The care information provided in this section represents the kind of practical advice is available for all the plants in this web site if you subscribe to the monthly customized newsletter Yardener’s Advisor.
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Watering
Ideally, annual phlox should get 1 inch of water a week from rainfall or from your watering. They especially need watering during drought periods. Use a soaker hose to saturate the root zone. Avoid wetting the leaves to reduce the risk of fungal disease.
Fertilizing
A slow-acting general purpose granular fertilizer worked into the soil around the plants in the spring will meet the basic needs of annual phlox for the season. A optional spray of dilute liquid fertilizer on their foliage every 4 or 5 weeks during the hottest summer months will boost the vigor of these steadily blooming plants.
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Mulching and Weed Control
Mulching helps control weeds, conserves soil moisture, enriches the soil and keeps fungal spores from splashing up on the flowers. Cover the soil around the phlox plants with a 1 or 2 inch layer of chopped leaves, wood chips, shredded bark, or other attractive organic material. For more information see the file on Using Mulch
Maintenance
To prolong the bloom period, pick off faded flowers. This will keep plants looking attractive all summer. Taller types of annual phlox may need to be staked for support in summer rain storms.
