GARDEN PHLOX Facts

COLORS

Pink, white, lavender, bicolors

LIGHT

Partial shade to full sun

SOIL

Rich, well drained

WATER

When soil becomes dry

pH

5.5 to 6.5

HARDINESS

Very cold hardy and tolerant of summer heat

TIP

Mulch over plants in winter with compost. Lift and divide plants every 3 to 5 years.

GARDEN PHLOX

The most popular member of the lovely phlox family is garden phlox, also known as summer phlox. This dependable perennial produces a rounded spike of flowers at the tip of each tall stem. Very vigorous plants will bloom continuously from early summer to frost if the old blooms are pruned off every two to three weeks. Some selections are fragrant at night and early in the morning.

Although rugged and enduring, phlox is often attacked by powdery mildew, a fungus that causes a white, mildew-like growth on the leaves. Some selections, such as David, are tolerant of mildew. You can reduce mildew problems by thinning out stems to improve air circulation through the leaves. Also remember that mildew, although unsightly, does not kill phlox. If the plants are otherwise healthy, this disease only weakens them a little bit.

FERTILIZING GARDEN PHLOX

Fertilize your phlox the first time in early spring, just after new stem tips show at the soil's surface. Phlox needs a constant supply of nutrients to make strong, steady growth. Sprinkle a Vigoro® All Purpose Plant Food fertilizer into the soil around the plants and then mulch over the area.

In midsummer, after the plants have been in flower for two to three weeks, fertilize again. Pull back the mulch, sprinkle the fertilizer onto the soil around the plants, and replace the mulch. Then water the plants thoroughly. This feeding will provide the plants with ample nutrients to support prolonged flowering.

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