How to Care for Flox
- 1). Clear a planting site situated in full sun to partial shade, free of weeds, grasses or other unwanted growth, before planting the phlox. Consider the particular cultivar's growth requirements when selecting the light conditions. Some cultivars prefer full sun and others grow better with some shade.
- 2). Enrich the planting site's soil with compost, manure or other organic material. Dig it into the soil to a depth of approximately 15 inches. Phlox prefers growing in moist, well-drained soils that are rich in organic materials.
- 3). Plant phlox transplants in the springtime, after frosts and freezes have left your region. Plant annual phlox cultivars in the fall in planting zones 9 through 10.
- 4). Space plants approximately 1 to 2 feet apart, depending upon the particular cultivar's mature spread. Allow enough room between plants so air circulates properly. Phlox planted too close together are prone to developing fungus, especially in warm, humid regions.
- 5). Water phlox plants daily, keeping the soil moist. Phlox is relatively drought-tolerant once established, but blooms and grows best when given regular applications of water.
- 6). Add a 2-inch layer of mulch around the plants to cut down on weed growth and help the soil retain its moisture. Add a layer of new mulch around the base of plants every spring.
- 7). Layer the soil around the phlox plants each spring with 2 inches of compost. Adding new compost to the planting site each spring keeps the soil's nutrients replenished, helping the plants thrive.
- 8). Deadhead the phlox blooms once they are spent. This promotes more blooms and helps plants fill out and become thicker. Trim frost-damaged phlox plants back to soil level so they will resprout in the springtime.
- 9). Divide tall, perennial cultivars in the springtime approximately every two to three years. This propagates new plants and keeps older plants from growing too dense. Dig up the plant and pull the root ball apart, creating one to two additional phlox plants, depending upon the size of the mother plant.
