Phlox subulata (Creeping Phlox) Creeping phlox is a low-growing species which forms a carpet-like mat no taller than 6 inches. It also keeps the plants healthy and free from disease. Prepare the New Transplant Area for Planting. Phlox are herbaceous plants most commonly known for making billowing mounds of scented flowers in summer borders. Patricia Hamilton Reed has written professionally since 1987. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! However, this eccentric plant can require some specific pruning. Place divisions 12 to 18 inches apart and firm soil around the root ball. Be sure to keep the roots intact and attached to the foliage section of the phlox. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Clumps that have no middle flowers and seem more like a ring than a dome need dividing. Water the creeping phlox 24 hours before you plan to divide it to help the plant's shallow roots retain soil. Phlox can sometimes be hand-pulled, but it's difficult to remove all the roots, particularly with creeping varieties, so a herbicide application can help completely remove the phlox. Division is an easy way to propagate new phlox plants. To divide phlox, cut around the root ball with a sharp spade, then gently lift the plant out from the ground. Managing Dried Out Phlox Plants: Why Is My Phlox Yellow And Dry, Creeping Phlox Planting Instructions: Tips For Growing Creeping Phlox, What Is A Garden Spade – Garden Spade Uses And Tips, Bishop’s Cap Cactus Info – Learn About Growing A Bishop’s Cap Cactus, Silver Torch Cactus Facts – Learn About Silver Torch Cactus Plants, Are Succulents And Cacti The Same: Learn About Cactus And Succulent Differences, Deadheading Mullein Plants – Should I Deadhead My Verbascum Flowers, Planting A Calla Lily In A Pot: Care Of Container Grown Calla Lilies, How Many Bee Species Are There – Learn About The Differences Between Bees, What Is Stipa Grass: Learn About Mexican Feather Grass Care, Plants Lost To Deer: Living With Deer Damage, Epic Garden Failure – Watering Plants And Killing Plants, Cactus Houseplants: My Journey Learning To Grow Cacti. Creeping Phlox can be propagated in the early spring via division, simply dig up a clump and separate the roots into small pieces and re-plant the roots. I realized that I had purchased 2 different 'varieties', one with a pine-needle type foliage, and the other with a I-don't-know-what type of foliage. When dividing phlox in spring, it should be done just as the new shoots appear. Plants divided in late summer/early fall should be mulched in late fall. Actually, any 3-4 year old perennial clump can benefit from division. You should also prepare the site for the divisions, loosen up the soil and add any required amendments. A notorious dweller on edges of rocky embankments, the Emerald Blue Creeping Phlox is just that. She has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Michigan State University, is an avid gardener and volunteers at her local botanical garden. With long lasting, reblooming flowers in a variety of colors that attract butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators, garden phlox has long been a favorite garden plant. Creeping phlox should only be divided every two to three years unless it is growing too aggressively. Splitting phlox plants can be done in spring or fall, but should never be done on hot, sunny days. To divide, dig up existing plants in late summer or early spring. Moss phlox (also called creeping phlox) blooms for a two-week period in the spring. Water to settle the soil and help the plant re-establish. Before you begin dividing your existing Phlox, it is … Separate the roots into sections with three or more shoots and adequate roots with a sharp, clean knife. Surely the best feature of creeping phlox is its flower production. Spread the foliage apart and cut through the roots along the dividing line, which you can see in the top photo at left, making sure all the roots on the division are severed from the main plant. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Phlox flowers need to be transplanted in a very specific way. If you’re splitting phlox plants in fall, be sure to do so at least four to six weeks before the first expected frost date for your location, and mulch the divided plants well before winter sets in. Reed was editor of the "Grand Ledge Independent" weekly newspaper and a Capitol Hill reporter for the national newsletter "Corporate & Foundation Grants Alert." When phlox plants start producing fewer or no blooms, it may be time to divide them. Replant the divisions immediately. The roots are typically short, but spread over the length of the plant stem where it contacts soil. Perennials, like phlox, need dividing every few years for many reasons – to keep them in control, to rejuvenate them or just to create more plants for other garden spots. (ref 4). These dense plants are appropriately employed as ground cover to grow over large areas of land. Phlox plant divisions should be planted immediately, but they can be planted in pots with potting mix temporarily to give to friends and neighbors. The flowers are so densely packed that it can be ha… Creeping phlox is easy to propagate through division, stem cuttings, or rooted stems. This perennial evergreen ground cover prefers a sunny location for best blooming results. Replant immediately in the prepared soil, digging a hole to fit the root ball. You can trim creeping phlox to help it maintain its shape after it completes its bloom in the spring time. The Creeping Phlox that I planted last spring to flow over the old retaining wall, exploded in glorious color this year! Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) is a familiar spring-blooming creeping plant that is frequently seen in rock gardens, growing from crevices in stone walls, or planted as a flowering ground cover. Plant these new divisions immediately and water them thoroughly. Creeping phlox, also known as moss pink and mountain phlox, is a perennial plant that is an absolute must-have for many rock gardens around the world. Creeping phlox is a familiar spring-blooming creeping plant that is frequently seen in rock gardens, growing from crevices in stone walls, or planted as a ground cover to blanket areas of the ground. I've used a clean, sharp spade and Creeping Phlox Emerald Blue Plants for Sale Online. It is perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 through 9 and requires a site with full sun and excellent drainage. It’s easy to divide. To encourage growth after the phlox bloom in the spring give them a trim. Remove excess dirt from the roots. Late summer/early fall (mid-August through September) is also a suitable time to divide garden phlox. Cut the piece into several sections sized to suit your planting needs with the shovel, or pull them carefully apart with your hands. How to divide moss phlox Has your moss phlox spread too far? During division, dig out a section of the mat of creeping phlox. Phlox. Plant creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) and you can welcome spring with a carpetlike display of pink, purple or white blooms that lasts for two to three weeks and increases in size each year. Watering with a rooting fertilizer can help reduce stress for the plants and encourage quick rooting. Established clumps of creeping phlox and moss phlox may be divided in the spring after flowering. However, if after a few years your phlox plants fail to bloom as magnificently as they once did, this may be a sign that they need to be divided. Keep the newly divided perennials well watered through spring and summer. The mass of deep blue flowers and evergreen foliage spreads over curbs and short retaining walls, or amidst rocky outcroppings. A little preparation is required before dividing phlox plants. In this post I will be Transplanting Creeping Phlox. If your once-robust Hosta, Iris, Shasta Daisy, Creeping Phlox, or Peonies looked weak or had puny flowers this season, it may be time to divide the clumps. So, how do you know when to divide phlox plants? Clear and loosen the soil with a shovel in an area of the garden in full sun and with well-drained soil. Trim away any portions of creeping phlox that do not touch soil, such as the part of the plant that trails over rocks, planters or walls. Creeping phlox spreads throughout an area hastily and is one of the few spring blooming plants that can be used as both a ground cover and a garden border. Read more to learn how to divide phlox plants. The creeping stems or stolons that extend from the crown of the plant root wherever they touch soil. Another sure sign that perennials need to be divided is when they begin to grow in a donut shape, growing circularly around a dead patch in the middle. What I could see of the color in the grower’s pot was nice, but when it grew and expanded, the results were spectacular! I planted a lot of plants of "Creeping Phlox" in the front of my house. Fall can be the best time of the year to divide and transplant many of your hearty perennials. Other more diminutive species grow in sunny rock gardens and shadier situations. It belongs to the family Polemoniaceae that has around 65 different species. Dig down into the soil, cutting straight through the non-woody mat of plant growth with the blade of the shovel. How to Propagate Phlox Plants. The pine-needle foliage Creeping Phlox have done beautifully and I need to replace the other Phlox To spread the early spring color to other parts of the yard, divide creeping phlox after it blooms in the spring. Rock gardens, slopes and areas with sandy soil are ideal. The half-hardy annual group are useful as bedding plants and for growing in containers. Woodland phlox, Phlox divaricata, is an eastern North American native increasingly offered as an ornamental to use in cultivated gardens for its attractive bluish flowers.This herbaceous perennial in the phlox family (Polemoniaceae) can be found growing in dappled shade in open woods, partially shaded meadows, and along stream banks from Quebec to Florida and west to Texas and the … Creeping phlox, Phlox subulata, is a stunning low-growing perennial that creates a striking carpet full of 5-petaled blooms in radiant hues of reds, purples, blues, pinks and whites in late April and May.Typically reaching a mere height of 6 inches, but often spreading to 2 feet, it is a great choice for a groundcover. As a general rule, phlox plant division can be done every two to four years in spring or fall. Dividing plants helps to prevent beds or borders from becoming overcrowded. And just as you would divide other plants will work. All you need to do is cut a roughly 6-inch-long section, either from a rooted stem or a … The plants reach, at most, 6 inches in height and can spread out up to 2 feet to form a mat. Growing creeping phlox over a rockery or in tough soil conditions provides a … https://homeguides.sfgate.com/divide-creeping-phlox-42467.html Trim back the faded flowers and half the height of the foliage with pruning shears on the section of creeping phlox you want to divide. Separate the roots into sections with three or more shoots and adequate roots with a sharp, clean knife. I have creeping phlox growing in the garden pathways and even among the gravel in the driveway. Whether it’s creeping phlox spreading out to become a beautiful ground cover, or a mounding phlox plant in the garden, these delicate flowers are definitely a sight to behold.. This popular little perennial is best … Remove excess dirt from the roots. Trim the tops a bit in the process so the roots do not have to support a great deal of top growth. About 24 hours before phlox plant division, water the plants deeply and thoroughly. Not only are the individual blooms pretty, but there are also so many of them that the display is truly something special to behold. In shades of white, pink, red, purple and blue, phlox is an incredibly popular, brilliantly-flowered ornamental plant. You could divide … It is best to divide them in the spring. Dividing it is also easy. When a part of the plant and its roots are exposed, sever it with a sharp spade or shovel into two or more plant sections. The blooming period ranges from March to May depending on the planting zone. Dig down several inches to get a decent size root ball. Sign up for our newsletter. Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) produces a colorful spring carpet of soft pastel hues.Little expert knowledge is needed on how to plant and care for creeping phlox. Creeping phlox clumps should be split on a cool, cloudy day. To divide phlox, cut around the root ball with a sharp spade, then gently lift the plant out from the ground. Mix 2 2/3 ounces of herbicide with 1 gallon of water in a spray bottle or 1 gallon garden sprayer to make a 2 percent glyphosate solution. Spring Hill Nursery: How to Grow and Care for Phlox, Washington State University Extension: Creeping Phlox, East Cherry Creek Water and Sanitation District: Phlox Subulata, Creeping Phlox, The Perennial Care Manual: A Plant-by-Plant Guide: What to Do and When to Do It; Nancy J. Ondra, National Gardening Association: Landscaping a Sandy Hillside in San Francisco, How to Redo a Mirror Frame With Mosaic Glass. Dig up the entire plant, divide the clump into sections, and replant immediately. Also called moss phlox, creeping phlox is evergreen with soft foliage that forms a dense, 6-inch-high green mat, spreading up to 3 feet and cascading over rocks and retaining walls. Divide taller plants every 2 or 3 years. It's rare to find such a vigorous source of blue in a ground cover. Creeping phlox is a popular flowering perennial which is often observed growing around the perimeter of a garden or yard as a garden border. How Do I Calculate Home Value to Loan Ratio? Plant these new divisions immediately and water them thoroughly. Likewise, if the foliage becomes sparse, it is probably time for dividing phlox. The Well-Tended Perennial Garden; Tracy DiSabato-Aust. Cuttings, if done right, are a particularly easy option to propagate, as they root easily after a few months. As long as it gets full sunshine and plenty of water, it stays happy. Dividing Perennials – The Basics. Perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 through 9 requires. Be split on a cool, cloudy day however, this eccentric plant can require some pruning. Apart with your hands to fit the root ball with a rooting fertilizer help! 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