Growing phlox from seeds is a process that is accessible even to a beginner gardener. If all the recommendations are followed, these plants will surely please the owners with lush flowering, which lasts long enough.
General information
Phloxes are beautifully flowering perennial or annual herbaceous plants forming the genus of the same family Sinyukhovyh. It includes only about 85 species. Of these, about 40 species are grown in gardens and in household plots, and some of them are more than two hundred years old.
A beautiful sonorous name for the genus (Greek phlox - flame) was given by none other than Karl Linnaeus. Even the exact date of the name of this taxon is known - 1737. It is assumed that the botanist was inspired by the bright colors of these truly wonderful colors.
On the territory of our country, only one wild-growing species is known - Phlox sibirica (Siberian phlox), which is distributed in the mountainous terrain of Western and Eastern Siberia, in the Far East. In the Republic of Bashkortostan and the Chelyabinsk region, it is listed in the Red Book. This is a perennial flowering creeping plant that produces direct shoots on which the flowers open. It is traditionally used in folk medicine to treat diseases of the skin, nervous and respiratory systems. Most phlox species come from North America.
Description
Different types of cultured phloxes can have erect, creeping or ascending stems, reaching a height, depending on the shape of the plant, from 10-20 cm to half a meter. Narrow lanceolate, ovate-elongated or oval-lanceolate phlox leaves are opposite.
Bright fragrant flowers are the main advantage of these plants, because of which they are grown by flower growers. They are medium-sized, tubular-funnel-shaped, up to 3-4 centimeters in diameter, but form lush inflorescences (up to 90 pieces) and generally look very picturesque. Five-petalled flowers can have a color from white, white with spots, strokes, shadows, etc., to dark violet and raspberry-purple. Phlox has a rather delicate, unobtrusive aroma. Because of their decorative properties, they are readily cultivated by flower growers, especially since the process of growing perennial and annual phlox from seeds at home is not particularly difficult.
External differences between annual phloxes and perennial
Annual phlox species differ from perennial color options. They are also peach, beige, chocolate, while perennial ones do not have such colorings - they most often have different shades of pink, raspberry, and purple. Another difference is the star-shaped flower shape, similar to a snowflake, which is not found in perennial phloxes.
Fruits and seeds
After flowering, in the place of flowers, fruits are formed in the form of dry boxes with seeds. Photos of phlox seeds can be seen below. Seeds of annual species are quite small. So, in one gram of them can contain more than 500 pieces. Perennial - much less, about 70.
Like annual, perennial phloxes to grow from seeds is quite realistic, if you follow all the recommendations of experienced gardeners.
The choice of plant propagation method
Annual phloxes are usually grown from seeds. Perennial phlox perfectly reproduces roots and cuttings. When is the choice made in favor of their propagation by seeds? Most often this happens in cases when you need to get a lot of plants at once - for example, to create a dividing strip or border on a site, to decorate a large area at once. Then it makes sense to mess with the seeds.
This method is also used by breeders or just amateur gardeners to obtain plants with new properties - for example, when two varieties were planted nearby and could be dusted. To propagate, for example, a rare variety, improve it, obtain large quantities of planting material, and prepare for future participation in plant exhibitions, it is preferable to divide plants or cuttings.
Self-Harvesting Seeds
Collect seeds from the bushes should be after the leaves began to dry, and the boxes turned brown, but have not yet dried. The stems are cut together with the boxes, made of them in bunches and hung in a cool, dry room (on a glazed balcony, porch, closet, attic) for further ripening. So that the seeds after cracking the boxes, which are usually “shot”, do not fly apart and are not lost, the bunches are placed in fabric (gauze) bags. You need to monitor the boxes, and as they dry, collect them and bring them into a warm room. However, this advice is valid only if you are going to plant them right away, since the seeds of the awl-shaped phlox and other popular varieties cannot boast of long-term germination. In a warm room, they very quickly lose their properties. To avoid this, you should keep them cool until planting, you can - mixed with sand.
Seedling for seedlings
Annual and perennial phlox, planting seeds of which are quite common, germinate well if they are not buried heavily in the soil. This must be borne in mind, because otherwise the seeds may not sprout or the seedlings will have to wait long enough, two to three weeks, and they will be unfriendly (with surface sowing, seeds usually germinate after 7 days). The easiest way is this: the seeds are scattered on the surface of the soil in plastic containers, watered from the sprayer and covered with a transparent film. This is usually done in March. Bottom of the containers must be drilled to prevent water stagnation that is harmful to seeds. It is better to use special land for seedlings. Its layer should not be too deep. It is advisable to spill it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate in five days, and a day before planting, pre-pour it with a solution of phytosporin. The seeds should be aired daily, opening them and shaking off the condensate from the film.
Sprouts after the appearance of two leaves dive. Seedlings, as a rule, tolerate picking normally. It is recommended only to protect them from direct sunlight in the first two to three days to avoid burns of delicate leaves. Florists recommend covering seedlings from above with newspapers or an opaque film. Phlox grown by seeds for seedlings is planted in the ground at the end of May, best of all - at a distance of at least 20 cm from each other. It will be useful to mulch the soil between young plants for the best preservation of moisture. Periodically, once a month, they should be fed with complex mineral fertilizer. In addition, further care, as is the case with other garden flowers, involves loosening, weeding and regular watering.
Annual phlox can be sown with seeds in spring and directly into the ground, but with this method their germination will be small. In addition, it should be borne in mind that they bloom only two months after planting. Therefore, growing from seed to seedlings in this case is preferable.
Sowing phlox in the ground
When sowing seeds of perennial phlox directly into the ground, there are two more options: to sow them in the winter, at the end of November, or in the midst of winter (January - February). Of annuals, only Drummond phlox can be planted in this way - it is more resistant to cold. In which case is it easier to grow phlox from seeds? When is planting better? The first method is preferable because in this case the seeds show the highest germination rate (80-90%), and in a few months it can seriously suffer. It should only be borne in mind that they need to be planted when frost has already begun, because otherwise the seeds can germinate, and weak sprouts will not survive the winter.
The soil in the selected place needs to be well leveled, put labels. Experienced flower growers recommend using hand-made limiters, for example, cutting plastic canisters or cans along circles. Inside this circle and seeded seeds. This is a guarantee that they will not be washed away by melt water and that crops after snow melting can be easily detected. Sow seeds under winter on frozen soil and lightly sprinkle with dry soil. You do not need to water them! If the seeds are fresh, usually the seedlings in the spring are friendly.
For winter sowing, you can use the same disposable plastic containers as for germinating seeds in an apartment. It is only necessary to close them with a lid or spanbond, not with a film, and do not water them. Experienced flower growers recommend taking containers with planted seeds into the garden and placing them on a flat surface, so that they are covered with a thick layer of snow (at least 30 centimeters) on top. Thus, it will be possible to create acceptable conditions for their germination in the spring, and the seeds will undergo a natural stratification. After the spring arrival in the garden, you need to remove the lid from the container so that melting snow gets on the seeds and soaks the soil.
Perennial phlox grown from seeds, with proper care, usually bloom in the second year. Young plants in the first winter must be insulated using fallen leaves or needles. In subsequent years, this is not necessary. As a rule, phlox planted with seeds for the winter, in fact, are more resistant to winter frosts than expensive planting material brought from European countries, where winters are usually milder.
Details on planting phlox seeds (perennial) for the winter are described in the video below.
During winter sowing, in January - February, the actions are the same: a flat place is selected and the seeds are sprinkled with frozen ground, and on top with a thick layer of snow.
Method for accelerated seed germination
Florists with extensive experience in growing different varieties, including awl-shaped phlox, from seeds, it is recommended to keep in mind that phlox, especially annuals, like to germinate in the light. Therefore, at home germination, some of them are advised to place the seeds on wetted water with the addition of a growth stimulant toilet paper or paper towel, under which a plastic film is placed. The paper strips with the film are folded into rolls and placed in a well-lit place (you can put the rolls in a regular plastic cup). After the emergence of sprouts (it usually takes 2-3 days to peck the seeds!) The ribbons are unwrapped, sprinkled with earth on top and again placed in a bright place until sprouts suitable for planting are obtained.
Soil, watering requirements
Phlox prefer humus-rich light medium loamy soils, loose and moist. The reaction is neutral. They love water, and if it is lacking, when the soil dries up, they may not even bloom, dropping buds that are already ready to bloom. But excess moisture for these plants is also harmful. The optimal amount is 1.5-2 buckets of water per square meter of area.
Seat selection
Plants love bright, but diffused light, partial shade. It will be ideal if during the hottest hours (11-14) the plants will be shaded by trees or shrubs. It is desirable that the site has a slight slope. It must also be protected from the winds. This will help to preserve the plant-protecting snow cover in winter, and in the summer will protect the soil from drying out.
According to the reviews of flower growers, the most fastidious varieties often have to be transplanted from place to place, sometimes even up to five times, so that they play with all the colors. But this happens far from all of them.
Some tips
- The color of phlox planted in a sunny place will be brighter, in the shade - more calm.
- Phlox - plants that are very responsive to organic fertilizers. Experienced flower growers recommend using horse manure for this purpose, but be sure to rotted. Fresh manure will kill the plants instantly. Vegetable compost also works well, but you need to pay attention to the fact that phlox itself is not used in its preparation. This is due to the fact that pathogens and pests of phlox can remain in compost if the conditions for its preparation are not observed and affect the plants as a result of feeding. During autumn harvesting, phlox should be removed from the site, and it is better to burn.
- If phlox seeds are sown not in open ground, but indoors, they must be stratified - kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.
- To make them bloom denser, wilted flowers should be removed. For better tillering, it is advisable to pinch perennial plants in the summer over the fourth - fifth pair of leaflets.
Finally
The article briefly described the existing methods of planting phlox seeds, gives brief recommendations on their cultivation. Phlox is not a particularly fastidious plant, and with careful selection of varieties and proper care, you can ensure their continuous flowering from May to October.