Phlox is one of the soundest of all garden investments for paying color dividends. They can extend, complement or dominate the July to October garden pageant.
No other perennial adapts itself more amiably in gardens from coast to coast or is less demanding of attention.
It is easy to understand how these qualities combined with the diversity of colors have earned phlox their reputation of being the indispensable backbone of perennial plantings.
Phlox offer their services at the time they’re needed most, in the mid-summer garden’s general “let-down” of perennial color.
Positions that are well-drained and reasonably moist suit phlox well. Although they come to fullest perfection in full sun, they will thrive and bloom well if they receive at least 4 to 5 hours of sun.
They should not be set too closely together for crowding and too much shade encourage their tendency to develop mildew.
Phlox Grows And Blooms Almost Anywhere
Undoubtedly, phlox will grow and even bloom almost anywhere. If extra dividends of brighter colors, healthier foliage, and increased size and quantity of bloom are to be obtained, a few extras offered to them at planting will reward with overall results.
The extras are easily furnished simply by digging the planting holes not less than a foot deep (18” inches even better) and working in a four-inch layer of well-rotted manure.
Peat or good compost, with a handful of bone meal to each plant, will do nicely as a substitute.
A deep loose root space and fertilizer made available to the shallow-growing crown roots, if combined with deep drinks of water during dry weather, will keep phlox at a maximum production of both flowers and healthy foliage.
Feed-In Spring To Give Phlox a Boost
When shoots are a few inches high in spring, a feeding of liquid manure or a complete commercial fertilizer gives a good boost. Such a feeding, as buds are forming, helps them to put on their best performance.
Since their feeding roots lie close to the surface, a mulch of peat, rotted manure, compost, or grass clippings, if constantly maintained, eliminates the need for cultivating, while it retains moisture.
Mass plantings or solid beds of phlox are striking to see. For these uses, they should be spaced from 18” inches to a good two feet apart, to discourage mildew and other fungus diseases.
The unsightly foliage, which these difficulties often produce in older varieties, is far less frequent in the new ones.
If prolonged wet weather does promote a flare-up of powdery mildew, apply fungicides.
The application should be made at the first indication of trouble and at four- to ten-day intervals.
Control is the important weapon when mildew is the enemy, for mildew is much more difficult to eradicate if it is allowed to advance.
As with most sprays, the fungicide should reach the undersides of leaves and thoroughly cover the upper parts.
Remove Dead Leaves From Phlox During Fall
It’s always a good idea to remove dead leaves from around phlox plants in the fall cleanup.
This practice combined with plenty of elbow room for each plant is a head start on mildew prevention.
With new resistance being constantly added to phlox varieties, and with a control program ready to go to work as soon as the need arises, mildew is not the problem it used to be!
New phlox are at their best the second or third year after planting. In their 4th or 5th year, they will usually seem less and less vigorous and bloom will be scantier, indicating their need for division.
If the flower stalks are removed promptly as they fade, many varieties of phlox can be coaxed to bloom until the first frosts.
#2 – Large clumps can be broken with a pitchfork
#3 – Allow 2 or 3 stems per section
Older clumps of phlox will furnish larger flower trusses if their new spring shoots arc thinned out when they are 4″ or 5″ inches high, allowing several inches to remain between those left.
Color Variety Of Modern Phlox
Among the many beautiful newer phlox, those created through the efforts of the English enthusiast, Captain Symons-Jeune, have widened the color range considerably.
These include the following:
- Superb, compact growing ‘Snowball,’ Lilac Time,’ a pure lilac that blends to perfection with all pink shades
- the aptly named ‘Spit-fire,’ a color difficult to define, probably best described as dark salmon with an orange glow
- ‘Queen of Tonga,’ brilliant salmon-rose, with superlative foliage
- the two-foot ‘Viking’ is valuable for late bloom with its full heads of deep rose pink.
Other good newer phlox that perform handsomely are the following:
- ‘Charles Curtis,’ a clear sunset-red
- ‘Leo Schlageter,’ a true American beauty color
- ‘Augusta,’ the vivid red that holds its color no matter what the weather does, and has rich bronze-green foliage to enhance the bright flowerheads
- ‘Daily Sketch,’ with light salmon-pink florets centered with a well-defined crimson eye. Daily Sketch’ can be sensational in massed plantings.
Viewed from a short distance, it gives a magnificent, shimmering rose effect. And include that giant among newer phlox, ‘Sir John Falstaff,’ whose luminous, salmon-pink stands out in the whole pageant of phlox as well as `Starfire,’ which puts on a vivid display of nearly the reddest red ever!
For a lovely cameo pink color that never discloses the slightest hint of magenta, there’s ‘Columbia;”Elizabeth Arden’ is an equally appealing pink, but has a pale red eye.
Old Varieties Are Essential
Among fine old varieties, some are essential. To many gardeners, the phlox season begins with ‘Miss Lingard,’ which flourishes snow-white blossoms while most other phlox are only budding; and with ‘Mary Louise,’ another perfect white, for drifting with the soft pink of `Dresden China’ or ‘Daybreak.’
There are gentle older lavenders like ‘Maid Marion,’ Eventide,’ and ‘Silver-ton,’ or mauve ‘Mrs. E. Pritchard.’
No recounting of older varieties should exclude that grand old ‘Salmon Beauty’ (called ‘Eva Forester’ now), which is ideally low growing, making it a treasure for August rock gardens.
Uses for phlox can be as varied as their colors. They are equally lovely in solid, one-color masses, in beds or groups toward the back of the perennial border, and in separate combinations of colors as striking accents and specimen groupings.
Project The Phlox Mass Plantings
It is helpful when mass phlox plantings are to be the project if they can be visualized at a distance as they will be at their blooming time.
*Will they be in a position they will dominate, or will the location detract from the full benefit of their impact?
If a dull spot needs brightening, the vivid colors will accomplish just that; while the crisp whites, pale pinks, and cool lavenders seem particularly well suited for easing the heat and glare of exposed areas.
Careful planning too will bring continuous bloom. A satisfactory plan, suggested by a well-known horticulturist, uses ‘Miss Lingard, “Leo Schlageter,’ Atlantic,’ `Cheerfulness,’ and ‘Charles Curtis.’
The addition of late-blooming varieties extends the flowering period even more. It is rewarding to work out other combinations whose succession of bloom will carry on until frost.