Summer Phlox Seeds
The summer phlox originates from Texas, USA and arrived in Europe during the 19th century with the help of the Scottish botanist Thomas Drummond. Hence the species name "drummondii". In North America, summer phlox grows wild in many states, but of course, we recommend growing it from seed.
Summer phlox belongs to the group of annuals, meaning it is a one-year summer flower. Depending on the variety, it can grow between 10-40 cm tall and often blooms from July until September. Summer phlox comes in several different colors, both stronger and softer shades.
In southern Sweden (zone 1), it works perfectly fine to sow summer phlox directly into the soil, but in the rest of Sweden, we recommend pre-growing summer phlox indoors. Start pre-growing in March-April or count about 12-14 weeks before planting out. Planting out should be done when the risk of frost is over.
Summer phlox has seeds that need to be sown deep in the soil, about one centimeter. Try to keep the soil moist and place it in room temperature. When the seeds have sprouted and started to emerge from the soil by about 5 cm, it is time to place the seedlings in the light and preferably cooler if possible. Sometimes, a windowsill where it is usually a bit cooler is enough. If the seedlings grow too tall and leggy, the plant can be topped once to get a bushier growth, easily done by cutting off the top of the plant.
When the risk of frost is over, it is time to plant out your summer phlox. After having lived its short life indoors, it wants to get used to the outdoor climate. Therefore, try to harden the plant by placing it outside for a few hours each day, which gets longer and longer every day. One tip is also to let it stand under a fiber cloth for the first few days to protect it from sun and wind. After a few days of hardening, it can withstand being outdoors just fine.
Summer phlox likes a lot of water and nutrients. Together with occasionally harvesting some flowers, it will produce a lot of flowers throughout the summer.
Summer phlox is beautiful to pick in bouquets, as it has a good durability in a vase. Thanks to its bushy growth, it also fits perfectly in flower beds or in borders.
Sometimes, summer phlox can suffer from aphids. First, try to shower the plants with water, which can prevent the aphids from attaching. If it doesn't work, mix some ordinary green soap with water and spray daily until the aphids are gone.
