Phlox Drummond. Growing from seed. A photo. Varieties "Star rain", "Chanel" and others. Phlox Drummond: growing from seed, when to plant

Foreword

Phlox Drummond is a fairly popular plant among gardeners, widely used in landscape design. It strikes with a variety of coloring of the petals, their shape, abundance and duration of flowering. Even a novice gardener can care for this annual, having spent a minimum of time and effort on it, he will be rewarded with bright fragrant inflorescences.

What does Drummond's Phlox look like?

This flower is the only exception among the "relatives". Unlike them, this annual plant. But this feature does not affect the abundance of flowering and the decorativeness of the culture.

The name of the family was given by Carl Linnaeus. It means "fire" in Greek. Probably, the famous Swedish botanist and systematizer first saw scarlet phlox, which reminded him of flames. The specific variety was named after the Scottish theologian and naturalist Henry Drummond, who “introduced” the culture to the British Empire by donating seeds to one of the botanical gardens. It happened quite a long time ago, more than two hundred years ago.

In nature, it was most widely distributed in North America, especially in the southern states on the border with Mexico. Now "wild" varieties of it are extremely rare.

"Natural" Drummond phloxes in garden plots are very rare, almost never

The bushes are low (about 50 cm), but they are distinguished by an unusual branching intensity for the culture. Plants, propagating by self-sowing, form whole continuous "carpets" due to the splendor and numerous inflorescences. The leaves are narrow and elongated, lanceolate. They are opposite on the stem.

The leaves of Phlox Drummond are rather narrow, elongated.

It blooms profusely and for a long time. If it is grown by seedlings, the buds open already in June, when seeds are sown in open ground- about a month later. In the bright sun, the color of the petals does not “burn out”. The plant retains its decorative effect until the first frost. It can survive temperatures as low as -5°C. The buds in this case, of course, will suffer, but the leaves and stems will not, so the plant will quickly recover.

The bushes of Drummond's phloxes are low, but this does not affect the abundance of flowering.

The color range is very wide. The color of the petals varies from pure white to dark cherry, including all sorts of shades of pink and red. Also, Drummond's phloxes can be blue, blue, purple, purple. The only exception is yellow. Such phloxes do not exist in nature; breeders have not yet been able to achieve this shade either. But varieties with two-color petals and “patterns” on them, as well as terry ones, have been bred. In addition to the "classic" rounded shape, the petals can be pointed, narrow, as if "cut" along the edges, with a tip resembling a needle.

Individual achievements of breeders have very little resemblance to Drummond's "wild" phlox

Inflorescences in the form of a shield or umbrella. Individually, the flowers are quite small (on average 20–25 mm), but the diameter of the entire inflorescence reaches 12–15 cm. The life of each bud is short (7-8 days), new ones are constantly opening.

Even non-double varieties of Drummond phlox look very pretty.

All varieties of Drummond's phlox can be divided into three large groups - dwarf (bush height does not exceed 15–20 cm), tetraploid (with especially large flowers) and "star" (the edges of narrow petals resemble a fringe).

Culture is widely used in landscape design. Low-growing varieties are ideal for decorating borders, they are also planted in hanging pots and containers, decorative flowerpots. The plant also looks good in group compositions, especially with tulips, daffodils and other bulbs, which do not differ in the duration of flowering. Also suitable "companions" are bells, mattiola, bindweed, snapdragons, decorative flax, echinacea, "catnip". Often, Drummond's phloxes are planted in rock gardens and in multi-tiered flower beds. You can also create a multi-colored "carpet". Such a flower bed looks especially impressive if you combine several shades with each other.

Phlox Drummond look very impressive, closing large area solid carpet

In addition to the general decorativeness and duration of flowering, Drummond's phlox has a number of other indisputable advantages - undemanding care, good immunity (the plant rarely suffers from diseases and is attacked by pests), drought and cold resistance, the possibility of planting seeds in open ground and for seedlings, easy reproduction self-seeding.

Drummond's phloxes in a flower bed go well with any undersized plants

Video: appearance of Phlox Drummond

The most common varieties with a description

There are a lot of varieties of Phlox Drummond by breeders. On sale there are both seeds of one variety, and multi-colored mixtures. The most popular varieties among gardeners are:

Buttons. Even against the background of "relatives" they are distinguished by the intensity of branching. The flowers are painted white, "diluted" with different shades of pink, blue, scarlet. At the base of the petal is a contrasting "eye". The plant is characterized by increased drought resistance, tolerates heat well, therefore in Russia it is recommended for cultivation in the southern regions.
Chanel. Undersized phlox no more than 20 cm high. Flowers up to 2.5 cm in diameter, double. Petals peach or salmon pink.
Star Rain. One of the most popular varieties. The height of the plant is 40–50 cm. The flowers are shaped like stars, hence the name. Without much damage to itself, it tolerates a decrease in temperature, but it is sharply negative about the lack of light. The flowers are very fragrant.
Grandiflora. A variety from the tetraploid category, distinguished by the size of the flowers (up to 4 cm in diameter). Petals can be painted in almost all shades characteristic of the culture.
Grammy. The height of the bush is 15–20 cm. The flowers are in the form of stars, a white longitudinal stripe runs along the petal. The main tone is all shades of pink, from pastel to maroon.
Twinkling star. Reaches 25 cm in height. The flowers are shaped like snowflakes, the petals have pointed edges. Inflorescence corymbose. Coloring - white, bright scarlet and all shades of pink.
Promis. Terry variety. The plant reaches 30 cm in height. The flowers are large. The petals are dyed scarlet and different shades pink, blue, purple. Less common is peach.
Beauty in raspberry. One of the recent achievements of breeders. The bushes are almost spherical, up to 20 cm high. The flowers are 3–4 cm in diameter. The variety has good cold resistance, little susceptible to temperature extremes. The series also includes varieties Pretty Woman in White, Pretty Woman in Blue, Pretty Woman in Scarlet, Pretty Woman in Pink, differing, as you might guess, only in the shade of the petals.
Tapestry. Quite high (up to 45 cm) phloxes. The petals in the center are painted in rich dark tones - inky purple, crimson, burgundy, cherry, which turn into almost white towards the edges.
Constellation. Bushes intensively branching, 35-50 cm in height. Leaves are pubescent. The flowers are large, about 3 cm in diameter, fragrant, in the form of stars. The color of the petals varies from white to blood scarlet, including all shades of pink and their combinations. This variety is often used for cutting into bouquets.
Beauty. Plant height - 25–30 cm. The flowers are medium-sized, snow-white, very fragrant.
Bird's milk. A very miniature bush, the height of which does not exceed 12–15 cm. The flowers are double, cream or vanilla in color. With compact dimensions, the bush blooms very plentifully and for a long time.
Leopold. Petals with a snow-white base are painted in a rare coral color for the culture. Flowers with a diameter of 3-3.5 cm are located on a fairly high "leg". The variety has good drought and cold resistance.
Kaleidoscope. A mix of phloxes of bright colors - scarlet, crimson, raspberry with a darker petal base. Also on sale you can find a white-lilac-blue mixture. A miniature variety, most often used for decorating borders.
Alluring star. Plant height - up to 40 cm. The flowers are very small, no more than 1 cm in diameter, but extremely fragrant. Inflorescences are very dense, umbellate. Petals can be snow-white, hot pink, raspberry, purple.
Blue sky. Dwarf phlox up to 15 cm high. But the flowers are quite large, about 3 cm in diameter. They can be either plain, bright blue, or with a white base of the petals. The third option is somewhat less common - snow-white petals and a blue core.
Blue velvet. It looks very impressive due to the unusual blue-lilac shade of the petals. With a plant height of up to 25 cm, the diameter of the inflorescences is at least 15 cm. The flowers are also large - about 3 cm in diameter.
Scarlett. The height of the bush is up to 25 cm. The flowers are scarlet or bright pink, double or semi-double. Slightly reminiscent of miniature roses. Diameter - 1–1.5 cm. The variety is valued for its abundance of flowering, it rarely suffers from diseases and pests.
Etney. A mixture of phloxes in delicate pastel shades. The plant is compact, intensively branching, 10–15 cm high. The flowers are simple or semi-double.
Fair mix. Bushes no more than 20 cm high, distinguished by the brightness of the color of the petals (all shades of pink and red) and the abundance of flowering. The flowers are medium-sized, up to 1.5 cm in diameter, double or semi-double.
Galaxy. Plant height up to 50 cm. The flowers are small, the petals are pointed. They are painted in different shades of blue and purple.
Ferdinand. The height of an upright bush is about 45 cm. The flowers are large, with a pronounced aroma. The petals are painted in a fiery scarlet color. Inflorescences are very dense, corymbose.
Vernissage. Bush up to 40 cm high. Flowers 1.5–2 cm in diameter, very fragrant. The color of the petals varies from pure white to inky purple, including all shades of pink and red. They can be plain or with more dark spot at the base.
Shadow art. Bushes (50–70 cm) are very high for this variety of phlox. The diameter of the flower is about 4 cm. It is used for cutting into bouquets. The color scheme includes almost all shades typical of Drummond's phlox.
Caramel. The height of the bush is 45–60 cm. The color of the petals is very unusual - cream with a golden tint, an elongated narrow cherry spot at the base.
Cecilia. An intensively branching, almost spherical bush up to 30 cm high. The petals are painted in pale pink, purple, bluish, and other pastel shades. Base in contrasting color, darker.

The most common varieties in the photo

Landing procedure and preparations

In care, Drummond's phlox is unpretentious, but for abundant and long flowering, it needs to provide optimal or close conditions. The location of the flower bed, the lighting, and the quality of the soil are also important.

The culture tolerates heat and prolonged drought well, is not afraid of direct sun rays. Intense lighting does not affect the brightness of the petals. Therefore, an open sunny place is chosen for the flower bed. In partial shade, the color of the flowers fades, and in the shade the plant does not bloom at all, the shoots stretch ugly, lie on the ground under their own weight.

For a flower bed with phlox, an open sunny place is chosen, this is a prerequisite abundant flowering

But the root system of the flower is superficial, poorly developed. It is categorically contraindicated for groundwater suitable close to the soil surface. Root rot develops very quickly, destroying the entire plant. For the same reason, Drummond's phlox is not suitable for heavy silty, clay, peat substrate, in which moisture stagnates for a long time.

But too light soil is not an option. It does not have sufficient fertility. And a culture that blooms for a long time and profusely needs a lot nutrients. Loam, sandy loam or gray soil is ideal for Drummond's phlox.

A bed for phloxes has been prepared since the fall, in the spring it is advisable to loosen it again

The selected site is carefully dug up in the fall, removing weeds and other plant debris in the process. From fertilizers, humus or rotted compost (5–7 l / m²) and any universal remedy for flowering plants (Uniflor, Bona Forte, Kemira-Lux, Master and so on) or a preparation based on biohumus. The dosage is determined based on the manufacturer's instructions given in the instructions. But you can also use the "standard set" - urea (10-15 g / m²), simple superphosphate (25-30 g / m²) and potassium sulfate (15-20 g / m²), as well as complex dressings (Azofoska, Diammofoska, Nitrophoska).

Humus - a natural remedy for increasing soil fertility

In an acidified, as in an alkaline substrate, the normal development and abundant flowering of Drummond's phlox is impossible. Therefore, the acidity of the soil is clarified in advance. If necessary, in the first case, dolomite flour, wood ash, crushed to a powder eggshell, in the second - peat chips or not rotted sawdust of coniferous trees.

Dolomite flour is a deoxidizer that does not have side effects subject to dosage

Seeds can be easily purchased at the store or collected independently. At the end of flowering, in place of wilted buds, fruits resembling boxes are formed. Seeds ripen when they have already dried, but have not yet cracked. The fruits are gently rubbed with fingers, the resulting "dust" is sifted, separating the seeds from the debris. Until disembarkation, they are kept in a dry, dark, cool place in linen bags or paper bags.

Drummond phlox seeds can be collected independently, but it is still advisable to renew from time to time planting material

In general, Drummond's phlox reproduces well by self-sowing, but in this case, the characteristics typical of the variety are gradually lost. This is especially true for the variegated color and unusual shape of the petals.

Growing phlox Drummond seedlings allows you to achieve earlier and longer flowering. Therefore, most gardeners practice this method.

Growing phlox Drummond seedlings allows you to see their flowering almost a month earlier

Seeds for seedlings are sown in the second half of March. Shallow and wide general containers can be used; Drummond's phlox is normal for picking and transplanting. The culture is quite suitable for a universal substrate for flowering indoor plants. But you can mix the soil yourself from approximately equal proportions of fertile land or humus, coarse river sand and peat chips taken in approximately equal proportions. Instead of sand, another “baking powder” is also suitable - perlite, vermiculite, finely chopped dry sphagnum moss or coconut fiber. Before use, any soil must be sterilized by freezing in the freezer or on the street, roasting in the oven. The fastest way is to spill it with boiling water or a dark purple solution of potassium permanganate.

Phlox Drummond seedlings tolerate picking and transplanting quite easily.

The substrate in containers is moderately moistened and leveled. Seeds are sown as evenly as possible, without pressing into the soil. From above they are sprinkled with a layer of fine sand no more than 1–2 mm thick.
The containers are covered with glass or film or placed in a special mini-greenhouse. Before germination, they do not need light, but they need heat. Optimum temperature at this time - 25–27 ° С, lower heating is desirable. The "greenhouse" is ventilated daily - the accumulated condensate can provoke the development of rot. As the soil dries up, it is moderately moistened by spraying from a fine spray gun.
Mass shoots appear quite quickly, after 6-7 days. The germination rate of Phlox Drummond is not bad, 85% and above. Immediately after this, the shelter is removed and the seedlings are provided with daylight hours lasting 10–12 hours. If there is not enough natural light (and in most of the territory of Russia it is), you will have to resort to additional illumination with the help of special fitolamps. Not the worst effect is given by conventional fluorescent or LED. The soil is constantly maintained in a moderately moist state. The optimum temperature for seedlings is 20–22°C.
10 days after the emergence of seedlings and then every two weeks, the seedlings are fed. For the first time, a weak solution of any nitrogen-containing mineral fertilizer is used (2–3 g per liter of water), then universal top dressing for flowering plants based on biohumus. In the phase of the second true leaf, a pick is carried out. Phlox seedlings are planted in small individual pots or plastic cups. The same soil is used. The root system of plants is very fragile, so they are removed from the soil along with a lump of earth, trying to damage the roots as little as possible.
About two weeks before planting in the ground, hardening begins. Plants are taken out into the open air daily, gradually extending the time spent on the street from one to two hours to ten to twelve. In the last two or three days they are even left to "spend the night" in the open.

Phlox Drummond seeds have good germination, even in the absence of pre-planting preparation

Video: planting Drummond phlox seeds for seedlings

Seedlings are transferred to a permanent place in May, when the threat of return spring frosts is reduced to a minimum. Adult Drummond phloxes will endure low and even negative temperatures, but for young seedlings they are fatal. You can take your time with planting, even individual formed buds will not prevent plants from adapting to new habitat conditions. If necessary, their development is slightly slowed down by lowering the temperature to 13-15°C. Reduce watering. Mass flowering, depending on the variety, begins 35-50 days after emergence. By this time, it is desirable that the phloxes are already in the garden.

Drummond Phlox seedlings are planted in open ground, deepening to the first pair of leaves.

Video: seedling care

In open ground, the seeds of Drummond's phlox are planted in the last days of April or in the first decade of May. Night air temperature by this time should consistently exceed 10°C.

Phlox Drummond seeds in open ground should preferably be sown as evenly as possible.

On the bed, which must first be loosened and leveled, furrows are made 2-3 cm deep. They are shed with water, a little humus is poured onto the bottom. When moisture is absorbed, the seeds are sown as evenly as possible. It is advisable to place them in 4–5 pieces with an interval of 12–15 cm between such “groups”. Before the emergence of seedlings, the bed is tightened with any breathable covering material. This will help retain moisture in the soil and protect crops from a possible cold snap. In the phase of the third or fourth true leaf, the seedlings will need to be thinned out, leaving each group with the most developed and healthy-looking plant. After the appearance of 5-6 leaves, phloxes are pinched, stimulating more active branching. By this time, the bushes should reach 8-10 cm in height.

Planting Drummond phlox in the open field is thinned out so that each plant has enough area to feed

Some flower growers also practice planting seeds in open ground before winter, in November and even in December. The frost resistance of the culture quite allows this. The only danger is that the thaw may still come. “Deceived” by positive temperature, phloxes start growing, and die at the next drop. To minimize the risk, when warming, the bed is covered with several layers of white covering material - this prevents the soil from thawing. You can also refer to popular belief- after the last leaves fall from the cherry, there will be no more thaws this autumn.

Landing has no distinctive features, with a single exception. Furrows must be covered with a mixture of humus with peat chips or coarse sand or black soil, creating a layer 4–5 cm thick. Additionally, they can be protected from the cold with straw or fallen leaves. When enough snow falls, it is raked onto the bed, creating a snowdrift at least 20 cm high. It gradually settles, so during the winter it will be necessary to renew the structure several times, in the process breaking the hard crust formed on the surface. Shoots appear in the first half of April.

Experienced gardeners plant both seedlings and phlox seeds on the same bed. Thus, you can achieve a very long (up to six months) flowering.

Caring for Drummond's phlox is within the power of even a gardener who does not have any experience. It consists in regular weeding of the beds, its careful loosening (the root system of plants is superficial, bare roots dry out quickly), as well as watering and fertilizing.

Both excess moisture and its lack negatively affect the development of Drummond's phlox and can even lead to the death of the plant. Therefore, the soil is watered moderately, but it is not allowed to dry out. Mulching the beds will help retain moisture in the soil, thereby increasing the intervals between watering. The same procedure will save the gardener time on weeding.

Drip irrigation, if it is technically possible to organize it, is well suited for Drummond's phlox

The duration of the breaks between watering depends on the weather outside. In the heat, the soil will have to be moistened every two days or even daily. If the weather is cool, once every 4-5 days is enough. Water is used only heated to room temperature. Sprinkling or irrigation from a watering can or hose is categorically not suitable for culture. Consumption rate - 15–20 l / m².

When watering phlox, it is impossible for drops to fall on the flowers and the plants themselves, especially if cold water is used.

To grow a lush flower bed, fertilizers are applied throughout the growing season, starting from the moment the first buds are formed, once every two weeks. If this is neglected, the flowering period is noticeably reduced. And vice versa, the next feeding stimulates the formation of a new “wave” of buds, even if the bush has completely faded.

It is undesirable to use fresh manure and bird droppings - the culture reacts to them with an intensive increase in green mass, which comes at the expense of flowering. Mineral nitrogen-containing fertilizers have the same effect. They are needed only in the very early stages of seedling development.

Carbamide, like other nitrogen-containing fertilizers, stimulates plants to actively form green mass, it no longer has strength left for flowers

It is advisable to use for feeding any purchased complex fertilizers for flowering plants in general or for annuals, if you can find just such. It is useful to alternate them with an infusion of nettle leaves, dandelion, yeast solution (or you can just soak moldy black bread in water) The nutrient solution is poured under the roots, avoiding drops on the leaves, buds and petals.

Withered inflorescences are carefully cut off. They do the same with flowers that can dry out in the heat. This stimulates the plant to form new buds.

In the fall, if you wish, you can collect the seeds. The procedure is carried out exclusively in dry weather and during the day, when the dew has already dried. In order not to miss the moment of ripening of the “box” fruits, they are cut off shortly before and left in a dark, cool place for 7-10 days. Once the stem is dry enough to be easily broken with fingers, the seeds are removed from the fruit.

Video: recommendations for growing annual and perennial phlox

Typical Phlox Drummond diseases and pests

Phlox Drummond's immunity is not bad; with proper care, he rarely suffers from diseases. But often the attacks of fungi are provoked by the gardener himself. His most typical mistake is too frequent and / or abundant watering, which almost inevitably causes the development of root rot. It is worth being wary of the most common garden pests.

Most often, the gardener has to deal with the following problems:

Thrips. Yellowish-beige spots blur on the front side of the leaf, the underside is covered with thin silvery strokes, the stems are deformed. If you look closely, you can see the pests themselves - they look like small black sticks. For prevention, plants are regularly sprayed with soap suds or infusion of tobacco chips, wormwood. Adhesive traps are hung next to the flower bed - pieces of glass, plywood, and cardboard smeared with something sticky. Discovering characteristics, you need to cut off all the flowers and buds. Folk remedies in the fight against thrips are effective only if there are still few pests. You can use an infusion of chili peppers, mustard powder, onion or garlic gruel. In severe cases, the soil is shed with a solution of Aktara, Bankol, Tanrek, Aktellik. If possible, it is advisable to remove the top layer of soil and add new soil to the flower bed.
Aphid. Small insects, most often of a greenish-yellow color, in a multitude of young leaves, buds, tops of shoots stick around. They suck the juices from the tissues of the plant, forming beige or colorless dots, clearly visible in the light. The affected parts are deformed, turn yellow and fall off. Since aphids do not like any strong pronounced odors, it is useful to plant nasturtiums, marigolds, in a flower bed with Drummond's phloxes. For prevention, the soil is sprayed with infusions of wormwood, celandine, calendula, orange or lemon peel. In the event of the appearance of individual pests, the frequency of treatments is increased from once a week to 2-3 times a day. With a mass invasion, Inta-Vir, Biotlin, Aktara, Konfidor-Maxi, Mospilan are used.
Spider mite. The tops of the shoots, buds are braided with thin threads resembling cobwebs. The pests themselves are almost impossible to see with the naked eye. Affected tissues become discolored, dry and die. Prevention of the appearance of spider mites - infusions of onions, garlic, cyclamen tubers. In the event of a pest, you should not waste time on folk remedies. Immediately apply acaricides - Vertimek, Omayt, Kleshchevit, Aktofit. The frequency of treatments depends on the air temperature. The hotter it is, the more often you need to spray the plants. Each time the drug is changed, pests quickly develop immunity.
Slugs. They feed on greens, eating in the leaves big holes. Young seedlings and shoots can be completely destroyed. A sticky, silvery coating remains on the leaves. Slugs can be collected by hand, preferably early in the morning when their activity is at a minimum. Traps give a good effect - deep containers dug into the ground, half filled with beer, kvass, chopped cabbage leaves. Sand, ash, pine or spruce needles are added to the stems. Pests do not tolerate strong odors, so they can be repelled with herbal infusions. Usually preventive measures are enough. Mass invasions of slugs are extremely rare. In this case, Meta, Slug-eater, Thunderstorm are used.
Root rot. Most often provoked by waterlogging of the soil, especially if it is cool outside. The bases of the stems turn black and soften, becoming slimy. "Wet" brown spots blur on the leaves. The soil is covered with mold, an unpleasant putrefactive smell comes from it. It is impossible to save a plant affected by root rot. Symptoms on the aerial part appear only when the process has already gone far. Such phloxes are immediately pulled out and burned. The substrate in this place for disinfection is shed with a 5% solution of copper sulfate. For prevention, several crystals of potassium permanganate (up to a pale pink color) can be periodically added to the water for irrigation, Trichodermin or Entobacterin granules can be added to the wells during planting.
Powdery mildew. The leaves are covered with a layer of whitish powdery coating, reminiscent of spilled flour. Gradually, it turns brown and "compacts". Affected tissue dies, holes form. For prevention, it is useful to pickle the seeds before planting in a solution of any fungicide of biological origin (Alirin-B, Thiovit-Jet, Strobi, Raek) for 10-15 minutes. In the process of loosening, wood ash or crushed chalk is embedded in the soil, the plants are powdered with powdered activated carbon or the same ash. Having found the first signs, phloxes are sprayed with soapy foam, diluted with water, colloidal sulfur or soda ash. In case of mass infection, the same fungicides are used (Previkur, Amistar, Horus).

Photo gallery: pests and symptoms of diseases dangerous for Drummond's phlox

Video: phlox diseases and methods of their treatment

In addition to the drummond phlox, there are several other varieties of phlox - perennial phlox, subulate and paniculate phlox. Annual phlox when flowering is mostly white, pink and Crimson with 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 in the garden it can decorate any corner of it.

Varieties of Phlox Drummond

Through many years of selection, many varieties of phlox drummond have been bred. One group - dwarf small flowers and have a height of 15-20 cm, the second is large-flowered, has large flowers, plants reach a height of 40 cm. The most popular varieties of phlox are: Chanel, Carnival, Large-flowered, Strawberry with cream, Sunny Bunny ”,“ Star Placer ”,“ Grammy ”,“ Isabellina ”. See what the phlox of the drummond looks like in the photo:

Drummond phlox - growing seedlings from seeds

It is necessary to sow seeds for seedlings in March in boxes with soil, place them in a plastic bag and put them in a dark place. After about a week, friendly shoots will appear, and then the package must be removed and the boxes placed on the windowsill. After three weeks, you need to make a pick of the seedlings of the phlox of the drummond and plant it three seedlings in one pot. It is necessary to fertilize seedlings three times at intervals of 10 days. When the seedling grows to 5-6 leaves and reaches a height of 10 cm, its tops must be pinched. Then the phlox bush will be lush and branched.

When caring for seedlings, the following rules must be observed:

The temperature in the room where phlox seedlings are grown should be 18-21 degrees.
The boxes with seedlings should stand in the brightest place, since in case of 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.
Feed plants regularly with organic and complex fertilizers.

Drummond phlox - planting in the ground and care

Ready seedlings should be planted in open ground in the month of May. Drummond phlox needs loose, moist and nutritious soil. Drummond phlox should be planted in the place intended for them at a distance of at least 15 cm from each other or from plantations adjacent to the phlox. Plants tolerate drought well, but they do not like strong waterlogging or stagnant moisture. For better flowering in the dry season, the plants need to be watered. Once every two weeks, phlox must be fed with mineral fertilizers. It is better not to use organic matter, because it promotes the growth of green mass, and not flowering. Due to the fact that plants have a surface root system, you need to loosen the ground under the bushes very carefully. Withered inflorescences are best removed, then the plants will bloom more brightly and magnificently.

Drummond phlox - growing from seeds in open ground

Drummond phlox propagates with the help of seeds. Seeds should be collected after the plant has fully bloomed. They are triangular, like small boxes. After harvesting, the seeds must be well dried and placed in cloth bags.

If there is no desire to grow the phlox of the drummond with the help of seedlings, then it can be sown directly in open ground. The most suitable time for this is the beginning of May. In loose soil, you need to make grooves 1-1.5 cm deep and pour them with water. When moisture is absorbed, you need to put 2-3 seeds at one point, and lay the next seeds at a distance of about 15 cm from the first. When shoots appear, then one strong sprout should be left in the nest, the rest should be removed. During the growth of plants, they must be regularly fertilized and watered as needed. After the start of formation flower buds it is necessary to make a complex feeding of plants. Since phlox seeds have good frost resistance, they can be sown before winter.

Diseases and pests, disease prevention

Like all plants, the drummond phlox can also be susceptible to various diseases and be affected by pests - thrips or spider mites. Waterlogging the soil can lead to the development of fungal diseases. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to completely destroy such diseases in the garden, but they can really be minimized. It is recommended, for the purpose of prevention, to carry out a thorough deep digging of the soil every autumn, to control acidity and try to plant phloxes more often in a new place. It is also necessary to regularly remove fallen leaves from the site and weed weeds.

Drummond phlox in landscape design

Landscape designers like to use annual low phloxes in their compositions, creating borders from them or planting them along garden paths. Phlox also looks good in a variety of containers and mixborders. Plants in flowerbeds or other flower beds look very bright and colorful due to their diverse color range. For decoration 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 flower landscapes.

Growing phlox from seeds is a fun and easy activity. Even a novice grower can do this. Grooming phlox requires little care, it easily takes root on any soil. And with minimal effort, these beautiful flowers will delight with their delicate and intoxicating aroma, colorful bright blooms all summer long.

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species composition ornamental plants so many-sided that experienced flower growers, skillfully selecting flowering vegetation for the neighborhood in the flowerbeds, create chic compositions that delight the eyes and soul from early spring to late autumn.

Such a good "neighbor in the garden" in many cases is fragrant phlox - a flower whose origin story is as beautiful as it is. According to legend, Odysseus and the Argonauts, having escaped from the kingdom of the god Hades, threw burning torches to the ground. But the flame did not go out at the same time, but sprouted with fiery bright colors. In 1737, Carl Linnaeus gave them the Greek name - "phlox".

And yet, according to the famous German collector K. Foster: "A garden without phlox flowers is a mistake." Obviously because they are perfect for simulating a garden space. After all, annual and perennial phloxes, short and tall phloxes, terry phlox, look equally beautiful both in composition and alone.

Growing from seeds of phlox varieties of the drummond variety, when to plant them

Experienced flower growers are happy to replenish garden collections with both perennial and annual specimens of these plants, which adorn the landscape with lush color and are considered unpretentious in cultivation.

They have one interesting feature. Of the 50 species, only one - the "Drummond" phlox - is an annual, the rest are perennial. Accordingly, their roots and rhizomes live for a year or several years, but every year after the end of flowering, the aerial parts (stems and leaves) of both die off. But annuals, unlike perennial species, will have to be sown again. Maybe plant seedlings.

Features of growing from seeds of annual phlox

Currently, among the cultivated species of phlox, erect and shrub type are distinguished. Their flowers may be different shape, and the inflorescences consist of 90 pieces of five-petal cups. The seed is stored in a box shaped like an oval cylinder.

Phlox Drummonda has two subspecies:

stellate. An undersized species with star-shaped leaves. Popular varieties: pink Chamoa, red Defiance, sunny Isabella.
large-flowered. It is famous for flowers of wonderful shades of bright and fiery red, pure white, the size of which reaches 4 cm in diameter. Plant height - 35 cm.

Contrary to the long-held belief that growing annual phloxes from seeds is a hopeless business, gardeners still managed to develop correct technique planting without deepening the flower seed into the ground.

Important:seeds sprout, being on top of the ground in good light.

Interestingly, the drummond variety is the only one of the annuals, which, like perennial phloxes, due to its high frost resistance, makes it possible for gardeners to sow it before winter, that is, in November.

1. Phlox annuals - growing from seeds, when to plant and how: basic rules.

A flower grown from a seed has the best adaptability to the soil, changes in climatic conditions. The disadvantage of this method is the likelihood of loss of characteristics of the variety.

Preparatory stage.

a). The capacity in which they plan to grow flower seedlings should be deep due to the powerful root system of seedlings.
b). Before planting a seed in the ground, it is advisable to disinfect it 5-6 days before planting by treating it with a manganese solution.
With). 2-3 days before the seeds are laid out on the soil, it is slightly moistened and then maintained in this state. Immediately before sowing, refrain from watering, it is better to water after.

Algorithm for sowing seeds (for seedlings):

lay the seeds on the ground;
watering with a sprayer;
stretch a transparent film over the container;
we clean in a well-lit, warm place (until sprouts appear);
in the morning we open the film for airing. We shake off the condensate.

In addition, in the room where the seed container is located, it is necessary to maintain the air temperature at + 21 ° C, and the humidity is slightly above the norm (the norm is from 40% to 60%). When shoots appear, as well as to harden the sprouts and prevent their stretching, the film is removed. Gradually reduce humidity and temperature, seedlings are watered a little more often.

Most the best place for growing flower seedlings - a window sill. You just need not to be lazy and turn the container on different sides to the Sun so that the sprouts do not stretch too much.

In general, the agricultural technology of growing annual phlox, planting and caring for them is not very time-consuming:

regular, moderate watering;
fertilizing the soil before planting seeds with complex mineral or organic fertilizers, and then during flowering and after it.

2. Methods of growing from seeds of terry annual phlox.

Phlox Chanel - peach color, similar to miniature roses, with a wonderful aroma. During the flowering period, the bush is a true decoration of flower beds, borders. It can be planted in flowerpots, balcony boxes. Suitable for cutting. Blooms from late June until frost. For seedlings, seeds are sown in late March / early April or immediately in open ground - in May. Moreover, the flowers sown in the ground grow faster, and begin to bloom simultaneously with those grown from seedlings. The distance between seedlings when planting is 20 cm.

Caring for a terry annual is weeding, loosening, fertilizing with fertilizers, but not with fresh manure. During a prolonged drought, plants need to be watered.

3. The order of cultivation from seeds of phlox "Flickering Star".

A wonderful phlox with star-shaped flowers and a unique aroma cannot be confused with other varieties. Its inflorescences of a beautiful bright color with a diameter of 10 cm are evenly scattered over a low bush.

Favorable time for sowing seeds of this variety is March. To do this, prepare seedling boxes with soil. Planting depth of flower seeds - 0.5 cm. Soil temperature - +18°C. Subject to these rules, you can expect shoots to appear on the 7-14th day.

In order for the seedlings of the Twinkling Star variety to grow strong, it is necessary to maintain a moderate temperature and humidity in the seedling room. Planting flower seedlings in the ground is carried out in May. At this time, you can already sow seeds in an open area.

Advice: seeds should lie in water for about a day, but not more than 30 hours.

Planting and caring for annual phlox

When to plant phlox? In May, when it gets really warm, it's time to plant flower seedlings in flower beds and lawns. That is, in space. Phloxes do not like to be crowded, so the distance between young plants should not be less than 15 cm. Snapdragons and bells are often planted next to them. Such flower composition considered traditional, but many gardeners do not like it.

Care. In order for phlox to bloom all summer until late autumn, you need to adhere to simple requirements for the regime of watering, feeding the plant, and also regularly loosen the soil. It is no coincidence that sufficient, systematic watering is in the first place, since this plant, due to overheating of the root system, does not tolerate drought at all. That's why:

the soil needs to be mulched with something;
after each watering, the earth should be loosened (not to a great depth, due to the close location of the roots to the surface of the earth);
to improve flowering in summer, 4 top dressings will be required: at the end of spring - liquid manure; the first half of June - manure + superphosphate; a month later - liquid manure; end of July - potassium salt + phosphorus.

Important:proper care increases the resistance of flowers to major diseases: variegation, powdery mildew, foleosis, septoria.

When different types of phlox bloom

In breeding practice, the direction of breeding undersized phloxes with a bush height of not more than 30 cm is actively developing. They grow in width and are well suited for arranging alpine slides. This species is called ground cover, and its most famous representative is perennial phlox. "Subulate".

It begins to bloom in mid-May, when other plants in the garden are still budding. Its flowers of white, pink, lilac color should be cut immediately after they bloom, so that on next year phlox was even more beautiful.

Representatives of the variety bloom at the end of May "Douglas" and purplish blue "Rucelli".

The next, after the ground cover, loose-soddy varieties begin to bloom. So, with favorable weather, phlox blooms in the last weeks of May. "Spread out" with flowers of white, purple, lilac colors. They will delight with their beauty for a whole month.

And one more beautiful flower varieties of loose sods - "Stolonosny". Growing rapidly, it covers the soil like a carpet of white, pink or blue color. This plant tolerates shade and dampness well.

Flowering periods of popular phlox varieties:

Varieties of undersized phlox

Ideal for decorating small flower beds, balconies - a variety of undersized, as well as dwarf phlox. A feature of the undersized variety is a long flowering period and thick, strong stems.

Phlox undersized: terry Promise

Drummond's terry phlox "Promis" has pink, white, peach shades. Corymbose inflorescences of many double, semi-double flowers, up to 3 cm in diameter, are always brightly colored and do not fade in the sun.

On lawns, plants are planted in groups. Its low bushes (up to 25 cm) will look spectacular along the borders, in the foreground of the flower garden, in containers on the balcony or windowsill.

Period of abundant flowering: end of June - October.

Dwarf phlox: features of the species

Flower culture from the genus Phlox (family bluish) refers to a rare type of creeping. The height of the plant does not exceed 30 cm. The stems are green ascending, which extend from the base (woody). This species has interesting pubescent leaves and large flowers - fragrant, pink with a hint of purple, yellow, white, lilac. Inflorescences - loose corymbose.

The dwarf species is interesting to flower breeders with a wonderful sunny yellow color of flowers, which distinguishes it from other varieties that do not have such a shade. The only sad thing is that the yellow pigment is easily destroyed under the rays of the bright sun.

The plant takes root well on slopes, along borders, garden paths, in flowerpots. Perfectly its combination with irises, tulips, shaving, as well as with jasmine, lilac, boxwood.

Caring for dwarf phlox is simple: regular watering, loosening the soil, top dressing, pruning after the inflorescences withered. The soil must be nutritious, therefore, for its normal growth and flowering, it is required to fertilize the soil with organic and complex fertilizers.

Low-growing annual aster: growing from seeds

Decoration of the autumn garden - aster. This type of ornamental plant is replete with an incredible variety of sizes, shapes, shades of flowers. That is, there are varieties - giants up to 2 m tall. Such as, New England aster.

New Belgian asters- "growth" a little lower (80-150 cm). Many people know them as varieties of September and Oktyabrina, and love them for a huge variety of flower shades. By the way, on one bush you can simultaneously count several hundred flowers.

The lowest of the autumn asters - aster stunted annual. It is also called Chinese. This plant has a bushy form with straight stems. Leaves are large and toothed. Upper - oblong. Flowers of a simple or terry form of the most refined shades are collected in large beautiful inflorescences.

Currently, flower growers distinguish 4 groups and 600 varieties of this crop.

Cultivation of asters is carried out by sowing. In early spring seeds are sparsely sown, maintaining a distance of 20-50 cm between rows. And depending on the height and spreading of the variety, the gap between aster seedlings (in one row) should be from 10 to 30 cm.

Drummond Phlox (Phlox drummondii) is an annual ornamental flowering plant with a long flowering period and a variety of species and varieties. America is the birthplace of these beautiful flowers. With the help of this bright annual and the professional approach of a flower grower, flower beds on personal plot will remain blooming and colorful from early spring to late fall. Landscape designers have long considered phlox to be spectacular, colorful and festive flower and are happy to use it when landscaping alleys and parks in recreation areas and to decorate city streets.

Distinctive features flowering plant are bright umbrella inflorescences of many flowers of various colors and shades with a diameter of about 3 cm. Such a lush low (about 35 cm) bush in the form of a ball is very much appreciated for its unusual and original form, as well as for a wonderful and unique aroma.

Numerous varieties of phlox differ from each other in color scheme and petal shape. On flower beds and flower beds you can see shades of white, blue, purple, pink, red and lilac tones. The most popular are:

"Drummond" - the most sought after frost-resistant variety with large crimson flowers, which is used to decorate borders, alpine slides and flower beds.
"Chanel" and "Strawberry with Cream" are terry varieties, in which the flowers are presented in the form of multi-colored lush buds.
"Grandiflora" is a cold-resistant variety with large beautiful flowers(about 4 cm in diameter).
"Milky Way" and "Star Lace" - flowers in the form of small bright stars is the main difference between this variety.
"Button" - undersized growth, reaching a height of 15-20 cm. The inflorescences consist of two-color flowers.

With proper fit, creation favorable conditions for cultivation and appropriate care, phloxes will show all their beauty and splendor and will delight for many months in a row.

Place

The site for growing phlox should be in an open area, without shading. The plant is very fond of sunlight and warmth. The proximity of tall shrubs and trees is undesirable. The soil should be light and fertile, as the flowers are very demanding on its structure. Sandy and heavy loamy soils can be improved with humus, peat soil or humus.

Planting seeds

A favorable time for sowing seed material is the first week of May. Seeds are laid out in prepared abundantly watered grooves 1.5-2 cm deep (2-3 seeds together). If necessary, if all 3 seeds sprout, only strong seedlings can be left, and the rest removed or transplanted. The distance between plantings is at least 15 cm. Immediately after sowing, it is recommended to use a cover for flower beds (for example, lutrasil). You can remove it only after the mass appearance of seedlings, which will sprout in about 10-15 days.

Seedling care

The first top dressing with a nitrogen content is applied immediately after germination, and the second after about 10 days. It is very important to provide flowering crops with nutritious mineral supplements during the formation of flower buds. With sufficient and timely application of complex fertilizers, plants grown from seeds will bloom in early June.

Autumn planting seeds

Experienced flower growers recommend sowing phlox seeds in late autumn or even early winter. This planting material has high frost resistance and therefore strong colds and hard frosts will not harm them. Sowing of seeds is carried out after mass leaf fall in November.

In warm southern climates, seeds of these flowering crops can be sown in the last week of December. For planting, you will need one bucket of garden soil, which is harvested in advance, even before the snow falls. The surface of the earth, together with the snow cover, must first be carefully tamped, and then spread out in 2-3 seeds at an interval of 20 cm and sprinkled with a small layer of prepared garden soil. This layer will keep the seedlings in winter period, and in the spring the seeds will sprout as soon as the sun warms well. Sprouts will begin to appear in the first days of April.

With the seedling method of growing phloxes, flowering begins much earlier, approximately in the first days of May. Seeds are recommended to be sown in the first week of March. Planting boxes are filled with soil, seeds are laid out and sprinkled with garden soil (layer thickness - about 1 cm). For fast germination it is necessary to use a film covering. It will create greenhouse conditions, and seedlings will appear in 5-7 days. Once a day, the mini-greenhouse needs to be ventilated.

After the mass appearance of seedlings, the planting boxes are transferred to a bright room and regular daily watering is carried out using a fine sprayer.

After the formation of 2-3 full-fledged leaves on young plants, a dive into individual pots is carried out. After about 10-15 days, you need to make the first top dressing with a nitrogen content.

Watering is moderate, but regular. Excess irrigation water will bring negative consequences in the form of a black leg or root rot. Flowers should be watered only after the surface layer of the soil has dried by 5-10 mm.

For the formation of bushiness and splendor (in the future), pinching should be carried out, starting from the age of one month. At this time, the plant should already have at least six formed leaves.

Hardening of seedlings and accustoming it to the open air begins after the fifteenth of April. Flower containers with plants are taken out daily to the balcony, veranda or garden plot.

A favorable time for planting seedlings of annuals in flower beds and flower beds is the beginning of May. Flower buds should already appear on young bushes.

A very important component of care is the timely removal of dried and withered inflorescences on flowering bushes, as well as damaged stems.

Continuous flowering of phloxes from spring to autumn can only be if all the rules of care are observed.

To obtain seed material for the next season, after flowering, the plants are pulled out along with the root and laid out to dry in a warm room for about 20-25 days. After that, the dry inflorescences are ground, the seeds are collected and stored in paper bags until sowing.

Phlox Drummond annual - a flower garden without worries (video)

Experienced gardeners know how difficult it can be to achieve the maximum decorative effect of the garden. You won’t be able to get by alone, because among annuals there are much more unusually beautiful ones. These, with amazing flowering, include phlox Drummond, which, with certain knowledge, you can grow at home. Everything you need to know about this welcome guest of the garden, when to plant it and whether it is possible to grow from seeds - all this will be discussed in this article.

Description

Of course, in order to make sure that the presence of Drummond's phlox in your garden is appropriate, you first need to get to know this better by learning about all its advantages.

Did you know? "Phloxdrummondii" got its name in honor of Henry Drummond, an English traveler who introduced Europeans to this flower (it was he who sent the seeds to England from America).

For the most part, phloxes are perennial, enough tall plants, which differs from the indicated annual. Few people want to create in their rock gardens, on curbs or simply on impassable thickets, so much more suitable option there will be a relatively low Drummond phlox.

It will not become higher than 50 cm, and the bulk of varietal variations reaches only 30 cm. The diameter of the flowers is 2 cm, but due to the fact that they are organized in inflorescences (corymbose or umbrellas), it cannot be said that their appearance is too small. It is thanks to such inflorescences that the splendor and its high decorative effect are ensured, as you can see during the period of active flowering (from June to October or even November). The color palette of different plants varies depending on their particular variety. It can be yellow, white, purple or even dark red.

Drummond's phlox bush is branched, and in addition to the flowers collected in inflorescences, opposite, oval-lanceolate leaves are still clearly visible on it.

To main benefits of growing the described version of the annual phlox (you can even immediately from the seeds) should include the following:

due to the diversity, you can pick up plants of different heights and colors (instances of 10-15 cm are suitable for "carpet" and medium 20-30 cm and high 40-50 cm will be excellent bright spots on mixborders or flower beds);
all flowers have high resistance to sunlight and do not fade, which means that they can be planted even in the most illuminated areas;
plants are not afraid of frost (can withstand up to -5 ° C) and drought;
able to sow independently;
undemanding in terms of care.

I must say that all these advantages were the reason for the mass distribution of the flower in the regions of our country.

Popular varieties

Among the considerable number of varietal variations of Drummond's phlox, domestic growers liked only a few of them. Let's find out why.

The first shoots will appear no earlier than in April, and as soon as two true leaves are formed on young plants, they must be planted at a distance of 20 cm from each other (dive).

Seedling cultivation

Planting Phlox Drummond in the spring can be performed not only in open ground, but also in closed, specially prepared containers or boxes. So, starting from March, replaceable material is sown on seedlings, and in order to obtain good and strong plants, containers with seedlings must be placed in a fairly warm room, with temperature indicators at the level of +18 ... + 21 ° C and high humidity(you can cover the drawers with a damp diaper). In such conditions, young plantings should be in the first 5-10 days after sowing, but as soon as the first shoots appear above the soil, be sure to provide them with moderate soil moisture, which will help prevent root rot and limit growth.

If you want to fully enjoy the flowering of the plant already at the end of spring, then sowing seeds for seedlings must be done at the end of March. The first shoots will appear in 1-2 weeks, and after three weeks, young seedlings can begin to dive, planting several pieces in pots. Further, as in the previous version, the seedlings should be fertilized three times, with an interval of 10 days, and watering should be limited. For the lush growth of the bush, the seedlings are pinched in the phase of 5-6 leaves, and it can be moved to the site in May.

Important! If necessary, the growth rate of Drummond phloxes can be slowed down, for which it is enough to lower the temperature in the room to + 13 ... + 15 ° C, although in this case you will have to more carefully control watering.

Care during cultivation

Care of grown seedlings has its own characteristics. We have already said about something, but now we will consider all the nuances more carefully. In fact, there is nothing complicated here, and the main thing is to remember the basic rules of this process and follow them clearly. These include the following:

boxes with seedlings should be in the most lit place so that the plants do not stretch in height and lose their attractiveness;
the optimal temperature conditions for keeping will be values within + 18 ... + 21 ° C;
in the first days after planting, containers with seeds should be covered from the scorching sun, covering them with a newspaper or a dark film;
watering should be carried out as the topsoil dries up to prevent the formation of a serious crust;
every week, seedlings must be fed without fail with complex fertilizers, alternating them with each other;
as soon as their own sixth leaf appears on the plants, pinch the top, because this way you will get a more compact bush with lush volumes;
starting from April, it is useful to harden young plants by taking boxes with them to the balcony or garden and leaving them there for several hours;
planting seedlings in open ground should be carried out no earlier than mid-May, and before that they are fed twice