Our grandmothers, growing garden strawberries, or strawberries, as we used to call them, did not particularly worry about mulching. But today this agricultural technique has become fundamental in achieving High Quality berries and reducing crop losses. Some might say it's a hassle. But practice shows that labor costs in this case pay off handsomely. In this article we invite you to get acquainted with the nine the best materials for mulching garden strawberries.
Succulents are very diverse. Despite the fact that “little ones” have always been considered more fashionable, the range of succulents with which you can decorate modern interior, it’s worth taking a closer look. After all, colors, sizes, patterns, degree of prickliness, impact on the interior are just a few of the parameters by which you can choose them. In this article we will tell you about the five most fashionable succulents that amazingly transform modern interiors.
The Egyptians used mint as early as 1.5 thousand years BC. It has a strong aroma due to great content various essential oils with high volatility. Today, mint is used in medicine, perfumery, cosmetology, winemaking, cooking, ornamental gardening, and the confectionery industry. In this article we will look at the most interesting varieties of mint, and also talk about the features of growing this plant in open ground.
People began growing crocuses 500 years before our era. Although the presence of these flowers in the garden is fleeting, we always look forward to the return of the harbingers of spring to next year. Crocuses are one of the earliest primroses, whose flowering begins as soon as the snow melts. However, flowering times may vary depending on the species and varieties. This article is dedicated to the earliest varieties of crocuses, which bloom in late March and early April.
Cabbage soup made from early young cabbage in beef broth is hearty, aromatic and easy to prepare. In this recipe you will learn how to cook delicious beef broth and cook light cabbage soup with this broth. Early cabbage It cooks quickly, so it is placed in the pan at the same time as other vegetables, unlike autumn cabbage, which takes a little longer to cook. Ready cabbage soup can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Real cabbage soup turns out tastier than freshly prepared cabbage soup.
Looking at the variety of tomato varieties, it’s hard not to get confused - the choice is very wide today. Even experienced gardeners He's annoying sometimes! However, understanding the basics of selecting varieties “for yourself” is not so difficult. The main thing is to delve into the peculiarities of the culture and start experimenting. One of the easiest groups of tomatoes to grow are varieties and hybrids with limited growth. They have always been valued by those gardeners who do not have much energy and time to care for their beds.
Once very popular under the name of indoor nettle, and then forgotten by everyone, coleus today is one of the brightest garden and indoor plants. It is not for nothing that they are considered stars of the first magnitude for those who are primarily looking for non-standard colors. Easy to grow, but not so undemanding as to suit everyone, coleus require constant supervision. But if you take care of them, bushes made of velvety unique leaves will easily outshine any competitor.
Salmon backbone baked in Provençal herbs provides tasty pieces of fish pulp for a light salad with fresh wild garlic leaves. The champignons are lightly fried in olive oil and then poured over apple cider vinegar. These mushrooms are tastier than regular pickled ones, and they are better suited for baked fish. Wild garlic and fresh dill get along well in one salad, highlighting each other’s aroma. The garlicky pungency of wild garlic will permeate both the salmon flesh and mushroom pieces.
Conifer tree or shrubs on the site is always great, but a lot of conifers is even better. Emerald needles of various shades decorate the garden at any time of the year, and phytoncides and essential oils, released by plants, not only aromatize, but also make the air cleaner. As a rule, most zoned mature conifers are considered very unpretentious trees and shrubs. But young seedlings are much more capricious and require proper care and attention.
Sakura is most often associated with Japan and its culture. Picnics in the canopy flowering trees have long become an integral attribute of welcoming spring in the Land of the Rising Sun. The financial and academic year here begins on April 1, when the magnificent cherry blossoms bloom. Therefore, many significant moments in the life of the Japanese take place under the sign of their flowering. But sakura grows well in cooler regions - certain types can be successfully grown even in Siberia.
I am very interested in analyzing how people's tastes and preferences for certain foods have changed over the centuries. What was once considered tasty and was an item of trade, lost its value over time and, conversely, new fruit crops conquered their markets. Quince has been cultivated for more than 4 thousand years! And even in the 1st century B.C. e. About 6 varieties of quince were known, and even then methods of its propagation and cultivation were described.
Delight your family and prepare themed cottage cheese cookies in the shape of Easter eggs! Your children will be happy to take part in the process - sift the flour, combine all the necessary ingredients, knead the dough and cut out intricate figures. Then they will watch with admiration as pieces of dough turn into real Easter eggs, and then with the same enthusiasm they will eat them with milk or tea. How to make such original cookies for Easter, read our step by step recipe!
Among tuberous crops, there are not so many decorative deciduous favorites. And caladium is a true star among the variegated inhabitants of interiors. Not everyone can decide to own a caladium. This plant is demanding, and first of all, it requires care. But still, rumors about the extraordinary capriciousness of caladiums are never justified. Attention and care can avoid any difficulties when growing caladiums. And the plant can almost always forgive small mistakes.
We have prepared a hearty, incredibly appetizing and simply easy-to-prepare dish for you today. This sauce is one hundred percent universal, as it goes with every side dish: vegetables, pasta, or anything. Chicken and mushroom gravy will save you in moments when you don’t have time or don’t want to think too much about what to cook. Take your favorite side dish (you can do this in advance so everything is hot), add some gravy and dinner is ready! A real lifesaver.
Among the many different varieties of these popular vegetables, we will tell you about three that are distinguished by their excellent taste and relatively unpretentious growing conditions. Characteristics of the eggplant varieties “Almaz”, “Black Beauty” and “Valentina”. All eggplants have medium-density pulp. In Almaz it is greenish, while in the other two it is yellowish-white. They are united by good germination and excellent yield, but in different time. Everyone's skin color and shape are different.
In addition to phlox drummond, there are several other varieties of phlox - perennial phlox, subulate and paniculate phlox. When flowering, annual phlox has mainly white, pink and crimson colors with an abundance of a wide variety of shades. Sometimes there are two-color plants, as well as with an eye of a different color in the center of the flower. Phloxes have a strong and very pleasant aroma and bloom from early summer until autumn. The plant is unpretentious, so it can decorate any corner of the garden.
Phlox drummond varieties
Through many years of selection, many varieties of phlox drummond have been developed. One group is dwarf with small flowers and have a height of 15-20 cm, the second - large-flowered, have large flowers, plants reach a height of 40 cm. The most popular varieties of phlox are: “Chanel”, “Carnival”, “Large-flowered”, “Strawberries and cream”, “ Sunny bunny", "Star Scattering", "Grammy", "Isabelina". Look what drummond phlox looks like in the photo:
Phlox drummonda - growing seedlings from seeds
You need to sow seeds for seedlings in March in boxes with soil, place them in a plastic bag and put them in dark place. In about a week, friendly shoots will appear, and then the package needs to be removed and the boxes placed on the windowsill. After three weeks, you need to pick phlox drummond seedlings and plant three seedlings in one pot. It is necessary to fertilize seedlings three times at intervals of 10 days. When the seedlings grow to 5-6 leaves and reach a height of 10 cm, their tops must be pinched. Then the phlox bush will be lush and branchy.
When caring for seedlings, you must follow the following rules:
- The temperature in the room where phlox seedlings are grown should be 18-21 degrees.
- Boxes with seedlings should be placed in the brightest place, since if there is insufficient lighting, the plants can stretch in height and lose their attractive appearance.
- The soil should not be allowed to dry out; seedlings should be watered as needed.
- Regularly feed plants with organic and complex fertilizers.
Drummond Phlox - planting in the ground and care
Plant in open ground Ready seedlings are needed in the month of May. Drummond phlox needs loose, moist and nutritious soil. Drummond phlox should be planted in the designated place at a distance of at least 15 cm from each other or from plantings adjacent to the phlox. Plants tolerate drought well, but do not like severe waterlogging or stagnation of moisture. For better flowering During dry periods, plants need to be watered. Phlox needs to be fed with mineral fertilizers once every two weeks. It is better not to use organic matter, because it promotes the growth of green mass rather than flowering. Due to the fact that plants have a shallow root system, loosening the soil under the bushes must be done very carefully. It is best to remove faded inflorescences, then the plants will bloom more brightly and luxuriantly.
Drummond Phlox - growing from seeds in open ground
Drummond Phlox propagates by seeds. Seeds should be collected after the plant has completely flowered. They are triangular and look like small boxes. After collecting, the seeds must be dried well and placed in cloth bags.
If you do not want to grow phlox drummond using seedlings, then you can sow it directly in open ground. The most suitable time for this is the beginning of May. In loose soil, you need to make furrows 1-1.5 cm deep and water them with water. When the moisture is absorbed, you need to put 2-3 seeds at one point, and place the next seeds at a distance of about 15 cm from the first. When the shoots appear, one strong sprout should be left in the nest and the rest should be removed. As plants grow, they need to be fertilized regularly and watered as needed. After the formation of flower buds begins, it is necessary to carry out complex feeding of the plants. Since phlox seeds have good frost resistance, they can be sown before winter.
Diseases and pests, disease prevention
Like all plants, Drummond phlox can also be susceptible to various diseases and be affected by pests - thrips or spider mite. Overmoistening of the soil can lead to the development of fungal diseases. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to completely eliminate such diseases from a garden plot, but they can actually be reduced to a minimum. For the purpose of prevention, it is recommended to carry out a thorough deep digging of the soil every autumn, control acidity and try to plant phlox in a new place more often. It is also necessary to regularly remove fallen leaves from the site and weed weeds.
Drummond phlox in landscape design
Landscape designers love to use annual low phlox in their compositions, creating borders from them or planting them along garden paths. Phlox also looks good in a variety of containers and mixborders. Very bright and colorful due to its varied color range look like plants in flower beds or other flower beds. To decorate a garden plot or a private home, dwarf phlox can be planted in garden containers or pots. With this design you can create very original and picturesque floral landscapes.
Growing phlox from seeds is a fun and easy task. Even a novice gardener can do this. Phlox drummond requires little care; it easily takes root in any soil. And with minimal effort, these beautiful flowers will delight you with their delicate and intoxicating aroma and colorful bright blooms all summer long.
These are fragrant beautiful flowers came to Europe from North America from the middle of the 18th century and became inhabitants of lawns, gardens, ridges, borders, and often even balconies. It is possible that the harsh climate of their homeland endowed them with strength, unpretentiousness, and vitality.
Phloxes (translated from Greek language- “flame”) belong to the genus herbaceous plants from the cyanaceae family. They number about 70 species, and only a little more than half of them are grown.
Among the many varieties and varieties, Drummond's annual phloxes are in favor with professional and amateur flower growers. Compared to their long-term “relatives”, they have long held the palm. This is largely due to the wide variety of varieties, flower shapes, and their shades compared to perennials. They look great on alpine roller coaster, flower beds. They can decorate the space near houses using decorative containers.
One complex inflorescence of phlox can contain about 90 flowers. Each of them has 5 stamens and bent petals, 1 pistil.
Their tubular-funnel-shaped 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, responding to the vagaries of “Mother Nature” and the climate. So, for example, in the bright sun their colors become brighter, but in cloudy times they dim.
And the bushes themselves, with their green mass of developed shoots, resemble a colorful ball. With more favorable conditions they will be erect and even up to 1.5 m high. Phlox subshrubs are also found.
And growing on high altitude, will be bryophyte and low-growing up to 25 cm with evergreen leaves. The most commonly grown phloxes are erect ones 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 flowering time, they are early, middle and late.
There are possibilities for propagating phlox vegetatively:
- layering
- cuttings
- bush division
However, many gardeners prefer to use seeds for propagating seedlings. You can grow quite a few of them strong seedlings suitable for disembarkation in due time.
After all, even seeds that fall into the ground in the fall give up to 70% germination in the spring. And yet, we invite you to get acquainted with some of the nuances of planting seeds with your own hands for efficient cultivation seedlings.
When to plant seeds for seedlings
An important argument in favor seedling cultivation phlox - avoiding cases of freezing of seedlings from seeds that have fallen into the ground. Along with this, plants from seedlings have longer flowering periods.
Preparation for planting seeds of annual flowers begins from late February to mid-March. Such timing allows you to see the infructescence 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, temperature regime. At the same time, in each of these stages there are nuances that should not be ignored.
Preparing soil and seeds
Loose soil consisting of peat, rotted humus, lime, sand, and mineral fertilizers is suitable for planting seedlings. It is placed in various containers (boxes, containers, cells, peat pots and so on.). Then the soil is moderately moistened and sowing of seeds begins.
Sowing seeds
Held in March. Despite the density of large seeds, they do not require deep penetration into soil mixture, A good lighting. They are simply scattered over the surface, lightly pressed with the palm of your hand and sprayed a little with a spray bottle.
After this, the container with the planted seeds is covered clear glass or film and is located in a warm and bright place, for example, on a windowsill. It should be no lower than +23 °C.
Next, the future seedlings are ventilated daily, sprayed, and the condensation formed is carefully shaken off the film/glass. 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 of picking 2-3 weeks after the appearance of the first true leaves at a distance of more than 15 cm, uniform lighting at a temperature of +20°C.
Moderate watering through a spray bottle is carried out when the top layer of soil is dried. To harden the seedlings on the eve of planting them outdoors, you need to lower the temperature to +15 °C and increase the frequency of watering with the addition of mineral fertilizers.
When 4-5 leaves appear, the plant is pinched to create bushy bushes.
After the onset of stable warmth in May, the seedlings are transplanted into areas with light, fertile soil saturated with vermicompost and compost. “Heavy” soil must be lightened with sand, organic matter, and peat. The best option– sandy, non-clayey soil with good drainage, medium acidity.
When planting seedlings on a site, choose a place in partial shade where direct lines do not penetrate. solar radiation. Taking into account the future height and spreading nature of adult phloxes, a distance of about 20 cm is maintained between “neighbors” ( Snapdragon, bells, etc.).
Planting 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 lightly covered with soil.
After “relocating” to open ground, growing phlox is quite easy and enjoyable.
The main principle of caring for annual phloxes in summer period– don’t interfere with growth!
To comply with it you will need:
- regular watering in hot weather, because the plant withers during drought due to overheating of the root system
- periodic careful loosening of the soil to ensure its breathability. In the 2nd half of the plant's growing season, hilling is carried out to form the root system
- pinching shoots to create fullness of the bush and speed up the onset of flowering
- 4-fold fertilizing with mineral fertilizers, organic matter:
- the first one 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 ten days of July only with liquid manure, the 4th - at the end of July with phosphorus and potassium salt. For abundant flowering, the plant can be fertilized with ammonium nitrate several times a season.
Mulching the soil around the plants will help increase the effect of these simple agricultural techniques. You can grow phlox again next year using your own seeds.
You need to select your favorite flower varieties for subsequent breeding on time. To do this, the branches, along with large bolls that have already begun to turn yellow, need to be cut off after flowering has completed.
Further ripening of the seeds will occur in a paper or linen bag, but not a plastic bag. After cracking the oval box, the seeds remain in the same bag.
All that remains is to sort out the ripest, largest planting material and store it in a dark, dry, cool place until next sowing in the spring.
Drummonda 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.
- Star-shaped They are distinguished by their greater height (up to 40 cm) and less often - lower ones up to 15 cm. Bright flowers look like stars with an eye in the middle.
Some gardeners classify annual phlox not only by these characteristics, but also by their low height of up to 20 cm. These are the so-called dwarf flowers.
Today the most common varieties of Drummond 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 garden and home improvement.
Gardeners, when creating flower beds and flower beds on their plots, plant the most different plants: perennial and annual. Due to this, the effect is achieved constant flowering Location on. From early spring until frost, flowers delight gardeners with their colors and aroma. Annual plants that bloom longer are especially loved. three months. They are most often used to decorate a flower garden. Of all the variety of annuals, Drummond's phlox stands out.
Annual phlox differs from perennial phlox in that its flowering is brighter, more abundant and longer. This plant has a miniature form. The bush is very lush, during flowering it is densely strewn with flowers.
The natural habitat of annual phlox is the USA. From there it was brought to Europe, and from Europe it came to Russia. Today these small but bright flowers actively used in design. They are readily used to decorate garden plots, parks and alleys. Annual phlox does not grow higher than 35 cm, and the diameter of its flower is 2-3 cm. Flowers forming umbrella inflorescences make the bush especially beautiful, and its shape acquires a special charm. Phlox Drummond attracts attention with its brightness and elegance of shape.
This flower is also loved by gardeners because it blooms from June to late autumn.
The last buds fade at the end of November.
The best varieties
Breeders all over the world have done a lot of work to develop new varieties. Thanks to their efforts, annual phloxes are quite diverse in their characteristics, flower color, bush shape and petals. Among the most popular varieties are the following varieties:
Milky Way and Star Lace
The main advantage of which unusual shape flower, similar to a star, so these varieties are of particular value.
Chanel and Strawberries and cream
The flower buds are double, very lush and bright.
Beauty in crimson
It was introduced quite recently and is compact. The height of the flowers reaches 25 - 30 cm. Big flowers 3-4 cm in diameter, raspberry color. Umbrella-type inflorescences. This variety is suitable for decorating borders, works, rocky hills and flower beds. The flowers are very frost-resistant, so they are suitable for growing in open ground.
Tetra Riesen and Grandiflora
The flowers are bright and large. Their diameter reaches 4 cm. The variety is cold-resistant.
Buttons
Flowers are low growing. Their height is up to 20 cm. The color of the flower is two-color, and there is a peephole in the center.
Annual phlox flowers are most often painted in pastel and salmon tones, but there are varieties with the most different colors from white to blue-lilac.
How to grow a flower from seeds
When growing this plant from seeds, you should follow the planting rules and then properly care for the plants. Only in this case can you grow strong and healthy plants, which will delight you with bright and long-lasting flowering.
Phlox Drummond likes to grow in sunny areas without shade, but flowers will not grow in heavy sandy soils. This area will have to be improved. In order to improve the structure and composition of the soil, humus, peat and humus are used.
The beginning of May is the most best time to sow seeds in the ground. Plant phlox seeds in the furrows. They are made shallow and moisturized abundantly. Seeds are placed two to three in each nest. The distance between seeds should be about 15 cm.
When the sowing of seeds is completed, the bed is covered with lutrasil or spandbond so that the soil does not dry out. The covering material is removed when seedlings appear. The seeds will take at least ten days to germinate. With the emergence of seedlings, excess sprouts are removed, the soil around the seedlings is loosened and fertilized with nitrogen fertilizer.
Already a week after it, the phloxes are fertilized a second time. When the time comes for intensive development of flower buds in phloxes, they should be fed with a comprehensive mineral fertilizer
. Flowers grown from seeds begin to bloom in early summer. Sowing is also possible in the fall, when the leaves have fallen from the trees. Some gardeners are happy to use autumn planting in your practice. The seeds are frost-resistant, so they can survive frost and cold.
In the southern regions, seeds can be sown in the ground at the end of December. Land for sowing is prepared in advance, in the fall. The bucket of soil is put into the basement until the time for planting the seeds. They are sown directly in the snow. The snow in the area intended for sowing seeds is well trampled down and the seeds are laid out at a distance of 20 cm from each other. The seeds scattered on the snow are covered with a layer of soil that was prepared in the fall.
Phlox seeds will survive the winter safely, and with the onset of spring, shoots will appear.
If the weather is favorable, seedlings appear in early April.
Video about sowing annual phlox seeds
Growing using seedlings In order for Drummond phlox to bloom earlier, you can use the seedling method.
The first flowers of plants that were grown through seedlings may appear as early as early May.
At the very beginning of March, phlox seeds are planted in special containers for growing seedlings.
For faster germination, the layer of soil with which the seeds are sprinkled must be thin.
Film is stretched over the boxes with plantings. Every day it is removed for ventilation. The very first shoots appear within a week. Young seedlings are sprayed from time to time with a spray bottle.
Plants are picked into separate cups when the first pair of leaves appears on them. The first fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers is carried out after picking and adaptation of flowers.
Video about picking phlox seedlings
Phloxes are watered only when the top layer of soil is dry.
There should be little water. All this is done in order to prevent seedlings from becoming infected with blackleg and various root rots. Pinch out phloxes when 5-6 leaves appear. Pinching helps to achieve good bushiness of plants.
With the onset of warm sunny days in mid-April seedlings begin to harden off. It is taken out to the balcony or outside, increasing the time spent in the open air every day.
And in early May, the seedlings are transplanted to permanent place in the garden. Very soon the first flowers will appear, and some low-growing varieties buds are already formed by the time of transplantation.
In order for annual phlox to bloom continuously, you need to provide them with good care. During flowering, it is necessary to promptly remove dried and faded buds. Fertilizers must also be applied on time.
To grow Drummond phlox, you can use with your own seeds . In the fall, plants that have bloomed are removed from the garden along with their roots. Phloxes are placed in a room where the temperature is maintained at 23-24 degrees. After 3 weeks, the bushes, which were laid out on paper, dry out. Dried inflorescences must be rubbed with your hands so that the seeds fall out. They are stored in a fabric bag or paper. The storage area must be dry.
Video about growing and caring for annual phlox
Experienced gardeners rarely arrange compositions only from perennials, since their decorative effect cannot last the entire season. Combined flower beds look much more impressive, in which annuals and perennials With for different periods flowering. Such a flowerbed is beautiful all season long until frost, especially if it contains annuals that bloom for 3 months or more. One such spectacular plant is Phlox Drummonda. If you like the place, he will form a stunted lush bush ik, covered with flowers so much that the leaves are not visible. Let's consider full cycle work required by the plant: growing from seeds, rules of planting and care.
Phlox drummondii was brought to Europe from Texas. Phlox - translated as “flame”, drummondii - from the name of the English traveler Henry Drummond, who first sent the seeds of this plant from the USA to England and thus discovered a new flower for Europeans.
Most phlox are perennials. But, unlike drummond, they are tall, so it is difficult to use perennials in borders, ridges or rock gardens. But their one-year-old “brother” does not grow above half a meter, and the majority of varieties are about 30 cm. The diameter of the flower is 2 cm, but it does not seem small, since the flowers are collected in corymbose or umbellate inflorescences, giving beautiful shape bush. The plant blooms for a long time, from June until late autumn.
The shape of the flowers of the annual phlox drummond is much more spectacular and varied than that of its paniculate perennial “brothers,” which is why gardeners love it
Varieties differ in the shape of the flower, each petal and the color of the plant. The most popular of them:
- “Buttons” is a series of two-color phlox, the flowers of which have an “eye” in the middle. Low-growing (up to 20 cm in height), drought-resistant.
- Varieties " Milky Way" and "Star Lace" are valued for their unique flower shape, similar to a star.
- “Chanel” and “Strawberries and Cream” are distinguished by double, lush flowers.
- “Tetra Riesen” and “Grandiflora” are rare tetraploid varieties with large flowers up to 4 cm in diameter that are resistant to cold.
The color range of the plant is huge: from pure white tones to blue-lilac. The most common varieties are salmon and pastel.
The Tetra Riesen variety has a tetraploid set of chromosomes (doubled), which is why the plant has a large flower shape and high survival rate in any conditions
The correct growing conditions for phlox drummond
In order for flowering to last as long as possible and be abundant, it needs to choose the right place in the garden. The annual plant tolerates heat and drought well, so it can be planted on open areas where there is no shadow. The plant successfully withstands the first frosts. Frost spoils only the flower petals, and the rest aboveground part remains green. As the air temperature rises, flowering will continue until the onset of consistently low night temperatures.
But there are two factors that harm the development of phlox drummond. These are heavy and too light sandy soils. The former accumulate a lot of moisture, which is why root system the annual plant is affected by all kinds of rot. If the soil is too light and unable to retain moisture, then in hot summers it overheats, which also negatively affects the roots of the plant. Therefore, when preparing a flower garden, it is necessary to adjust the composition of the soil by adding the appropriate components (peat, humus, humus, etc.).
The plant can bloom continuously from early June to October if it is fed in time and the flowers are removed after they have faded.
Correct planting technology
Phlox can be planted in two ways: by seeds in the ground or by seedlings grown on a windowsill. The first option saves the summer resident from the extra hassle of caring for seedlings, but growing seedlings at home speeds up the flowering time. Already in June, young plants begin to bloom.
Features of planting seeds
If you do not have the opportunity or time to grow a plant on a windowsill, sow its seeds directly into the ground.
The first days of May are the best time for sowing. Make shallow grooves, water them and wait until the moisture is absorbed. Seeds are laid out in 2-3 pieces at one point, leaving a distance of 15 cm between plantings. If all 3 seeds sprout in the nest, the weak ones are pinched off.
Until the moment of entry (and this lasts about two weeks), the plantings must be covered with lutrasil or spunbond so that moisture is retained in the soil. As soon as the sprouts have appeared, the soil is loosened, excess plants are removed and liquid nitrogen fertilizer is applied. After a week, fertilizing with nitrogen is repeated.
When will they begin to form flower buds– apply complex fertilizers (2-3 times per season). The first flowers of the drummond will appear in July.
As soon as flower buds begin to form in the center of the phlox, feed the plant with a complex of fertilizers to add strength to lush flowering
In addition to spring sowing, the flower can also be planted before winter, since its seeds have good frost resistance. But there is one caveat - with prolonged thaws, the seeds may begin to grow in advance, and then will be spoiled by returning frosts. To prevent this from happening, autumn sowing is carried out only after the last leaf has fallen from the cherry tree (this folk sign!). If above-zero temperatures accidentally return, the flower garden is covered non-woven material so that it does not thaw under the rays of the sun. As soon as the weather becomes cold again, the shelter is removed.
If winter is warm in your area, it is better to sow phlox in late December - January. To do this, in the fall, half a bucket of black soil is left in the utility room. In December, they wait for heavy snowfalls so that the ground is completely hidden under snow. The rows in which the plants will be sown are thoroughly trampled down, and 3-4 seeds are poked into one nest.
Sprinkle the seeds with dry black soil, and throw a layer of snow (at least 20 cm) on top with a shovel. Under such a blanket of snow, the flowers sleep until spring and begin to awaken around April.
When planting seeds directly into the ground, the first phlox flowers will bloom by the end of May, and in cold areas - after June 10
Growing seedlings
To enjoy flowering bushes at the end of May, you will have to tinker with the seedlings:
- Seeds are planted in boxes in March (in warm areas - at the beginning of the month, in cold areas - after the 20th). Do not press the seeds into the ground, but just sprinkle them with soil. This way they will germinate faster.
- The container is covered with film to maintain moisture, but ventilated daily.
- After the sprouts appear (on 7-8 days), the film is removed, the boxes are placed in a well-lit place and care is taken that the soil does not dry out.
- When 2 true leaves appear, the phloxes dive into separate pots. Even if the plants have sprouted poorly, pick them up, as it will then be easier for the root system to take root in the soil.
- As soon as the plant takes root, it is fed with nitrogen. Water the seedlings without fanaticism, moderately, so that there are no conditions for the development of blackleg and root rot.
- In order for the plant to form a compact and lush bush, the top must be pinched. This is done after the seedlings grow 6 leaves.
- If you are planting several varieties and want them to bloom at the same time, you need more tall views(40-50 cm) sow a week earlier than low-growing ones (up to 30 cm). This way you will even out the timing of flowering.
- In April, plants are hardened off by placing the pots outside. First for an hour or two and gradually increasing the time.
- Grown plants are planted in the ground in May, after the end of the last frost. Typically at this time dwarf varieties already have time to form buds.
Flowering when planted with seedlings begins at the end of May. If you remove faded inflorescences in a timely manner and carry out regular comprehensive fertilizing, there will be no breaks between waves of flowering. For good ventilation of the roots, loosening is carried out at least once a week.
Do not place newly hatched plants on the windowsill, otherwise the bright sun can burn young leaves and slow down development
The appearance of two true leaves is a signal that the phloxes need to be planted in separate pots for seedlings filled with nutritious soil.
Start feeding with nitrogen fertilizers only after the plant has taken root in the soil and has produced several new leaves.
How to get your own seeds?
If you have mastered the rules of planting and caring for plants purchased in stores, you can stock up on your own seeds in the fall.
What plants are suitable for propagation?
The first step is to notice each variety in some way during flowering. You can stick self-adhesive price tags, which are sold in rolls, on the stem, writing the variety number on each (and in a separate notebook indicating which variety goes under which number). Some gardeners knit ribbons or threads of different colors on the stems.
It’s good if, when planting store-bought seeds, you pay attention to the packaging information. Plants marked F1 are not suitable for future seed collection, as they are hybrids. They will never produce flowers similar to the variety from which you collected them. But as an experiment, you can plant the seeds collected from the hybrids somewhere in an inconspicuous place on the site. It happens that flowers grow with an unusual color or shape of petals, which do not retain the characteristics of the variety, but are quite spectacular in themselves.
It is almost impossible to obtain high-quality seed material at home from F1 hybrids or tetraploid varieties, since the seeds do not retain the characteristics of the “parent”
Plant bags without the F1 mark separately so that you can then collect seeds from these plants. During flowering, sweep up the most lush and well-blooming phloxes. They will make good seed material.
Rules for drying seeds
The seeds of the plant ripen almost all at the same time, so after the petals fall off, you can cut the plant at the root and lay it for ripening in a warm room (23-25 degrees) without direct sunlight.
It is better to choose a dry sunny day to collect seeds. Cutting is done after lunch so that the morning dew on the petals is completely dry.
The prepared flowers are laid out on sheets of newspaper, each variety separately, and left to dry. As a rule, the green mass dries completely in 3 weeks. To ensure even drying, you need to stir the flowers periodically. A signal that the phlox is completely dry is a dry stem that breaks easily in your hands.
- Dried inflorescences are carefully rubbed in your hands over a clean newspaper so that the seed pods fall out. The seeds of an annual plant are noticeable, so you will see whether they have all fallen out or not. You can immerse the plants in a linen bag and trample them with your feet.
- All large debris is removed by hand. There should be a dry mass of leaves, seeds and dust mixed on the newspaper.
- To separate seeds from this mass, sieves with cells of different fractions are used. First - with large ones to sift out large debris, and then - with small ones to remove dust. As a result, seed material mixed with garbage of the same fraction will remain on the table.
- You can remove unnecessary things by winnowing the seeds. To do this, on a windy day, spread a wide sheet on the grass and slowly pour seeds onto it from a bowl. Keep the container about a meter off the ground. The seeds fall on the sheet, and light debris will be carried away by the wind. This procedure can be done at home using a hair dryer.
After all the steps described above, the cleaned seeds are scattered into paper or fabric bags, labeling which variety is which, and hidden in a dry, dark place for storage.
Experienced gardeners know that flowering can be extended by almost a month if you use the following tricks:
- When it gets hot, mulch the flowerbed with sawdust or bark to reduce the temperature in the soil.
- It is necessary to loosen the soil carefully and without deepening, since the root system of phlox is superficial and easily damaged.
- These plants do not like drafts, so on the north side the flowerbed should be protected by conifers or tall perennials.
- Flowers respond well to yeast feeding. If there is moldy bread in the house, soak it in water (a loaf per bucket, 100 grams per liter) and let it stand for a day. Ready solution feed the plants. Dig the remaining bread into the ground.
In terms of brightness of color and original shape of flowers, phlox drummonda is not inferior to such recognized annual beauties as petunias, salvias, and asters. Just one packet of seeds will transform your flowerbed beyond recognition!