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Perennial phlox, which comes in many varieties and colors, wonderfully decorates a garden plot. However, it is not recommended to grow them in one place for a long time, since they gradually lose their decorative properties. In this case, transplanting the phlox to another location helps. In addition, flowers may need a change of site for various reasons.
Goals and objectives of phlox transplantation
It has been noticed that when constantly grown in the same place, some perennials, including phlox, gradually begin to feel worse and worse. Their growth slows down, flowering occurs with a delay, and the buds themselves lose their bright colors and become more and more faded and inconspicuous.This is due to the fact that the soil is gradually depleted, harmful substances and pathogens accumulate in it, negatively affecting the health of plants. However, if you change the planting location, the decorative quality of the flowers is quickly restored.
Periodically, phloxes need to be transplanted to a new place.
There are other reasons why you have to transplant phloxes to another place in the fall or spring. Here are some of them:
- The need to free up space in the garden. The area where phlox grows is required for planting other plants, laying communications, and construction.
- Various weather disasters, as a result of which the area with flowers may, for example, be flooded.
- Selling a garden or house, moving to a new place, but the old owner wants to keep the flowers.
- As a result of construction or other work near the site, the conditions for phlox became unsuitable (the place was in the shade, the groundwater level rose too much, etc.).
- Threat of pests or disease.
After how many years should phlox be replanted?
It is believed that phlox can grow in one place for up to 10 years. However, this is the deadline during which the flowers completely degenerate. Flower growers prefer to replant them in a new place every 5-6 years; there are also recommendations to do this once every 4 years. You need to navigate this issue based on the state of the flowers. If the soil is fertile enough and well suited for phlox, then the interval between replantings can be slightly increased.
When to replant perennial phlox
It is best to transplant perennials while they are dormant, before the growing season begins and after it ends.In this case, the plant will escape with minimal stress and quickly recover in a new location. There is no need to touch phloxes during the growing season. Even if a transplant made during this period is successful, the adaptation of plants in a new place may take a long time, and the risk of their death increases many times over.
When is it better to replant phloxes: in spring or autumn?
Gardeners have no consensus on when phlox should be replanted, in autumn or spring. This is due to the fact that different regions have their own climatic characteristics. For example, in areas with an early onset of winter, it is better to replant in the spring, since in the fall there is a high risk that the plant will not have time to take root in the new place and will die in the winter. If the climate of the region is warm enough and winter comes late, then you can transplant the phlox to another place in the fall.
If necessary, phloxes can be replanted even in summer
When is the best time to replant phlox in spring?
When transplanting phlox in the spring, gardeners usually focus not on the calendar date, but on the timing of the arrival of real spring. Work should begin when the ground has completely thawed, but the plant has not yet begun its growing season. In central Russia, this time usually falls in the second half of April, and sometimes at the beginning of May.
Is it possible to replant phlox in the summer?
Transplanting flowers in summer is most often a necessary measure, so under normal circumstances it is better to try to avoid it. If there is no alternative, then the plants must be replanted subject to the following requirements:
- Transplantation is carried out only with a large lump of earth on the roots.
- You cannot divide the bush at this time.
- All work is carried out only in cloudy weather in the evening.
- The bush is not pruned.
Practice shows that even if all these conditions are met, the risk of flower death after summer transplantation remains high. Therefore, at first the plants need high-quality care.
When to replant phlox in the fall
The optimal time for transplanting phlox to another place in the fall is the beginning of September or even the end of August. In this case, the plants have enough time to take root well in the new place, adapt to the conditions and prepare for wintering. If the work is carried out later, the risk of failure increases significantly, so replanting phloxes in October is possible only in the southern regions.
When to replant phloxes in the Moscow region
The Moscow region does not have a stable climate. Spring comes here quite late, the snow cover lasts a long time and completely disappears at the end of April, and sometimes at the beginning of May. It is at this time that it is recommended to replant phloxes. If time is lost, then you can do this in the last days of August or at the beginning of September. The early arrival of winter happens quite rarely in the Moscow region, so plants have enough time to get comfortable in a new place and prepare for winter.
When are phloxes transplanted in Siberia?
The early arrival of winter makes it impossible to transplant phlox in autumn in Siberia. Frosts in some areas of this region can begin as early as September, so all work is carried out in the spring, after the ground has thawed and the threat of return frosts has passed.
Do I need to trim phloxes when replanting?
Phlox pruning is carried out annually, regardless of transplantation.This procedure has a positive effect on the health of the plant, rids it of old and dry shoots, and promotes the formation of young strong shoots. Pruning is carried out after the end of flowering, at the end of August or beginning of September, i.e. at the same time as the autumn transplant. Therefore, these works are often combined.
Before transplanting, phloxes are trimmed
The absence of green mass allows the bush to direct all its forces to the growth of the root system.
How to transplant phlox correctly
To transplant phlox correctly, you need not only to choose the right time, but also to carry out preparatory work, perform the transplant itself efficiently and accurately, and provide the plant with the necessary care after the work.
Site selection and soil preparation
Phlox love sunlight, so the area for planting them should be well lit. In the shade, the plants become very elongated, and the flowers lose their brightness and richness. It is desirable that the sunlight is not direct, diffused, so it is better to plant them not in open areas, but next to a fence, the wall of a building or structure. This will additionally protect them from the cold wind. At the same time, proximity to large trees and shrubs is undesirable, since moisture-loving phlox next to them will constantly lack water.
Phloxes feel great near a fence or against the wall of a house.
The soil for these flowers needs to be loose and fertile, with a high content of peat and sand, and its acidity should be close to neutral. If the soil is too acidic, then dolomite flour, chalk or lime must be added to it.
The site for future planting must be cleared of weeds in advance and dug up, adding granular mineral fertilizer or organic matter, for example, rotted manure or humus. If replanting is carried out in the spring, then it is better to add nitrogen-containing fertilizer to the soil: urea, nitrophoska, ammonium nitrate. When replanting in autumn, nitrogen fertilizers are not applied, so as not to provoke the growth of shoots; it will be enough to add a little phosphorus and potassium mineral complexes to the soil. It is also useful to use wood ash to improve soil characteristics, adding it at the rate of 1 cup per 1 square meter. m. landing area.
It is better to dig up the area for planting phlox in advance.
You can immediately prepare planting pits for transplanted bushes; their depth should be at least 0.3 m. A distance of at least 0.5 m should be left between adjacent flowers, and if the variety is tall, then the interval can be increased to 0.6 m.
How to dig and prepare bushes
Before removing the phlox bush, the soil under it must be watered abundantly. This will help keep the earth ball on the roots of the plant. It is best to dig up a bush with a pitchfork, as this is less likely to damage the numerous horizontal roots of the plant. If you use a shovel, then it is advisable to make the earthen ball a little larger. The plant is gradually dug in a circle and then carefully pulled out of the ground.
Algorithm for transplanting perennial phlox
The extracted flower is inspected, the roots are shortened to 15-20 cm.If the bush is mature enough and branched, then it can be divided into several parts, each of which should contain 4-5 shoots with its own root system.
Roots that are too long need to be trimmed
The resulting cuttings are immediately planted in planting holes, which should be spilled with water in advance. The bush is placed in the center and gradually filled up, while deepening the root collar by about 5 cm. After the hole is completely filled, the root zone is compacted, watered abundantly and mulched to maintain moisture in the soil.
Caring for phlox after transplantation
After transplanting, phlox requires regular watering. This needs to be monitored and the root zone not allowed to dry out. If there is sufficient rainfall, the frequency of watering should be reduced, and if necessary, artificial soil moisture can be completely abandoned. Excess water will not benefit the flowers. Mulch the root zone with rotted manure with straw, peat and humus. Gradually decomposing, such mulch perfectly enriches the soil with nutrients.
After transplantation, phlox requires regular watering.
You should constantly pay attention to the condition of the bush as a whole. If any of the shoots withers, it must be cut out immediately so that it does not become a source of disease or a breeding ground for insect pests. Further care of the transplanted phloxes is carried out as planned, depending on the time of year.
Conclusion
Transplanting phlox to another place is a simple procedure; it does not require special training or special knowledge. You just need to know the general rules for carrying out work, comply with deadlines and follow the recommendations.If everything is done correctly, the phlox will tolerate replanting without any problems and will delight the gardener with abundant flowering for a long time.
