Caring for phlox in the fall, preparing for winter, pruning, shelter

Phlox is a bright plant whose flowers have a variety of colors. By their nature, they are unpretentious crops, but proper care in the fall and compliance with wintering rules determine how lush a flower cap the gardener will receive next season. Wintering of phlox takes place differently depending on the latitude of growth; maintaining the health of the plant in winter in the middle zone is less problematic, while gardeners from the Urals may encounter some difficulties. How to care for phloxes in the fall after flowering and whether they need to be covered for the winter, the answers to these questions depend on the localization of growth.

Autumn events for flower growers

Autumn is no less a busy season for a gardener than spring; you need to work hard to maintain the health of all crops in the garden and avoid freezing. Caring for phlox in the fall includes:

If autumn is dry, the bushes need to be constantly watered at the rate of 2 buckets per 1 sq.m of planting. Watering is carried out in cloudy weather, in the evening, avoiding liquid getting on the stems and leaves of the plant. It is better to use a watering can with a long spout - excess moisture will lead to rotting of the bush.
To get abundant flowering next summer, you need to feed the phlox in the fall. For this purpose, potassium phosphate fertilizers are used. Before applying fertilizer, the soil must be watered; the roots of the plant are sensitive, therefore adding nutrition to dry soil is unacceptable.
To avoid pest damage to the crop, it is necessary to add a little ash under the bush.
Before covering the phloxes, the soil must be loosened well. Gardeners need to remember that the roots are on the surface, so they need to act carefully.
Mulching the soil will help preserve phlox in winter. Compliance with this rule is necessary because the roots of the plant lie on the surface and often emerge from the soil. Even in central Russia, freezing of the soil can be observed, without snow cover - it is destructive for the crop. Peat, compost, and manure can be used as mulch.
It is necessary to prune phlox for the winter to avoid damage by diseases and pests. Flower growers recommend leaving a stump from 2 to 20 cm long. Pruning is carried out a month after flowering.

The rules described are general recommendations that ensure the safety of the perennial plant, its health and lush flowering in the next season.

Attention! If all care rules are followed, the phlox will bloom abundantly and amicably - bright caps will rise above the green shoots.

Do I need to prune phlox for the winter?

Unpretentious common flowers require special pre-winter preparation for good subsequent development. Perennials in the middle zone must be prepared for the cold period. Pruning stems in the fall has its advantages:

prevention of fungal diseases and the resumption of activity of pests that overwinter in dense bushes of perennials;
It is easier to rehabilitate plants in the spring if you remove the excess, already dead part of the stems in the fall;
flower beds with phlox will look good in early spring if neat shoots from rhizomes appear on them and there are no old stems;
the roots more easily accumulate and retain the necessary minerals if the stems and leaves are trimmed in time in the fall;
simplification of winter work on covering perennials in order to preserve the underground part of the plants;
pruning phlox in September prevents exposed roots;
preventing the development of weak shoots that are difficult to germinate due to old stems.

The crop is often exposed to infection by various pathogens of fungal diseases, which, if not identified in a timely manner or incorrectly diagnosed, can multiply and spread to other flowers and vegetable plants. The best solution for flower growers who are fond of phlox is to prune the wilted green mass in the fall. It is recommended to burn plant residues or take them to a designated area for centralized waste collection to prevent the spread of spores and pests that overwinter on the trunks and withered leaves of flowers. The procedure for pruning the crop in the fall is carried out in accordance with the recommendations for certain climatic zones.

Is it possible to plant phlox in the fall?

Phlox is an unpretentious crop that can be replanted not only in spring and summer, but also in autumn. If you provide proper care after the manipulation, the plant will tolerate it well. Some gardeners, on the contrary, recommend not planting on hot days and wait until autumn - this way the plant can more easily tolerate the process and bloom in full the following season; those transplanted in the spring often get sick during the summer and then develop worse. In summer, you can replant the plant only if necessary.

Transplanted phloxes need to be prepared for winter in the fall in the same way as established crops. Be sure to mulch the soil; fertilizer should not be applied if replanting is carried out - the chemical composition can damage the root system.

In regions characterized by the early onset of cold weather, it is recommended to grow early varieties. They finish flowering early, which allows for a successful transplant. If it is impossible to carry out the operation in the fall, it is better to transplant the flower in the spring.

Dates for planting phlox in the fall

You can plant the plant in the fall before the onset of cold weather and the arrival of night frosts. It is better to replant 1-2 weeks after flowering - during this time, the necessary nutrients accumulate in the plant stems. Before planting phlox, prune it. This condition is necessary for better rooting. Large shoots are cut off, leaving no more than 20 cm, if the plant is young when cut, no more than 5 cm remains. Mulching the soil is necessary because the roots are not adapted to the winter cold and quickly die after winter freezing.

Choosing planting material

In the fall, it is better to replant large cuttings, because they tolerate frosts more easily and take root well. It is also necessary to ensure the transshipment of flowers grown in the summer from spring cuttings. The plot to be planted must have at least two stems; they are cut off, leaving stumps with a height of up to 20 cm; there should be buds at the base of the stump.

Attention!

Some gardeners recommend shortening the root system to 15 cm. It is better to treat the planting material with an eradicator or root former. This will help minimize stress for the plant and improve the prognosis for adaptation.

It is advisable to dig up the plant without damaging the earthen clod. In this case, adaptation to new conditions will be as simple as possible. From such plants, the crown with the inflorescence is removed and 4-8 healthy leaves are left for nutrition.

How to choose a landing site

A couple of weeks before transplanting the plant, you need to start preparing the soil. It needs to be cleared of grass and debris. If the soil is clayey, you need to add sand. Because phlox grows in fertile loamy areas. If the mail is sandy, it is worth adding a little black soil or clay.

After normalizing the soil composition, lime, ash and fertilizers are added. They dig up a layer of soil to a sufficient depth - at least 30 cm, because the root system of the plant actively grows in depth in the first years after planting.

To plant, you need to prepare a hole of good width and depth. The roots should fit freely in it.

Preparing phlox for winter

Like other perennial plants, phlox lose their green mass after the onset of cold weather and die off until spring. To prevent rotting of the entire shrub, gardeners should remember the need for autumn pruning. The process of preparing for wintering must begin depending on the variety, so phloxes should be trimmed after flowering in August-September.

How to properly prepare phlox for winter depends on the region of growth and the plant variety itself. Older types of phlox are accustomed to harsh winters. Therefore, they can survive a cold winter with little snow even without shelter, but there is a risk of losing some of the seedlings. New varieties are not adapted for growth in cold conditions, because they were bred by breeders in greenhouse conditions or in regions with a mild climate.

When to prune phlox in the fall

In different regions, perennials are subject to mandatory pruning in the fall after photosynthesis processes in the stems and leaves stop, the green mass turns yellow and dries out. By this time, nutrients from the stems and leaves should have already descended to the rhizomes. Pruning is done at soil level, without leaving tall stumps. Although some flower growers argue in favor of 10-30 cm of stem residues, which supposedly help to retain snow on the site.

But then in the spring it will be necessary to free the flowerbed from the large “hedgehogs” sticking out unsightly. In this case, damage to new shoots that are just emerging from the soil is possible. If work is postponed from autumn to spring, each shoot is carefully supported by cutting it off near the ground. They try not to pull out the shrunken stem, so as not to break off part of the rhizome with the rudiments of a new shoot. New buds are laid very close to the old trunk.

In autumn, phlox pruning after flowering is carried out from the twentieth of September throughout October. It is completed before the onset of frost, which in different regions begins in mid-autumn or closer to winter.

The wilted remains of green mass must be burned. If the bushes were absolutely healthy, and no diseases or insect nests were noticed on them, they are sent to compost or the rhizomes are covered.

Attention! When pruning old phlox stems, you must be careful not to cut off the stems along with the rhizome, because renewal buds are formed at the very base of the old shoots.

In spring, withered trunks spoil the appearance of the flower bed

The formation of renewal buds occurs before the onset of frost, which is why it is recommended in warm regions to prune phlox in the fall as late as possible. And, on the contrary, in those areas where winter comes early, the perennial bush is pruned after the first frost. In some areas with harsh winters, it is recommended to prune phlox early in the spring. But in this case, the procedure is carried out very carefully, since the young shoots grow directly from the base of the old stems.

What are the features of preparing plants for winter in different regions?

The seriousness and necessity of erecting massive covering structures is considered depending on the growing conditions of the plant. In regions with mild climates, shelter, on the contrary, can harm the plant. Due to excessive heat, it can wake up early and damage young shoots during frost. This condition explains the need for a private approach to the issue of covering phlox for the winter. Depending on the region, the recommendations are as follows:

In the middle zone, for example, in the Moscow region and the Moscow region, the climate cannot be called harsh, so phloxes winter well after pruning the shoots to a depth of 2-5 cm. To avoid freezing of the roots, it is recommended to apply mulch.
For the Volga region, the recommendations change; pruning is carried out according to the same scheme, but it is recommended to cover the mulch with tops or branches.
In the Urals, phlox should be trimmed, leaving a stump of about 8-10 cm, mulch should be covered with tops and branches, and during the winter it is important to insulate the plant with snow.
Caring for phlox in winter in Siberia is difficult. Because of the severe winters, the plant is not pruned, mulch is laid, and the top is insulated with branches and foliage.

Attention!

Gardeners from Siberia need to remember that it is better to completely dig up especially valuable varieties from open ground, place them in an airtight container and lower them into the basement until spring. Winters are harsh. Therefore, Dutch varieties of phlox may not tolerate them.

How to preserve phlox in winter. How to properly prepare phlox for winter: they will be even more beautiful

Hello!

Do you love phlox as much as I love them? Everything about them is beautiful: the flowers, the smell, and the size. Moreover, you need to take care of phloxes literally until late autumn inclusive.

Think for yourself: the plant tried, bloomed and made us happy... we need to reward it! And from an agrotechnical point of view: the phlox has spent a lot of nutrients, may have gotten sick, and will soon begin to prepare for wintering. Our task is to fill the shortcomings and remove everything unnecessary from the conditions! This note will help you figure out what's what ‍♀

If the phlox was “sick”, we will restore the patient

Critically examine the bush: determine whether there are signs of disease or the presence of pests. Caring for an affected bush is different from caring for a healthy one. To prevent the attack from confusing all the cards, it is important to know what alarming symptoms look like.

Powdery mildew on phlox. Photo for illustration taken from the Internet

It is a mistake to think that treating flowers in the garden can be postponed until next year. Not all pests, bacteria and fungi will die after a frosty winter. Most of it can remain under the top layer of soil, spread throughout the entire flowerbed with the first warmth, and in the spring a short-sighted gardener will get a problem in the cube.

What to do? The main thing is not to be idle. First of all, you need to determine what kind of trouble happened to the plants. And take measures depending on the “diagnosis”:

And this is necrotic spotting of phlox. Unfortunately, if you write about all the “misfortunes” that visit our flowers, even a whole article will not be enough

And this is necrotic spotting. Unfortunately, all the diseases and pests that visit our phloxes cannot be described even in one large article.

Root infections and pests (for example, nematodes) may require replanting and treatment of the entire root system.
Viral diseases of phlox usually cannot be treated - you need to quickly destroy the bush before it infects your neighbors.
Treatment of a group of infectious diseases and pest infestation of the aerial parts involves complete or partial pruning of stems and leaves. Everything affected is removed, and the rest is treated with special preparations according to the instructions.

For example, I think the best remedy for powdery mildew is baking soda, of course not, but Topaz fungicide.

Autumn treat for floxarium

Phlox in all their colorful splendor

Autumn feeding is potassium and phosphorus, but no nitrogen (a la mullein). Optimal regimen: potassium magnesium + superphosphate according to the instructions. You can take their analogues. The main thing is that the fertilizers are potassium and phosphorus.

You can use any complex mineral fertilizer marked “Autumn”: the composition there is already balanced. It is better to give preference to products that also contain microelements: iron, manganese, boron and others.

Here is an example of an “ideal” feeding:

Found on the Internet

I put “ideal” in quotes because you can find your best option. The company is not that important. The main thing is similar composition and effectiveness. But I can vouch for “Kemira” / “Fertika”, because I have been using them for several years (they are the same thing).

Pruning, covering... is it necessary or can we leave everything as is?

Subscribe - useful and interesting articles about growing plants every day! Get them first

Phloxes need to be trimmed: dry leaves collect infection, and sticks sticking out of the snow don’t look very attractive. But this should not be done immediately after flowering, as some sites say. Why stop the photosynthesis process and try to force the phlox to fall asleep?

I prune my phlox in early October, about a month before the "winter" weather begins. In cold, cloudy and humid conditions, leaves are of no use anyway.

Pruning phlox in autumn

The opinions of flower growers regarding the issue of pruning in autumn vary. Some people believe that pruning will help them survive the winter safely. While others say that this is real stress before the cold weather. There is no misconception here. Phlox can be pruned in the middle zone and the Volga region, but pruning before winter in Siberia and the Urals should not be done. In this case, the operation is carried out in the spring; under the influence of sunlight, the phlox will quickly grow and form a lush bush.

Why is pruning done in the fall?

The main goals when pruning a plant:

prevention of fungal infections next season;
when pruning the stem, pests that parasitize the green part of the plant are removed;
ensuring the transfer of nutrients after flowering to the root system;
After pruning, it is easier to arrange mulch and fertilize.

Phloxes are pruned for the winter in order to obtain a lush bush in the season.

How to trim phlox

Pruning phlox for the winter is carried out according to one of 3 schemes:

The unearthly part of the plant is removed at a height of up to 2 centimeters above ground level. This makes it possible to exclude damage to the crop by pests that have accumulated on the crop during the season.
The stems are removed, leaving branches up to 10 cm long. This contributes to the formation of a large bush in the spring from young buds.
After pruning, stems up to 20 cm long are left. This method has a significant drawback - pathogens remain on the stems of the plant; phlox trimmed according to this scheme is difficult to mulch.

Scheme number 1 is acceptable. As experience shows, phloxes pruned according to scheme 2 develop poorly and do not bloom profusely, and pruning according to scheme 3 is dangerous for infection by fungi and bacteria.

What time is it pruned for winter?

Pruning time is determined depending on the variety being grown. Early-blooming phlox is pruned in early September, and late-blooming plants are pruned in October, a few weeks after the flowers have been completely removed.

Attention!

The main condition is to complete pruning and cover the plant before permanent frost sets in. Early pruning harms the plant no less than its absence - the plant does not receive enough nutritional compounds from the soil.

What to do after pruning

Simply pruning a plant is not enough for the action to be beneficial; the crop needs to be provided with the necessary care, namely:

the garbage remaining after pruning is burned away from the plot or disposed of in another convenient way;
the soil around the plant is treated with fungicides before mulching;
Before the plant is covered, it is fed several days in advance, adding superphosphate under each bush.

It is better to replant phloxes after flowering, because planting in the spring will not allow the plant to gain strength by summer.

How to properly care for perennial phlox in the fall

If a gardener knows exactly what needs to be done with perennial phlox in the fall, then he will be able to properly prepare the plants for winter. Thanks to care, they will withstand unfavorable weather and temperature conditions and will be able to delight you with their beauty next season.

Important! The root system of phlox is superficial, so you need to care for perennials very carefully: loosen, weed, and incorporate granular fertilizers into the soil.

Autumn feeding of phlox

Autumn fertilizing is standard for almost all garden crops. Perennial flowers at the end of the season need certain substances, and the soil is quite depleted after rapid flowering. Simply put, proper feeding will help restore the plant’s strength, prepare phlox for frost (increase frost resistance) and help it better survive winter and cold, and stimulate more beautiful, lush and long flowering next year.

By the way! Optimal timing for feeding phlox in the fall: early September.

Therefore, it is very useful to fertilize perennial phlox; potassium-phosphorus fertilizers should be used for these purposes. For example, you can feed with the following potassium and phosphate mineral fertilizers: Potassium Monophosphate, Superphosphate and Potassium Sulfate, a special fertilizer for autumn marked “Autumn” or “Autumn”.

Note! In the autumn, phlox and any other perennials should not be fed with nitrogen fertilizers. It is advisable to stop adding nitrogen altogether 1-1.5 months before the end of summer. Otherwise, the plant will begin to build up green mass, which will simply freeze out during frost, causing it to weaken or even die.

Note! It is important not only what to feed, but also how! This can be done with dry fertilizers and liquid solution:
If autumn is rainy and humid, then you can simply lightly incorporate dry granules of mineral fertilizers into the soil.
If the weather is dry, then you need to prepare a solution (completely dissolve the granules according to the instructions), and then water the plants. Don’t forget to water them with regular clean water before doing this!

By the way, an excellent natural potassium-phosphorus fertilizer is wood ash. It can not only nourish the plant, but also additionally deoxidize the soil, which means reducing the likelihood of fungal growth (after all, they feel at home in acidic soil). To do this, you need to scatter the ash around the plant, very lightly embedding it into the soil.

Pruning phlox in the fall: timing, diagrams, rules

Autumn pruning of perennial flowers is the most important procedure for caring for garden plants. Why do you need to prune phlox for the winter? Main reasons:

First of all, pruning significantly reduces the likelihood of developing fungal diseases and breeding pests. That is, by removing the above-ground part, we do not allow pathogenic microorganisms and pests to overwinter and multiply in it.
By the beginning of the growing season next season, the plant will be able to accumulate more nutrients in the rhizomes, thanks to which it will be able to grow stronger shoots.
After this care procedure, it is easier to cover the plants for the winter and protect the plants from frost.
Autumn pruning allows you to keep your garden, and specifically your flower garden, neat.
The procedure makes spring care easier.

Autumn pruning of phlox is carried out according to the following scheme: the entire above-ground part is cut off flush with the ground, and stumps should not be left . A similar pruning method is used for herbaceous peonies. An important rule: the stems should not be pulled out, broken off or twisted by hand, because this can damage the renewal buds.

For this care procedure, you need to use a sharp pruner with a disinfected blade.

To carry out this procedure, you must choose the right time! When choosing the timing of pruning, it is important to focus on two factors:

The condition of the perennial is of key importance: the phlox bush can be trimmed only after the above-ground part turns yellow and dries out.
The event is carried out before the onset of stable frosts (1-2 weeks before) and when the first light night frosts occur.

Important! After you have trimmed the phlox, you must immediately remove plant debris. You cannot leave them anywhere in the garden, put them in a compost bin, or use them as mulch. The best way is to burn them.

Fertilizer application

Before fertilizing, you need to treat the soil and phlox with preparations such as Fitosporin or Fundazol. These preparations are used to treat the above-ground part of the plant and spill the soil on a dry, moderately sunny day. Such remedies will help reduce the risk of fungal and bacterial infections. Treatment is carried out in spring or autumn.

No earlier than two weeks later, superphosphate is introduced into the soil. This fertilizer will saturate the soil with phosphorus and potassium - these nutrients will flow into the roots during the winter. To increase their survival rate.

When purchasing ready-made fertilizers for flowering open-ground crops, it is better to buy a composition marked with o. The use of formulations with a high content of these components can provoke rapid growth before wintering, which will cause the death of the crop.

Should phlox be trimmed after flowering?

If you do not plan to get phlox seeds, you need to cut off the inflorescences. This will allow the plant not to waste nutrients on producing seeds and will maintain the neat appearance of the flower bed. It must be remembered that this procedure stimulates the growth of lateral peduncles, and therefore leads to repeated flowering.

Pruning faded phlox, especially those blooming closer to autumn, is undesirable in regions with short summers, since the second wave of flowering weakens the perennial before going into dormancy. In this case, it is better to wait and prune in the fall in preparation for planting for winter. Also, pruning of faded phlox is combined with a full autumn pruning of varieties with a late flowering period.

Under natural conditions, wild phlox overwinter along with the stems, but cultivated plants require special care in order to preserve their decorative qualities as much as possible. Experienced gardeners give several reasons why it is necessary to prune phlox after flowering for the winter:

destruction of pathogens and pest larvae in plant residues;
ensuring flowers are properly prepared for winter;
accumulation in the roots of useful substances necessary for wintering and subsequent growing season;
maintaining a neat appearance of the garden in winter.

Attention! When planting phlox in open ground in autumn, as well as if it is necessary to obtain seed material, the stems and faded inflorescences are not cut off.

After flowering, the flower stalks are removed, leaving a stem 50–60 cm high. Many gardeners simply break off the dry inflorescences to maintain a neat appearance of the flower bed. In the future, these shoots are also removed during complete pre-winter pruning.

Watering phlox in autumn

If there is no rain in the fall, phlox need to be watered additionally, because sufficient moisture is a condition that ensures a full winter. Water the plant carefully, because its root system is vulnerable and is often affected by a variety of bacteria and fungi. It is better to water phlox with water at room temperature; you should avoid getting moisture on the leaves and stems - this can cause rotting.

Cultivation care

Caring for perennial phlox in the fall is as follows:

Regular watering of flowers. Moreover, the culture does not like either an excess of moisture or a lack of it. The main indicator of proper watering is constantly moderately moist soil. Moreover, you need to water the flowers directly at the root, trying not to get on the leaves and stems. If it’s still August heat outside, then you need to moisten the soil around the phlox in the morning and evening.
It is imperative to periodically loosen the soil around the flowers. Such measures can improve the drainage capacity of the soil.

As for autumn fertilizing, it is better to use phosphorus or potassium complexes for phlox. All liquid fertilizers are applied to the bush only after watering it.

Young seedlings must be covered for the winter. This will protect the root system of the flower in cold and snowless winters.

Disease prevention and protection from phlox pests

The following rules will help keep the plant healthy:

regular loosening of the soil in spring and autumn;
transplanting a flower to a new place once every 3-4 years;
cleaning weeds and fallen leaves from the garden - this is a source of fungal and bacterial infections;
treating the soil with peroxide;
use of fungicides.

The listed rules will help preserve the collection.

Attention!

The plant is difficult to tolerate any disease; the danger lies in the fact that at an early stage there are no signs of damage. You need to pay close attention to signs such as leaves curling, changing color or falling off.

Shelter for the winter

Phlox is a frost-resistant crop that can endure a mild winter without any shelter, but since even in a warm winter there are periods of cold weather, it’s not worth risking your collection of gorgeous plants. For the above-ground part, the danger is a decrease in temperature to -15 degrees, for the underground to -20. Not only severe frosts are dangerous for the plant, but also long thaws, leading to the loss of the snow layer.

Natural materials are used for shelter. It is forbidden to use film, linoleum and other materials for this purpose - the plant will suffocate under them. The shelter is removed after the risk of severe frosts in the spring has been eliminated.

Typical mistakes in caring for phlox in the fall and in preparation for winter: care for it correctly

The list of main errors includes:

Use of nitrogen fertilizers in the fall. A large dose of the component accelerates the formation of new shoots and enhances their growth, the roots lose nutrients and weaken. Because of this, the plant often dies during wintering.
The plant was “sealed” early for the winter. If warming is still possible, the crop should not be insulated.
The perennial is covered with thick cellophane, fabric or airtight elements. As a result, the plant dies due to rot.

Such mistakes must be avoided, because they often lead to the death of a culture.

Useful tips for caring for phlox after wintering

After the onset of spring, phlox often have an unattractive appearance; to restore it after the daylight hours lengthen and the temperature becomes above zero at night, the plant is fed with fertilizer - this will speed up growth and restore the root system. It is imperative to remove dry shoots and other parts. If the condition can be called critical, it is worth using growth stimulants - “Epin”, “Zircon”. This biological composition will help awaken dormant buds and accelerate their growth.