Pholmans Phlow Mixed is idea for bedding borders, mass plantings, rockeries and containers.
Growing. Easy to grow, preferring a well drained soil or a standard approved potting mix. Through the warmer months mulch around the plants root base to reduce water stress. Removing spent flowers will prolong bloom period and encourage more flowers.
Flowers in 10-12 weeks, Full Sun, to 25cm H and plant 25cm apart.
Liked the look of the flowers pictured on the plant label, knew absolutely nothing about them apart from the fact that they were on the 'reduced' table at Bunnings and therefore, cheap as chips, seems I have stumbled onto a real bargain.....update: https://www.gardensonline.com.au/GardenShed/PlantFinder/Show_1107.aspx states that phlox drummondii is an annual ??
13-7-18
This is where a little knowledge would have been good, seedlings should have been pinched back and mulched.
Planted in the round self watering pot as a bit of temporary colour before turning the pot over to veg I now have to souce another pot for the veg...gee what a hardship!
Lack of knowledge has given these a bit of a rocky start, so some work will have to be done to make sure that they survive and continue to grow healthily.
5-8-18
Starting to flower and trail over edge of pot.
Phlox are a variable group, ranging from carpeting rockery groundcovers through wiry-stemmed trailers to large bushy perennials with strongly erect stems. They all bear clusters of similar flowers, which are small, long tubed, widely flared, bell-shaped, slightly fragrant, and grow in brightly coloured sprays. Pink to purple and white are the predominant flower colours, and the blooming season ranges from spring to autumn depending on the species.
18-8-18
Flowering nicely, at this is the time I should have been on the ball about deadheading the plants and pinching back growing tips
As sun lovers, Phlox can be used as an alternative to both pansies and petunias and will make an excellent spring show. In subtropical areas or where the winter is mild, they will flower through winter and some varieties are so heat tolerant that they will continue to grow and flower through to December and even January.
Seedlings should be planted 20 to 25 cm apart to allow the air to circulate, because phlox are susceptible to powdery mildew when densely planted.
If you have bought seedlings that are in flower, remove the flowers because the plant needs all its energy to establish its roots. Once the roots are established the energy will go into the leaves and new flowers.
Once they start flowering regularly, remove the dead blooms so that they will continue to flower.
Don't be afraid to cut them back by a third after their first flush. This encourages the plants to get fuller, which increases the amount of flowers.
Phlox don't like wet feet and, like petunias, they like regular but not abundant watering. In water-wise terms zone them with other drought tolerant plants.
Good idea!
All phlox grow well in containers and a super winter combination would be phlox and pansies with daffodils in the centre for height. If planted in a hanging basket, mix some slow release fertiliser into the potting soil and even some water retaining granules. Water the hanging basket every second day in winter but step that up as the temperature rises.
10-9-18
A nice showing of flowers, but close examination shows all the spent flower heads that should have been snipped off the plant.
From Gardening Know How:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/phlox/dividing-phlox-plants.htm
Perennials, like phlox, need dividing every few years for many reasons – to keep them in control, to rejuvenate them or just to create more plants for other garden spots. So, how do you know when to divide phlox plants? As a general rule, phlox plant division can be done every two to four years in spring or Autumn. When diving phlox in spring, it should be done just as the new shoots appear.
A little preparation is required before dividing phlox plants. About 24 hours before phlox plant division, water the plants deeply and thoroughly. You should also prepare the site for the divisions, loosen up the soil and add any required amendments. Phlox plant divisions should be planted immediately, but they can be planted in pots with potting mix temporarily to give to friends and neighbors.
To divide phlox, cut around the root ball with a sharp spade, then gently lift the plant out from the ground. Remove excess dirt from the roots. Separate the roots into sections with three or more shoots and adequate roots with a sharp, clean knife. Plant these new divisions immediately and water them thoroughly. Watering with a rooting fertilizer can help reduce stress for the plants and encourage quick rooting.
21-9-18
Plants now leggy, yellowing leaves are perhaps from only being watered every second day...perhaps. Fertilised 2nd week in September with Osmocote.
22-9-18
Time for a little TLC, snipped off the spent flower heads and cut back some of the long stems, but couldn't bring myself to snip them all back, most of them have flower heads forming, but did notice that there were a lot of roots showing, covered them with a fine layer of potting mix, idea being that it would be better to be a gradual addition instead of a thick layer burying part of the plants stems at ground level, don't want to set up a situation for powdery mildew.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/phlox/growing-garden-phlox.htm
Care of garden phlox also includes the clipping of flower stems after the flowers fade. This keeps the plants looking tidy, and also prevents the flowers from dropping seeds. Since garden phlox plants are generally hybrids, the seedlings that result from dropped seeds won’t resemble the parent plants. Many people wonder how to grow tall garden phlox. To get the maximum height from tall garden phlox, clip the weakest stems from the plant when they are about 6 inches tall, leaving only five or six stems on the plant. Pinch out the tips of the remaining stems to encourage a tall, bushy growth habit
20-10-18
After a bit of an experimental cut back, the phlox seem to be flowering well but generally going downhill with the yellowing of leaves. When flowers are spent will cut right back.
20th Oct 2020
These phlox come back year after year, This year, for some strange reason they seemed to be continually getting caught up and pulled from the pot, end result is that all the phlox are now dead December 2020. Will buy another punnet when I see them again. Originally purchased from Bunnings, they made a lovely trailing show.
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