Can you trim phlox

Phlox paniculata produces clusters of pure white flowers. The Perennial Plant Association named it a perennial plant of the year Phlox paniculata can be pruned to encourage flowering, control appearance, and seasonal cleaning.

It may be appropriate to plant phlox bulbs in your garden. Whether annual or perennial Phlox, care is fairly easy and generally boils down to watering when the ground is dry. There are many varieties and species of Phlox, but they all have one thing in common: They love the sun. Perennial Phlox will grow back each year, although it is better to cut back the foliage just after the first frost.

It will quickly turn black if left on the plant. Protect with a creamy layer of dead leaf mulch. Garden phlox is a good companion to other summer-blooming perennials, such as lilies, bee balm, rudbeckia, Shasta daisies, yarrow, clematis, and lilies.

The rigid and long trunks of the gardening phlox are very easy to place in a vase, where they complement and help support other flowers such as dahlias and lilies. Garden phlox Phlox paniculata , which grows 3 to 5 feet tall and is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8, benefits from thinning early in the growing season. Both Phlox varieties enjoy full sun, although vertical garden phlox can take some afternoon shade, particularly in the south. Use a garden fork or tiller to prepare your garden bed.

Loosen the soil to about 12 to 15 inches deep, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost. Plant phlox in the spring—after the threat of frost has passed—and space the plants 1 to 2 feet apart. Fill in around the root ball and remember to water it thoroughly. If you receive less than 1 inch of rain a week, remember to regularly water your plants throughout the summer.

Each spring, put a thin layer of compost and a 2-inch layer of mulch around the plants to help keep the soil moist and control weeds. If you have tall phlox, cut the stems back to about 1 to 2 inches above the soil after the first killing frost in the fall. See local frost dates. Divide tall garden phlox every 2 to 3 years to ensure healthy and disease-free plants. Powdery mildew is common; keep proper air circulation in mind when spacing out plants and avoid getting excess water on the foliage.

Cutting back stems after flowering can also help to reduce the spread of powdery mildew, as can choosing mildew-resistant varieties. Here are some of the best species and varieties to try: Low-Growing Phlox Creeping phlox or Moss phlox Phlox subulata is a low-growing species that works excellently as a ground cover.

It spreads slowly, growing in mounds that get 4—6 inches thick. The whole plant turns into a carpet of color in spring, when flowers cover every square inch of foliage. This phlox is particularly stunning when allowed to drape over a rock wall—imagine a waterfall of color! Creeping phlox grows best in well-drained soil and partial to full sun.

Phlox stolonifera , which also goes by the common names Creeping phlox and Moss phlox , is similar to P. The main differences between it and P. It prefers a shadier growing site with rich, evenly-moist soil. Woodland phlox or Blue phlox Phlox divaricata is another low-growing species. As its two common names suggest, it prefers partial to full shade and moist, rich soils, and produces bluish flowers in early spring. Like P. Annual phlox rarely grows taller than 2 feet in height.

Most varieties are not very heat tolerant, but in warmer regions you may find the heat-tolerant varieties for sale. Tall Phlox Garden phlox or Summer phlox Phlox paniculata is the tallest phlox in cultivation and is probably the species that most folks have in their gardens. It grows in clumps that reach between 3 and 5 feet in height and produces panicles of flowers in mid- to late summer. Though tolerant of most lighting, it grows and flowers best in partial to full sun.

It has a reputation for being very susceptible to powdery mildew, but resistant varieties are available. Other Phlox The phlox listed above are just a few of the many species out there. Vegetable Gardener's Handbook. What do you want to read next?

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In the spring do you cut back the dead creeping phlox to Allow regrowth. To whom it may concern, I have two questions my first Questions Thanks for your help. Sign up for our email newsletter by entering your email address. Full Sun , Part Sun , Shade.

Loamy , Sandy. Spring , Summer. Blue , Pink , Purple , Red , White. Attracts Birds , Attracts Butterflies. Phlox is especially prone to fungal problems, which easily spread from plant to plant when good garden hygiene isn't practiced.

Garden phlox Phlox paniculata , which grows 2 to 4 feet tall and is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, benefits from thinning early in the growing season. Trim out all but five or six of the strongest stems when the plant grows to a 6-inch height, removing the stems near the base of the plant with disinfected pruning shears. Thinning allows the remaining stems to grow strong and flower well; it also provides the air circulation needed to minimize powdery mildew problems later in the season.

After thinning the plant, grasp the tip of each stem between your thumb and forefinger, and pinch it off right above the topmost growing bud. Pinching the stems results in a bushier plant with fuller flowers. Deadheading -- removing old flowers -- prevents seed formation, which encourages some phlox varieties to put forth new growth and new flowers. It also cleans up the plants for an improved appearance and mildew prevention.

Trim off garden phlox's dead flower stems at their bases immediately after the plant finishes blooming. Shorter phlox varieties such as creeping phlox Phlox stolonifera , hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, and moss phlox Phlox subulata , hardy in USDA zones 2 through 8, need to be cut back after they finish flowering.