops.
Propagation of phlox by cuttings
Propagation of phlox by stem cuttings - simple and reliable way, allowing the most valuable varieties to be propagated in a short period.
For cuttings, well-developed shoots with healthy plants. Best term cuttings – May–June, when the developing stems are in a state of intensive growth and have not yet become lignified. Cuttings can be continued in July–August, but in this case only the upper 2/3 of the shoot is used, since the lower part of the stem is already lignified by this time. Cuttings can be planted directly in open ground, in boxes with fertile soil, placed in partial shade or shade, in cold greenhouses, nurseries, or on specially prepared breeding beds.
The stalk should be quite large, with two internodes. When propagating very valuable varieties, you can use smaller cuttings with one internode or leaf cuttings with one axillary bud with a leaf. In this case, the cuttings are planted in a cooled or semi-warm greenhouse. When the greenhouse is partially refilled, the intensity of root formation increases sharply and even a small leaf cutting forms a fairly powerful root system in 15–20 days. When planting cuttings on a ridge or in a nursery, first loosen the soil, then pour in coarse-grained river sand layer 3 – 4 cm. After leveling the surface, water the soil. If the soil is not fertile enough and compacted, then sand is poured onto the ridge in a 5 cm layer with peat compost and humus and this mixture is mixed with the top 8 - 10 cm layer of soil. After this, pour sand, compact it slightly and water it.
The prepared shoots are cut into pieces with a razor or a sharpened knife, each of which must have two nodes. The lower cut is made at the base of the leaves, retreating no more than 0.5 cm, the upper cut is 1 cm above the base of the leaves. The lower pair of leaves is carefully cut off, and the upper one is shortened by 1/3.
When planting cuttings in May, when the stems are not strong enough, use a picking peg. Sufficiently strong cuttings (when harvested from the third decade of May) are planted without the use of a picking peg, which greatly increases labor productivity. With little effort, such a cutting easily overcomes the layer of sand and enters the soil. It is pressed against the handle with two fingers. When using small leaf cuttings, they are pressed with soil more carefully. When finishing planting the cuttings, the nursery or greenhouse is watered abundantly, covered with film, frames, and the cuttings are shaded from direct sunlight. This creates a favorable microclimate.
On a hot sunny day, plantings are sprayed 4-5 times, on a cloudy day - once. If it is necessary to water during the post-planting period, use warm (32 – 35°C) water, which speeds up the process of root formation. 7 - 10 days after planting, good callus forms on the cuttings, and after 18 - 20 days the root system begins to develop. With the development of the root system, one or two upper axillary buds begin to grow, subsequently developing into stems. When planting cuttings in a semi-warm greenhouse, callus forms on the 5th – 7th day, and on the 8th – 10th day roots begin to develop. The growth of the root system is much more intense. 2-3 weeks after the roots begin to grow, the plants begin to be fed. For 10 liters of water take 25 - 30 g of potassium nitrate or 10 - 15 g ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate. It is better to combine the application of mineral fertilizers with an infusion of slurry (1 liter per 10 liters of water).
Phlox roots are capable of laying and forming vegetative buds. Buds form best on larger roots. TO propagation by root cuttings should be started early in the spring. The soil is shaken off the dug out mother bush, and the thickest and longest roots are cut out at the base with a sharpened knife. Thin roots are not used for cuttings. No more than two-thirds of the main roots are cut from each bush. The harvested roots of each variety are labeled, cut into pieces 3–5 cm long and placed obliquely in distribution boxes, sprinkled with structural nutrient soil. When laying out root cuttings, polarity is observed, that is, the thicker part of the cutting should be at the top. Above root cuttings sprinkle with coarse sand in a layer of 3–4 cm and water. Boxes with cuttings are placed in a greenhouse or hotbed for 7 - 10 days at a temperature of 10 - 15 ° C, covered from direct sunlight. After 8–10 days, the air temperature is increased to 18–22° C. When shoots begin to develop from the formed buds, the shading is removed. The plants are watered and in the summer they are planted on specially prepared ridges in open ground. They are planted selectively, since the formation, formation and development of vegetative buds are uneven. Often, at least 40% of root cuttings do not form vegetative buds and die.
Foreign flower growers resort to propagating phlox by root cuttings when certain varieties are infected with stem nematodes, which allows them to get rid of them.
Growing phlox from seeds is a process that is accessible even to a novice gardener. If you follow all the recommendations, these plants will certainly delight their owners with lush flowering that lasts quite a long time.
General information
Phloxes are beautifully flowering perennial or annual herbaceous plants that form the genus of the same name in the family Sinyukhidae. It includes only about 85 species. Of these, about 40 species are grown in gardens and on personal plots, some of them for more than two hundred years.
The beautiful sonorous name of the genus (Greek phlox - flame) was given by none other than Carl Linnaeus. Even known exact date the name of this taxon is 1737. The botanist is believed to have been inspired by bright colors these truly wonderful flowers.
Only one wild species is known on the territory of our country - Phlox sibirica (Siberian phlox), which is distributed in the mountainous areas of Western and Eastern Siberia, in Far East. In the Republic of Bashkortostan and Chelyabinsk region it is listed in the Red Book. This is a perennial, beautifully flowering, creeping plant that produces straight shoots on which the flowers open. It is traditionally used in folk medicine for the treatment of diseases of the skin, nervous and respiratory systems. Most phlox species come from North America.
Description
Different kinds cultivated phloxes can have erect, creeping or ascending stems, reaching a height, depending on the shape of the plant, from 10-20 cm to half a meter. Narrow lanceolate, ovate-elongated or oval-lanceolate leaves of phlox are located opposite.
Bright fragrant flowers are the main advantage of these plants, which is why flower growers grow them. They are small, tubular-funnel-shaped, up to 3-4 centimeters in diameter, but they form lush inflorescences (up to 90 pieces) and generally look very picturesque. Five-petalled flowers can range in color from white, white with spots, streaks, shadows, etc., to dark purple and crimson-purple. Phlox has a rather delicate, unobtrusive aroma. Because of their decorative properties they are readily cultivated by gardeners, especially since the process of growing perennial and annual phlox from seeds at home is not particularly difficult.
External differences between annual and perennial phloxes
Annuals are different from perennial options colors They also come in peach, beige, and chocolate, while perennials do not have such color options - they most often have various shades of pink, crimson, and purple. Another difference is the star-shaped flower shape, similar to a snowflake, which perennial phlox does not occur.
Fruits and seeds
After flowering ends, fruits in the form of dry capsules with seeds are formed in place of the flowers. Photos of phlox seeds can be seen below. Seeds annual species quite small. So, one gram can contain more than 500 pieces. Perennials - much less, about 70.
Like annuals, perennial phloxes can be grown from seeds if you follow all the recommendations of experienced gardeners.
Choosing a plant propagation method
Annual phlox usually grown from seeds. Perennial phloxes reproduce well by roots and cuttings. When is the choice made in favor of their propagation by seeds? Most often this happens in cases where it is necessary to obtain many plants at once - for example, to create a dividing strip or border on a site, or to decorate a large area at once. Then it makes sense to tinker with the seeds.
This method is also used by breeders or simply amateur gardeners to obtain plants with new properties - for example, when two varieties were planted side by side and could be cross-pollinated. For propagation, for example, of a rare variety, its improvement, obtaining planting material in large quantities, and preparation for future participation in plant exhibitions, the preferred method of dividing plants or cuttings will be preferable.
Self-harvesting seeds
Seeds should be collected from the bushes after the leaves have begun to dry out and the boxes have turned brown, but have not yet dried out. The stems are cut together with the bolls, bundles are made from them and hung in a cool, dry room (on glassed balcony, veranda, closet, attic) for further ripening. To prevent the seeds from scattering and getting lost after the bolls crack, which usually “shoot out,” the bunches are placed in fabric (gauze) bags. You need to keep an eye on the boxes, and as they dry, collect them and put them in warm room. However, this advice is only valid if you are going to plant them right away, since the seeds of phlox subulate and other popular varieties cannot boast of long-term germination. In a warm room they very quickly lose their properties. To prevent this from happening, you should keep them cool until planting, perhaps by mixing them with sand.
Growing seeds for seedlings
Annual and perennial phloxes, which are quite common, germinate well if they are not deeply buried in the soil. This should definitely be kept in mind, since otherwise the seeds may not germinate or you will have to wait quite a long time for germination, two to three weeks, and they will not be friendly (with surface sowing, seeds usually germinate after 7 days). The easiest way is this: the seeds are scattered over the surface of the soil in plastic containers, water from a sprayer and cover with a transparent film on top. This is usually done in March. Holes must be made at the bottom of the containers to prevent stagnation of water from being harmful to the seeds. Better to use special land for seedlings. Its layer should not be too deep. It is advisable to spill it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate five days before planting, and pre-water it with a solution of phytosporin the day before planting. Seeds should be ventilated daily by opening them and shaking off condensation from the film.
After the appearance of two leaves, the sprouts dive. Seedlings, as a rule, tolerate picking normally. It is only recommended to protect them from direct sunlight in the first two to three days to avoid burns to the tender leaves. Flower growers recommend covering the top of the seedlings with newspapers or opaque film. Phlox grown from seeds for seedlings are planted in the ground at the end of May, best at a distance of at least 20 cm from each other. It will be useful to mulch the soil between young plants to better retain moisture. Periodically, once a month, they should be fed with complex mineral fertilizer. Besides, further care, as in the case of other garden flowers, involves loosening, weeding and regular watering.
Annual phloxes can be sown with seeds in the spring and directly into the ground, but with this method their germination rate will be low. In addition, it should be borne in mind that they bloom only two months after planting. Therefore, growing from seeds to seedlings in in this case preferable.
Sowing phlox in the ground
When sowing seeds of perennial phlox directly into the ground, there are two more options: sow them before winter, at the end of November, or in the depths of winter (January - February). Of the annuals, only Drummond phlox can be planted in this way - it is more resistant to cold weather. In what case is it easier to grow phlox from seeds? When is the best time to plant? The first method is preferable because in this case the seeds demonstrate the greatest germination (80-90%), and in a few months it can be seriously damaged. You just need to keep in mind that they need to be planted when frosts have already begun, because otherwise the seeds may germinate and weak shoots will not survive the winter.
The soil in the chosen place must be well leveled and marked. Experienced flower growers It is recommended to use self-made limiters, for example, cutting lengthwise into circles plastic canisters or cans. The seeds are sown inside this circle. This is a guarantee that they will not be washed away by melt water and the crops can be easily detected after the snow melts. Sow seeds before winter on frozen soil and lightly sprinkle with dry soil. There is no need to water them! If the seeds are fresh, they usually sprout quickly in the spring.
At winter sowing You can use the same disposable plastic containers as when germinating seeds in an apartment. You just need to cover them on top not with film, but with a lid or spunbond, and not water them. Experienced flower growers recommend taking containers with planted seeds into the garden and placing them on a flat surface, so that they are covered with a thick layer of snow (at least 30 centimeters). This way, it will be possible to create acceptable conditions for their germination in the spring, and the seeds will undergo natural stratification. After arriving in the garden in spring, you need to remove the lid from the container so that melting snow falls on the seeds and saturates the soil.
Perennial phlox grown from seeds, with proper care usually bloom in the second year. Young plants must be insulated during the first winter using fallen leaves or pine needles. This is not necessary in subsequent years. As a rule, phlox planted with seeds before winter turn out to be more resistant to winter frosts than expensive planting material brought from European countries, where winters are usually milder.
Details about planting phlox seeds (perennial) before winter are described in the video below.
When sowing in winter, in January - February, the steps are the same: a flat place is selected and the seeds are sprinkled with frozen soil, and on top with a thick layer of snow.
Method for accelerated seed germination
Flower growers who have great experience growing different varieties, including phlox subulate, from seeds, it is recommended to keep in mind that phlox, especially annual ones, like to germinate in the light. Therefore, when germinating at home, some of them advise placing the seeds on a plant moistened with water with the addition of a growth stimulant. toilet paper or a paper towel under which is placed polyethylene film. The paper strips together with the film are rolled into rolls and placed in a well-lit place (you can put the rolls in a regular plastic glass). After the sprouts appear (it usually takes 2-3 days for the seeds to hatch!), the tapes are unrolled, sprinkled with earth on top and again placed in a bright place until sprouts suitable for planting are obtained.
Requirements for soil, watering
Phlox prefers light, medium-loamy soils rich in humus, loose and moist. The reaction is neutral. They love water, and if there is a lack of it, when the soil dries out, they may not even bloom, dropping the buds that are already ready to bloom. But excess moisture is also harmful for these plants. The optimal amount is 1.5-2 buckets of water per square meter area.
Selecting a location
Plants love bright but diffused light and partial shade. It would be ideal if during the hottest hours (11-14) the plants are shaded by trees or shrubs. It is desirable that the site has a slight slope. It must also be protected from winds. This will help preserve the snow cover that protects plants in winter, and in summer it will protect the soil from drying out.
According to gardeners, the most demanding varieties often have to be replanted from place to place, sometimes even up to five times, so that they sparkle with all their colors. But this does not happen with all of them.
- The color of phlox planted in a sunny place will be brighter, while in the shade it will be calmer.
- Phlox are plants that are very responsive to organic fertilizers. Experienced gardeners recommend using for this purpose horse dung, but definitely rotted. Fresh manure will kill plants instantly. Vegetable compost is also good, but you need to pay attention to ensure that the phlox itself is not used in its preparation. This is due to the fact that pathogens and pests of phlox can survive in compost if the conditions for its preparation are not met and infect plants as a result of fertilizing. During autumn harvesting, phlox should be removed from the site, or better yet, burned.
- If phlox seeds are sown not in open ground, but indoors, they must be stratified - kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.
- So that they bloom more thickly, wilted flowers should be deleted. For better tillering perennials It is advisable to pinch in the summer above the fourth or fifth pair of leaves.
Finally
The article briefly described existing methods planting phlox seeds, given brief recommendations on their cultivation. Phloxes are not particularly demanding plants, and with careful selection of varieties and proper care, you can ensure their continuous flowering from May to October.
The beauty of phlox fascinates with its simplicity and variety of colors. If you fill a flower garden with summer cottage exclusively with phlox, they will look very elegant and festive. These flowers come in annuals and perennials, creeping and bushy, paniculate and spherical, in the form herbaceous plant and subshrub. You can learn everything about how phlox reproduce in this article.
Planting and care
They are easily tolerated winter frosts, are not very demanding on soil and living conditions. But they still have some quirks. The root system of phlox consists of many thin processes and is located in upper layers soil, so stagnation of water in these layers is not desirable. It is better not to plant phlox next to larger shrubs and trees; they will shade the flowers from the sun.
The composition of the soil is not very important, but they feel best on loams - moderately loose and moist, with a neutral reaction and a complete set useful substances.
Phlox propagation
The branched, dense root system needs watering. If watering is irregular or insufficient, the flower caps will be smaller and there will be fewer of them. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to water frequently. The soil should always be moist, but moisture should not stagnate. In the absence of rain, in dry hot weather it is necessary to water daily and abundantly: about one and a half buckets per square meter. Watering should be done at the root level. After moistening the soil, it must be loosened. Mulching the soil will help delay excess evaporation. You can use the following as mulch:
- humus,
- peat,
- tree bark,
- grass,
- hay.
Advice! It is best to grow phlox in sunny side. They will grow in the shade, but lush flowering will not work.
Plant development is divided into several periods. During these periods, fertilizers are needed with different compositions of nutrients:
- Enhanced growth of green mass- stems and leaves, plants need nitrogen. Phlox can be fed with nitroammophoska, wood ash infusion or mullein infusion;
- The appearance of buds. At this time, phlox needs less nitrogen (otherwise they will fatten and may not form flowers), but you need to add potassium substances. In mid-July, potassium sulfate and urea are added (spraying the leaves with a weak solution);
- Preparing perennial phlox for winter period . They need to save up required amount nutrients in the root system. This requires phosphorus. Therefore, already in the first half of July it is necessary to add superphosphate to all other fertilizing. During the season, the plant needs to be fed with phosphorus 3-4 times. The last time feeding should be done in early September and best in combination with potassium (phosphorus 20-22 g, potassium 10-12 g).
Phloxes need to be pruned throughout the season. Remove faded, dried or diseased parts of the plant. In the fall it is necessary to prune at the root.
Note! Transplantation is necessary for those plants that live long time in one place, as well as sick and pest-affected.
Phlox are rejuvenated by cutting off the side roots. To remove pests or remove a section of the root damaged by disease, open it, carefully removing all the soil from it. This is done only with diseased plants; all others are replanted using the transshipment method.
Phloxes begin to “wake up” very early in the spring, and the root system begins to work earlier than other plants. Best time transplants are in early autumn or early spring(when the soil has just thawed).
Important! If you hesitate a little during spring transplantation, the plant will take root worse in its new location.
How to propagate perennial and annual phlox
Everything is clear with annuals; they reproduce by seeds. It is better to purchase them in special stores, since hybrid plants may not convey their qualities through the collected seeds. Here's how to propagate perennial phlox.
How to propagate phlox by dividing the bush
This method is as follows: the bush must be removed from the soil, the roots and root collars must be cleaned of soil residues. Next, very carefully use your hands to disassemble the intertwined roots coming from each neck, if possible without injuring them. A knife is used only when hands cannot disassemble the rhizome. You need to cut only where the root collars have grown together, and separate everything else with your hands. Each separated fragment must have a growth bud or shoot.
Important! If there are no growth buds on the part separated from the rhizome, the plant will die.
Many novice gardeners wonder: when to divide phloxes? You can divide the bush both in spring and autumn.
In the spring, phloxes begin their life activity very early, so if you decide to divide the bush in the spring, then you need to do it as soon as the snow melts and the soil thaws a little.
When dividing a bush in autumn, the most optimal time is considered to be the end of August-beginning of September. During this period, buds are already forming on the root collars. With this division of the bush, the phloxes will please you next year abundant flowering. In exceptional cases, bushes can be divided in summer, but during this period the plants take root less well.
An old bush can be divided using the left root: the bush is cut in half directly in the ground and one part is removed, and nutritious soil is poured into the resulting space. The removed part can be divided and planted in new places. After a couple of years, it is again possible to separate half of the old bush, but from the other side.
How to propagate phlox by dividing the bush
At good care Phlox can grow without replanting for about 10 years. But still, practice shows that the bush must be divided after 5-6 years, otherwise the flowers will become smaller.
How to propagate phlox with layering
The stem you like is bent to the ground and sprinkled, compacted with soil. You can do it differently. A strong shoot (so that it does not break) is covered with earth as high as possible. After some time, young roots will appear on the branches. A little later, such a root with shoots must be carefully separated and planted in a prepared place.
How to propagate phlox with layering
Propagation by cuttings
Before the first buds begin to appear, it is necessary to cut off several stems with leaves and place them in a nutritious soil mixture, which includes: perlite, peat, vermiculite or sand. Cuttings are placed in this mixture and constantly moistened until the seedlings are planted in the ground.
You can take cuttings in the fall, but then the lower parts of the stems are not suitable, they are already starting to become lignified and will not take root. At this time, you need to take the upper parts of the stems.
To propagate in this way, the stem is cut into several parts so that each has 2 nodes. It is necessary to cut so that one cut is immediately below the node, and the second is a centimeter above the top node. It is best to take cuttings in inclement weather.
The cuttings are planted in rows in nutrient soil at a distance of 10 cm from each other. In a row, the cuttings are planted at a distance of 5-6 cm. After about a month, the cuttings will give roots, and shoots will appear in the hollows of the leaves, which will then develop into stems. With proper cuttings and proper care, phlox can bloom by autumn.
Propagation by cuttings
Sometimes they'll give you a gift beautiful bouquet these flowers, and the question arises: how to root phlox? You can also take cuttings from stems with flowers. In this case, the cuttings are cut from the center and planted in nutritious soil in a greenhouse to form roots.
In mid-summer, phloxes form stepsons in the hollows of leaves. They can also be used for cuttings. They are planted directly into the ground.
Root cuttings. This method is used only if the stem is infected with nematodes. To do this, dig up the infected plant, select large roots, cut them into pieces of 4-7 cm and place them in damp sand. Should be stored in a damp, cool place. At the end of February, the plant is moved to a warm place to stimulate growth and get used to light.
Important! For better rooting of cuttings, it is necessary to use growth stimulants.
Propagation of phlox by seeds
In many perennial phloxes, the seeds can ripen on the vine. To prevent self-seeding, they must be removed in time. As soon as the box turns brown, this is a signal that the seeds are ready. They can be collected and planted in the ground. Plants grown from seeds grow better and adapt to local conditions. The only disadvantage when planting from seeds is that the plant may not retain the characteristics of the original variety. That is, if plants of different colors grew nearby, then the flowers can cross-pollinate.
Thus, phlox can be propagated different ways and everyone can choose the most convenient for themselves. Knowing how annual and perennial phlox reproduce, you can create a bright flower garden in your yard without much effort.
Phlox can be propagated by roots in late August - early September METHODS OF REPRODUCTION OF PHLOX The British recommend using phlox propagation by roots in cases, for example, when you need to get rid of dangerous pest– stem nematodes. They dig up bushes in the spring, at a time when overwintered nematodes emerge into the stems. In addition, this method can help save a plant if its above-ground part is severely damaged or even “magically” restore a stolen bush. METHOD 1: Dividing the bush Phlox bushes can be divided both in spring (until mid-May) and autumn (late August - early September). It is more convenient to do this in the spring: even small pieces of rhizomes and shoots that have broken off take root by autumn and produce full-fledged plants.
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The best results are obtained by dividing bushes at the age of 3–5 years.
pros: it's simple! In addition, large cuttings are guaranteed to take root and bloom in the same year.
Minuses: the amount of planting material received may be small. In addition, divided phloxes bloom later than the others.
What we do: We dig up the phlox, shake off or wash off excess soil from the roots. We stick a sharp scoop or a long knife into the middle of the bush and use it to separate parts with 2-4 young rosettes (1). We throw away the old rhizomes from the center of the bush and plant the divisions (2).
Cuttings
Reproduction by growing shoots is practiced in May - early June. Young stems up to 12–15 cm high are suitable.
pros: we get a large amount of planting material and well-developed plants, with which there will be no problems during wintering.
Minuses: cuttings must be taken quickly, and on the “hottest” days for the gardener. In addition, if you take a large number of cuttings, the phlox bush will be weakened.
What we do:
Lightly rake the soil from the phlox bush and break out young strong shoots “with a heel” (preferably from the central part of the bush) (3). We take no more than 40% of shoots from an adult bush.
We wash the cuttings in a pink solution of potassium permanganate and plant them in beds according to the pattern 12–15 × 15 cm. Approximate composition of the soil substrate: 1 part garden soil, 1 part medium peat and 1 part coarse sand. To create an optimal microclimate, cover each cutting with a 1.5-2‑liter plastic bottle with the bottom cut off and without a lid (4). We water and weed regularly. Until mid-summer, you can feed the plants 1-2 times with mullein infusion or liquid nitrogen fertilizers (in half the dose). We transplant young phloxes to a permanent place next spring.
Vertical layers
Another successful one spring way reproduction., we get a lot of planting material at once with a minimum of labor costs.
But For this method, planting phlox should be quite sparse. In addition, in hot summers it is difficult to maintain constant moisture in the soil.
What we do:
We fill (hill) the phlox bush with fertile soil in a layer of at least 10 cm (5). Keep the soil moist. After some time, roots begin to appear on the covered part of the stems (6). In August, when they have developed well, we carefully release the cuttings from the ground, cut them off from the base of the bush and plant them in the ground (7).
Phlox is a very rewarding crop, and there are quite a few options for their propagation: at any time of the season you can choose the method that is suitable for you.
Flower mathematics
The easiest way is to divide the phlox bushes. This can be done both in spring and autumn. The only “but” is that the best results are obtained by dividing the bushes at the age of 3–5 years.
If you are going to do this now, you will have to hurry: the optimal period of division is from the second half of August to the beginning of September. At this time, renewal buds have already been formed on the rhizomes, so the divisions take root well.
Next year we get a flowering plant.
You must have your own mature bush.
How it's done
Dig up the bush and shake off excess soil from the roots. You can also wash it off with a hose. Shorten the stems, leaving 1/2–2/3 of the height. Beginning
A node is the place on the phlox stem from which a pair of leaves emerges and where the axillary buds are located. An internode is the part of the stem between two nodes.
Start dividing from the middle of the bush: stick a strong, sharp scoop into it and, carefully moving it, divide the bush into parts. Each should have 2–4 stems with well-developed renewal buds. You can additionally use a knife. Do not divide too finely - such plants overwinter worse. Immediately drop them off at school or in a permanent place.
The best time for spring division is late April - early May. At this time, even small broken off pieces of rhizomes or young shoots easily take root and produce full-fledged plants. True, the bushes separated in spring bloom later than the others. In summer, phloxes are divided only if absolutely necessary. In this case, it is better to cut off only part of the main bush with a shovel. The divisions should be large, and subsequent care for them should be as thorough as possible.
Propagation by stem cuttings
This method of cutting phlox is perhaps the most accessible even for novice gardeners. Is it true, optimal time for it, the period of rapid growth of shoots before the appearance of buds is considered - May - end of June. But you can cut phlox at the moment flowering begins, and even later if you have an unheated greenhouse where you can keep the cuttings until they take root.
Maximum reproduction rate: from one bush you can get hundreds of young plants.
High labor costs, risk of losing seedlings in harsh winters and due to mice.
Try to choose a cloudy, cool day. For propagation, use the upper non-lignified part of strong, well-developed shoots taken from healthy plants. Cut the shoots into cuttings with 2 nodes: the upper cut is made 0.5 cm above the node, the lower cut is made immediately below the node, at an angle of 45°. Remove the leaves of the lower node, shorten the upper one by half. When cutting at a later date, it is better to plant the cuttings in seedling boxes, in spring and summer - in ridges. The soil should be loose, fertile, with good moisture holding capacity. The approximate composition is good garden (turf) soil, neutralized peat and coarse sand in a ratio of 1:1:1. You can use pressed peat tablets.
Moisten the substrate and stick the cuttings into it, deepening them to the top node. The distance when planting in boxes or greenhouses is 5-6 cm between cuttings in a row and 10-12 cm between rows, when planting in the ground - a little less often.
Move the boxes to a greenhouse or build a greenhouse for them. Shade the plantings from the sun and water 2-3 times a day for 3 weeks. After approximately 2–3 weeks, the cuttings will produce roots and young shoots in the leaf axils. In the fall, bury the boxes with rooted cuttings in the garden and carefully cover them for the winter with dry leaves and film or covering material in 2-3 layers (especially if planting was late). Take care to protect yourself from mice.
To make cuttings take root faster, be sure to use preparations that stimulate root formation. This will give young plants the opportunity to properly form before frost and overwinter normally.
Reproduction by axillary shoots
This propagation method is good for the second half of summer, when phlox stems begin to grow from the leaf axils. side shoots. Optimal time– from July to the first ten days of August.
You can get a lot of planting material without damaging the main bush.
Enough late date cuttings: plants are ready for planting in a permanent place after about a year. Possible losses in winter.
How it's done
Carefully break off the side shoots with the “heel”. Plant cuttings with 2–3 nodes whole, after removing lower leaves and trimming the top ones. If the cuttings are longer, pinch the tops, leaving 1-2 internodes. Plant in prepared beds or boxes and care for them in the same way as for stem cuttings. Cover the plantings for the winter.
On a note
In spring, phlox shoots up to 12–15 cm long, broken off with a “heel”, growing from the ground, can be successfully used as cuttings.
"From scratch"
Experienced phlox growers know that young shoots often appear in place of a dug out or frozen phlox bush. This happens because phloxes are able to form renewal buds on thick, but not yet lignified roots. This property served as the basis for another original version reproduction.
The method gives the best results in September, when the roots contain maximum amount nutrients, or early spring. The selected phlox bush (at least 3 years old, but not too large) is dug into a ditch at a distance of about 6–8 cm from the outer stems, the roots are cut with a sharp tool at a depth of about 8 cm and the bush is removed from the ground. In the future, it can be transplanted or divided as usual. The resulting hole is filled with fertile soil and the area is generously mulched on top with organic materials (peat, compost, etc.). In the spring of next year, young shoots of phlox appear in this place in abundance. Until mid-summer, the shoots must be fed with mullein infusion (1:15) or complex fertilizers to accelerate its growth and development. In August, young plants are dug up and planted in a school for growing, and in the middle of next year they are transplanted to a permanent place.
Aug 17, 2016 Galinka