Phloxes are bright flowers from the cyanotic family. They are great for growing in garden beds. Among flower growers, they have gained popularity due to their unpretentiousness and attractive appearance. Phlox Larisa, a well-known frost-resistant perennial, stands out from the whole variety of species.
Description
This domestic variety of phlox is a compact, low bush with strong straight stems. It has large inflorescences with a diameter of 3.8 cm, consisting of five-petal flowers of salmon or coral color with a purple eye. It has a lanceolate leaf - an oblong plate with a sharp top.
Larisa belongs to the paniculate form of perennial flowers. Grows fast and is good for flower beds and borders.
As you can see in the photo, Phlox Larisa produces an impressive effect and can decorate any garden, both in group and in single plantings.
Selecting a landing site
If you plant Larisa Phlox in a sunny place, they will grow smallerordinary, lose their decorative effect and quickly fade. Therefore, the most suitable place for them is partial shade, where they will be protected from the sun by the shade of trees.
Besides, if there are high “neighbors” near the bush in winter, a lot of snow will accumulate around it, which will protect it from temperature changes and contribute to more intense moisture.
Even in dimly lit areas where the sun only shines for a few hours a day, phloxes will do well. It is in partial shade that the best specimens grow, which delight with their flowering until late autumn.
If planting phloxes in partial shade is not possible, then it will be necessary to provide them with protection from the sun during especially hot hours.
If you plant a plant on a slight slope, you can prevent rotting of the roots and the accumulation of excess moisture.
Soil preparation
Phloxes Larisa are not demanding on the soil. They do not tolerate only acidified soil, so it is better to lime such soil before planting. Plants on dry hillocks and marshy lowlands will feel bad.
Loose and nutritious soil are the two most important conditions for flower growth. The bed must be prepared in advance, making the necessary fertilizers. For example: manure, ashes, compost. Clay soil can be made looser by adding sand or peat.
Landing in open ground
Most gardeners plant phlox cuttings. This is the easiest and most convenient way. cuttingsshould be bought from a professional nursery, because it is easy to buy a diseased or mismatched plant in the market.
For most regions of Russia, planting phlox cuttings in April or May is suitable. You can root the plant in September - then it will delight you with flowering next spring.
If preference is given to autumn planting, then it must be done long before frost. Otherwise, the cuttings will not have time to take root and freeze. Some flower growers practice summer planting, but this is very troublesome - it will be necessary to provide the plant with daily and plentiful watering, which is not always possible for working people.
Panicle phlox Larisa is planted in the spring as follows: plant cuttings are planted in a prepared loosened planting hole 15-20 cm deep.
The distance between the cuttings should be at least half a meter, and possibly more. Phlox Larisa bushes, under favorable conditions, can grow up to one and a half meters wide and grow without much care for 10-15 years.
Immediately after planting for two weeks, you need to water the plant abundantly for faster rooting.
Other breeding methods
For propagation of phloxes in autumn and summer, the method of propagation by layering is often used. To obtain layering, the side shoot of the mother bush leans to the ground and sprinkles with soil. Some gardeners, for reliability, fix it additionally with a wire. After the layer has taken root, it is separated fromcommon bush and transplanted to the right place.
The next possible way of reproduction is the division of the bush. It is a little more difficult than the previous one, but no less effective. You can only divide an adult plant. The age of the bush must be 4 years or more.
The selected bush is dug up, trying not to injure the roots. Divide it into equal parts so that each half has a full-fledged root, and immediately seated in permanent places of growth.
Seeds - another way to propagate phlox Larisa. Reviews of experienced flower growers indicate that this is the most difficult and troublesome method, so it is rarely used. Seeds are bought in the store or collected independently. In autumn, they are sown in a container with a special soil mixture to a depth of 1-2 cm.
The container is taken out into the street and left there for the winter, covered with fallen leaves and snow, as a result of which the seeds stratify themselves. With the onset of spring, they are brought into a warm room, where they begin to germinate. As soon as the sprouts reach 10 cm, they are seated.
Phlox Larisa: cultivation features
This flower is unpretentious and does not require any complicated care:
- Watering, during the growing season, should be plentiful - once every two days. On hot days, it should be increased.
- Phloxes love light soil, so after watering the soil must be loosened.
- For young flowers that have not gained strength, weeding is important, which is easier to do after watering for convenience.
Variety of phlox Larisa, according to the description of experiencedgrowers, needs several top dressings per year:
- The first is produced in the spring, immediately after the snow melts. At this time, it is customary to introduce nitrogenous mixtures into the soil. They will contribute to the set of lush green mass.
- Next time, fertilize the soil in the middle of summer. Wood ash or potash mixtures are suitable for top dressing. This will ensure good flowering.
- Before the frosts, top dressing should be applied, which is dominated by phosphorus, which will allow one of the best varieties of Phlox Larisa to survive the winter safely.
Pruning and winterizing
It is recommended to prune phlox in the fall, before the plant leaves for the winter.
Phlox Larisa is pruned immediately after the plant has faded. By November, usually, this procedure should be completed. At this time, all the beneficial substances accumulated by the plant during growth are concentrated in the root.
Pruning is carried out in the following ways:
- To the very base of the stem to neutralize the bush from diseases and pests.
- Leave a small stump about 10 cm long, which will completely cover the snow in winter.
After that, the root circle is treated with insecticides and fertilized.
Phlox Larisa, growing in the south of the country, does not require shelter for the winter. But in central Russia and further north, the bush needs to provide reliable protection for wintering. To do this, you can use burlap or agrofibre.
In the northern regions of the country, the plant is necessarydig up with roots, place in a wooden box and send to the basement for winter storage.
Phlox Larisa: description of diseases
Flower diseases have two origins - viruses and fungi.
Viral diseases manifest themselves by twisting and deformation of the leaf, spotting. It is almost impossible to cure them, but it is quite possible to prevent them. To do this, regularly inspect the plants, remove and destroy damaged leaves and work the soil with a clean tool.
From fungal diseases, the most dangerous is powdery mildew. Infection usually occurs in mid-summer. The leaves and stems are covered with a white coating, the plant gives the impression of being splashed with lime. The disease begins with the lower leaves, gradually rising up.
By autumn, the disease progresses. The fungus spreads especially quickly in rainy weather. The white bloom becomes continuous and passes from the leaves to the stem. Sick flowers lose their decorative effect and resistance to frost.
Wood ash has been successfully used to control powdery mildew. As well as fungicides.
Other existing fungal diseases:
- Phimosis. Leaves curl and turn yellow. Bordeaux liquid will help get rid of this type of fungus, which should be carefully treated with the plant.
- Rust. Rust-like brown spots appear. Affected leaves are plucked from the bush and burned.
- Septoria. First, the leaves become covered with spots, then dry up and fall off. Deal with the disease as well as withrust.
Pests
Of the pests on Larisa's phloxes, there are:
- Nematodes. They fall from the ground to the roots of the plant, gradually moving to the stem and leaves. Under the influence of these pests, the flower may die. To combat the nematode, a radical method is used - the bush is completely dug up, and the earth is cultivated with special means.
- Penny larvae. They suck out nutrients from the flower, which contributes to the wrinkling of the plant. Inta Vir is a good remedy for this pest.
- Slugs. They feed on the pulp of the flower. To get rid of them, you need to weed the weeds in time and sprinkle the soil with metaldehyde.
- Butterfly caterpillars. They eat leaves. To combat them, you must use any drug designed to combat leaf-eating pests.
It should be remembered that sometimes the leaves of Phlox Larisa turn yellow and dry, not from diseases and pests, but from lack of moisture.
