To the delight of the garden owner, the phlox naturally blooms very colorfully. But with the right care you can help it to bloom particularly lushly, extend the flowering period or even stimulate a second flowering.
What should I do if my phlox has faded?
To preserve faded phlox for as long as possible, you should cut off faded phlox as quickly as possible, fertilize regularly during the flowering period and cut back some shoots before flowering. This can extend the flowering period or encourage a second flowering.
While your phlox is blooming, you should fertilize it regularly; it needs a lot of nutrients at this time. After flowering, you can reduce the fertilizer application again. Cut off any dead flowers as soon as possible. This not only looks nicer, it is also good for the plant.
Can phlox bloom twice?
If there is enough time, Phlox can bloom twice a year. However, this requires the right climate or weather. If summer is almost over, there is hardly enough time for a second bloom. You will therefore rarely have success with late-flowering varieties of phlox.
Varieties that bloom in spring or early summer, such as the perennial meadow phlox (Phlox maculata) or the ground-covering varieties carpet phlox (Phlox subulata) and upholstery phlox (Phlox douglaasi) have the greatest chance of growing again to form buds. To do this, cut off the faded shoots of the plants. This cut encourages the phlox to produce flowers again.
You can also extend the flowering time of the late-blooming phlox. Before bud formation or before flowering, cut back some shoots to about one-third to two-thirds of their original length. While the first buds of the other shoots open, these shoots will first grow back and then bloom later.
The most important things in brief:
- Immediately cut off any faded flowers
- cut back some shoots before flowering
- fertilize regularly during the flowering period
Tips & Tricks
With clever pruning you can extend the flowering period of your phlox or encourage it to bloom a second time.
