Well, share it! How to propagate phlox correctly. Various propagation of phlox by cuttings

Seed propagation of phlox is used only for selection, and to preserve the characteristics of the variety it is better to use vegetative methods: dividing the bush, growth shoots, stem, leaf and root cuttings.

Dividing the bush. It is best to start dividing the bush in spring or early autumn at the beginning or end of the growing season. If you still need to divide the bush in the summer, try to do it in cloudy weather. Having chosen a bush, dig it up, carefully shake off the soil, and clean the root collars from it. Place the plant on an earthen mound and very carefully separate the root collars from each other with your hands, then disassemble the roots going to each stem. If the bush you come across is very old, with a lignified underground part, use a knife or a sharpened shovel. Each separated part must have eyes or shoot buds and not a large number of roots. To prevent the roots from drying out, dip them in liquid clay mash or sprinkle with damp soil before planting.

Reproduction stem cuttings. This is a fairly simple method, accessible even to novice gardeners. You can cut the phlox stem into pieces so that on each of them there are two leaf nodes and well-developed leaves. These pieces of stem will become cuttings. Sometimes, to obtain cuttings, spring growth shoots that have not yet had time to develop leaves are used. Leaf cuttings of phlox can also be used for propagation. From the end of May to the second half of July or in August-September, it is best to use cuttings with developed leaves. If you decide to start propagation in May-June, you can use the entire stem of your choice, which should be well developed. In July, when the stems below are already woody, use only the upper part of the stem (about two-thirds of its length). Cut the selected stem with a sharp knife so that each part has two leaf nodes. The lower cut should be located immediately below the lower node and the upper one should be 5-10 mm above the upper node. Shorten the top two leaves on the stem by half, and cut off the bottom two completely.

Before planting the prepared cuttings, equip the beds by laying on them a mixture consisting of leaf humus, garden soil and sand (1: 1: 1). The thickness of the layer of this soil should be at least 10 cm. Water the beds well and, after the soil will settle, cover it with a 1.5-2 cm layer of sand on top. Now you can plant the cuttings, making sure that their lower part (cut) does not come into contact with fertile soil. After inserting the cutting into the sand layer, lightly compact the sand with your fingers around the stem. Plant cuttings in rows so that the distance between them is 8-10 cm, and between cuttings - 5-6 cm.

Water the bed with the planted cuttings with a sprayer, shade it or cover it with film on the frame. When the first green shoots appear and the cuttings acquire roots, you can remove the shading.

In July-August, you will need to transplant the rooted cuttings to another area so that they feel more spacious, that is, at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. Make the soil composition in this bed the same as in the first one. Leave the grown phlox here to overwinter, and here they will grow for another summer. Only in the spring of the third year can plants be planted permanent place.

If you decide to propagate by cuttings in July-September, plant the cuttings in cold greenhouses for rooting. The technology of work will remain the same as the June cuttings. But, in order for a good root system to form, a growth stimulator (heteroauxin) should be used in a proportion of 50-100 mg per 1 liter of water. Tie the cuttings with their lower ends into a bundle and immerse them in the solution for 8-12 hours. If you add talc or crushed charcoal to the solution, you get a paste into which the lower ends of the cuttings are dipped. The paste sticks better to cuttings and lasts longer.

In cold greenhouses, cover the cuttings for the winter with dry leaves, shavings or clean straw in a 10 cm layer. Also cover the greenhouses with glazed frames or film. In the middle - end of April, remove the frames from the greenhouses, and when warm weather finally sets in, you can also remove the insulating layer of leaves.

If desired, you can even take cuttings from purchased flowering branches in a bouquet. In this case, the cuttings will be lateral shoots from axillary buds that form on the stem in July. Break off these side shoots along with the heel and root them in open ground in July, and in cold greenhouses in August-September using the described technology.

In June-July phlox propagated by leaf cuttings. From the middle part of the stem, cut a shield 8-10 mm long and plant it in a box filled with fertile soil, which is covered with a 2 cm thick layer of sand. The distance between the shields should be 10 cm. After planting, spray them warm water and cover the box with glass, thus creating a microgreenhouse, the temperature in which will be about 25-28 ° C. Do not forget to constantly moisten the plantings, and then in two to three weeks roots will appear on the shields, and by the beginning of autumn stems will begin to form. From now on, start opening greenhouses. For the winter, move the box to a cold greenhouse, and when the ground is completely frozen, cover it with glass frames or film. Add insulating material (leaves, shavings, straw) on top; you can plant plants in the open ground in the spring, when the ground has warmed up.

In April, phlox can be propagated by spring growing shoots. When the leaves have not yet had time to develop and are scales covering the sprouts, when thinning the center of the bushes or dividing them, shoots that have reached 5-6 cm, select and plant a greenhouse located in an open sunny place for rooting. The greenhouse should be filled with a mixture of the same composition as for green cuttings. Be sure to sprinkle sand on top. When planting, press the sand firmly against the shoots (this can be done with your fingers or a stake). After completing planting, cover the greenhouse with film, and if cold weather and insulate it at night with improvised means. Rooted shoots can be planted in open ground in the second half of May - early June. If you do everything right, your phlox will bloom the same year.

An even simpler way is as follows. For propagation, bushes are taken from the age of three. In September, a phlox bush is cut out of the soil at a distance of about 10 cm from its base and no more than 8 - 10 cm in depth. The removed bush is divided in the usual way and planted in a new place. The hole from under the removed bush is filled with ordinary fertile soil. In the spring of the following year, the place where the cut bush was located , covered with dense shoots. In August, the shoots are dug up, separated and planted in a school. Some of the shoots (40%) form inflorescences, which are removed. Planting material becomes full by the fall of next year.

Phlox propagation root cuttings is rare. This is a rather labor-intensive method. However, it can be recommended for getting rid of pests - stem nematodes. Late autumn or in early spring, the plants must be dug up and the thickest roots must be selected, cut into pieces and placed in boxes filled with the same mixture that was used for the stem cuttings. When you place the cuttings, make sure that the thick end of the root is located above the thin end. Having placed the cuttings in boxes, cover them with a layer of sand 4-5 cm thick.

For the winter, after autumn cuttings, the boxes should be placed in a dark basement and the soil moisture monitored. The air temperature in the room should be 2-3° C. In February-March, take the boxes with cuttings into a heated room, cover them from light with dark material and begin to gradually increase the air temperature day by day. When the sprouts hatch, they need to be gradually accustomed to light, and in May you can plant the cuttings in open ground. Next spring they can be planted in a permanent place.

It is easier to propagate phlox by root cuttings in the spring, because this eliminates the need for keeping them in the basement. The cuttings should be planted in boxes filled with soil mixture, protected from light and kept at a temperature of 10-15° C. After two weeks, the temperature should be increased to 18-25° C. As soon as the sprouts appear, the cover should be removed to accustom the plants to light , and then planted for growing.

As we already said, Phlox can also be propagated by seeds, but they do this only in cases where there is no desire to preserve the variety with the qualities fixed in it. Under good weather conditions, phlox produces seeds in abundance, which often, especially in early varieties, ripen on the bushes. The readiness of the seeds is indicated by the browning of the capsules and the beginning of withering of the leaves. In late-flowering varieties, the seeds reach waxy ripeness in October. To obtain mature seeds, cut the stems, tie them into bunches and hang them on a cold veranda. If the room is very dry, the boxes begin to crack, the seeds scatter, and they can be lost. Then the inflorescences are placed in gauze bags. As they ripen, the browned boxes can be collected from the bushes into paper bags and brought into the room. In a paper bag, the boxes dry out and burst with a characteristic crack. Phlox seeds quickly lose their viability, especially in a dry and warm room. It is best to clean the seeds immediately before sowing. P.G. Gaganov advised mixing the peeled seeds with sand and storing them in a cool room in this form before sowing. The highest germination rate (up to 80 - 90%) is achieved by seeds when sown immediately after harvesting - in late November - early December. You can sow in winter - in January-February, on a bed prepared in the fall. After this, snow is removed from the bed, seeds are rarely scattered on its frozen surface, at a distance of 3-4 cm. Then they are covered with a layer of sifted earth, prepared in advance, or sand 1 - 1.5 cm thick and snow. When sowing in winter, seed germination will be 70%.

For better germination, phlox seeds need freezing. The closer to spring sowing is done, the less germination of the seeds. Starting in March, their germination rate drops sharply, and when sown in April without freezing, the seeds practically no longer germinate.

In early spring, often already on melting snow, shoots appear. Seedlings at the stage of two pairs of true leaves dive onto a well-prepared bed with fertile soil at a distance of about 20 cm. After a week, they are fed with a solution of mullein (1:20) or saltpeter (15 g per bucket). Caring for seedlings consists of systematic watering, fertilizing, weeding, and loosening the soil surface. The composition of the fertilizer is the same as for adult plants, only the concentration is 2 times less. You can also carry out foliar feeding with urea and Kemira-Lux. Be sure to ensure that young plants are not attacked by slugs. In order to prevent disease of seedlings fungal diseases plantings are sprayed with a 0.5% solution of Bordeaux mixture. The seedlings grow very quickly, and by autumn 40% of them bloom, especially early and early middle varieties, the rest will bloom next year. The plants you like are selected. In any case, plants obtained by seed will be the most resistant and hardy in climatic zones with cold, harsh climates compared to foreign varieties or varieties bred in more southern regions. Of the seedlings of 70 varieties tested in Tomsk, Barnaul and Novosibirsk, “Biya”, obtained from sowing seeds in Biysk, had the greatest winter hardiness, and the remaining varieties were distributed according to winter hardiness as follows. The first 25 places were occupied by varieties of local selection and breeders of the Non-Black Earth strip - P.G. Gaganova, M.I. Groshikova, ML. Nagibina, B.V. Kvasnikova, M.P. Bedinghouse, M.F. Sharonova and others, and then on this list appeared varieties of foreign selection from among those that were brought to Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. and managed to acclimatize well ("Rayonant", "Viking", "Frau Paulina Schollhammer", "Elizabeth Campbell", "King", "Wintermerchen", "Vidar", "Feuerspiegel", etc.).
Timoshin I. “Flowers in your garden” - St. Petersburg: “Paritet”, 1999
Konstantinova E. "Phloxes" - M.: "Fiton +" - 2002

– beautiful perennial flowers with variety, the bushes of which can transform any area. There are two main ways of propagating them: using seeds and vegetatively. The first method is most often used by breeders when they want to breed new variety by crossing existing ones. Vegetation methods are used when, on the contrary, they want to preserve the characteristics of a variety. In addition, this method is quite simple, and even a novice gardener can cope with it.

Most often propagation by cuttings is used for phlox. How to cut phlox?

How to propagate phlox from stem cuttings?

The optimal time for this is the end of spring - the beginning of summer, while the shoots have not yet become woody. To ensure that the leaves do not have time to wither, the entire cutting process should be carried out at one time, avoiding even the slightest interruption.

The first thing to do is to prepare the cuttings directly. To do this, a shoot with already sufficiently developed leaves must be divided into parts so that there are two nodes on each segment. The cuts should be positioned like this: the bottom one is directly under the bottom node, and the top one is at a distance of approximately 5 mm from the top node. The lower leaves should be cut off completely, the upper leaves should be shortened by half.

Before planting ready-made cuttings for rooting, you should prepare the soil. To do this, mix equal parts of soil from the garden, humus and sand and lay it on the ground in a layer of at least 10 cm. Approximately 2 cm on top, pour a layer of wet sand. Next, we plant the prepared sections of the stem. We stick them into the sand layer, making sure that the lower end does not touch the soil. The distance between the cuttings should be 5-6 cm. They should be arranged in the form of transverse beds, at a distance of 8-10 cm from each other.

After planting, the cuttings should be slightly shaded or covered with a film stretched over the frame. You need to water the garden bed twice a day with warm water. After a couple of weeks, when the stems take root and green young shoots appear on top, the shading or film should be removed.

In July-August, rooted and well-grown cuttings will need to be planted in another area. You need to prepare it in the same way, and then plant the young plants so that the distance between them is at least 20 cm. They should be left in this place for the winter, and with the onset of spring, transplanted to a permanent place.

Cutting phlox in summer using leaf cuttings

This method is used in July-August. For propagation, a scutum with an axillary bud and a leaf is cut from the middle of a well-developed stem; its length should be 8-10 mm. A similar effect can be achieved if you divide a stem shoot 2 cm long into two parts.

The prepared shields are planted in boxes. The soil in them should be the same as for stem cuttings with a mandatory layer of sand on top. They should be planted so that the bud goes about 1 cm deep and the shield is positioned vertically. If the leaf on the cutting is too large, it should be cut by a third.

After planting, the leaf cuttings should be watered with warm water from a sprayer and covered with glass. Boxes must be placed in warm room at a temperature of 25-28⁰С and do not allow the sand layer to dry out. After 2-3 weeks, the first roots form, and by autumn a young plant with one stem grows. In spring they can already be planted on the ground.

Perennial phlox, propagated by root cuttings

This method is more labor-intensive than the previous ones, therefore it is not particularly popular and is used when it is necessary to get rid of pests, for example, root nematodes. Old thick roots are used as cuttings, which are divided into pieces.

Phlox can be propagated by roots in late August - early September METHODS OF REPRODUCTION OF PHLOX The British recommend using phlox propagation by roots in cases, for example, when you need to get rid of dangerous pest– stem nematodes. They dig up bushes in the spring, at a time when overwintered nematodes emerge into the stems. In addition, this method can help save a plant if its above-ground part is severely damaged or even “magically” restore a stolen bush. METHOD 1: Dividing the bush Phlox bushes can be divided both in spring (until mid-May) and autumn (late August - early September). It is more convenient to do this in the spring: even small pieces of rhizomes and shoots that have broken off take root by autumn and produce full-fledged plants.

The best results are obtained by dividing bushes at the age of 3–5 years.

pros: it's simple! In addition, large cuttings are guaranteed to take root and bloom in the same year.

Minuses: amount received planting material may turn out to be small. In addition, divided phloxes bloom later than the others.

What we do: We dig up the phlox, shake off or wash off excess soil from the roots. We stick a sharp scoop or a long knife into the middle of the bush and use it to separate parts with 2-4 young rosettes (1). We throw away the old rhizomes from the center of the bush and plant cuttings (2).

Cuttings

Reproduction by growing shoots is practiced in May - early June. Young stems up to 12–15 cm high are suitable.

pros: we get a large amount of planting material and well-developed plants, with which there will be no problems during wintering.

Minuses: cuttings must be taken quickly, and on the “hottest” days for the gardener. In addition, if you take a large number of cuttings, the phlox bush will be weakened.

What we do:

Lightly rake the soil from the phlox bush and break out young strong shoots “with a heel” (preferably from the central part of the bush) (3). We take no more than 40% of shoots from an adult bush.

We wash the cuttings in a pink solution of potassium permanganate and plant them in beds according to the pattern 12–15 × 15 cm. Approximate composition of the soil substrate: 1 part garden soil, 1 part medium peat and 1 part coarse sand. To create an optimal microclimate, cover each cutting with a 1.5-2‑liter plastic bottle with the bottom cut off and without a lid (4). We water and weed regularly. Until mid-summer, you can feed the plants 1-2 times with mullein infusion or liquid nitrogen fertilizers (in half the dose). We transplant young phloxes to a permanent place next spring.

Vertical layers

Another successful one spring way reproduction., we get a lot of planting material at once with a minimum of labor costs.

But For this method, planting phlox should be quite sparse. In addition, in hot summers it is difficult to maintain constant moisture in the spud.

What we do:

We fill (hill) the phlox bush with fertile soil in a layer of at least 10 cm (5). Keep the soil moist. After some time, roots begin to appear on the covered part of the stems (6). In August, when they have developed well, we carefully remove the cuttings from the ground, cut them off from the base of the bush and plant them in the ground (7).

Phlox is a very rewarding crop, and there are quite a few options for their propagation: at any time of the season you can choose the method that is suitable for you.

Flower mathematics

The easiest way is to divide the phlox bushes. This can be done both in spring and autumn. The only “but” - best results gives division of bushes at the age of 3–5 years.

If you are going to do this now, you will have to hurry: the optimal period of division is from the second half of August to the beginning of September. At this time, renewal buds have already been formed on the rhizomes, so the divisions take root well.

Next year we get a flowering plant.

You must have your own mature bush.

How it's done

Dig up the bush and shake off excess soil from the roots. You can also wash it off with a hose. Shorten the stems, leaving 1/2–2/3 of the height. Beginning

A node is the place on the phlox stem from which a pair of leaves emerge and where the axillary buds are located. An internode is the part of a stem between two nodes.

Start dividing from the middle of the bush: stick a strong, sharp scoop into it and, carefully moving it, divide the bush into parts. Each should have 2–4 stems with well-developed renewal buds. You can additionally use a knife. Do not divide too finely - such plants winter worse. Immediately drop them off at school or in a permanent place.

The best time for spring division is late April - early May. At this time, even small broken off pieces of rhizomes or young shoots easily take root and produce full-fledged plants. True, bushes separated in spring bloom later than others. In summer, phloxes are divided only if absolutely necessary. In this case, it is better to cut off only part of the main bush with a shovel. The divisions should be large, and subsequent care for them should be as thorough as possible.

Propagation by stem cuttings

This method of cutting phlox is perhaps the most accessible even for novice gardeners. True, the optimal time for it is considered to be the period of rapid growth of shoots before the appearance of buds - May - end of June. But you can cut phlox at the moment flowering begins, and even later if you have an unheated greenhouse where you can keep the cuttings until rooting.

Maximum reproduction rate: from one bush you can get hundreds of young plants.

High labor costs, risk of loss of seedlings harsh winter and because of mice.

Try to choose a cloudy, cool day. For propagation, use the upper non-lignified part of strong, well-developed shoots taken from healthy plants. Cut the shoots into cuttings with 2 nodes: the upper cut is made 0.5 cm above the node, the lower cut is made immediately below the node, at an angle of 45°. Leaves bottom node remove, shorten the top one by half. When cutting at a later stage, it is better to plant the cuttings in seedling boxes, in spring and summer - in ridges. The soil should be loose, fertile, with good moisture holding capacity. The approximate composition is good garden (turf) soil, neutralized peat and coarse sand in a ratio of 1:1:1. You can use pressed peat tablets.

Moisten the substrate and stick the cuttings into it, deepening them to the top node. The distance when planting in boxes or greenhouses is 5–6 cm between cuttings in a row and 10–12 cm between rows, when planting in the ground - a little less often.

Move the boxes to a greenhouse or build a greenhouse for them. Shade the plantings from the sun and water 2-3 times a day for 3 weeks. After approximately 2–3 weeks, the cuttings will produce roots and young shoots in the leaf axils. In the fall, bury the boxes with rooted cuttings in the garden and carefully cover them for the winter with dry leaves and film or covering material in 2-3 layers (especially if planting was late). Take care to protect yourself from mice.

To make cuttings take root faster, be sure to use preparations that stimulate root formation. This will give young plants the opportunity to properly form before frost and overwinter normally.

Reproduction by axillary shoots

This method of propagation is good for the second half of summer, when phlox stems begin to grow from the leaf axils. side shoots. Optimal time– from July to the first ten days of August.

You can get a lot of planting material without damaging the main bush.

Quite a late cutting period: the plants are ready for planting in a permanent place in about a year. Possible losses in winter.

How it's done

Carefully break off the side shoots with the “heel”. Plant cuttings with 2–3 nodes as a whole, after removing the lower leaves and trimming the upper ones. If the cuttings are longer, pinch the tops, leaving 1-2 internodes. Plant in prepared beds or boxes and care for them in the same way as for stem cuttings. Cover the plantings for the winter.

On a note

In spring, phlox shoots up to 12–15 cm long, broken off with a “heel”, growing from the ground, can be successfully used as cuttings.

"From scratch"

Experienced phlox growers know that young shoots often appear in place of a dug out or frozen phlox bush. This happens because phloxes are able to form renewal buds on thick, but not yet lignified roots. This property served as the basis for another original version reproduction.

The method gives the best results in September, when the roots contain maximum amount nutrients, or in early spring. The selected phlox bush (at least 3 years old, but not too large) is dug into a ditch at a distance of about 6–8 cm from the outer stems, the roots are cut with a sharp tool at a depth of about 8 cm and the bush is removed from the ground. In the future, it can be transplanted or divided as usual. The resulting hole is filled with fertile soil and the area is generously mulched on top with organic materials (peat, compost, etc.). In the spring of next year, young shoots of phlox appear in this place in abundance. Until mid-summer, the shoots must be fed with mullein infusion (1:15) or complex fertilizers to accelerate its growth and development. In August, young plants are dug up and planted in a school for growing, and in the middle of next year they are transplanted to a permanent place.

Aug 17, 2016 Galinka

Fortunately, phlox is a very rewarding crop, and there are quite a few options for propagating them: at any point in the season, you can choose the method that is suitable for you.

Flower mathematics

The easiest way is to divide the phlox bushes. This can be done both in spring and autumn. The only “but” is that the best results are obtained by dividing bushes at the age of 3-5 years.

Next year we get a flowering plant.

You must have your own mature bush.

Photo: Natalya Zarucheyskaya

How it's done

Dig up the bush and shake off excess soil from the roots. You can also wash it off with a hose. Shorten the stems, leaving 1/2-2/3 of the height. Beginning

A node is the place on the phlox stem from which a pair of leaves emerge and where the axillary buds are located. An internode is the part of a stem between two nodes.

Start the division from the middle of the bush: stick a strong

sharp scoop and, carefully moving it, divide the bush into parts. Each should have 2-4 stems with well-developed renewal buds. You can additionally use a knife. Do not divide too finely - such plants overwinter worse. Immediately drop them off at school or in a permanent place.

Whole from a piece

It is, of course, convenient to propagate the variety you like by dividing the bush, but only if this very mature bush is available. If the phlox is too small or, worse, only a neighbor has it or is even a gifted bouquet, then the only possible solution cuttings become.

On a note

Propagation by stem cuttings

Maximum reproduction rate: from one bush you can get hundreds of young plants.

High labor costs, risk of losing seedlings in harsh winters and due to mice.

Photo: Natalya Zarucheyskaya

How it's done

When cutting at a later date, it is better to plant the cuttings in seedling boxes, in spring and summer - in ridges. The soil should be loose, fertile, with good moisture holding capacity. The approximate composition is good garden (turf) soil, neutralized peat and coarse sand in a ratio of 1:1:1. You can use pressed peat tablets.

Moisten the substrate and insert the cuttings into it, deepening them to the top node. The distance when planting in boxes or greenhouses is 5-6 cm between cuttings in a row and 10-12 cm between rows, when planting in the ground - a little less often.

Move the boxes to a greenhouse or build a greenhouse for them. Shade the plantings from the sun and water 2-3 times a day for 3 weeks. After approximately 2-3 weeks, the cuttings will produce roots and young shoots in the leaf axils. In the fall, bury the boxes with rooted cuttings in the garden and carefully cover them for the winter with dry leaves and film or covering material in 2-3 layers (especially if the plantings were late). Take care to protect yourself from mice.

To make cuttings take root faster, be sure to use preparations that stimulate root formation. This will give young plants the opportunity to properly form before frost and overwinter normally.

Reproduction by axillary shoots

This method of propagation is good for the second half of summer, when side shoots begin to grow on the stems of phlox from the axils of the leaves. The optimal period is from July to the first ten days of August.

You can get a lot of planting material without damaging the main bush.

Quite a late cutting period: the plants are ready for planting in a permanent place in about a year. Possible losses in winter.

Photo: Natalya Zarucheyskaya

How it's done

Carefully break off the side shoots with the “heel”. Plant cuttings with 2-3 nodes whole, after removing the lower leaves and trimming the top ones. If the cuttings are longer, pinch the tops, leaving 1-2 internodes. Plant in prepared beds or boxes and care for them in the same way as for stem cuttings. Cover the plantings for the winter.

On a note

In spring, phlox shoots up to 12–15 cm long, broken off with a “heel”, growing from the ground, can be successfully used as cuttings.

"From scratch"

The method gives the best results in September, when the maximum amount of nutrients is stored in the roots, or in early spring. The selected phlox bush (at least 3 years old, but not too large) is dug into a ditch at a distance of about 6-8 cm from the outer stems, the roots are cut with a sharp tool at a depth of about 8 cm and the bush is removed from the ground. In the future, it can be transplanted or divided as usual. The resulting hole is filled with fertile soil and the area is generously mulched on top with organic materials (peat, compost, etc.). In the spring of next year, young shoots of phlox appear in this place in abundance. Until mid-summer, the shoots must be fed with mullein infusion (1:15) or complex fertilizers to accelerate its growth and development. In August, young plants are dug up and planted in a school for growing, and in the middle of next year they are transplanted to a permanent place.

The British recommend propagating phlox by roots in exceptional cases, for example, when you need to get rid of a dangerous pest - the stem nematode. They dig up bushes in the spring, at a time when overwintered nematodes emerge into the stems. In addition, this method can help save a plant if its above-ground part is severely damaged, or even “magically” restore a stolen bush.

Phlox is a flower familiar to us since childhood. It undoubtedly remains one of the most popular flowers on the market for many years. personal plots and dachas. Now many new varieties have been developed, which, of course, everyone wants to have. We want to propagate the variety we like, but we don’t know how. Cutting phlox is actually easy.

These flowers have no equal, they are easy to care for, have a pleasant aroma, a huge variety of colors and can transform any area. We will talk about phlox cuttings in this article.

Advantages of vegetative propagation

All the variety of types and varieties perennial phlox can be propagated:

Dividing the bush;
Leaf cuttings;
Stem cuttings;
Using seeds.

Dividing a bush is counterproductive: the bush must first become large enough to be divided. But all the same, it will only be divided into several bushes, and at the same time we will be forced to wait until the bush grows again, and we will only get a few new plants.

Seed propagation most often does not preserve the varietal characteristics of this beautiful plant; it is used by breeders when creating new varieties.

Cutting phlox has a number of advantages:

From a few branches we can get many plants;
The decorative quality of the mother bush is not reduced;
This method is used when they want to preserve the characteristics of a variety;
Cuttings are easy for a novice gardener to handle.

There are many cutting methods, and experienced gardener, and the beginner eventually chooses the one that suits them best. Everyone has their own techniques, which differ only in details.

These differences may include, for example:

In the timing of phlox cuttings;
The size of the cuttings used and the methods of cutting them;
In the use of improvised means;
In the use of vegetative parts of the plant used for cuttings.

Propagation by stem cuttings

The simplest and affordable way reproduction. The best time for it is the time of active growing season, before the start of budding - the months of May-June.

If we plant phlox cuttings directly into the ground, we will first prepare the soil. Let's dig the ground to a depth of 18-20 cm, remove all the roots of the weeds and pebbles, if necessary, add humus, peat and sand. Carefully level the ground and water it so that it settles a little.

We take cuttings only from healthy phlox bushes. Well-developed green stems are suitable for this.

We cut the shoot so that each part has at least two internodes. We make the lower cut oblique, immediately under the sheet, the upper cut is straight, retreating approximately half a centimeter from the top sheet. The lower leaves need to be cut off completely, the upper leaves only by half.

If you have taken cuttings from plants growing on your site, you need to plant them as quickly as possible. But it happens that we got them from friends, and some time passed until they ended up at your dacha. Or they gave us a bouquet of beautiful phloxes that we wouldn’t mind seeing on our site. In this case, soak the cuttings for 30 minutes before planting in any growth stimulant, for example, heteroauxin.

Cuttings should be planted either directly into the ground or into seedling boxes filled with a light nutrient substrate, covered with a 2-3 cm layer of sand. We make holes in the soil using a peg and plant the cuttings, deepening them to the second internode. The distance between cuttings is about 4-5 cm, between rows - about 10.

Over the next 3 weeks, caring for the cuttings is as follows:

Every day we water the cuttings several times with warm water from a watering can;
We shade them from the midday sun;
If the cuttings are covered or are in a greenhouse, ventilate them daily.

Cuttings have taken root if new shoots form in the leaf axils. Until the end of summer, the rooted cuttings are watered with slurry several times. When the heat subsides, early summer phlox cuttings are planted in a schoolyard according to the 15x15 or 20x20 pattern. A year later, well-rooted bushes are planted in a permanent place.

If phloxes are cut into boxes, they are put away in greenhouses or cold frames for the winter. Late summer and autumn cuttings can take place in the same way, you just need to make sure that the cuttings are not lignified.

To increase the survival rate of cuttings, use any root formation stimulator, for example heteroauxin.

Further care for young plants:

Regular watering;
Loosening the soil;
Feeding;
Weeding;
Shading from bright sun.

Propagation by leaf cuttings

Leaf cuttings are taken from the middle of a healthy and well-developed stem. The leaf should be 8-10 cm long; it is taken together with the scutellum and axillary bud.

This cutting method is best done in boxes with soil, covered with a 2-3 cm layer of sand. The shield with the leaf is immersed in the sand so that the lower part does not touch the ground, and the leaf stands obliquely to the surface; it is cut off by a third.

After planting, the cuttings are watered with warm water, covered with film or glass, and kept in a warm room. The sand layer should not dry out. By autumn, a young phlox with one stem will grow; it is transplanted into a school before being planted in a permanent place.

Propagation by root cuttings

This is the most complex and time-consuming method vegetative propagation Phlox. Therefore, it is not particularly popular, but is used when it is necessary to save a variety when the aerial part is severely damaged.

For cuttings, old thick roots are used, cut into pieces of 5-6 cm, containing at least one growth bud, and planted in boxes with soil, covered with a 4-5 cm layer of sand.

If we divide the roots in the fall, in winter they are kept in a warm basement, periodically moistened. In February-March, they are taken into a heated room, gradually accustoming them to light and gradually increasing the temperature. Next spring they are planted in a permanent place.

It is better to propagate by root cuttings in the spring.

Caring for leaf and root cuttings is similar to caring for stem cuttings.

Phloxes are a favorite summer garden. It is not difficult to replenish their assortment; as you have seen, their reproduction is not burdensome and exciting.