An honorable place in landscape design is rightfully given to ground cover plants. After all, they perform two main functions - protecting the soil and roots of perennials from drying out and decorating the site with emphasizing the beauty of rock gardens and rockeries. One of the brightest representatives of such plants is the awl-shaped phlox. We will talk about landing and caring for him in this article. This flower is very popular in creating floral arrangements among ordinary gardeners and professional landscape designers. Photos of the awl-shaped phlox can often be found in popular catalogs and magazines on the decorative design of garden plots. All this is due to the beauty of the plant and its unpretentiousness in care.
Description
Phlox awl-shaped - frost-resistant abundantly flowering plant that came to us from North America. He received special love thanks to the widest range of colors and varieties. On average, the height of the plant does not exceed twenty centimeters. Phlox stems densely line the surface of the earth with sharp dark green leaves. At the top of each shoot is a peduncle. During the flowering period, which lasts about three weeks (from May to June), the plant is covered with a large number of flowers of small diameter - from two to four centimeters. Most often there are white, lilac and pink shades. Repeated flowering in August and September can be achieved with more painstaking and thorough care.
The most beautiful varieties
The best representatives of the awl-shaped phlox are such two-tone varieties as Flame of the Eye, Mint Twist and Bavaria. The latter is distinguished by magnificent lilac flowers bordered by snow-white stripes. The delicate aroma exuded by the flower during the flowering period is another advantage of this variety over others. Phlox Bavaria is a frost-resistant and rather unpretentious plant with rich flowering. Varieties of phlox awl-shaped Maischnee, White Delight, Apple Blossom are often used to complement mixborders and retaining walls.
Soil selection
In general, the plant does not require special soil fertility. Light dry ground is preferred after growing grass or calendula. Too nutritious soil does not allow abundant flowering due to excessive growth of the root system and stems.
If the soil on your site is too hard, then you can loosen it by mixing with sand. But the increased acidity of the soil will normalize a small amount of lime or dolomite.
Phlox awl landing
The ideal time for planting this plant is mid-April. In the spring, these flowers take root better and begin to bloom a little later than those planted in the fall. Autumn planting is carried out in late September or early October, so that the plant has time to take root before the first serious frosts. The first two weeks after planting, phlox should be abundantly and often watered. And for better engraftment of rhizomes before planting, they should be immersed in the Kornevin solution.
The site selected for the awl-shaped phlox should be cleaned of weed plants, since during the period of growth and flowering, this will be much more difficult. Planting low-growing varieties is carried out at a distance of not less than 20 centimeters, tall - about 80 centimeters between plants. Acceleration of the fouling process can be achieved by fixing the stems with hairpins and sprinkling with earth with their further direction in the right direction. A flower transplant is carried out only after the end of the flowering period.
Growing Features
Experienced gardeners use seeds to produce hybrid and especially valuable varieties of this plant. It is very important to properly prepare them for the planting process. In this section, we will focus on stratification - a procedure without which the seeds simply will not germinate. It is carried out in the fall, before the winter landing. The phlox planting area is cleared of snow, the seeds are laid out on the ground (at least five centimeters apart), then they are sprinkled with a layer of earth and sand, and a thin layer of snow on top. This preparation increases the percentage of seed germination to eighty percent. The main thing is not to stratify in late autumn, when frosts become permanent.
The first shoots appear in early spring. Fortified sprouts are transplanted into prepared, fertilized beds only after the appearance of two or three leaves. The distance between planted plants should be from twenty to thirty centimeters. One and a half to two weeks after transplantation, the phlox should be fertilized with nitrate.
Care
Phlox awl-like, like any other plant, requires only timely watering, hilling and moderate fertilizer. In extreme heat, watering up to 2-3 sprays per day should be increased.
The most effective fertilizer for styloid phlox is the simplest wood ash. All micro and macro elements contained in its composition fully nourish and saturate the plant. And to prepare such a solution is very simple: for this, about 200 grams of ash is diluted in a liter of water, after which it is boiled, cooled and filtered. The finished solution is diluted in ten liters of water and used as foliar fertilizer. Too frequent and intense enrichment of the soil with minerals leads to excessive development of leaves and sparse flowering.
For the winter period of time, phlox should be protected from frost. The best option is spruce spruce branches, since, unlike autumn foliage, it does not allow phlox to lock up. To restore the plant after wintering, you can use humus. This nutrient will quickly bring up the awl-shaped phlox, accelerate the process of growth and flowering.
Plant rejuvenation is done every five years. Since at this age the stems of the plant are coarsened, flowering becomes less intense and decorative. Moreover, an older plant becomes weaker and susceptible to various diseases much more than a young one.
Reproduction of the awl phlox
One of the methods of propagation of this plant is the division of rhizomes. For this, adult flowers are used that have a formed, overgrown root system. A phlox bush is excavated, which is divided into several parts with a shovel. An important condition for the survival of such a plant in the future is the presence of several roots and a growth point on each of the obtained parts. Delenki land in pre-dug holes with prepared, loose soil.
Propagate phlox can also be propagated by cuttings. It is this method that most gardeners prefer because of its lightness. From different parts of the plant, it is necessary to cut off the strongest and most healthy shoots, which are planted in a slightly shaded place. Frequent and plentiful watering is important for faster rooting. It is best to use stems, shoots, petioles and roots collected in the spring. Such planting material takes root better during the summer and gives abundant, dense flowers the next year.
To obtain valuable varieties, use the method of propagation by leafy cuttings. To do this, a handle with a leaf is planted in moist sand and covered with a glass or plastic jar, the use of a film is permissible. Planting and leaving the awl-shaped phlox in the open ground in this case is carried out after the final engraftment of the stem, which must often be sprayed with water.
Diseases and Pests
During the period of reproduction and growth, the awl-shaped phlox is quite often affected by powdery mildew. Recognizing this disease is quite simple - it is evidenced by the presence of a white coating on the leaves and flowers of the plant. Treatment is carried out by using various chemicals.
This plant is attractive for many pests, for example, caterpillars and nematodes. Their invasion most often leads to the complete death of the plant due to the destruction of most of the leaves, stems and flowers. Having found a damaged flower, it should be immediately eliminated, and the soil infected with pests should be treated with insecticides for three to four weeks.
Frequent watering and excessive fertilizer leads to the appearance of various kinds of rot and rust. That is why it is important to follow the rules for caring for phlox awl, especially since this is not at all difficult.
Finally
Today we shared with you a photo of the awl-shaped phlox, landing and caring for which it is not difficult to deal with - you could verify this by reading our article. Do not be afraid to experiment with the design of your site, and it will certainly delight you with its appearance.