Planting and caring for summer phlox
A delicate, long-blooming flower, perfect for bouquets
Summer phloxes (Phlox drummondii) These are wonderfully nostalgic flowers. Unlike garden phlox, their appearance is rather delicate, so you shouldn't plant them near vigorous plants. Their ideal spot is at the front of a flower bed or in a container. The colors are unique! Milky caramel, cherry red, and lavender purple. Simply gorgeous!
the essentials in brief
- annual cut flower
- delicate & long-blooming
- Sow indoors from February, outdoors in the garden from May
- Direct sowing possible from May
- sunny, warm location
- well-drained and nutrient-rich soil
- Pruning extends the flowering period
- Suitable for beds, tubs and pots
Sowing summer phlox
From February to approximately April is the ideal time to start sowing summer phlox. Sow the seeds about 1,5 cm deep in well-draining soil. Make sure to keep the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged. The ideal germination temperature is around 18-20 °C. As soon as there is no longer any risk of frost, the seedlings can be moved outdoors. It takes about 60-66 days until they flower.
If you missed sowing in spring, you can also sow the seeds of summer phlox directly into the garden bed from May onwards.
Newsletter
Register now and download over 200 planning maps for your garden bed design!
Receive regular helpful gardening tips, special discounts, and be the first to know when our flowers go online this season! Plus, you'll get our digital planning maps. Print them out and easily plan long-blooming, low-maintenance flower beds! Please also check your spam folder for the confirmation link after registering.
Location & Soil of Summer Phlox
To reach its full beauty, phlox needs sun and warmth. The brighter the location you choose for planting, the more abundant the flowering and the more intense the fragrance.
The soil should be well-draining and very nutrient-rich. Moist soil is also not a problem for summer phlox. However, you should definitely avoid waterlogging.
Care for summer phlox
Annual phlox is exceptionally robust and long-blooming. Once the plants are established, they require minimal care. Remove weeds to give the phlox enough room to develop in the garden bed or container. Water them regularly, but be sure to avoid waterlogging. It's best to simply keep the soil consistently moist. You can support growth with regular fertilization. Ideally, feed them with a high-quality liquid fertilizer every two weeks. You can extend the flowering period by deadheading spent blooms.
Cut summer phlox for a vase
Phlox looks simply wonderful in bouquets. Whether as a companion flower or the main focus, it's always a real eye-catcher in a vase. Harvest the flowers when no more than half of them have opened. The blossoms can be delicate, so be careful when cutting them. They will last for about 7 days in a vase. The colorful flowers are not only visually appealing but also wonderfully fragrant. Once they've finished blooming, you can collect the seeds to grow your own summer phlox again next year.
