Oh, the beautiful phlox, one of my favourite cut flowers. Phlox produces many small flowers. Common colours are white, beige, and light pink. I have tried growing two different varieties in the summer of 2022: Phlox ‘Creme Brulee’ and phlox ‘Blushing Bride’. Both were beautiful, and I will definitely grow them again next summer.
Phlox is an annual cut flower. It can be directly sown or pre-cultivated. I pre-cultivated phlox from seeds in May. In pre-cultivation, you need additional light, and a grow light is good for this purpose, so the seedlings do not become too long and weak.
The seeds of phlox were easy to germinate. I think phlox is well suited to complement larger cut flowers in bouquets. Phlox is very easy to care for, as long as you remember to water it regularly. Phlox withstands a bit of frost, and this was also confirmed in my garden.
Phlox, Phlox drummondii
Height: 20-40 cm
Flowering time: summer-autumn
Growing location: sunny, semi-shaded
Soil: rich, nutritious, airy, well-drained
Annual
Suitable for cut flowers
Invest in good garden scissors, so pinching and gathering a bouquet goes smoothly. Fiskars’ classic orange garden scissors work well for this purpose. Even better are the smaller pruners like Fiskars Solid snip microtip pruners. Florist’s pruning shears are the best when it’s time to collect a bouquet for a vase, as they easily cut stems to the right size without damaging the cut surface unnecessarily.
Harden the seedlings before planting them outside by gradually acclimating them to light and outdoor conditions. Once the night frosts are over, plant the seedlings in their growing location. Phlox benefits from support. You can use jute twine or a plant net for support. A small planting trowel is also a good tool when it’s time to transfer the seedlings outside.
