Perennials are kings of the flower garden, but without annual plants the flowerbed will look poor, waiting for the flowering of the main plants. It is possible to correct the situation by successfully arranging the plants in such a way that one succeeds another and the flower bed continuously rejoices the eye from the very beginning of summer and until late autumn. Implement this venture, you can plant such flowers as a one-year-old phlox, which is called Drummond's phlox.
If you do not know how to plant one-year-old phloxes, and think that this business is beyond your power, then believe me, it's not. Perhaps, this is the most unpretentious in care and growing an annual plant, which can be found in our flower gardens. Small bright stars of the most incredible shades, blossoming throughout the summer period, will decorate the most unpresentable corner of your garden site.
When to sow annual phlox?
As a rule, phloxes are grown in seedlings, but seeds can be sown directly to the ground. But because of their dense and leathery shell in the soil, they can not germinate. Seeds should be spread on moistened loose soil and covered with film or glass until germination. Sow Phlox in the open ground in early May, even if the street is still quite cold. After all, the phlox is a one-year-old cold-resistant plant and withstands lower temperatures.
Soil for phlox
The site on which phloxes will grow must be well fertilized and have a lot of humus or humus in the composition of the soil in order to please the bright colors of their small flowers. On clay and infertile soils, the plant is susceptible to various diseases such as rot.
Sowing annual phlox on seedlings
Growing annual phlox from seeds begins in March. The soil in the boxes must be nutritious, nitrogen is especially required for the plant, so after picking and transplanting into the open ground, it is necessary to carefully pour the bushes with diluted ammonium nitrate.
Seeds are not embedded in the ground, but left on the surface, covering the box with glass or film and placing it on a warm and sunny window sill. Once the seeds are pierced and the small roots are hooked onto the ground, the shelter can be removed.
After the appearance of the first leaves (about two weeks later), the seedlings are dived into separate containers or planted at a distance of not less than 15 cm from each other. Plants require a lot of space and nutrients. Therefore, the thickening of plantings will lead to underdeveloped bushes.
Transplant in the open ground phlox can be in late May - early June, sitting at a decent distance, from each other. Then planting will please the lush foliage and abundant flowering.
Care for annual flox
In order to grow a one-year-old phlox pleased with lush flowering in the summer season, several additional fertilizing with ammonium nitrate will be required. But the main secret of lush
After each watering, once the water is absorbed into the ground, it is necessary to loosen the soil, but not too deep, so as not to damage the roots of the plant. If you liked to grow annual phlox from seeds, then in order to repeat this and the next year you need to collect the seeds in time. They are located in small boxes and after drying the flower must dry.
After that, the dried heads should be freed from sunflower seeds and, if necessary, dried in a warm place and stored in a rag or paper bag until the next season.