Drummond Phlox, the cultivation of which we will consider in this article, is an annual plant with a wide variety of colors. It blooms at the very beginning of summer and continues to delight the eye until the beginning of autumn. It is very rare to observe the presence of Drummond phlox in urban flower gardens and front gardens. The reason is the exactingness of the plant. When overheating and low humidity, the bloom of Phlox Drummond stops, and he often dies.
Best place to land
Hypersensitive to drought and dehydration are mostly compact, low-growing varieties of plants. The same can be said of Drummond phlox hybrids. Tall (more than forty centimeters) are resistant to heat, but they mostly have fairly large bushes, so they are not suitable for urban flower beds. But personal plots, mixborders and rabatki are the best place for Drummond's phlox. Here it will be very useful.
Seedling production
Despite the fact that this plant can be grown by direct sowing in the soil, it is better to learn the technology of seedling production. In order to get it, you need to sprinkle the seeds with earth in prepared boxes in March or April. Seedlings that appeared after seven days should be moderately watered and maintained in a room where they grow, a stable low temperature. Three weeks later, they should be dived, and then fed first with nitrogen fertilizers, and then with complex fertilizers (ten days after the first application). In no case do you need to be zealous with watering - excess moisture provokes the appearance of root rot. In May, they can already be planted in a permanent place, leaving a distance of twelve to twenty-five centimeters between young plants. On some of them, buds are already appearing. Usually, Drummond's undersized phlox is distinguished by such accelerated budding. Flowers on tall varieties appear in late June. After planting, you need to fertilize the soil well with complex fertilizers.
We plant phlox seeds in the ground
At the end of April, if the weather is warm, you need to make shallow grooves in the soil and water well. After planting, lightly sprinkle the seeds with earth. It is better to place them in the soil with nests of three to four pieces. It is recommended to put covering material on top to preserve moisture. After two weeks, do as with seedlings - thin, loosen, water, fertilize. Phloxes planted directly into the ground please buds later, but their flowering continues until frost. Fading plants are best removed.
What to do to make phlox bloom longer
Water well in hot weather. Feed with complex fertilizers. Even if flowering has stopped due to the heat, you can restore it with nitrogen top dressing. Choose varieties that are adapted to the climate of your area. For example, the variety "Tapestry" is suitable for rabatok and groups. This is a mixture of pastel bushes and two-tone colors. This plant is up to forty-five centimeters high. Varieties "Constellation" (star-shaped flowers) and "Chanel" (terry inflorescences) are suitable for balconies and low containers.