With the arrival of autumn, it’s time to think about preparing perennials for winter. Phloxes – favorites among other plants due to their ease of care. However, they also have a number of necessary requirements to ensure their flowers grow lushly and on time.
Autumn flower care
To ensure the plant lives a long life, you need to start caring for it before leaving the dacha for a long period of time – at the end of Indian summer. Caring for phloxes In autumn, pruning consists of several sequential stages: summer pruning after the flowering season ends and covering the flowers. By spending a little time on this procedure, the homeowner can preserve the health of the roots for the next season.
Haircut rules
One of the essential aspects of perennial care is pruning phlox in the fall to prepare for winter. To avoid problems in the new season, pruning is performed after the plant has bloomed. A key prerequisite for pruning is warm weather, with no cold weather forecast.
The less stem protrudes, the sooner the bacteria will die without nutrients during the winter. In areas with severe cold, you can leave 10-15 cm of stem to trap snow, thereby protecting the roots from severe frosts.
Pruning after flowering
Pruning phlox in the fall helps the plant survive the winter without losing the fertile components responsible for flower bud formation. After flowering, phlox require some care to maintain their vigor over the winter. This is especially important in cold regions such as the Moscow and Leningrad regions, and Siberia, where frost is a significant risk of flower loss.
Why do you need a haircut before winter?
Remaining phlox shoots must be pruned to prevent the spread of bacteria and fungi that can develop in damp conditions after summer. Nutrients are prevented from reaching the roots, leading to reduced growth and flowering, dull, and short-lived buds. Furthermore, unpruned branches, with their unkempt and dry appearance, make the garden appear neglected and untidy.
When to trim in the fall
Pruning timing should be calculated based on climate conditions. Typically, this is done before the onset of consistent frost. In the Moscow region, this time is approximately mid-October to early November, depending on the location. For the Leningrad Region and Siberia, however, it's best to begin pruning as early as late September or early October, as the first consistent frosts can arrive in the middle of autumn.
Covering flowers
Protecting phlox over winter will help preserve them. This undemanding plant tolerates frosts fairly well, but it can still lose some nutrients due to the cold. This is especially likely in areas where snowfall is infrequent but the soil freezes deeply.
Why do you need to cover phlox?
Russia is characterized by abrupt weather changes in winter. It's common for temperatures in warm regions to drop below normal levels. To reduce this risk, phlox should be covered for the winter, otherwise the plant may die from the cold or sudden temperature changes. Furthermore, a prolonged thaw can also negatively impact the entire flowerbed: immature and under-opened buds, caught in a sudden frost, may die without ever blooming.
Procedure
If you don't particularly want to bother with replanting and vigilantly tending to the roots in the basement, you can use a trick called shelter. Cover the remaining branches with a bucket of peat moss and lightly mulch.
This will insulate the flowerbed and reliably protect the growing points and roots of the flowers from freezing. As soon as the cold weather subsides and signs of spring appear, it's important to remember to remove the insulation. The soil needs to warm up thanks to consistent sunlight and warmth.
Preparing for winter
Proper care of phlox in the fall helps them survive the cold season. Preparing your beloved garden for winter is quite simple: just stock up on the necessary supplies. These include various fertilizers, soil protection and improvement materials made from organic or industrial components, and treatment of fall-pruned bushes.
Top dressing
You can care for your plants using a few simple tricks common in gardening. These include fertilizing them with nutrients that are beneficial to the soil. Specifically, fungicide treatment is suitable for phlox. This special chemical is toxic to harmful bacteria and various fungi that can grow in the unprotected, pruned stems of garden plants. Thanks to this fertilizer, the flowers will be resistant to infectious diseases and will not be eaten by flowerbed pests.
What tools can be used:
- Fundazol is helpful in weed control. It's a must-have in any gardener's first aid kit: not only does it effectively prevent fungus, but it also treats already damaged plants for pests.
- As for organic chemistry, you can use good old potassium permanganate. Spray the solution liberally onto the soil, which quickly kills unwanted microorganisms. Be very careful when using this solution: too strong a solution can kill not only harmful bacteria but also the roots themselves.
At this time, fertilizers containing superphosphate are most beneficial. Apply one tablespoon under each bush or stem of mature plants. As an organic alternative, you can use a handful of wood ash and follow the same principle. This supply of nutrients will help your phlox survive the harsh cold without getting sick, and will also surprise you with abundant and vibrant blooms next season.
Mulching
This method helps preserve mature phlox during frosts. Since buds on flowers older than three years can form on stems above ground level, they require mulching.
Compost or black peat should be prepared in advance. A steady drop in temperature can begin unexpectedly, and flowers will already begin to lose their nutrient reserves. This is especially true in areas where snow cover is often absent. Annual fall mulching maintains soil fertility and flower health.
The soil layer should be medium-dense to protect the roots. It's important to remember that the older the bush, the thicker the soil layer should be.
Watering flowers
All your efforts with fertilizing can be a waste of time without regular watering. Phlox require constant soil moisture. Despite their powerful, deep-penetrating root system, most of their lateral roots are located in the surface layer, so a lack of moisture is critical for the flowers. Water is essential for the development of strong vegetative mass and flower stalks. Watering rates depend on soil type and climate conditions. The preferred time for watering is evening or early morning. Watering should always be followed by loosening the soil to prevent crusting, which impedes oxygen access.
Weed control helps maintain the beautiful appearance of a flower bed and prevent phlox from competing for water and nutrients. Some vigorous phlox varieties require staking of their fragile stems. At the end of the growing season, all phlox shoots are cut and removed from the site or used for propagation.
Disease prevention
If flowers become diseased after the winter cold, infection prevention measures are essential. This problem is most often encountered in northern Russia with the arrival of spring.
A 0.5% solution of Bordeaux mixture or other copper-containing solutions helps treat phlox against powdery mildew. Treating plants with a 0.1% colloidal sulfur solution or a solution of soda ash and soap also produces good results.
Gray mold, which develops in damaged tissue due to high air and soil humidity, can be cured with persistent effort. The fungus persists in plant debris and soil for several years, spreading through the air, raindrops, infected plant parts, and soil. Only creating normal moisture conditions and regular tillage will help.
If you notice leaves curling in the spring, this is a sign that parts of the leaf blade are dying. To prevent leaf spot diseases, it is recommended:
- pruning;
- collection and destruction of infected plant debris in the fall;
- digging up plots;
- Early spring mulching of phlox plantings with uncontaminated soil, humus, and peat in order to provide unfavorable conditions for the development of microflora.
In spring and autumn, it is essential to carry out preventative spraying of flowers and soil to prevent the spread of diseases.
These simple phlox care tips will ensure beautiful blooms and a healthy appearance. Bright and colorful flowers will create a pleasant atmosphere in your garden. Proper care and proper preparation for winter will help extend the life of these perennials.
Annual phlox: growing from seeds
How to get rid of powdery mildew on phlox
Planting and caring for subulate phlox in the garden