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Phlox Star Rain is a plant that has spread throughout Europe. The flower looks great in decorative pots and on alpine slides. A riot of colors of fragrant inflorescences pleases the eye of summer residents from May to September. Culture has one important feature – it shows itself in all its glory only to those who carefully care for it.
Phlox Description Star Rain
Drummond Phlox Starry rain is an annual plant of the Sinyukhov family, characterized by long flowering. The culture is a bush about 50 cm high with branching stems.
Phlox of this variety has oval, slightly pointed leaves, arranged oppositely.
Annual phlox varieties Starry Rain are sun-loving plants that do not tolerate shade.
The flowers do not fade in the sun, so they are allowed to be planted in well-lit areas.
The climate of the regions in which Starry Rain Phlox will grow comfortably should be temperate. The culture prefers light soils. It does not tolerate overheating of the root system, so watering should be regular.
Another advantage of the Star Rain variety is its resistance to adverse weather conditions. It tolerates frost and drought very well.
The flowers of the Star Rain variety look like stars.
Features of flowering
Flowering begins in June and continues until frost. At -5 ° C, Star Rain dies, so it should be covered for the winter.
Collected in corymbs, racemose inflorescences are pink, lilac or purple. Outwardly, they resemble stars. The size of the flowers does not exceed 2 cm in diameter, but thanks to the bright corymbose inflorescences, the phlox Starry rain gives the impression of a luxuriant bloom. In hot weather, flowering becomes abundant.
Phlox bushes tolerate drought well
Application in design
Phlox flowers of the Star Rain variety are often used in landscape design.
The plant looks good both in a single and in a group planting.
Since Star Rain grows up to 50 cm in height, it is planted next to coniferous, tall trees
Culture also looks harmoniously along with bluebells, petunias and cereals.
When choosing neighbors for culture, gardeners should pay attention to the fact that grayish wormwood and fescue will stand out beautifully against the background of pink phlox.
Phloxes Starry rain look great on alpine slides in decorative flowerpots.
Methods of reproduction
There are several ways to propagate phloxes:
- By division. In early autumn or spring, a large bush is divided into several parts. This propagation method is only suitable for seedlings that are over five years old. Divide the root with your hands or a shovel. Landing is carried out immediately so that the root system does not have time to dry out.
- Leaf cuttings. Summer time (end of June – July) is suitable for reproduction in this way. A leaf with a bud is separated from the stem, and then it is planted in the ground. To root the plant, the container with the cuttings is kept in a room where the air temperature is about 20 ° C.
- Stem cuttings. The breeding procedure is carried out in May. The shoots of the bush are divided into parts so that each of them has 2 nodes.
The material is planted in the soil and transferred to a greenhouse. Within three weeks, the cuttings take root.
- Layers. A bush intended for reproduction is covered with earth. After some time, the stems begin to grow. They are carefully cut and transplanted to a prepared place.
Cultivation of the Star Rain variety is carried out using seeds. The gardener needs to inspect the bush and find lush but yellowed hats. When the flower dries, it is cut off and placed in a bag. When the seeds are completely ripe, they will fall into the same bag. The gardener will have to sort them and plant them.
Growing Phlox Starry Rain from Seeds
Annual phloxes are grown in much the same way as perennials. The only difference is that the seeds are not sprinkled with earth, but pressed down. The plant will begin to develop independently and descend to the desired depth.
Recommended dates
Sowing annual phlox Starry rain is carried out in March to transplant them in May. It is allowed to plant seeds a little earlier, but in this case, you will have to additionally illuminate the sprouts. This is not always convenient.
Gardeners are advised to sow after the establishment of warm weather. If frosts suddenly come, the plant will not withstand them and will die.
Selection of containers and soil preparation
An ideal planting container for phlox is a plastic container for seedlings. Small drainage holes are made in it using a mini-soldering iron.
For growing phlox Starry Rain, a universal soil mixture for seedlings is suitable. It is advisable to supplement it with dolomite flour, sand or ash. To loosen the soil, a coconut briquette is added to it in a ratio of 1: 1. For seedlings to develop properly, the soil must be breathable.
Seeding for seedlings
Sowing seeds for seedlings begins in early spring (mid-March). Detailed instructions for sowing seeds:
- The bottom of the container is pierced in several places to prevent stagnation of water, which is detrimental to phloxes.
- The pot for planting is filled with soil mixture and moistened a little with hot water.
- Seeds are spread over the entire surface of the earth and covered with a film.
- The shelter is regularly checked for condensation. If it appears, then the film is periodically opened.
The container is installed on the windowsill under diffused sunlight. The air temperature in the room should be + 20 … 23 ° С.
After a few weeks, the first shoots will appear
Growing seedlings
After planting the plant, wait for the first shoots to appear. This usually happens after 2-3 weeks. Phlox seedlings are unpretentious, and tolerate diving well. The procedure is carried out after the appearance of three full leaves. The sprout is transplanted into a pot with a substrate. In May, seedlings are hardened, leaving shoots next to an open window. When the sprouts get a little stronger, they are fed with mineral fertilizers before transplanting into the ground.
Aftercare
Gardeners say that at the end of May, you can safely plant seedlings in open ground. To do this, on the site you need to choose a well-lit place, on which direct sunlight does not fall at noon.
A handful of wood ash is laid out in the prepared hole, and then a seedling is placed in it. The plant is lightly sprinkled with earth and tamped with her hands. After that, it is necessary to water the soil with warm water.
Follow-up care involves the following actions:
- Regular watering with cool water, especially on hot days.
- Two weeks after planting, the soil around the plant is loosened so that the roots can breathe.
- Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is carried out at least 4 times during the summer.
- Mulching will help facilitate crop care. A layer of peat or sawdust will prevent the soil from drying out and will also prevent the growth of weeds.
Pests and diseases
Phloxes are practically not susceptible to infectious diseases. However, pests often damage the plant.
The most dangerous insects for flowering crops are:
- Nematode – a worm 1 mm in size, which settles in the tissues of a plant and feeds on its juice. To get rid of pests, it is necessary to cut off the affected stems, and after the growth of the shoots, break them and plant them in the ground under a film. In this case, the roots are treated with Piperazine, and the soil with Fitoverm.
- Slugs – pests that spoil the plant at night. They eat leaves, buds and cuttings. You can fight mucus with the help of coniferous needles scattered around the site.
- Scoops – caterpillars that eat all parts of the plant. Over time, phlox stops growing, begins to fade. Having discovered the disease, it is necessary to collect all the caterpillars and treat the flowers with insecticides.
It is forbidden to spray phlox Starry rain during the flowering period
This can be dangerous for insect pollinators.
Conclusion
Phlox Starry rain is an unpretentious plant that pleases with flowering from June to September. The culture is unpretentious in care, perfectly tolerates drought and frost. Growing in a sunny area, phlox reaches its maximum decorative effect.
Reviews
Evgenia Petrova, 50 years old, Astrakhan
