Many varieties of phlox have been bred, each of which is beautiful in its own way. But the Laura variety stands out in particular. This variety is distinguished by its unpretentious character, frost resistance and a long flowering period. In this material you will find a description and photo of Phlox Laura. And also we will share the rules of care and the secrets of growing this attractive crop.
Variety description
Phlox Laura, the photo and care of which are given in the material, is a prominent representative of the Blue family. This herbaceous perennial plant reaches 80-110 cm in height. It has dark green stems collected in a semi-spreading bush. They are densely covered with narrow matte leaves that set off bright buds.
The flowering period of the variety begins in July and lasts until the end of September, and even longer in the south. At this time, a magnificent hat of buds collected in inflorescences-brushes is formed on the top of the head. It reaches up to 20 cm in diameter. Each flower is up to 4.5 cm in diameter. They are painted in rich purple or purple tones. AtIn this case, the base is lighter and even white, making the “core” of the flower resemble a star.
Based on the original variety, a miniature variety of Phlox Little Laura was bred. She has the same two-tone lush buds, but at the same time she is not tall - sprawling bushes reach no more than 60 cm in height.
Choosing a seat
Phloxes Laura, described above, prefer protected places in partial shade. Here the shrubs will become the most lush and dense. In addition, the color of the petals in the shaded areas remains saturated, while in the sun it quickly fades and fades. But remember that you can not plant plants in full shade. Here, the stalks of the bushes are strongly extended.
As for the soil, the culture prefers light, loose, fertile soils with good air permeability with a neutral reaction. If the land in the area is acidic, then first add slaked lime or dolomite flour. Heavy loams are best diluted with sand, peat or organic fertilizers.
When choosing a place for a flower bed, keep in mind that phloxes do not like neighborhoods with large trees and shrubs with a developed root system, as the latter take nutrients from the soil, and the flowers do not have enough strength to develop. And also phlox is not suitable for a site in a lowland and with a close occurrence of groundwater. In such places, the roots of flowers rot, and they quickly die.
Growing from seeds
Panicle phlox Laurasow outdoors from mid-November to early December. If there is already snow on the site at this time, then remove it from the garden. Then scatter the flower seeds on the surface of the soil at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other. Fill them with 1-1.5 cm of sifted soil, and cover the top with snow or peat.
When the seedlings hatch and they have 2 leaves, dive them to a permanent place. Plant crops 50-55 cm apart.
Landing
If you have already purchased adult plants, then plant them in open ground in late April - early May. Boarding Rules:
- In the prepared area, dig holes larger than the volume of the earthen coma. Place organic fertilizer at the bottom and fill it with water.
- Keep a distance of 50-60 cm between plants.
- Carefully remove the flowers from the container and transplant them into the recesses along with the earthen clod.
- Fill the voids with the substrate so that the rhizome is 3–4 cm below ground level.
- Compact and water the soil.
After planting, be sure to mulch the flower bed with a 2-centimeter layer of peat. So you protect crops from freezing. In addition, the mulch will prevent weeds from growing.
Irrigation
Phloxes Laura - moisture-loving plants. And they need regular, frequent, but moderate watering. Moisten the soil only in the morning or evening, as irrigation during the daytime is detrimental to the flower. Also, never use cold water. From her stems of cultureare cracking. Water the flowers strictly under the root. For 1 square meter of flower bed, use 1.5-2 buckets of water.
After watering, do not forget to loosen the soil. So you improve the access of air to the roots. But remember that you need to loosen to a shallow depth. Otherwise, you will damage the root system.
Feeding
To achieve long and lush flowering from Phlox Laura, you will need to fertilize several times per season:
- First feeding at the end of May. At this time, apply liquid manure at the rate of 25 g per bucket of water.
- Feed the flowers a second time in early June. Add potassium s alt or superphosphate to liquid manure.
- In early July, feed the flowers a third time with liquid manure without any additives.
- At the end of July, add potash-phosphorus fertilizers to the flower bed at the rate of 20 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium sulfate per bucket of water.
Apply the last top dressing during the formation of seeds in boxes. This time also use potash-phosphorus fertilizers.
Do any top dressing only after watering and in the evening. When fertilizing, try not to get solutions on the foliage of shrubs.
Wintering
Phloxes Laura, photos of which are given in the article, are frost-resistant varieties. However, they can freeze when the temperature drops to -20 … -25 ° C. And in a snowless winter, even mild frosts of -10 … -15 ° C are fatal for them
To prevent freezing,be sure to prepare flowers for the cold period. To do this, cut the stems of plants in the fall when the tops turn yellow and dry. Next, sprinkle the root neck with a 3-centimeter layer of soil mixed with peat. From above, cover the flower bed with fallen leaves, straw or spruce branches.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
This Laura phlox breeding method is the easiest, but only suitable for adult plants. The event is held in the fall from the end of August to the first decade of September. To do this, dig up the mother bush and cut it into pieces with a sharp knife. If the culture is old, then remove the middle part, as it degenerates much faster than the lateral processes.
Be sure to add compost to the soil before planting. If the soil is clay, then also add sand. Plant delenki at a distance of 50 cm from each other. When planting, spread the roots of the flowers horizontally and sprinkle them with a layer of soil, 4–5 cm thick.
If the autumn was dry, then irrigate the flowers every 2-3 days for two weeks. Pour 2 liters of water under each bush. After watering, be sure to loosen the dried soil and also mulch the surface of the flower bed with a 4-centimeter layer of peat or humus.
Growing from leaf cuttings
Start a similar method of reproduction of phloxes in late June - early July. To do this, pour light nutrient soil into the container. Top the substrate with a 1-1.5 cm layer of sand or vermiculite. How to root cuttings:
- Cut the leaves with an axillary point and a small piecestem from adult shoots.
- Plant cuttings in moist soil to a depth of 2 cm, while trying to keep the axillary point in the substrate. And the leaves themselves were located at an angle to the surface of the soil. Keep a distance of 5 cm between the cuttings.
- Cover the planting with glass or polyethylene and place the containers in a bright place, but protected from direct sunlight.
Care for plants consists of daily spraying with warm water, airing the greenhouse and removing condensate. After 30 days, when the cuttings are rooted, pinch off the tops to increase the bushiness of the flowers. After that, accustom the flowers to open ground. To do this, remove the shelter first for an hour, then for two and gradually increase the time.
A week later, dive the grown plants into a special bed with nutrient soil. Maintain a distance of 15 cm between seedlings. Before winter, cover the plants with semi-humus soil, peat or fallen leaves. Plant flowers in a permanent location next spring.
If you want to grow flowers that delight with long and lush flowering, be sure to plant Laura phloxes. These eye-catching plants will brighten up your flower bed and blend in with any landscape, and are easy to care for.
