Cutting phlox in summer: reproduction
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Phlox is a representative of the Sinyukhov family. The phlox genus includes 85 species, and they are all beautiful in their own way. These perennial plants and shrubs, growing up to 150 cm, can be an excellent decoration for a summer cottage. The inflorescence can contain from 50 to 90 flowers. At the same time, there are small house flowers, for example, Phlox Drummond.
How phlox reproduce vegetatively
Experienced gardeners say that phlox propagation by cuttings in summer is the most convenient.
All types of vegetative reproduction have several advantages:
- full-fledged flowers grow from small parts;
- the appearance of the mother plant does not deteriorate;
- minimal risk of plant disease;
- a simple technique suitable for beginners.
Phlox Drummond is a wonderful representative of the genus
Therefore, cutting phlox in summer is the best breeding method.
How to propagate phlox with leaf cuttings
It is necessary to cut the sheet up to 10 cm in length. At the same time, there should be an axillary bud on a small segment of the stem. Cuttings should be planted in the ground, sprinkled with 10-15 cm of sand on top. You need to immerse the plant in the soil while the leaf remains above it.
Moisten the soil several times a day. This is best done by a sprayer. It is important not to allow the soil to dry out - it should be slightly damp.
Phlox cuttings
How to propagate phlox with stem cuttings in summer
Plants are propagated with full stems in early June. The stems selected for grafting must be strong and free of disease. They are wrapped in slightly damp newsprint and stored in a cool place for a couple of days.
After that, the stems are divided into parts. There should be two knots on each segment. Further, the lower leaves are cut off completely, and the upper leaves leave half.
Reproduction of phlox stem cuttings
Cuttings are placed in a summer seedling box or directly in the ground in rows.
How to grow phlox from stem cuttings
For a week and a half, plants need to be watered with warm water a couple of times a day. Roots and first shoots will appear within three weeks. To increase growth efficiency, phloxes need to be rooted in a seedbed prepared for seedlings.
Propagation by root cuttings
This method is used in extreme cases, for example, if nematodes have settled on the plant, or it begins to rot. The plant must be at least three years old. Reproduction of phlox by root cuttings will preserve the variety and increase the number of flowers.
How to properly cut phlox roots
At the very beginning of autumn, you need to remove the plant from the ground. The most voluminous roots are suitable for division. They must be divided into pieces of 6-7 cm and planted with the thin end down. Then the cuttings are covered with a layer of sand (about 5 cm) and slightly moistened.The box is tucked into a room without access to sunlight. The recommended temperature is around 12-15 ° C. To stimulate shoot growth, the temperature is raised to 20 ° C after 3 weeks.
Phlox root system
When the first shoots appear, the plant is taken out into the street so that they get used to the heat. It is important to keep plants out of direct sunlight.
Towards the end of spring, phlox can be transplanted to the garden bed. You can transplant a plant to a flower bed in a year.
The best time for grafting at different times of the year
Phlox can be propagated at any time of the year, with the exception of winter:
- For reproduction in spring, cuttings are harvested towards the end of May. The best stems should be selected. The cuttings are placed in boxes of wet sand. Then they are removed to a darkened place. After the roots appear, the plant is transplanted into open ground. It is important to find a place that is not exposed to direct sunlight.
- Reproduction of phlox in mid-July is the best option for cuttings, because the plant blooms best during this period. Cuttings are cut without inflorescences. Early morning is a good time of day for cutting. You can cut it every week. When propagated in summer, the plant takes root within 3 weeks.
- In autumn, the plant is cut from mid-September. Phloxes produce a large amount of cuttings during this time. For planting, choose clay soil. The cuttings are placed in a greenhouse for wintering so they are more likely to take root and be ready for replanting next year.
How to reproduce phlox by dividing a bush
Only adult bushes, aged 3-4 years, are subject to division.
Dividing phlox root
You need to finish planting phloxes before the end of the first decade of September, otherwise the plant may simply not grow.
The bush is carefully removed from the ground. After that, the stems must be cut in half. If the roots of the plant are excessively long, then they are cut off to 15 cm. After cleaning from excess soil, they are divided into 3-4 parts using a knife or shovel. Moreover, each piece should have at least 8 vegetative shoots, because buds grow from them next spring.
How to propagate phlox by layering
The mother bushes are spud with moist and loose soil and are very often watered abundantly. Underground shoots gradually take root and grow. Closer to August, the plant is transplanted to the main garden bed, where it continues to grow.
Plant propagation is a long and difficult process. You can choose any variant of cuttings that you like the most, whether it is propagation by root or stem cuttings. It is also worth remembering that if phlox is propagated by seeds or other methods, the plant may simply not take root. Therefore, vegetative propagation is the best option, since the chances of plant survival are usually 90%.
