Growing phlox from seeds: all the subtleties of the process
Growing phlox from seeds is a popular and successful way to reproduce them. But through seedlings, annual phloxes, or Drummond are mainly grown. It is understandable, because such plants live only one season, and so I want to have time to see their flowering. The seedling method allows you to bring the appearance of inflorescences closer by a couple of weeks. Indeed, by the time it is time to sow phlox in open ground, you will already have young, formed bushes. In addition, Drummond phlox seeds are quite expensive - there are usually no more than a dozen seeds in one bag.
When sowing annual phloxes, most of the crops often do not germinate directly into the open ground. To avoid such chagrin, experienced gardeners recommend growing these phlox from seeds using the seedling method. How to do it correctly, we will briefly tell you today.
When to sow
You can start sowing phlox seeds for seedlings in the month of April. If you have the opportunity to provide additional light to the seedlings, sow the seeds 2 weeks earlier.
It is not difficult to calculate the approximate date of sowing: on average, it takes 3 months from planting seeds to planting seedlings in a permanent place. From this and "dance", given the local climate.
What kind of soil is needed for growing phlox seedlings?
Phlox have small seeds, so the substrate should be light but nutritious. You can use an all-purpose potting mix from a store. If desired, prepare a similar soil yourself by mixing:
- peat;
- sand;
- humus;
- sod land.
How to grow phlox from seeds
After acquiring suitable soil and seeds, you can proceed directly to sowing them:
- Fill a shallow container (such as a plastic tray with a lid) with earth.
- Spread the seeds over the surface of the soil, but do not cover them.
- Spray well with a spray bottle.
- Close the lid.
Place the container with the sown phlox on a light and warm windowsill. Remove the cover when the seeds germinate. After each seedling forms 3-4 leaves, dive the phlox into separate containers for growing. You can also use a common pot, but plant no more than 5-6 bushes there so that they have enough space.
When diving, the growth point must not be deepened, otherwise the seedlings may die.
Choose a well-lit place for phlox seedlings, otherwise it will stretch. Remember to water your plants regularly, and try not to overflow. With an excess of moisture, there is every chance of the appearance of such a misfortune as a black leg. You can feed the seedlings once nitrogen fertilizer, but not earlier than a week after the pick. Do a complex mineral feed once every two weeks - this will help grow lush and strong phlox.
Annual phloxes lend themselves well to shaping. To get a round bush, from the second month of seedling life, begin to pinch the tops.
Having grown phlox from seeds, with the arrival of heat, in May, calmly send them to the flower bed. By this time, you will have already matured plants, and some may even show the first flowers.