Phloxes are beautiful perennial flowers with a variety of varieties , bushes which are able to transform any site. There are two main ways to reproduce them: using seeds and vegetative. The first method is most often used by breeders when they want to breed a new variety by crossing already existing ones. Vegetation methods are used when they want to, on the contrary, preserve the characteristics of the variety. In addition, this method is quite simple, and even a budding floriculturist can cope with it.
The most frequent use for phlox is the propagation by cuttings. How to cut phloxes?
How to propagate phlox with stem cuttings?
The best time for this is the end of spring - the beginning of summer, until the shoots have not yet stiffened. In order that the leaves do not wither, the entire process of cuttings propagation should be carried out at a time, not allowing even the slightest interruptions.
The first thing you need to do is to prepare the cuttings directly. To do this, the shoot with already developed leaves should be divided into parts in such a way that on each segment there are two knots. Sections should be placed like this: the bottom directly below the lower node, and the top at a distance of about 5 mm from the top node. Lower leaves should be cut completely, upper ones should be cut halfway.
Before planting ready cuttings for rooting, it is necessary to prepare the soil. To do this, we mix in equal parts the land from the kitchen garden, humus and sand and lay on the ground with a layer of not less than 10 cm. Approximately 2 cm on top we pour a layer of moist sand. Next, we plant the prepared sections of the stem. We stick them into the sand layer, making sure that the lower end does not touch the soil. The distance between the cuttings should be 5-6 cm. They should be arranged in the form of transverse beds, at a distance of 8-10 cm from each other.
After planting the cuttings should be slightly shaded or covered with a film stretched on the frame. To water a bed it is necessary twice a day warm water. In a couple of weeks, when the stems are allowed roots, and green young shoots appear on top, the shade or film needs to be removed.
In July-August, rooted and well-grown cuttings will need to be planted on another site. Prepare it in the same way, and then plant the young plants so that the distance between them is at least 20 cm. At this point they should be left for winter, and with the onset of spring to transplant to a permanent place.
Cuttings of phlox in summer by leaf cuttings
This method is used in July-August. To reproduce from the middle of a well-developed stem a shield with an axillary bud and a leaf is cut off, its length should be 8-10 mm. A similar effect can be achieved by dividing the stem shoot, 2 cm long into two parts.
Prepared scutes are planted in boxes. The soil in them should be the same as for the stem cuttings with an obligatory layer of sand on top. They should be planted so that the kidney goes deeper by about 1 cm, and the scutellum is located vertically. If the leaf on the handle is too large, it should be cut to a third.
After the planting, the leaf cuttings should be poured with warm water from the sprayer and covered with glass. Boxes should be placed in a warm room at a temperature of 25-28 ° C and do not allow the sand layer to dry out. After 2-3 weeks, the first roots are formed, and by autumn a young plant with one stem grows. In the spring they can already be planted on the ground.
Phloxes perennial, reproduction by root cuttings
This method is more labor-intensive than the previous one, therefore it is not very popular and is used when it is necessary to get rid of pests, for example, root nematodes. As cuttings old thick roots are used, which are divided into pieces.