Planted at the right time, many plants thrive better and bloom faster. But when is the ideal time to plant phlox in your garden? If you buy the phlox in a container you can hardly go wrong.
When is the best time to plant phlox?
The ideal planting time for phlox depends on the species: container plants can be planted at any time as long as there is no frost. Annual phlox should be planted after the Ice Saints in May. Root cuttings can be placed horizontally outdoors or grown in potting soil.
Container plants have a relatively large root ball and are often already in bloom. They are quite hardy and can be planted virtually any time of the year. There just shouldn't be any frost. Before the next onset of winter, however, the plant should get used to its new location and form stronger roots. It is best to plant flame flowers in small pots in spring.
You only plant annual phlox after the Ice Saints in May because it is not hardy. You can grow the young plants indoors or in a frost-free greenhouse from February/March. Sowing outdoors is also possible from April.
Planting root cuttings
If you want to propagate phlox, you can grow new plants from the roots. Dig up the phlox and cut off several root pieces. They should be nice and fleshy, not too thin, and about 5 cm long.
Plant the root pieces horizontally and not too deep in a pot with potting soil (€6.00 on Amazon) or a mixture of peat and sand. At around 12°C they will sprout quickly. In the warm season you can also plant these cuttings directly outdoors. However, the plants sprout there more slowly.
The most important things in brief:
- Plant container plants anytime
- Planting annual phlox after the ice saints
- Plant root cuttings horizontally
Tips & Tricks
You can plant container plants all year round as long as there is no frost.
