Phlox - bright flowers from the cyanotic family. They are great for growing on flower beds in the garden. Among flower growers, they gained popularity due to their unpretentiousness and attractive appearance. Of the whole variety of species, Phlox Larisa stands out - a well-known frost-resistant perennial.
Description
This domestic variety of phlox is a compact, low bush with strong straight stems. It has large inflorescences with a diameter of 3.8 cm, consisting of five-petalled flowers of salmon or coral color with a purple eye. Has a lanceolate leaf - an oblong plate with a sharp tip.
Larisa refers to the paniculate species of perennial flowers. It grows quickly and is well suited for flower beds and borders.
As can be seen in the photo, phlox Larisa produces an impressive effect and can decorate any garden in both group and single plantings.
Choosing a site for landing
If you plant Larisa phlox in a sunny place, then they will grow smaller than usual, lose their decorative effect and quickly fade. Therefore, the most suitable place for them is partial shade, where they will be protected from the sun by the shadow of trees.
In addition, if there are high “neighbors” near the bush in the winter, a lot of snow will gather around it, which will protect it from temperature changes and will contribute to more intensive hydration.
Even in dimly lit places where the sun warms up just a few hours a day, phloxes will feel good. It is in partial shade that the best specimens grow that delight with their flowering until late autumn.
If phlox landing in partial shade is not possible, then it will be necessary to provide them with protection from the sun during particularly hot hours.
If you plant the plant on a small slope, then you can prevent rotting of the roots and the accumulation of excess moisture.
Soil preparation
Phlox Larisa is not demanding on the soil. They do not tolerate only acidified soil, therefore, before planting, it is better to lime such soil. Plants on dry hills and in marshy lowlands will not feel well.
Loose and nutritious soil are two of the most important conditions for flower growth. The bed needs to be prepared in advance, making the necessary fertilizers. For example: manure, ash, compost. Clay soil can be made looser by adding sand or peat.
Outdoor landing
Most gardeners plant phlox with cuttings. This is the easiest and most convenient way. Cuttings should be bought in a professional nursery, because it is easy to buy a diseased or inappropriate plant in the market.
For most of the regions of Russia, planting phlox cuttings in April or May is suitable. You can root the plant in September - then it will delight in flowering next spring.
If preference is given to autumn planting, then it must be done long before the frost. Otherwise, the cuttings will not have time to take root and freeze. Some gardeners practice summer planting, but this is very troublesome - it will be necessary to provide the plant with daily and plentiful watering, which is not always possible for working people.
Planting panicled phlox Larisa in spring is as follows: plant cuttings are planted in a prepared loosened planting fossa with a depth of 15-20 cm.
The distance between the cuttings should be at least half a meter, and possibly more. Under favorable conditions, Larisa phlox bushes can grow up to one and a half meters in width and grow without much care for 10-15 years.
Immediately after planting, for two weeks you need to water the plant abundantly for faster rooting.
Other breeding methods
For the reproduction of phlox in the fall and summer, a method of reproduction by layering is often used. To obtain layering, the lateral shoot of the mother bush bends to the ground and sprinkles with soil. Some gardeners, for reliability, fix it additionally, using wire. After the layering has taken root, it is separated from the common bush and transplanted to the right place.
The next possible method of reproduction is dividing the bush. It is a little more complicated than the previous one, but no less productive. You can only share an adult plant. The age of the bush should be 4 years or more.
They dig a selected bush, trying not to injure the roots. Divide it into equal parts so that each half remains a full-fledged root, and immediately planted at constant growth sites.
Seeds are another way to reproduce Larisa phlox. Reviews of experienced gardeners indicate that this is the most complex and troublesome method, so it is rarely used. Seeds are bought at the store or collected on their own. In autumn, they are sown in a container with special soil mixtures to a depth of 1-2 cm.
The container is taken outside and left there for the winter, covered with fallen leaves and snow, as a result of which, the seeds are stratified independently. With the onset of spring, they are brought into a warm room, where they begin to sprout. As soon as the sprouts reach 10 cm, they are seated.
Phlox Larisa: features of growing
This flower is unpretentious and does not require any complicated care:
- Watering, during the growing season, should be plentiful - once every two days. On hot days it should be increased.
- Phlox loves light soil, so after watering the soil must be loosened.
- For young flowers that have not gained strength, weeding is important, which for convenience is easier to carry out after watering.
The variety of phlox Larisa, according to the description of experienced gardeners, needs several top dressings per year:
- The first is produced in the spring, immediately after the snow melts. At this time, it is customary to introduce nitrogenous mixtures into the soil. They will contribute to the collection of lush green mass.
- Next time, fertilize the soil in mid-summer. For feeding, wood ash or potash mixtures are suitable. This will provide good flowering.
- Just before the frosts, feeding should be made, in the composition of which phosphorus predominates, which will allow one of the best varieties of phlox Larisa to survive the winter safely.
Pruning and preparing for winter
It is recommended to prune phlox in the fall before the plant leaves for wintering.
Phlox Larisa is pruned immediately after the plant has flowered. By November, usually, this procedure should be completed. At this time, all the beneficial substances accumulated by the plant during the growth are concentrated in the root.
Trimming is carried out in the following ways:
- To the very base of the stem, to neutralize the bush from diseases and pests.
- They leave a small stump about 10 cm long, which in winter will completely cover the snow.
After that, the root circle is treated with insecticides and fertilized.
Phlox Larisa, growing in the south of the country, does not require shelter for the winter. But in the middle zone of Russia and further north, the bush needs to provide reliable protection for wintering. For this, you can use burlap or agrofiber.
In the northern regions of the country, the plant must be dug together with the roots, placed in a wooden box and sent to the basement for winter storage.
Phlox Larisa: a description of the disease
Diseases of the flower have two origins - viruses and fungi.
Viral diseases manifest themselves by twisting and deformation of the leaf, spotting. It is almost impossible to cure them, but it is quite possible to prevent them. To do this, regularly inspect the plants, remove and destroy damaged leaves and treat the soil with a clean tool.
Of the fungal diseases, the most dangerous is powdery mildew. Infection usually occurs in mid-summer. Leaves and stems are covered with white coating, the plant gives the impression of being sprayed with lime. The disease begins with the lower leaves, gradually rising up.
By autumn, the disease is progressing. Especially fast fungus spreads in rainy weather. White plaque becomes solid and passes from the leaves to the stem. Sick flowers lose their decorativeness and resistance to frost.
To control powdery mildew, wood ash has been used successfully. As well as fungicidal preparations.
Other existing diseases with fungal infections:
- Phimosis. The leaves curl and turn yellow. Bordeaux liquid will help get rid of this type of fungus, which should be carefully treated with a plant.
- Rust. Brown spots appearing like rust. Affected leaves are torn off from the bush, and burned.
- Septoria First, the leaves become stained, then dry and fall off. They struggle with the disease as well as with rust.
Pests
Of the pests on phlox Larisa are found:
- Nematodes. They fall from the earth to the roots of the plant, gradually moving to the stem and leaves. Under the influence of these pests, the flower may die. To combat the nematode, the radical method is used - the bush is completely dug up, and the land is cultivated by special means.
- Penny Larvae. They suck out nutrients from the flower, which contributes to the wrinkling of the plant. From this pest, the drug Inta Vir helps well.
- Slug. They feed on the pulp of a flower. To get rid of them you need to weed in time and sprinkle the soil with metaldehyde.
- Caterpillars of butterflies. Eat leaves. To combat them, you must use any drug designed to combat leaf-eating pests.
It should be remembered that sometimes the leaves of the phlox Larisa turn yellow and dry, not from diseases and pests, but from a lack of moisture.